.S7ie//,S.ectl»n '^/^.T/^/^J//y/9/^^y OF THE S'C^!^ PRINCETON, N. J SAMUEL AONEW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. ^^€n^c.X^^yj£^y§^cf^ Wi-'H^ / o vj> / / ^.W/^^ y^^''7'',^a Y ocy'/i^ ^n'TA'Z/. / k.^tm.: A PLAIN ACCOUNT O F T H E NATURE and E N D. G F T H E SACRAMENT O F T H E Lord'^S'Stipper. I N W H I C H AU the Texts in the New Teilament, rela- ting ta. it, are produced and explained : and the Whole Dodlrine about it, drawn from. Them alone. , , ) *^, " "- ' 1 -r ^ To which are added, FORMS of PRAYER. The Second Edition. LONDON: Printed for Ja M e s, J o h n, and Pau l K n a p to n, at the Croivn in Ludgatc-Strect. Mdcc xxxv. THE PREFACE. ))^ N the following 'Treatife, I have "* endeavoured to eflablifh and ex- "- plain the true Nature^ End^ and EffeB, of the Sacrament of the ^ Lord'S'Suppen The Suhjlance of it is What I preached, many Years ago, in feveral Sermons^ when I had the Care of a Parifi in London, In that Relation, I thought it my Duty always to have a View to the particular De- mands of Thofe I was to inftrucl. Efpeci- ally, I efteemed my felf obliged to have a very peculiar Regard to the Wants of Some of the Beft and moft fincere Chrifiiam ; whom I found often in danger of great Er- rors, or great Superftition -, and too com- monly difturbed and perplexed by fuch Fears and Terrors, as indeed made their De- fire of being truly Religious, the., Burthen andMifery, inftead of the Delight, of their JLives, A 2 h% iv rhe P R E F A C E. As therefore, for the fake of Ojie Sort o? ChriJiianSy I never ceafed to inculcate the Neceiruy of Univerfal Obedience to the Will of God ; that there might be no hope left to Them of Acceptance, without This : So, for the Dcfenfe and Support of Others, in their fincere Endeavors to pleafe God, againft all thofe uneafy impreflions of Superftition^ which They had a tight to be freed from, I made it my care to ftate and explain the Commands peculiar to Chrijlianity^ from the firfl Declarations of Chriji himfelf, and his Apojlles, in fuch a Manner, as that They might appear to Honeft Minds to hive as little Tendency to create Diftrefs and Uneafmefs, as They were defigned, in their firft Simpli- city, to have. Amongft thefe, I fbuiid that, in no one inftance of Chriftiaii Duty, there w^as more need of Aflillance, than in this of their Attendance upon the Loris-Supper -^ which had been rendered very Uneafy to Them by the Notmn They had, by fome means or other, embraced about it. What I then preaclied, not without fome Succefs, I now publilh Vv'ith the fame honefl: Defign of intruding Thofe who want In- flrudion ; and have no better at hand. I have throv/n the Whole into a new Form ; and made feveral Additions to what I firll preached, in order to a more clear under- ftanding of this Subjedl : and this, in fuch a manner, rhe P R E F A C E. V a manner, that All who are concerned may, i hope, be led into the right way of judgino^ about it. To this I have endeavored to guide Them by directing and confining their Atten- tion to all that is faid about this Duty by Thofe, who alone had any Authority to de- clare the Nature of it : neither on one hand diminifhing, nor on the other augmenting, what is declared by Them to belong to it. It ought certainly to be far from the Thoughts of Every Chriilian, to lelfen any PrivilegeSy or undervalue any Promifes^ an- nexed by Chrijl: to any Duty or Inftitution of his Religion. It is an inexcufable Fault wilfully to attempt it : and an inexcufable Carelefsnefs to do it for want of Due Confi-^ deration. It is indeed, a Fault, to which No Chriftian can have the lead Temptati- on: All fuch Privileges and Promifes being of equal Comfort, and of Equal Importance, to All ; and the Nature of them fuch, as that no One can be fo much his own Ene- my, as not to be vvilling to find the Truth and Certainty of Them, if He can. But this, I think, may with truth be faid, that an E^rror of this fort, (fliould it be iup- pofed) does not really hurt any Chrijlian ; nor alter the Effed of the Dtiry at all. GOD will certainly perform what He \\2lS promifed to Every One who partakes of the Lord's- Supper worthily, nctwithftanding that One Man vj The PREFACE. Man may think He has promifed lefs, thatl Another thinks He has. But on the other hand, to magnify the Meaning oi figurative ExprefTions into Certain Be7tefits never fpo- ken of plainly in other places ; fo as to an- nex to this Ojje Duty fuch BkJJings and Pri- vileges as belong only to the whole Syftem of Chrifiian PraBice^ is an Error (fuppofing it one) of quite another Nature. It feems to me to pervert the Delign of the Gofpel ; as it leads Men to make Thcmfelves eafy in the Performance of T]6/>, as diftind: from Thofe Duties^ upon which our Acquittance at the Day of judgment is conftantly and uniformly put. It is apt to make Them ex- ped what GOD has never promifed : and, not refting here, it tends to make Them ncsilieent of thofe Great Matters of the Gofpel^ without Vvhich He has declared None to be entitled to the Promijes and Pri- vileges of it. If therefore > the Manner, in which I have chofen to treat this fubjed:, fliould ap- pear to feme to ftand in need of any Apo- logy ; This is the only One I can perfvvade My ielf to make, That I have no Authori- tv to add to the Words of Chrijl^ and his Apojlles, upon this Subjcd ; nor to put any Meaning or Interpretation upon Thofe Words, but Vv'hat is agreeable to the Cam??2072 Rulei oi Jpeaking in like CafeSj and to the declared The P R E F AJO E. vij (declared Defign of the Injuhition itfelf: Nay, That it would be, in Me^ 2ifinful Pre- fumption to amufe Chriftians with greater and higher Expedlations, than They, who alone can be depended on, as far as I can judge, have given them any reafon to entertain. If I have arrived at the full Meaning of what Our Lordy and his Apojiles, have taught about it ; I have what alone I ought to aim at : and it will be of little importance, from how ma- ny and how great Men I differ. This I can fay with Truth, that, whenever I differ from Them, I do it with a great Concern on my own part, and a great Refpefl: towards Them : fo far from being inclined to it, or pleafed with it, that it would have been a Pleafure to Me not to have found a neceflity for doing it 5 and will now be a Satisfaction to M€ to be fct right in any Point, fmall of great, in which I may have judged amifs. But, how different foever from Mine, the Opinions of Any may be ; through the ftrength of a long PrepoflefTion, or of a Supe- rior Judgment : yet certainly, All who (in the ApoJile% phrafe) love our Lord Jefus Chrift in Jincerity ; (or, as the word is, tji Incorrup- tiofi',) and who defire to be no wifer about his appointments, than He himfelf was; and are content to exped no more from his In- ftitution, than i7^ himfelf put intoitj will join with Me at leafl in the one only Method of viij the PREFACE. ■-v, of lixaminiilg into the Nature and Extent of it. And all fuch perfons will be candid in. judging Another, even fuppoling Him in an Error: when it is fo plain in this Cafe, that Nothing could lead him into it but a fin- Cerc Deiire that the DoBrine of Chriji alone Ihould prevail, in a Matter, which mu ft de- pend upon His^ Will, as far as He has deckr red it ; and can depend upon Nothing elfe. In a word, I have here endeavored to re- prefent One of our Lord's Inftitutions^ in its original Simplicity. And if what I have done iliall prove at all fu.ccefsfull in removing any Error, or Superjlition^ from this part of Chrijlianity ; I iliall efteem my ifains well beftowed. The beft Prefervative againft thp chief attempts of Unbelievers, I am perfua- ded,. is to fliew the Religion of Chriji to the World, as He left it : and the greateft fer- vice to Chrijlianity , is to remove from it whatever hinders it from being feen as.it re- ally is in itfelf. Nor can I think any Time more truly feajonable to guard againft; Super- Jlition oi any fort, than when Injidelity is making it's Efforts : Which is ever feen to draw its main Strength from the Extrava- gancies and Weakneffes of Chriftians ; and not from the Declarations of ChriJly or his Jpoftles.. APLAIN PLAIN ACCOUNT O F T H E Nature and E n d 0/ the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, &c. il^n^jilj Y prefent Defign is to give as good Inftrucftions as I can, to honefl and wcU-difpoled Chrif- tians, for the right Performance of that Duty, which is now ge- nerally called, Receiving the Sacrament : but, in the moft antient phrafe, was cM^d partake ing of the Lord's Supper. And, as what I am now writing is intended for Thofe who have a fincereDefire of knowing what is their Duty, B in f 2 'The Nature and End of the in this Cafe, in order to pradlife it in a Man- ner fuitable to the original Defign of it; and a Will to exercife, with all due Seriouf- nefs, their Right of judging for Themfelves in This and all other Duties of Religion in which They are concerned : I fhall endea- vor to lay down what I have to fay, in io plain and intelligible a Manner, that Every Chriftian, capable of thinking at all upon this Subjed:, may be able immediately to fee whether It conveys to Him the true Notions of this Duty^ left us by Chri/l and his Apojiles, or not ; and fo either receive it, or rejed it, as He lliall find Caufe. Propositions. L The Partaking cf the Lord's Supper is not a Duty of itfelf ; or a Duty apparent to Us from the Nature of things : but a Duty made fuch to Chriftians^ by the poiitive Inilitution of yefus Chriji. My Meaning is not. That this particular Duty was inftituted by Chriji^ without; any previous Reajon inducing Him to do it^ but "^v that Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 3 that without, or before, his pofirive Inftitu- tion, No Reafon could appear, to oblige Ckrif-^ tians to this particular Rite; and that there cannot Now be Any obligation upon Us, to the confcientious Obfervation of it, but from His Will, and His Iniiitution. II. All Poftttve Duties^ or Duties made fuch by Infiitution alone, de- pend entirely upon the Will and De- claration of the Perfon who inftitutes or ordains them, with refped to the Real Defign and End of them ; and confequently, to the due Manner of performing them. For, there being no other Foundation for them, with regard to Vs, but the Will of the Inftitutors \ this Will muft of neceffity be our Sole DireBion, both as to our underftanding their true Intent, and pradifing them ac- cordingly: becaufe We can have no other Dire-flion in this fort of Duties, unlefs We will have recourfe to Mere Invention-^ which makes Them Our Own Inftitutions, and not the Infiitutiom of T^hofe who firft appointed them. B 2 HI. It 4 ^he Nature and Ertd of the III. It is plain, therefore, that the Nature^ the Defign^ and the Due Manner of partaking, of the Lord's Supper -i muft of neceffity depend up- on what Jefus Chriji^ who inftituted it, hath declared about it. This follows from the two foregoing Pro^ pofitions. This Duty is made fuch by Chriji's Inftitution only : that is. It is a Pofitive Duty, to which we are obliged by hh Will alone. All Duties of this fort cannot be known but from the Will of Thofe who appoint them. And therefore, as He appointed this Duty ; His Will alone is to Dired; Us in the Know- ledge and Pradlice of it. IV. It cannot be doubted that He himfelf fufficiently declared, to his iirft and immediate Followers, the whole of what He deiigned fhould be un- derftood by it, or implied in it. For, this being a pofitive Injtitiition, de- pending entirely upon his Will ', and not de- iigned to contain any thing in it, but what He himfelf fhould pleafe to affix to it ; it 2 muft Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 5 muft follow that He declared his mind about it, fully and plainly : becaufe otherwife, He muft be fuppofed to inftitute a Duty, of which no one could have any notion with- out his Inftitution ; and at the fame time not to inftrud: his Followers fufficiently what that Duty was to be. V. It is of fmall Importance, there- fore, to Chrijlians^ to know what the many Writers upon this Subjedl, fince the time of the Evangelijls and A- pojlles-^ have affirmed. Much lefs can it be the Duty of Chrijlians to be guided by what Any Perfons, by their own Authority, or from their own Imaginations, may teach concerning this Duty. The reafon is plain: Becaufe, in the matter of an Inflituted Duty^ (or, a Duty made fo by the pofitive Will of any perfon, ) no one can be a Judge, but the Injlitutor himfelf, of what He defigncd fliould be contained in it ; and becaufe, fuppofing Him not to have fpoken his mind plainly about it, it is im- poflible that any other perfon, ( to whom the Jnjiitiitor himfelf never reveled his defign ) B-3 ihould '6 The Nature and End of the fhould make up that defeft. All that is ad- ded therefore, to Chrift's Inftitution, as a ne- ceffary part of it, ought to be efteemed only as the Invention of Thofe who add it ; and the more there is added ; (let it be done with never fo much Solemnity, and never fo great prerenfes to Authority ; ) the leis there is re- maining of the Simpliciry of the Tnjlitution^ as Cbrijl hinifelf left it. I am the more foUicitous to obferve this, and to imprefs it upon the minds of Chrif- tians^ becaufe it is the only thing that can either prevent, or care, the miftakes and uneafinefles of Many iincere Chri/iians^ upon this Subje, or this Wine^ the New «* Covenant in my Bloud ; becaufe you are " hereafter thus to drink Wine in a Reli- *' gious Remembrance of my Bloud^ in, or " thro" vas ap- pointed to be the Memorial of his Body broken ; and the TVine to be drunk, was ordained to be the Me- morial of his Bloud ih^di '. Or, (ac- cording to the exprefs Words of St. Paul J That the One was to be eaten, and the Other to be drunkj^ in Remembrance of Chrijl\ and this to be continued, until He, who was once prejent with his Difciplesj and is now abfent^ fhaU coma again. This alone may furnifh even the unlearn- ed Chriftian with a fhort but plain Argu- ment to prove the abfurdity and Falfhood of the Po(£trine of T^ranfuhjiantiation^ or Change of the Bread and IVtne into the Natural Body and Bloud of Chrifl: ; or of any Bodily prefence of Chrift in this Rite. The doing any AB^ in remembrance of a Perfon, implies his Bodily Abfence ; and if He is corporally prejent^ We are never faidj, BOS' Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 2 5 BOX can We be faid, m perform that Adion in order to remember Him. And therefore, It being declared, in the places before-mention- ed, that the End of this Injiitution was the Remembrance of Chrift ; it mufl follow from " hence that to eat and drink^ in the Lord's Sup- per, muftbe, To eat and drink in a fenfe con- liflentwith the Notion o? this Remembrance: and therefore, that to fuppofe, or teach, that Chrijtians eat his Real Natural Body, in re- membrance of his Real Natural Body -, and drink his Real Bloud in remembrance of his Real Bloud', is to teach that They are to do Something, in order to remember Him, which at the fame time fuppofes Him cor- porally prefent ; and deftroys the very notion of that Remembrance-, and fo, direcftly con- tradidts the moft important Words of the Jn^ ft it lit ion itfelf. Add to this that St. Paul, from his own Account of the Inflitution, delivered to the Corinthians, concludes exprefsly that, as oft asChx\K\2inseat this Bread and drink this Cupy They (He does not fay, feed upon Chrift now corporally prefent -^ but the contrary. They) Jhew, or tell forth, by thefe Ac- tions, his Death, till He come : that is, un- ^il the time when He fliall again be corpo^. Z rally 2 6 Tie Nature and End of the rally prefent with Them. This flrongly im- plies the Belief of his Bodily Abfence to be even neceflary to this Duty: and that his Bodily PrefenceisutttvXy inconfiftent with it; and whenever itfhall be, will put an End to ^ Rite^ inftituted only for the R€?nembrance of him, during his Abfence. They there- fore, who require Chriftians to believe, that They feed, in the Lord's Supper, upon Cbrijl's natural Body prefent^ do in effed; forbid them to eat this Bread in remembrance of his Body. Neither will They fuffer them to fhew forth Chriji's death, //// He fliall come again and be prefe?2t^ whilft They teach them that He is now corporally prefent with them. The fame may be faid of the Dodrine, taught by the fame PerfonSy of a Real Sacri-^ fiee of Chrift*s Body^ offered by the Priejiy in this Holy Ceremony : viz. That it contra* dids the very Words of the Injlitution ; in which the Pememhrance of an Abfent Body broken, not the offering of a Prefent Body^ is declared to be the End of this Religious Adion. I fay, the very Words : for this is not left to be deduced by Confequejtces drawn from Scripture-Words 3 but declared in the Words themfelves. : ■ Thefe Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 27 Thefc Arguments^ drawn from the great End of the Inftitution itfelf, are more plain and Eafy to Common Underjftandings, than Thofe which are taken from the Abfoluce Impoffibility of the Thing itfelf: which, the' They are ftrong, and never to be truly anfwered; yet, give the Adverfaries a much greater opportunity of perplexing and con- founding the Ignorant with Difputes about the Power of an Almighty GOD, and the Nature of Body, For, in the prefent Cafe, I hope. Every Common Underftanding will fee the Force of what I have been arguing from the Words of the hijlitution itfelf: viz, " The Lord's Supper was exprefsly de- *' figned for the Rememhraiice of Chrift, af- " ter He fliould be taken away : Therefore, " Chrift, who is to be remember d^ cannot " at the time of fuch 'Remembrance be cor- " porally prefent." Again, '' The Bread ** and Wine were ordained for Memoriah of •* his Body broken, and Bloud (hed, for Us« " Therefore, His Natural Body and Bloud " muft be abfent^ in order to be remember d *^ by means of fuch Memorials^ And again^ " They themfelves cannot be the Me^noriah « of themfelves, in this Rite. For nothing " can be eaten, or drunk, in remembrance ^* of itfelf. The contrary Notion is a plain [[ Abfurdity. 2 8 Ti'he Nature and End of the " Abfurdity. Therefore, It cannot be the *' Natural Body and Bloud of Chrift wiiich *' is eaten and drunk in the Lord's Supper : " but Something elfe, \^viz. Bread and *' Wine] in remembrance of Them." All this is founded upon the plain Notion of the word Remembrance^ as ufedin this Rite : and this Remembrance is exprefsly menti- oned, in the original Inftitution^ by St Luke-^ and more remarkably by St Pauly as a part of the Inftitution^ received by Him from our Lord himfelf: and confequently, it is this Remembrance which conftitutes the very Nature of this Holy Rite, It cannot there- fore, be an Offering, or Sacrificing, a pre- fent Body j becaufe This is not doing (as we are commanded) One thing, in order to remember and celebrate Another -y but is in truth pretending to do a Thing, in remem- brance of itfelf : which is an Abfurdity. It ought to be remarked alfo that the phrafe of Feeding upon Chriji's Body and Bloud y and all like to it, when ufed by Thofe who difclaira the notion of eating his Natural BodyyZrc very fi5^ Nature and End of the in the ferious manner of performing this Duty. But I think, the following verfe is not fo well connefted to this, according to the latter of thefe fenfes ; as it is according to the former. ] The word rendered Examine^ fignifies alfo approving after Trial and Examination : and, agreeably to this, the Diredtion may be, Let every one of You approve Himfelf, in this Cafe, to his own Confcience j as one regarding the Injlitution and Defign of the Lord's Supper ; and let him eat and drink S O, that is, in Such a Manner, as becomes That Defign/' And this fuller Senfe of the word feems the more proper here, be- caufe of what follows about Condemnation : which is a fFord direcftly oppofed to this of Approvijtg, The Apoftle goes on thus, V, 29. " I fay. Let a Man try^ and approve Himfelf j and perform this part of his Religious Duty fuitably to the Defign of it, the " Remembrance of Chrift ; becaufe great " will be his Offenfe, if He wilfully per- " forms it in a contrary way 5 or, in a *' manner plainly tm%vorthy of the Inflitu^ *' tion. For He that eateth and drinketh *^ as fome of you have done, i^nwortbily ; " that C( cc Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 67 *' that is, unfuitably to that Defign 5 and " in a manner utterly inconfiftent with *' It : not difcerjiing the Lord's Body ; that *' is, not coniiderjng this Bread as the Me^ *' inorial of his Body, not making a fuffi- " cient DifFei-ence between this Breads ea- " ten at the Lords Supper^ in memory of *' iiZ"/;;;, and a Common Meal even intempe- *^ rately taken : He that ads thus, ^^^5 and " df^ijiks Da?n72ation , Condemiiation , or yiidgmeiit^ to Himfelf J whilft he pro- feffes and pretends to meet his Fel- " low-Chriftians at the Lords Table, and " at the fame time behaves himfelf, as ac " no other than a Common Table ; nay, even with Intemperance and Indecency : and by this lays Himfelf juftly open to the Difpleafure of Almighty GOD. V, 30. As you may in part fee, from the Effects of this Intemperance^ and the To- " kens of G O D's Difpleafure now amongll You. For You have impaired the health of your Bodies. Sicknefs and even Death are come amongft you, by the Rightc- " ous Providence of God. /^. 3 i. For this *' is the Rule in fuch Cafes. If We would " call ourfelves to account, and judge and \[ condemn what is Evil in Ourfelves, io F 2 " effec- 6 8 ^he Nature and End of the efFedually as to for fake It ; We fliould not then be condemned, or punifhed by God. And when We fee fuch Afflic- tions amongft Us, We ought, before it be too late, to confider Them as Chaftife- ments from the Hand of God, in order to our Amendment j and defigned for this good End, that We {hould not fi- nally be condemned with the Wicked part of the World." '* ^. 33. Upon thefe accounts, my Bre- thren, when You are to meet together profefTedly to eat at the Lord's Table^ in remembrance of your Majler^ Wait with Patience for one another, till a good Number be aflemblcd : and then, perform this Religious Rite with all Decency, as a joint Body of Brethren, equally related to Chriil and entitled to his Favor; and not diflinguillied from one another, in this Religious A6tion, by any Outward Circumftances of Riches, or Poverty; Plenty, or Want. V, 34. But if any of You propofe to eat upon another account; to fatisfy your bodily appetites, and the Cravings of Hunger; This is not the Place for it, where you afTemble in a Bodv, for a Relio-ious Purpofe: but the ^' proper 6( Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 69 ^' proper Place to fatisfy Any perfon's hun- ger in, is his own private Houfe, where He may do it without Diforder, Indecen- *^ cy, or Shame to Any of his poor and " hungry Brethren.'* From the Whole of this put together We may fee clearly, That the ill Behavior of the Corinthians v/as occafioned by their join- ing the Lord's Supper to a Meal^ or pre- ceding Entertainment^ of quite another Sort; in which they both ate and drank to pleafe their Appetites, in fuch a manner as to dif- tinguifh Themfelves from their poor and needy Brethren , and to render Themfelves unfit to partake afterwards of the Lord's Supper in a worthy manner: And that the Apojih's main Deiign was firft to fhew them the proper Manner of performing that Duty of their Religion, for which they profelTed- ly afTembled; and then to perfuade them rather entirely to leave off thefe Feafls, at their AiTemblies ; and to eat and drink for the common Ufes of Life, at their own Houfes; than to go on in fo indecent and inexcufable a Behavior, at a Time, and in Places, when and where They met toge- ther, as Chrijiian Brethren, for the purpofes of their Holy Religion. And this He does, F 3 in 70 T*he Nature and End of the in the moft effedlual manner, from the ^ime^ the Words, and the Dejjgn^ of the Lijlitution of this Rite : which the Apojile plainly reprefcpts as a Rite wholly diftindl from the Pafchal Supper ; inftituted by our Lord^ not during that Supper^ but after it 5 and defigned peculiarly for the Direftion of his Followers in that one par^ ticular manner of religioufly commemora- ting His Death till his coming again. From hence it is, that the Apofile draws; all that He fays, in order to convince Thera of their ill Behavior; and of the Neceffity of a better Pradlice : inftrudting Them, iri this eafy way. That the Lord's Supper had no natural Connexion, or Relation, to any Other Feajl^ or Entertainment for the Sa-r tisfacStion of their Bodily Appetites ; that this End was to be anfwered better by eat- ing and drinking in their own private Houfesj and that it was their Duty to conli- der the Lord's Supper^ as a Religious Rite^ of a very different nature from their Com^ fnon Feajis'y and a Rite^ at which Their- Behavior ought to be fuch as was fuitable to the good and ferious Lnd^ it was defign- ^i for. Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 7 1 Thefe were the LefTons St. Paul chok to draw from the Injlitution itfelf, for the pe- culiar Ufe of the Corinthian ChriftianSy in the Jirjl Age of the GofpeL I fhall now, from this Whole PaJJage, thus explained, draw a few PropoJitionSy for the Ufe of Chrijiiam in thefe later Ages of it. XII. The Examination here men- tioned by St. Paul^ as regarding the Lord's Supper^ is, ftridlly /peaking, a Chriftian's Examination of his own Heart and Difpofition, by the Injii- tution of this Holy Rite, in order to affure Himfelf that He comes to the Lorcfs Supper^ and will behave Him- lelf at it, not as a Common Meal, or an Ordinary Eating and Drinking; but as a particular Rite appointed by Chrift : viz. That He comes to it, in order to eat this Bread and drink this Wine, in a Serious and Religious remembrance of Him^ and of his Death. F 4 The 7 2 T^e Nature and End of the The mention made here of Examination^ was entirely owing to this, that Some of the Corinthian Chrijiia?2s, had deviated, in their pradice, from the Injlitution of Chrifl ; and behaved Themfelves fo intemperately and indecently, as to make no Diftindlion be- tween the eating and drinking in memory of their Majler-, and their eating and drink- ing indecently at a Common Meal. When therefore. Any fincere and ferious Believer in Cbrijl has approved Himfelf to his own Confcience in this Particular, that He comes to the Lord's Supper^ as His Difciple, with a Temper and Defign fiiitable to the only End of it's Injlitution , He may be cerr?in that He has Examined Himfelf in that Senfe, in which alone the Apoftle has re- commended this Duty, with regard to the partaking of the Lord's Supper. An Examination of a Man's whole Life and Conduft, by the known Law of God, whether Natural or Reveled; if it be wholly in order to render Himfelf more perfedl in the pradlice of All that is praife-worthy, in every Circumftance and Relation of Life, muft be of great Ufe to Every well-difpofed Chriftian. But for this, Every one is the belt Judge for Himfelf, of the proper and moil Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 7 3 moft convenient time. My Defign is only to obferve here, that Self-Examinationy m this Extent, is not a Duty neceffarily pre- vious to the Lord's Supper-, nor fpoken of, by St Paul^ in this degree, as neceflary to our duly partaking of it. And this is fit to be obferved -, that fo No Serious Chrif- tian may, on the one hand, make it a pretenfe for his not coming to this Religi- ous Rife, that He has not had time for a long and particular Examination into his whole paft Conduft ; or, on the other hand, be TJneafy ( as too many have been ) at their honeft performance of this Duty, in remembrance of their Lord and Mafter, without fuch a long and particular Exa^ mination. In the publick OJice of Our Churchy it is obfervable that the Duty of Examination is propofed to Them, who are at that very time fuppofed to remain in the Church, as Communicants. The Exhortation and Thrieat- ning of St Paul to the Coiinthians, are then read to them; They are called upon, at that very time, to judge Themfelves, and to approve Themfelves, by coming with the proper Difpofitions to the Lord's Table. AH which muft be fuppofed to be found- ed 7 4 2/J^ Nature and End of the cd upon this, That even fo ihort an Exa^ viination^ in the Church itfelf, juft before the partaking of the Bread and Wine^ may be fufRcient to fatisfy a True Chriftian, whether He is at that time coming to the Lord*s Supper with a Temper and Behavior, fui table to the Injiitution^ according to what St. Paul has faid about it ; and that He may examine and judge Himfelf, at that very time, enough to be fully fatisfied in this eflential Point: all which is perfeftly a- greeable to what I have been now faying, XIII. The Duty of Preparation for the Holy Communion being entire- ly founded upon thefc few Words of St Paufsy Let a Man Examine Himfelf y it is evident from the fore- going Propoftion^ that the Prepara- tion impUed in thefe words, as ne- cefiary and fufficient, is fuch a Cor\r fideration of the htftitution itfelf, as may fatisfy and aiTure Us that We come to the Lord s Supper^ as His fincere Difciples, refolved to eat and drinky in a ReUgious Remembrance of Sacrame72t of the Lord's Supper. 75 of Him; Or, with Difpolitions and a Behavior, worthy of, that is, fui- table to, the Defign of this Holy Rite. A true Chriftian needs not any length of Time to afTure His Heart of this. Neither can the Opportunities of this Solemnity , come fo fuddenly upon Him, but that He may certainly know Himfelf to be prepa- red^ in this abfolutely neceffary Senfe : and ^ let it be remembered that I am now fpeak- ing only of what is abfolutely necejfary. This is not defigned to infinuate, nor does it in the leajft imply, that Chrijtians may not. wifely chufe to fpend a longer Time in Re- ligious Conjideration and Prayer^ juft before their Coming to the Communion 3 if They have Leifqre, and think it of more Advan- tage to them to do it upon this Occafion, than upon Any other. But again I fay, ^his ought not to be inculcated upon Them, as a Preparation neceffary before their coming to this Holy Rite : left the Want of fo much more Time fhould ei- ther prevent their Attendance upon this, Duty; or difturb the Minds of Thofe who Ji^y^ honeftly, and with Chriftian, AfFeflions, % attended 76 The Nature mid End of the attended upon it, without fuch a previous Condudl. It is, and muft be, always of great Ufe to Chriftians. But We are not to confound Duties ; and make T!haf pecu- liar to the Holy Communion^ which never was made peculiar to it by Chrift^ or his Apojiles ; which is proper for every Seafon of our Time, and every part of our Life* and which would have been equally a Dut)\ whether it had pleafed our Lord to inftitute the Holy Communion^ or not. XIV. It is evident, from the Paflage now before Us, that the Whole Af- fair of eating and drinking U N- WORTHILY, in St Paul\ Senfe, is confined to the Frame of our Minds, and our Behavior, AT the very Time of our Performance of this Religious Duty. Had not Some amongft the Corinthiam been guilty of great and Criminal Indecen- cies, at the very time of the Celebration, We had not heard of the Crime and Dan- ger of eating and dri^tking Unworthily. And now We do read of it in St Paul^ We Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 77 We fee it plainly to be their Eating thh Bread, and their Drinking thh Cup, with a Behavior and Difpofitions, utterly wtfui^ table to the End of the Infiitiition 5 which was the Serious and Religious Remembrance of Chrift : and in fuch a manner as plain- ly fhewed that the Bread and Wine or- dained for the Remembrance of our Lord's Body and Bloudy in this Rite, were not thought of by Them fo, as to be difcerned^ (or differenced^ as the word fignifies ) from Bread and Wine taken at a Common MeaL XV. Whoever therefore, eats this Bread, and drinks this Wine, with a Serious and Chriftian Frame of Mind ; and a Behavior fuitable to the Defign of the Injlitution ; par- taking of it, as a iincere Difciple of Chrijl^ under the Senfe of his own ftridl obligations, as fuch ; remem- bring his Body broken, and his Bloud fhed, at the fame time ; and doing the Whole in Remembrance of Chrijfj as his Lord and Mafter ; certainly cannot poiTibly be faid to eat and drink 7 8 The Nature and End of the drink UNWORTHILY; or, as far as this particular Religious Action is concerned, to behave Himfelf Un- fuitably to //, or to his Own Charac- ter, as a Chrijlian. The Point here is not, Who is worthy, 'in the ftridl Senfe of that word, to appear before God, in any Religious Aftion : but. Who performs that Adtion worthily, that is^ fuitably to the Nature and profefled Defign of it ; and who, Unworthily, No man can be faid to be JVorthy, in ftridtnefs of Speech, to approach G O D in Prayer : but He may, notwithftanding this» Pray worthily, or, perform that Religious Duty, in a man- ner and with a Frame of Mind, in fuch degree, worthy of it, (that is, Juitable to the End of it, ) that it fliall be acceptable to God who requires it; notwithftanding his Imperfections and Failings. So, in the pre- fent Cafe, A Chriftian may not be Worthy ^ ftridly fpeaking, to pay Religious honour to his Lord and Mailer, in the Lord's Siip-^ fer: but Every fincere Chrijlian, called upon to perform this Duty, may perform it worthily, or wich Thoughts and Beha- vior Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 7 9 vior fuitable to the End of it ; that is, with a Serious Remembrance of his Majlery for which It was inftituted. And agreeable to this Notion is the Language of that Jhort Prayer^ ufed in our publick Service, before the Partaking of the Bread and Wine ; in which We are led to acknowledge Onr^ felves^ not Worthy in Ourfelves to be fa- vorably received by GOD; and yet to pray that We may perform the Duty, We are now going about S O, as that It may be of Advantage to Us: which is, in other words, that We may perform it Worthily -y or, in a Manner fuitable to the Nature and End of it. On the contrary, XVI. He only ought to be af- frighted at the Words of St Paul^ be- caufe He only can, in the Apojlles Senfe, be faid to eat and drink Un- worth'ilyy who, without conlidering the Duty He profeffi^s to perform; without a ferious regard to the Re- me7nbrance of his Lord and Mafter, for which onjy It was commanded ; Qats this Bread and dri72h this lFi72e^ either 8o 'The Nature and End of the either with no Thought at all of the End of tliis Injlttution ; ( which is one Degree of doing it unfuitably to the Nature of the thing ; ) or, (which is Worfe, ) with Thoughts and Beha- vior, utterly inconjijlent with the De- lign of this Holy Rite^ or with a Chriftian s Duty at any time. To explain this matter a little farthen I do not confine the guilt of eating and drinking Unworthily^ to the ftridl Imitation of the Corinthian Sinners, in the One par- ticular Inftance of their Indecency; but think, it ought to be extended to all Cafes, to which the Apojlle's argument, drawn from the Injlitution itfelf, by parity of Reafon, can reach. Whatever Temper, or Behavior, at the Time o{ eating and drijiking, is ut- terly imfuitable to the Defign of the Duty, muft, in its degree, come under the Cenfure of this Paffage. I am perfuaded, It is, mo- rally fpeaking, impoffible for any good and ferious Chriftian, to eat this Bread and drink this Cup, without a due Religious Reviembrance of the Death of his Mafler. But it is not naturally impoffible, but that a Chrif- Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 8 i a Chrijiian, in other refpe6ls unblameable, may in this fail ; fo, as either to perform this particular Adion with a Temper not (uitable to the Defign of it ; or to mix fomeching with it very Unfuitable to/ and greatly unbecoming, that Defign. And, in this cafe, Such a Lhrifiian might juftly be faid to eat and drink Unworthily, in fome degree ; not difcerning the Lord's Body -, but indulging Himfelf in fome fuch Thoughts or Behavior as may {hew that He does ndti at the very Time of partaking, make a fuf- ficient 'Difference between the Lord's Sup- pery and an ordinary Lntertainment \ be- tween the Deportment proper and fui table to the Lord's Table^ and that which might not be improper or indecent at his own common Table. On the other hand, A profeffed Chrijiian-y tho' very blameable in fome parts of the Condud: of his paft Life \ yet, coming to the Lord's Table with a lerious frame of mind, and on purpofe to remember Chrift^ as his Lord and Mafter, in the way appointed by Himfelf; and actually partaking of the Lord's Supper y with that Religious Remem- brance which is fui table to it : Such an one, I fay, cannot juftly be faid to do this par- G ticular 8 2 The Nature and End of the ticular Adion in ah improper way ; or t6 ieat this Bread, and drink this Wine, Un- worthily 5 that is, iinfidtably to the Defign of the Injiitution ; though He may, in o- ther refpeds, have behaved Himfelf Unwor- thily^ or unfuitably to fo holy a Religion. Thefe Injlanccs I mention, in order to explain more clearly what is meant when it is faid that the Eating and Drinking Wor- thily^ or Unworthily^ in St Paul's fenfe, is Confined to the Difpojition and Behavior of Chriftians at the very time of their parta- king of the Lord's Supper ; and confifts in their doing both, fuitabl)\ or unfuitably^ to the Nature and End of that particular Injii- tution. And I thought it the more neceffary to fettle this point in the plaineft mannei: poffible, becaufe the gixat Uneafmefs of Ih- nejl Chriflians^ upon this Head, appears to have been founded, not upon their aBual partaking of the Lord' s Supper^ U?2Worthilyy or in a manner Unjhi table to its defign ; without dlfcerning find confidering the End of it ; with which alone St Faul concerns Himfelf: but upon feme other fort of No- tions not relating to this 5 and the dread of partaking Unicorthilyy m fome fcnfe^ which, though unknown to St Paul^ and found Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 8 3 found out fince his Time, yet is pretended to be built entirely upon lits Dodtrine laid down in this place. This Dodrine I have now endeavoured to explain, for the ufe of fuch Chriftians, in thefe later Ages. He therefore, who performs this particu- lar Religious Duty, in a manner, and with a Temper and Behavior, Juitable to the Na- ture and Defign of it ^ with a ferious Re- membrance of Chrijl, as his Lord and Ma- fler, who has a Right to the Obedience of his life ; cannot be faid to eat and drink Unworthily in St Pauls fenfe ; nor ought to be afraid of the Cenfure pafied by Him upon fuch as do fo. But it will not fol- low from his doing thi^ one Duty worthily^ that He is that Good Chriftian, in all re- fpeds, whom His Lord will reward at the laft Day. Nor will it follow from a Pcr- fon's paft failures in Other points of Duty, that He partakes of the Lord's Supper Un- worthily, in St. Faults fenfe ; if His Tem- per and Behavior, at the time of partaking, hQfuitable to It ; and worthy of a true Chri- ftian. For if this were the cafe j no one who had been once ^ Willfull Sinner could ever partake of this liite otherwife than U^iwor- thily : No, not if He could be certain that G 2 He 84 'The Naturae and End of the He fhould never again, under any poffible Trials, willfully tranfgrefs the Lav/ of God, thro* his whole life ; of which yet it is im- polTible for any Chri/iian to be aflured. The Corinthian Sinners, whofe Guilt lay in their unchriftian Behavior at this very Rite^ were not forbid to come, or at all difcouraged by St. Paul from coming, to it again. On the contrary, It was fuppofed full to be their Duty ; and They were re- quired to come to it, in a ferious and Chriftian manner : but without the lead Encouragement to them from hence, to hope for God's favor without their amend- ment. So like wife. What is here faid can-^ not encourage Sinners of Any fort, to place the leaft hope in their partaking of the Lord's Supper, whilll they continue in the practice of their Sins ; becaufe this Conti- nuance in Sin is itfelf the Forfeiture of God's favor; and muil end in their con- demnation, according to the exprefs T'erms of the GofpeL But it is indeed of the con- trary tendency, 'viz, to bring Them to at- tend upon this InfAtution, with fuch a fe- rious Fram>e of miid as may happily lead them to the forfaking of all their Sins, and a total Amendment of life. For a perfon, who Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 8 5 who is a fincere Believerj and partakes of the Communion in remembrance of Chrijl as his Majle7\ mufl, in confequence of this, be fenfible of the neceiTity of a Ckriflian Be- havior \ and of an uiiivcrfal obedience to this Mafter : and cannot therefore, be ac- counted guilty of a Crime, in tlius parta- king of it. But, fuppofing Him 7iot to be guilty of eatmg and dr'uiking Unworthily , in the ftrid: original fenfe of thofe words; and not to be condemiid by Almighty God^ upon this account: Yet, if He ftill goes on in his Sins ; the habitual JVickednefs of his life, and his own wilful Negledt to reform and amend it, is the moft certain and un- avoidable Condem.nation, pronounced againft Him by that very Saviour whom He com- memorates m this Rite. This may be explained by the Inflances of Faith^ and Prayer^ and the like. There are, We may fuppofe, Perfons, inwardly convinced of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, and therefore, real Believers in Jejiis Chrijl as fent into the world by GOD; who yet do not in the courfe of their lives regu- late their Pra^^ice by his Precepts. In this their Faithy or, yielding their AlTent to the convincing Evidences of ChrijVs million; G X They 8 6 ''rhe Nature and E?id of the They acl a good part, and a part acceptable, to GOD. But by the habitual Difobedience of th^eir lives, They forfeit all title to his favor, and will be condemned at the lafl day. The ground of this Condemnation will not be, that Thefe perfons were defti- tute of Faith -, or even of that fame Faith which influences good Chriftians to a truly Chriftian Practice ; but that They were Wanting in that abfolutely neceflary Con- dition of a Virtuous and Holy Life, which They would not fuffer this Faith to lead them to. So, in the Injlance of Prayer -, a Perfon may poilibly perfoirm thi$ Duty with his underftanding and his affedlions fuitably difpofed for it ; and yet relapfe into the pradlice of Sin. This unhappy man will not be condemned by GOD for perform- ing his Duty of Prayer with Difpofitions agreeable to it : but He will be condemned:, notwithflanding this, for the willful prac- tice of Sin. There are, without doubt^ Wicked perfons, whofe Prayer itfelf is an abo.>/2inatio?i to the Lord, But thefe can be only fuch as have Hearts wickedly difpofed^ and far from God, at the very time when They pray ; or rather, when They are wil- ling to appear to Men to pray. But I am fpeaking Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 8 7 fpeaking of the private Prater of One who is fincerely, at the thne of his pray- ing, difpofed to call upon GOD, as his Govemour and Judge. And furely, there is no good Man who would tell Such an one that his Addreffes will be an Abomination to the Lord \ or; who would not encourage fiich a Perfon, tho' a Sinner, to make his Addreffes to God by Prayer, in order to the amendment and reformation of bis life. It is true, the very Faith and Prayer of fuch a Perfon, will aggravate his Guilt, and confequently his condemnation -, unlefs He amend his whole Behavior. But this, not becaufe his Faith, or his Prayer, are them- felves bad, and unacceptable to GOD: but becaufe They are both, in effedt, not only Acknowledgments of what He ought in duty to be ; but have a tendency, in their nature and deilgn to make Him bet- ter ; which Tendency He willfully negl^d:s and refirts. Thus, in the Cafe before Us, No Chrlf- tian who eats and drinks^ ?t the Lord's Sup- per, with a fincere and lerious remembrance of Chrijl, as his L ord ^nd Mafter, cnn be (aid to eat ^^ni drink unworthily^ in St. PauVs -G 4 fenfe ; 8 8 The Nature a?2d End of the fenfe; or unfuitably to the End 6f this Rite. Nor can He be faid to e^t and drink his own Condemnation : becaufe He does truly dtfcern the Lord's Body^ by re- membring it ifi the moft ferious manner. He has therefore, performed this one Duty in a proper manner. But if He be ftill a willful habitual Sinner in any one Inftance y He v/ill moft certainly be condemned : not for Receiving this Sacrament unworthily \ ( which He does not appear to have done ; ) but for the Difobedience of his Life, in thofe Points which are indifpenfably necefr hxy to Salvatioil, What I have faid does not feem to mc %o imply in it any thing contrary to the Dif- cipline of Chrijlians^ in Jujiin Martyr s Age " who informs Us, that They only were allowed then to partake of the Euchariji^ who livedo as Chrijl had commanded. This general and Ipofe expreflion is declared, by the moft learned Writers who cite it, to be meant on- ly of an imperjeSi Obedience to Chrift's laws» For they arc ienfible of the pernicious confe- quences of interpreting it rigoroufly, ac- cording to the words. For my Self ^ I think, Jiijlin Martyr could mean no more by it than that ProfcfTcd Chrifllans v^ho were fcan- d^Iouflj Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 8 9 daloufly and notorioufly Immoral in the habi- tual and open Condu(5t of their Lives, were not permitted, before fomegood Signs of Re- pentance appeared, to partake of this Reli-r gious Rite. And in times and places where this can be certainly judg'd ofj and the Rule put in practice without prejudice to Any perfons who ought not to fuffer by it 1 it may be a very good Rule ftill. But I take the foundation of it to be this, and this only. That the admitting perfons to the Communion was efteemed to be an acknow- ledgment of them, as Chrijiians fit to be received into the Company, and tp partake in the Religious Offices, of fuch as are really fo. And upon this account, Thofe who continued to bring a publick Difgrace upon their Holy Profeffion, were not acknowledged, or treated as Brethren. This appears ftill more plainly from hence, that it was not only from the Euchariji that fuch were debarred ; but from all Other parts alfo of the Common Worfhip of Chriflians: Nay, before whole Nations were profefTed Chriflians, from the common Intercourfes of Society and Conr verfation ; according to St. Paul's rule. I Cor. V. II. So that this does not appear ;o have arifen from Any thing peculiar to the 9 o The Nature and End of the the Lord's Supper itfelf ; nor from any opini- on that fuch Perfons could not pofTibly come to it with good difpofitions, and eat and drink in fuch a manner as not to fall un- der St. 'Paul's Denunciations: but, from hence, That they were not fit to be own- ed publickly by their Brethren, becaufe of their continuing to live, in other refpeds, and in a notorious manner, unworthily of the Chriftian Name. This was thought a proper way of bringing them to fome fenfe of their Sins ; or, if that could not be done, of vindicating the honour of the ChrifJan Society from the Scandal of fuch Members. i have thus endeavoured to explain the peculiar Nature of the Duty before Us, fo, as to preferve ^he neceffary Diftinflion be- tween this, and other EXpties; in order to, prevent the miflakes of honeft minds -, and to make it evident that no Chriftian can frame to Himfelf the leaft encouragement to continue in any one Sin, from his be- i\ig thus taught to perform one fingle Du- ty of his Religion, in a right manner. On the contrary. This very Duty^ thus per- formed, naturally leads Him to remembei; that every Chrijiian is ftridly required by that Mailer whom He thus commemorates, 3 • % Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, g i to regard the Whole Law of God, by which He is to be finally judged ; and ferioufly to confider that the Performance of 07ie Duty\ though performed in the Manner required, will not atone for his' willful and habitual Negled: of any Other, Before I conclude this part of the Subjeft, I mujft obferve that, the Cuftom in Our Church, (whether the primitive Cuftom or not, I do not now examine,) being this, That the Mintjler officiating not only delivers the Bread and JVine into the hands of Every Communicant^ but at the fame time diJiinHly calls upon every Perfon, to eat the one in re- membrance of Chrift^s Body broken and de- prived of Life ', and to drink the other in re- membrance of Chrift's Ehud fhed: This, (joined to the Difufe of annexing this Rite to any other Feafl:) guards it almoft againft the PoJJibility of any ferious Chriftian's eating or drinking^ unworthily ; or unfuitabiy to the End of it. He is in fuch a manner put in mind of Chrift's Body, when He takes the Bread', and of Chrift's Bloud, when He takes the Cup y that, if He hears the words, and comes with ferioufnefs. He cannot hut eat ^nd drink in a Religious remembrance ' of Chrifi., 9 2 The Nature and End of the Chriji^ as his Lord and Majter ; and fo, can^ not eat and drink Unworthily, in the ^po- file's fenfe ; i. e. Unfuitably to this Inftituci- on ; notwithftanding his Imperfections and Failings in other parts of his Condudl,^ which have no relation to this. Inftance of his Du-^ ty. I fay this oiferious Chrijiians, who iin- cerely believe in Chrift, as their Mafter and Judge. As for Others-, 1 am not now fpeak- ing to Them. There are no other Paffages of the New ^efiament^ except Thefe already produced, in which any fuch mention is made of this. Religims Duty ^ as can lead Us into the knowledge of the Nature and Exte?it of it : No other indeed, that are fuppofed to fpeak any farther of ir,^ than as a Pra(3:ice in th^ earlieft Days, when Chriftians met together for Religious Worfhip. Particularly in A^s ii. V, 4.2, mention is made of their con- tinuing Jledfajl not only in the Apojlle s DoBrine ; [or rather in Attendance up- on their Teaching , as the Senfe of the word in this place feems plainly to be ; ] but in fellowJJjip ; ( the fame word which fignifies Communion^ and participation,) and in breaking of Bread ; and in lomv'prayer. "if Sacrament of the Lord's Slipper. 9 3 If by Fellow Pnp^ or Communion^ (which an- fwers to the Greek loord here,) be meant fome- thing diftinfl: from the breaking of Bread -y it muft fignify their Charity in the frecCommu- nion, or Communication^ of the good things They poflcfs'd, for the ufe of all their Bre- thren who wanted them. But if it be meant to be explained by the breaking of Bread, joined fo clofe to it ; (as the Vulgar Latin in- terprets it;) it then itfelf relates to the Lord's Supper, And, that breaking of Bread was a ^UQwn phrafe for xht partaking of it, in the Lord's Supper^ may appear from what I have before cited out of St. Pauh, " The *^ Bread which we break. Is it not the Com- *' munion, (the fame word that is ufed here) " of the Body of Chrift ?" All the Expref- fions in this verfe fcem indeed, plainly to re- late to thefe Chriftians confidered as affemb- ling themfelves together for Religious purpo- fes : tho' it muft be own'd that this very phrafe of breaking bread h evidently ufed, at the /\.6zhver/e of this {^imc chapter, in the fenfc of their eating in common at one another's houfes ; and explained by their partaking of Food and Nouriflmient, in the ordinary fenfe of the words. And perhaps the fame phrafe of breaking bread will be found to be taken 3 iA 94 2^^ Nature and End of the in both thefe fenfes, in the 20th chapter of the A6is : where, at v. 7. it is ufed of the jyifciples meeting together^ 07i the firji day of the week, to break bread, in the religious Jenfe of the words; and at v. ii. perfonally of St. Paul's breaking bread, and tajiing it, (as the word in the original fignifies,) before his final parting from them. The Words, I Cor, v. .8. Chrifi our Pajfo- ver is (or has been) facrijiced for us -, There- fore, let us keep the Feaf, not ninth the old lea- ven, nor the leaven of Malice and Wickednefs, but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and 7ruth ', fuppofing them to relate, (as fome have imagined) to the Lord's Supper, infti- tuted in remembrance of our Pafchal lamb 5 only teach Us that We ought to partake of this, which is our Pafchal feajl, with fuch fincere, untainted, honeft hearts, as become Chriftians. But whoever reads the preceding verfes, as directed to the Corinthians, will fee that they rather relate to their Conflant Behavior, as a Society of Chrifians, defign- cd by their holy Religion to be purged from all leaven, or every thing that could corrupt them : and that this Conflant Behavior is reprefented under the figure of their keeping a perpetual Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 9 5 a perpetual Feajl^ free from all leaven of Wickednefs, or wicked Men. For the Apojile firft commands them to put away from a- mongft them a very wicked Man, whom He compares to leaven, becaufe He might cor- rupt Others of the Society ; and then imme- diately exprelTes his defire that They fhould be an entire , Uncorrupted, new Lufjip or Mafe, And this He urges upon them by ftill continuing; the fame figure : areuing: that, as Chrijl might be called Our Pafckal lamb, fo a Society of Chrijtiam keeping (as it were) a perpetual /^^?y?, under the fenfe of their deliverance, and of the love of their Deliverer, ftiould be always as free from the Leave?! of Wickednefs , and keep them- felves as clear from the danger of it, by not committing it, or fuffering it amongfl theni^ as the 'jewi were required to be free from all Leaven, in the Pajchal Supper which They annually celebrated, in remembrance of the Fajfover at the time of th^ir deliver- ance out of Egypt. Here feems to be no room for introducing particularly the Loris Slippery or of confining to that Rite, this Direftion of the Apojile, which plainly re- fers to the perpetual Condud of ChriJiia?2S, as Perfons ftridly obliged to preferve their Faith 9 6 The N'ature and E?2ci of the Faith uncorrupred by the Leaven of Falfe Dodlrines; and their Manners untainted by the Contagion, or Leaven^ of Sin and Wick- ednefs. Some again have applied to this Sacrament the Text, Hebr. xiii. lo. '' JVe have an Altar ^ " whereofT hey have no .right to eat^who ferve " the Tabernacle'' But as there is not one Interpreter^ antient or modern, of great note, who interprets this obfcure paflage of the Lord's liable ; fo there is not one good Reafon for fuch 2in Interpretation ; but many againft it: and particularly, the whole lenor and Scope of the IVriter ; which will always beft lead Us to his moft: probable Meaning in fuch places as we cannot in the cleared manner ex- plain. Now, the main End which the Author of this Epijlle had in view, was to fhew that the Difpenfation of the Go/pel did more than anfwcr to all that the Mofaic Difpenfation pro- fefTed to hold forth to the Jews, And this End he purfues by (hewing that the Author of it was far Greater than the Angels, who af- fifled at the delivery of the Law to Mofes ; and far greater than Mofes, to whom this Law was delivered : that He is, to his Difciples, of far greater importance, in all refpeds, than the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 9 7 the JewiJJo High-Pricji was to the Jews-, that his Death more than anfwered all the beneficial purpofes of any of the legal Sa- crijices 3 and that his Difpenfation was ful- ly fufRcient to bring Sinners to the Favour of GOD. Throughout his whole Dif- courfe, Chrijl himfelf is the High-Frieji ^ the Offerer^ the Sacrificer of Himfelf : and therefore, Nothing but the Real Crofs, up- on which Chrift offered himfelf, can be the Chrijiian Altar, in his language. And con- fequently, the general meaning of this paf- fage may be, that No one can receive any benefit from Chrift crucified, or from the Dodlrine of the Crofs upon which Chriji of- fer'd himfelf, who ftill adheres to the Jew-- ijh Difpenfation, greatly inferior to His ; and, (as far as it is depended upon for Juftificati- on,) oppofite to, and inconfiftent with, Chriji's grand Defign of introducing another Me- thod of bringing Sinners to Mercy andHap- pinefs. Some of the Greek Literpreters underftand this T^ext of Chrifi; himfelf: whom They fpeak of, as the Chrifiian Altar, upon which All our Sacrifices of Prayer and Praife are offer'd to GOD. But this Senfe of the word Altar feems to bear no relation to the defign H of 9 8 7^^ Nature and End of the of this particular Paflage. And indeed, if wc will enter more nicely into the Exaft meaning of the Apojiles peculiar Argunient in this verfe^ it muft be own*d, (as it has been rightly obferved by fonne learned Men,) that it is only an Argument to a particular Sort of Men j or rather an Illuftration of what He is defirous to convince Them of. He is plainly fpeaking here, not of Unbeliev- ing Jews^ (for no one ever thought of their receiving Benefit from Chrift;) but of fuch as profefs'd to believe in Chrift^ and to hope for Benefit from Him ; and yet continued zealous for thofe parts of the Law of MoJ'es which this Author had before prov'd to be of much lefs value than the GoJpel\ and all the advantages accruing from Them^ to be great- ly out-done by the new Difpenfation of Jefus Chrifl. And, with regard to fuch Perfons, the purport of his Words feems to be this — • ** As Chriji^ in his death upon the Crofs, an- fwers to tlie Sacrifices, on the day of £x- piation: fo, if you ftill adhere to the Law relating to thofe Sacrifices, [Lev, xvi. ** 27.] You cannot have the Benefit you ex- *^ ped: from Chrifl, who anfwers to Thenu ^' For by that Law, none are allowed to par- '* rake of thofe particular Sacrifices, fo as to " eat Sacrament of the Lord's Suppen 99 " eat of them, and receive nourifliment from *^ them: but the Sacrifices themfelves are *' ordered to be carried out of the Camp^ ^^ and to be totally confumed by Fire. And *' confequently, you cannot partake of that " Sacrifice offered by C/jriJi upon the Crofs^ *' anfwering to thofe yewi/Jj Sacrifices^ " whilft you adhere to the Rules which for- *^ bid you to eat^ or partake^ of them.'* This partaking of the advantages of Chriji's death, is expreffed by eating of the Chriftian Altar ; as They amongil the JevjS who ate of any Sacrifices, fo as to receive nourifh- ment from them, were faid 10 partake (or eat) of the Altar, I. Cor. x. 18. And like^ wife, as believing and receiving the Dodlrinc of Chrifi as our fpiritual nourKhment, is it felf exprefs'd by eating his Flefi\ (as we fhall fee prefently) mxht fixth Chapter of St. fobn'^ GoJ'pel. Something like this muft be the Meaning of this obfcure Text. Agreeably to which manner of arguing, the Writer of this Epijlle goes on : and from Chrifl's being crucified "without the Gate of ferufalem^ takes an occafion to urge Them to follow Him quite out of the Camp^ which was round the Tabernacle \ and totally to aban- don the Mofaic Difpenfation^ as far as thefe H 2 Ritual I oo T^he Nature a7id End of the Ritual Laws are concerned. This again, I fay, is an inftance of the fame way of Dif- CQurfe : not properly a ftrift Argument ; but zvi III ujl ration^ very allowable, from the Cu- flom of that Age, and the Principles of 'I^hofe whom this Writer had to do with 5 and not at all derogatory to the Writer him- felf, who never wifhed it to conclude more, than He originally defigned it to do. There is alio a long Difcourfe of our Bleffed Saviour's, in the Sixth Chapter of St. Johiis Gofpel, about eating His Flefn and drinking His Bloud ; which Many have la- boured much to interpret concerning the Lord's Supper : efpecially fince the abfurd Dodrine of T'ranJubJlaiitiatiGn^ and other Dark and Unintelligible Notions, have been brought into this Subjecf, But as there is no appearance that this Fajfage was underftood, in the very firft Days of the Churchy to con- cern this Kite ; fo, whoever will ferioufly confider the JVhole of it, will prefently find that it could not relate to a Diity\ which was not then inflituted, nor fo much as hinted at to his Diiciples j but was indeed only a very High Fignrati'vc Reprefentation .110 the Jews then about Him^ of their Duty ancj Sacrament of the Lord 's Supper, i o r and Obligation to receive into their Hearts, and digeft, his whole Dodtrine, as the Food and Life of their Souls. The difference of Rxprejjlon in the two Cafes, helps to fliew this. In the Inftitution of the Lord' s Supper^ our Saviour fays, *^ The ' Bread Vv^hich you are to eat, in this l^ite^ ' is My Body-;' not, '' My Body, or FleJJo, ' is your Bread, or your Food\^ The Wine ^ which you are to drink at my Table, is ' My Blond 'y' nor, '' My Bhitd is your • Wine, or your Drink.'' And with regard to Both, He declares That they are to be eaten and drunk, as Memorials, or in remem^ brance, of Him. But in the difcourfe in St 'John, He fays not one word of eating his Flejh or drinking his Bloud, in remembrance of Him, after He fhould be taken from them ; but is exhorting them to the eatijtg his Flefid and drinking his Bloud, at the very time of his fpeaking to them. This there- fore, cannot relate to the celebration of a Memorial of his fufferings a long time after- Wards ; which could not be put in pra(5tice during his prefence with them : but to the eating his Flefl:> and driiiking his Bloud, in a Senfe confiflient with doing it, even at that time whilft He was living and prefent, H 3 a& 10 2 T'he Nature and End of the as well as after his death ; ' and that can be no other, than receiving Him, by receiving his DoBriney as the Food and Nourifhment of their Souls. Thus they have been underftood by the Bejl Literprefers : and, what puts the Matter beyond all dombt, thus our Blejed Lord^ at the End of that Difcourfe plainly interprets them himfelf, W^r. v. 63. Where, upon the grofs mifapprehenfions of his Followers, He does not exprefs Himfelf thus to them» " I mean, by thefe fayings, which fome of " you think fo hard, your partaking of a " Religious Inflitution, in memory of my " Body and Bloud^ after my Death \' which He would unavoidably have done, had this been: his Meaning. But, on the contrary, He ex- plains himfelf thus '' The Words which " I fpeak unto you 5 the Docirines I teach^. " for which I fnall fuffer in the FleJJo^ and " which I fliall feal with my Bloud : Tkefe ** are the things I mean, which I have talk- '' ed of, under the Notion of Meat and '' Drink^ to nourifii you to Eternal Life. " Tbefe Words are Spirify and thefe are the *^ Life I have been fpeaking of; and Thefe, *^ if you will receive them, fliall be Vital ^^ Food to you/* A manner of Explication^, which Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 103 which Our Blejj'ed Lord could not, ( I hum- bly prefume) have made ufe of; had He ever defigned this Difcourfe to be underftood of his future Inftitution of the Lord's Supper. For, upon this Suppofition, He either would have pointed out this to his Hearers ; or, at leaft, would not have explained himfelf by Words which carry along with them Ideas^ very remote from it, and indeed inconfiftent with it. This Pajfage therefore, of St John's Gof- fely I purpofely omit, as not relating to the prefent Subjed:. After having thus (liewn, from exprefs Words of the New Tejla?nent, what is ne- ceflary towards a due Performance of this Religious Duty ; and confequently, what is not fo ; We may the better proceed to fome other Obfervations upon the fame Subjedt, The Effehce of this Duty, We fee, confifts in the Remembrance of Chrijl. The be- lieving inHim^ and profeffing Our felves his Difciples and Followers, is not only necef- fary, in the Nature of the Thing, towards this Remembra?ice ; but this Remembrance^ by partaking of Bread and tVine as Memo- sials of his Body and Bloiid^ is itfel.f a pro- H 4 feffed. 104 ^^ Nature and End of the fefled Communion or Fellowjhip with Himy as our Head : And the doing this, in a Body or Society, is a profeffed Communion or Fellow- pip with All other Members of the fame Bo- dy, or Society, under Chrift. F^/V^ in Chrift, therefore, as fent into the World by God, is the Ground of this Remembra?2ce, Pro- feffing ourfelves to belong to Him, in a Reli- gious Senfe, (as Members to the Head in a natural Senk,) is implied in it. And profef- ling ourfelves to have a Relation to all other "Cljri/iians, (as Members in the Natural Bo- dy have to one another,) and to have that mutual real Concern and Affe6lion which refults from fuch a Relation amongft Dif- fiples to the fame Majler, is like wife im- plied in it; according to St Paul's reafon- ing. From hence the following Propojition will arife. X Nil. It is an Employment very proper, and very agreeable to this Injlitutton^ to revive in our Minds, upon this occafion, the Force of all thofe Arguments upon v/hich We believe in Chrijl\ to own ourfelves His Sacra^nent of the Lord's Supper. 105 His Difciples ; to confefs, and hear- tily condemn, all our Deviations from His Laws, and Precepts; to acknowledge before God our Obli- gations to live as His Difciples, who expedt to be happy upon his Terms only ; to exprefs our fincere Thankfulnefs for his Doctrine, Ex- ample, Life, and Death ; to profefs our Dependence upon Him, as our on- ly Head\ and laftly, to revive and en- large our affedionate Union and Sym- pathy with all other Members of the fame Body throughout the World.- A ferious Chriftian cannot better employ his Time, upon this occafion, than in revi- ving in his^ own mind the proper thoughts upon thefe Subjects, in fuch manner, as to have the bell: Effeft upon Himfelf, in the whole Condudr of his Life. For I muft obferve that, though the performance of this one Duty in a manner not im'worthy of it, or imluitabk to it, be the Great Point to be neceflarily regarded, at the very time I o 6 The Nature and End of the time of our attendance upon this Holy In^ fiitiition ; Yet, the nature of the Thing it- fe]f, coniider'd in all it*s Circutnftances^ direds the Mind of a Chriftian to many Thoughts ; which, though not abfolutely NecelTary to the Performance of the Duty, are of the greateft Importance to Him- felf : and may thus prove, by it's own Ten- dency and good effect upon a Moral Agent, not only an Ad: of Obedience to his Lord's Command ; but a Mean leading to his own greater Increafe in all that is Worthy of a Man, and a ChrijliaJt, Our Faith in Chrijl cannot be improved, but either by God's giving Us New Evi- dences of the Truth of his Pretenfions j (which We cannot expedt j) or, by our own ferious Review and repeated Coniidcration of all the 0/d Ones : and this Review can-^ not be more properly taken, than when We profefs Ourfelves, by a folemn A61 of his appointment, to be His Difciples, or Be-^ lievers in Him. Our T'ha7ikfulnefs cannot be heightened, but by the reviving in our Minds the Memory of the Benefits We have received -, which are the only Grounds of Thankfgiving : And We are very properly led to thcfe, v/hen We are celebrating the great Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, i o 7 great Inftance of God's love to mankind, in his Son "J ejus Chrijt, Our Charity to all Others can never be more efFedlually improv- ed, or inflamed, than when We take our Obligations to It from the Love of God to Ourfelves, fhewn forth in the Commemoration of the Death of Chrijl ; and from our being all United in one Body^ under Him our Head, Thefe I mention, as very proper Employ- ments of our ferious Thoughts, during the time of the Whole Attendance upon this Rite : but not as Subjeds fo peculiar to the Lord's Siipf!'''% as to be abfohitely neceJJ'ary to be enlarged upon, every time We partake of it. The Cufiom of our Church often gives us leifure to employ our private Thoughts ; and thefe are Points worthy of them. But the Effence of this Duty^ or what conflitutes the Nature of it, is comprehended within the bounds of our partaking of the Bread and fFine ; and confifts in our doing it, as ChriftianSy in remembrance of Chrifh and his Love : which cannot be done with- out Faith in Him, and T^hankfulnefs to God, Before I o8 The Nature ctnd End of the Eefcre \ proceed, I think this the moll proper place to apply the Whole of what I have now laid down con- cerning the Nature and End of the Lord' s Supper^ more particularly to our Publick Office of The Commti- Tiio7^\ in order to adapt it to the Ufe of fuch as attend upon this Re- ligious Rite in our Churches. It may truly be faid in general^ That the Expreffionsof jF<^///6, Repentance^ Thankful^ nefs^ and Charit\\ fcattered through this Of- jice^ are fo many, and lo full ; that no Chri-* ftian can doubt of their being completely fufficient for all the purpofes of his attend- ance upon the Lord's Supper ; (liould there be no opportunity of his adding any, more private, to them. 1 fhall therefore now, enter more particularly into the feveral Farts^ and Prayers^ that compofe It ; in order both to interpret fuch Pa[fages (relating to this In- Jlitution) as may ftand in need of Inter-^ p^etation ; and to lead all Perfons concerned to make ufe of It, in the mofl proper and Chrijlian manner. The Sacrame?2t of the Lord's Supper, i o 9 The Communion'Office ( I mean that Part of it in which Commimica?its only are con- cerned) begins with Sentences, relating chiefly to the Duty of Beneficence to ail Men, by our Alms and Charitable Contri- butions. It proceeds to the Charity and Affiftance of our United Prayers , for the good and happinefs of the Whole Body of Chriilians. After this follows An Exhortation, parti- cularly relating to the partaking of the Lord's Supper, In this the Minijler who officiates earneftly recommends to Thofe who are then prefent, the Confideration oi th^ Nature and End of what They are go- ing to perform, in thefe v/ords. " Ye that " mind to come to the Holy Communion " of the Body and Bloud of our Saviour " Chrift 5" [that is. You, that now remain in the Church, with a defign of partaking of that Bread and Wine, which are appointed to be Memorials of the Body and Bloud of Chriji-;] " mull confider how 5t Paul ex- ^' horteth all men diligently to try and ex- '' amine Themfclves before They prefume ** to eat of that Bread and drink of that *' Cup:' [that is , You muft confider that St Paul exhorts Cbrifiians to examine^ and 2 approve no Hoe Nature and End of the approve themfelves to their own Confci- ences, fo fincerely and efFedtually, as to aflure Themfelves that They come to this Holy Rite with Difpofitions agreeable to the Na- ture and End of It's Injlitution^ " For as ** the Benefit is great, if with a true penitent *' Heart and lively Faith We receive that ** Holy Sacrament ; for then We fpiritually << eat the flefliof Chrift and drink hisBloud; " then We dwell in Chrift, and Chrift in " Us ; We are One with Chrift, and Chrift *« with Us : fo, is the danger great if We '' receive the fame unworthily^ [That is^ The Reafon why We fhould examine Our- felves to this purpofe, is, that We may af- furc Ourfelves, We partake of this Rite in fuch a manner, as that it may be to Our Advantage, and not to our hurt. For, on the one hand, if We come to it with fuch Difpofitions of mind as become Chrijlians^ and arc agreeable to this Injlitution 5 par- ticularly , with a due Senfe of our paft Sins, and a Refolution of behaving our- felves as Chrijl'i Difcipks % and with a true Faith (or Belief) in Him, as fent inta the World by God, without which We can- not remember Him at his Table as our Lord and Mafter ; We fliall then, with thefe Difpofi-^ Sacrament of the Lord's Suppcn in Difpofitions of mind come to good purpofe. By our Faith, and fincere accepting Him as our Mafter, we fhall come up to the full meaning of that Expreffion in the Go/pel^ in which his Followers were called upon to eat his Flejh and drink his Blond y in a Spiritual or Religious Senfe embracing his Dodtrine, as the Food and Life of our Souls. We fhall then be fo acceptable ro Chrijl^ that We may be faid (by a flrong Figure of Speech ) to dwell in Him, and He in lis ; to be One with Chrijl, and Chriji with Us-, that is, that ChriJI and We, to all the Intents and purpofes of True Religion, fhall be in per- fedt Friendfhip and Union together : We partaking of the good Spirit of his Gofpel ; and He receiving Us, and doing all good Offices to Us, as his true Difciples and Fol- lowers. On the other hand,] «' The danger " is great, if We receive the fame Unwor- " thily. For then, " ( as the Exhortation " goes on ) We are guilty of the Body and *' Bloud of Chrift our Saviour ^ We eat and " drink our own Damnation, not confider- ** ing the Lord^s Body ; We kindle God's " wrath againfl Us; We provoke Him to *' plague Us with divers Difeafes, and fun- " dry kinds of Death." [The whole Expref- fion 112 Tjhe Nature and End of the fion of this is taken from St TauV^ Denunci- ation againfl the Corinthian Chriftiam : and mnilbe interpreted by It, (as I have already fully explained it, p, 49.) in this manner. " For, if We partake of the Lord's Supper tinworthily ; or with Difpofitiom contrary to the Nature of it, and in a manner Utz- worthy of it, or unfuitable and contradicto- ry to the End of it ; We then iliall come under the Cenfure of St Paul : We ihall eat and drink our own Condemnation, or Judgment againft our felves , 'viz : whilft We eat, as at a Common Table, not confi- dering that this Bread is the Memorial of the Lord's Body, and therefore to be diffe- renced from Bread taken at a Common Meahy and ihall, by a Behavior fo imworthy of this Injlitution, difpleafe Almighty God, and pro- voke his Anger, as the Corinthian ChriJUani did."] Upon thefe accounts, The Exhorta- tion goes on to engage the Perfons prefentj Now to judge Themfelves , fo, as to repent of all- their Sins ; to come to the Lord's table with a ftedfaft Faith in Chrijl, now^ to be re- membered ; and to revive in their hearts the real Sentiments of perfeSl Charity towards all men ; and the heartieft thankfuHnefs to God : Affuring them that, with this Tem- per, Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 113 per, and thefe Difpofitions of Mind, They will be Meet Partakers^ (that is, will par- take Worthily^) of thefe Holy My/Ieries, [The Bread and lFi?je^ to be eaten and drunk, in a Religious remembrance of Chriil, are here CdW^d My fteries : not in the Com- mon Senfe of the word Myjlery, as it has been underftood to fignify either a Thing iiicom^ frehenfible to our Underftandings, or a Mat- ter ftill hidden from Us. For We cannot be fa id to be Meet P ar talkers oi 2i M^yjlery^ in ei- ther of thefe fenfes of the word : Nor would the plural Number have been ufed, as if in either of thefe fenfes there were more Myjle- ries than One in this Affair. But the Bread and IVine are called Myfteries here, either be- caufe They A^y//Vi^//v, (that is, Covertly^ or Figuratively^) reprefent to Us the Body and Bloud of Chrift; Two Things very different from this Bread 3.nd Wine, which are the Me- morials of them : Or, as this Reprefentation is made in a Religious Ri.-e peculiar to the Chri- Jlian Worfhip ; agreeably to that Senfe of the word Myjieries, in which the Religious Rites in honour of any particular Deity amongfl the Heathens, were fo called ; viz, private or peculiar Ceremonies, in which Some par- ticular Ferfons only bore a part, who had I . beea 114 7^^ Nature aiid End of the been duly initiated into that Worfliip They belonged to.] Afrer this Exhortation^ the People are fo- lemnly called upon to make a general Con- feffion of their Sins. And this is followed by a very Expreffive Prayer of the Minijler officiating', formed upon the fuppofition of hearty Kepentance^ and true Faith in the Communicants \ and petitioning for their Par- don^ their Increafe in all Goodnefs, and their Everlafting Happinefs. A few plain T^exts of the New Tejiament are then read, relating to the Love of OOD, and his merciful Dif- penfation towards Us, through his Son ye- Jus Chri^/1 : very properly preparing the Way to the Hymn of Praife and T'hankfgivijig which follows them. In all thefe Every Per- fon prefent ought to think Himfelf concern- ed 5 and to attend to them with the Seriouf- nefs of a truly Chrijlian Mind. A fhort Prayer is then put up; in which All in the Congregation fir ft acknowledge ihemfelves unworthy of G jD'j favour, and profefs their Dependence upon his great Mercy for their Acceptance : and then add this Petition ; '' Grant Us therefore, Gracious '' Lord, Jo to cat the FleJJj of thy dear Son " J^f^^^ Chjrijl^ and to drink his Blond ^ that '^ our Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 115 " our Jinfiil Bodies 772 ay be made clean by his *' Body^ and our Souls ivaJJjed through his *' moji precious Bloud ; and that We may " evermore dwell in Him^ and He i?z Us J* This is all expreffed in the figurative man- ner : but the Meaning of it, in plain words, is this, — '' Grant that We, though Unworthy^ " in our felves^ of thy favorable accept- *^ ance, may eat this Bread and drink this Wine^ which are now to be taken in re- membrance of the Flefld [or rather * Bo^ dy] and Bloud of Chrifi fo worthily ; in *'^ a manner fo fuitable to the End and Na- ** ture of the Infiitution ; that We may be *' acceptable to Thee in it 5 and that our Re- ^^ ligious Attendance upon this Rite^ as Chri-- *^ fiians fincerely believing the Gojpel, may " prove one Mean of our anfwering the " great End of our Blefled Lord's living and ** dying for our Benefit ; the being purified ^^ both in Soul and Body ; and may help to '' lead Us to a State of Holinefs, by which '^ alone We can hope to be in Union and Fricndlhip with Chrifi!' cc * This is our Lord's own Vv'ord, appropriated by Him to this Rite : and carries with it an Idea fomething different from that of the word Flepj, In the following part of this very Sen- tence, the v/ord Boily is reilored : and ought indeed to be al Wiiys preferved. I 2 Our 1 1 6 The Nature and End of the Our Bodies are made clean by Chrifi's Bo- dy, and our Souls wailied through his moft precious Bloud, by our being influenced by his DoBrine, (feal'd with his Death) to o- bey all God's Laws. And our eating and drinking in remembrance of His Body and Bloud, tend to procure Us this Cleannefs and JVafJnng, (i. e. all that is meant by thefe figu- rative words, ) by being done in remefnbrance of that Majier, whofe Religio?2 was defigned, in the whole Tenor of it, to engage Us to cleanfe Our fehes from all Filthinefs of the Flejh and Spirit, by perfeBi?tg Holi?iefs in the fear of God. II. Cor. vii. i. This Rite^ duly performed, is the Profeffion of our own Relation to Chrifi , and obligation to obey all his Laws ; and is one Mean of lead- ing Us to that Univerfal Obedience. They who embrace an obfcure Notion of receiving any other fort of Cleanfmg and Wajtoifig^ from this Holy Rite, feem to me to delude themfelves ; and to expedl from it what our Blefed Lord never annexed to it. The Prayer, called the Prayer of Confe- cration, follows next. And this is fo framed, that the whole Congregation is fuppofed to ioin in the One only Petition in it, which is manifeftlv formed upon the Original Defign of Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 117 of this Holy Injiitiitmi -, and very properly placed here, juft before the ads of receiving the Bread and ^Fine. In this, All the Com- municants are taught to fay, '' Hear Us, O Merciful Father, We moft humbly befeech Thee, and grant that We, receiving thefe thy Creatures of Bread a?id Wine, accord- ing to thy Son, our Saviour fefus Chriji's Holy Inftitution, in remembrance of his Death and PaJJion, may be partakers of his moft blejfed Body and BloudT In which is plainly implied this DoBrinCy That to eat this Bread and drink this Wine, as becomes Chriftians, in a Religious Re- membrance of ChrijVs Death, is truly and fufficiently to anfwer the Knd of the hiftitii-^ tion : and alfo that it may, therefore be made a Juft Ground of Praying to God, as We do here -, viz. That, thus partaking of them, in obedience to our Mafter, (not as oi Bread and Wine for the Common purpofes of Life, but as now defigned for the Remembrance of our Lord's Biit)\ does by this affure JJs^ who come to profefs our felves the T^if- cii)les of Chrift, that We are in his Favor. Or, in other words , The Lord's Supper^ be- ing inftituted as the Memorial oi his Goodnefs towards Us in Chriji Jefus^ may juftly be looked upon, as a Token and Pledge to af- fure Us of what it calls to our Remem- brance, viz, that God is ready to pardon and blefs Us, upon the Terms propofed by his Son : and confequently, that We are re- ceived by Him as the Difciples of Chrift, Members of his Body the Churchy and Heirs of his Heavenly Kingdom ; in a word, as Per- fons entitled to all the Happineffes promifed to Chrijiians^ if We be not wanting to Our- felves in Other parts of our Duty. And that We may not fall (hort of fo great Mercies, We are taught, in the Prayer annex'd to this T^hankfgiving^ to ask God's affiilance towards our performance of what is ftill on our part neceffary , in the condud: of our Lives, after our having duly par-- taken of the Holy Communion, Neither here, is this Grace of G D fuppofed to be a certain and immediate effedl of our rcceiv- K 2 ins; 1 3 2 "The Nature and End of the ing this Sacrament WORTHILY; but \% plainly left (as it ought to be) as the Subjeti of a Chrijlians Prayer, wholly diftindt from the Duty of eottimunicating. This, I think, is the only Explication of thefe Figurative Expreffions, agreeable to the primary Defgn of this Rife. If Any, not content with this, feek for Another ; They muft not feek for it, as far as I can judge, in the Original Injlitution. I have thus endeavored to explain Every Tifijfage in the Com muni o?t-Office , which feemed at all to want Explication ; in order to make the Whole more ufeful to Thofe who attend, in our Churches, upon the Lord*s Supper, with a fin cere Defign of par- takine of It accordint[>; to the Inftitution of ChriJ} himfelf ; and of forming all their Thoughts and Behavior, during the w^hole time of their Attendance, agreeably to the True Original Defign of it. XVIII. Whether any Privileges^ of Be?2ejits^ are annex'd to the Par- taking IVorthilv of the Lord's Sup- per \ and what they are that are an- nexed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 133 nex'd to it ; can appear only from the Words of the New Te/Iament it- felf ; or from the real Nature and E'nd of this Injiitution^ and what is neceflarily included in it. I. As to the Words of the New Teftament ; We muft ferloufly confider all the Texts in it, relating to this Subject ; in order to judge whether it has pleafed God to annex, in ex- prefs words y any Promifes to this Duty ( pe- culiarly ) of partaking of the Lord's Supper i or to declare, hi ex prefs words , any Privi- leges to belong to Chrijiians^ for the fake, or by means, of their Attendance upon it. And here, before I proceed to rpake any Remark upon the Paffages which I have al- ready produced and explained, I tliink it juft to mention One^ in regard to the judgment of Some Good Interpreters^ who think it relates to the Subjecl We are now upon ; tho* in my own opinion. They have not the leall foundation for thinking fo. I mean That in St. PauPs firft Epiitle to.the Cor. ch, xii, *ver, 13. For by one fpirit are We [or, We have been] all baptized into one Body ; whe- ther we be yews or Gentiles^ whether we be K 3 band; 134 ^^ Nature and End of the bond or free ; and have been all made to drink into one fpirit, Thefe laft words have been interpreted by Some *, to relate to drinking the Bloud of Chrifi in the Lord's Supper ; and by that Bloud, commemorated in that re- ligious Rite, being made '' to have all one " life or Spirit; 2iS^x\i^ fame Bloud, difFufed *■ thro* the whole natural Body, communi- *^ cates the fame life and Spirit to all the *' Members." And by Others, the fame words have been made to fignify the participation of the moral fruits, or Graces, of God's holy Spirit, by means of receiving the Cup in the Lord's Supper, Now, in order to judge of thefe Interpretations, and to find out the true meaning of this 'Text, We ought to confi- der both the Words and Phrafes made ufe of; and the main defign of the Writer in the whole paffage to which it belongs. I. The Words themfelves are fuch, as St Paul can hardly be fuppofed to make ufe of, con- cerning the Lord's Supper. The partaking of this Rite was never by Him, nor by any o- ther Writer, in the New Tejlament, (as far as I can recoiled:,) reprefented by that one particular part of it, which confifts iq drinking^ * See Mr. Locker and Others. Sacrament of the hovA\ Supper. 135 drijiking , in remembrance of the Bloud of Chrift : And this drijiking at the Lord's Table was never once by Him^ nor any o- ther Sacred Writer^ expreffed by being made to drink into the Spirit of GOD; or any thing Hke it. On the contrary, He himfelf, in the two foregoing chapters^ fpeaks of this part of that Holy Rife^ in plain words, and very different language ; without once men- tioning this drinking of, or into^ the Spirit^ or any thing equivalent to it. He there ufesthe phrafes of the Communion (or partaking) of the Bloud of Chrijl \ and of partaking of tb^ Cup of the Lord : and it can hardly be thought that He would Immediately change his way of fpeaking ; and, after He had quitted the fubjed: of the Lord's Supper , return to it without any notice ; and de- fcribe one part of it by the phrafe of being made to drink of or into^ the fame Spirit ^ not at all like to his former language about it. The mention of Baptifm in the former part of the fame verfe^ is no argument at all that the Lord's Supper muft be intended in the latter part of it. For We find the Rite of Baptifm^ in every other paffage of the New T^efament in which it is mentioned, fpoken of, and fometimes enlarged upon, K 4 without ^o 3 6 'J7)c Natui^e and End of the without any mention cf or alluiion to, the Loi-d's Slipper. But it ought here to be ob- ferved that the giving of the Spirit^ that is, the extraordinary Gifts of it, was fo clofely joined, in the very firft days of the Gojpcl, to y' iMpiif^n itfelf, (generally following upon the irppofitipn of thp ApoJiie\ hands, prefently after it,) that This alone will account for th^ fpeaking of the drinking of, or into, the Spi- rit ^ in the fapie fentence with Baptifm \ and conneding one to the other. And in this fenfe the receiving of the Spirit is, in fome places of the A^^"t^ Tejiament, fpoken of, as following after Baptifm j but never as following upon the partaking of the Lord' s Slipper: which is at lead a probable argument that this latter y/asnot at all referred to, in this obfcure text. Nor indeed do I fee how the Greek Word^ here ufcd, immediately after that of having been baptized, can fignifyany thing depend- ing upon repeated A6ls of ordinary Duty. For, ^s the phrafc) We have been baptized^ refers to one fmgle Rite by which Chriftians are declared to be made one Body j fo, the phrafe, We have been made to drink into One and the fame Spirit, mud naturally refer to one fiKgle pad Fadl, after that Baptifm, And thus the Apojiles manner of fpeaking leaels Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, i 3 7 leads us to think : which is ^pofitive decla* ration of this drinking (not of the Cup or of the Blond oi tnt Lord, but) of, or into^xht Spi- rit y as a certain F^<^ to which the Corinthians were thenWitneffes; and not as 2iFadi depend- ing upon what was uncertain, or upon 2^ite f:obe often repeated. This diftinguifhes it ful- ly from any drinking of the Spirit , which is confequentupon drinking fomething elfe ; and from any effedl of drinking^ in the CommunioHy which mufl undoubtedly depend upon the temper and good behavior of Chriftiam^ at e- very participation of the Lord's Supper, And indeed, no great and wonderful Favors can well be fuppofed to have been fpoken of to the Corinthians^ by St Fauly as vifible and certain efteds of the participation of the Lord's Sup- per2i\nong^ Them,after the very diiFerent lan- guage concerning this Rite-, and the {harp re- proofs of the condudl of many of |:hem in their attendance upon it, which He had before made ufe of. I might add that, in the propriety of language, had the Apojlk intended to fpeak of repeated Ads of partaking of the C/v/>of the Lord^He would have ufed the word [Tror/o^e- S-a] in ihcprejent ^enfe, to fignify thatWe are, by our repeated attendance at the Lord's Table frequently made to drink of, or tJito^ the Spi- rit; 138 Hoe Nature and End of the fit; and not [gTroricS"*)^] We have been mads to drink of, or into^ tt-, which anfwering ex- adlly to \e'7i'cf,liTi(Srv,/!j5/j] We have been bapti- zed, muft probably, (as this latter does,) refer to one Fa6l, ftated and certain. 2. This, I think, will be put beyond doubt by the plain Defign of St Paul, in this whole Chapter, In which, after He has made an End of his dired:ions and obfervations relating to the Lord's Supper, He introduces a perfectly new Subje6l. ch. xii. v. i. Now, as concerning jptritual gifts. Brethren, I would not have you ignorajit. He then puts them in mind of the different forts oi Gifts, or Graces-, all given by the fame Spirit, for the good and advantage of the whole Body of Chriftians, In going over the particular Gifts in his view. He does not mention any of the inoral virtues ; as the Gifts He here means. Every one of Thefe is indeed reprcfented by Him, in other Epifles^ as the Fruit of the Chriflian Spirit ; the ge- nuine work and produdl of Chrijlianity, in oppofition to the//^cr>Jjof the Flefi',GaLw.22^ Eph, v. 8. and they are all called xol^tco)'^ Ttnu- p.xl^. But the other are p^ae^V^t/.ctrcc, the un- common favors, or Graces, in another Senfe, as peculiarly beftowed upon fome particular perfons, Thefe alone, (fuch as an Extraor- dinary Sacra^nent ^t/'//^^ Lord's Supper. 139 dinary Faith ^ in order to work miracles ; the gift of healing difeafes \ the Power of difcern- jng the Spirits of others;) are here mention'd, as inftances of the Jpi ritual Graces amongft the Cori?2thians. And thefe, coming from the Holy Spirit of God, as Waters flow from a Fountain, are well reprefented under that fi- gure. Thus, after the Apcjlle has mentio- ned the particulars, U4 it. He comes to his argument, by which He defigns to perfuade all perfons concern'd, to ufe thefe extraordifiary Gifts^ according to the defiga of the Giver, for the good of the Whole So- ciety. '' As it is, faith He, ver. 12. in the '' natural Body, fo it is with xh^ChriJUanfO' "•^ ciety. We are to confider ourfelves as ma- '' ny Members compofing one Body : and ob- ^^ liged to acl for the good of the Whole. For *" V. 13. We have all been baptized, and by ?' that Rite, declared to make One Body^ ** or Society ; and it is One and the fame Spi- ■^ rity of which All of Us, who have been ^* favored with thefe extraordinary gifts, <* have been made to drink, for the ufe of ^' the Church ; and by which Every part " of the Church is to be benefited : juft as, ^* in the natural Body, All members partake ^^ pf the fame life, f^fom One and the fame !' prin- 1 4 o "Ihe Nature and End of the " principle/' From hence to the twenty fe- venth verfe He illuftrates what He intends, by the Union and correfpondence of the fe- deral Members of the Body iiatural^ all fym- pathizing with, and affifting, one another : and then, v. 27. refumes the fame conclufi- OG, that " So it is in the Body of Chrifi, of *' which every Chriftian is a Member. One "•^ is favored with one fort of gifts \ Ano- "' ther with Another : but All, in fubfervien- " cy to the Good and Advantage of the *^ Whole." And in enumerating thefe Gifts, and the perfons who poflefs them. He ftill mentions, not any oiih^ Moral virtues vv^hich are called the Fruits of the Spirit ; but only the Extraordinary Offices, and Gifts, teftowed upon Some, and not common to all, even in thofe days. After this, in the laft verfe, He introduces his difcourfe about the importance of Charity^ the greateft of M?r^/ Virtues \ by diflinguilhing it from the Gifts {-^ctpiCTf.ioLTa) He had been fpeaking of; and profefling that He was going to fliew Them a more excellent way^ by pointing out, and defcribing This, in it's full extent. And, af- ter having fpent the whole 13th chapter in inflaming their defires after Charity^ which it was in the power of all firicere Chriflians to Sacrament of thehoT^\^\\^^tx. 141 to poflefs ; and in fctting it above all thofe Extraordinary gifts themfelves ; He com- mands them ch. xiv. i. to purfue after Cha- rity in the firft place ; and then to be as fond and as defirous as They pleafe of the ex- traordinary Spiritual Gifts before-mention'd. Of thefe very fpiritual Gifts, He prefently direds Them to value and wifh for, ftich as were the moft ufefuU to the v^hole Church affembled ; and not the moft pompous and aftonifliing. So that We fee, Charity itfelf, that Great Moral virtue in the Chriftian Syf- tern, is not One of thefe Gifts implied in the Text, I have been now explaining; but is diftinguifhed from them, and preferred be- fore them. From all this it is plain that, in xX^tpaffage before Us, in which St Favl declares the Chrifiians to have been made to drink into the fame Spirit, He had not the Moral Vir- tues in his view, as the Effed of that or any other drinking^ but tlie Extraordinary Graces or Favors, call'd in this chapter -^^^apiaixcf.rcL.^ and in the next ra 'TrveuiUctTixoi fpiritual^GiftSy as the very things which They had been made to drink, or which had been communi- cated to them i?nmediately from the Spirit : and that He is not here fpeaking at all of the cc 142 "The Nature and End of the the Attendance of Chriftians upon the Lorcts ^able ; or of any Rite of Religion , as ne- ceffary in order to obtain thefe Gift\\ but indeed arguing to quite another purpofe. Upon the whole therefore, the Meaning of this Pajfage may be thus expreffed. " For as We all, whether 'Jews or Gentiles^ have been baptized into one Body^ that is, by Baptifm have been declared Members " of the one Chriftian Society, Chrift's *^ myftical Body; fo likewife AH We, who *^ have been endowed with the extraordinary ^^ Gifts which flow immediately from the ** Spirit of GOD, as from a fountain, of *' which We have been made to drink j '' that All We, I fay, had thefe extraordi- " narv Gifts beflowed upon Us, by one, " and the fame Spirit ; for the Good and *' Edification of the whole Church-, and not <' for the oflentation and glory of particular *' Members." The partaking of thefe Gifts of the Spirit plainly feems to be the drink^ ing ^intended by the Apoftle in thefe figu- rative words; and not the drinking of any }^ Cup^ or Liquor, (litterally fpeaking) in o'der to the obtaining any moral virtues, or graces. This Text therefore, can never be urged as an Inftance, or Proof, of any Promife, or Privilege^ Sacrame?it of the Lord's Supper. 143 Privilege^ exprefsly annex'd by our Saviour^ or his Apojlles^ to the participation of the Lord's Supper. /A And now, if We review all the Pajfages of the New Teftament, which I have before produced, (and they are All which can be thought to relate to this Rite^) We {hall find that there is only One of them, which has been fuppofed by any Interpreters to imply in it any immediate Benefit^ or Privilege^ annex'd to the Partaking of this Rite : viz. That of St Paul, in which the partaking of the Cup, and of the Bread, at the Lord's T'able, is faid to be " The Com^ " miinion of the Blond, and of the Body, of *' Chrijiy This I acknowledge, has been interpreted by Many to fignify " An adtual ** partaking of All the Benefits of his Suf- " ferings and Death for our fakes." But I have already {hewn at feme length, [p. 39, Gfr.] that the ApofJe's Argument in that place, and his plain Intention in it, neither require, nor admit, this Senfe of the Words. And I was the more foUicitous to put this in a clear light, becaufe I e{teemed it of very pernicious Confequence to lead Chri{lians; to think that Tbis^ or any One, fingle In- {lance 1 44- 7^^ Nature and End of the fiance of Obedience to the Will of God, however Worthily performed, and fuitably to It*s Nature and End, could poffibly be to Them^ the partaking of All the Benefits of Cbriji's Life and Death. Such a DoBrine as this, would, in my opinion, be incon- fiftent with the plaineft Declarations of the Go/pel', and not only inconfiftent with, but diredlly contradidlory and deftrucSive to, the Main Defign of it : and therefore, cannot be the Senfe of a?iy Paffage in that Go/pel, which was reveled to teach Men other Mea- fures of Acceptance with God. Much lefs ought fo Important a Dodlrine to be built upon any Paffage which, at beft, is own'd to be of the Figurative Sort, and of dubious Interpretation. The Truth of what I am faying w^ill ap- pear ftill more plainly from One Injiance : and That fhall be, the Benefit of Remifiion of our paft Sins through J ejus Chrifi, If it be asked, *Do We not partake of this Bene- fit, by our partaking of the Lord's Supper ^worthily ? I mufl anfwer. No; if the Go/pel be true. For in that. No pardon of paft Sins is promifed, or given, unlefs to Thoje juft converted, renouncing their Sins, and baptized into the Cbrifiian Faith s or to 3 Thofe Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 145 Thofe who, having finned after Baptifm^ adually amend their lives. A Difpofition towards this Amendment ; a Refolution to Amend, are very good Steps: and Thefe are virtually implied in our Profeffing our- felves Chriftians, and Remembring Chrifl^ as our Lord and Mafler, at his Table. But neither this Difpofition, nor this Refolution^ let them be never lb fincere, are themfelves Aciual Amendme?2t. And this ABual A- mendment being fo neceflary a Qualification, that there is No Forgivenefs of Sins after Baptifm promifed without it ; it remains certain that No Adi of Religion, without this, can be a Title to fuch Forgivenefs. So far is the Performance of this Duty from being itfelf the Claim, or Seal, to All the Benefits of Chrift's Death ; that it is not {o, to this fingle Benefit : which cannot be ob- tained without a PraBice conformable to the Laws of the GofpeL Accordingly, In our publick Office it is not fuppofed that the Worthy partaking of the Lords Supper does itfelf operate this foi'- givenefs', but it is made part of a Prayer to God, that They who have partaken of it, 7nay obtain Remiflion ofi their Sins, and all Other Benefits, S^c. They are taught to pray L thus, 146 l^he Nature and 'End of the thus, after the ASt of Communion is over ; which fuppofes that It is not already obtain- ed : and the Words can be underftood in no Senfe, confiftent with the whole Gofpel, but ilois^ That they may behave Themfelves in ^// refpeds, (as, it is hoped, They have in This one,) fo agreeably to the Will of God, that They may be of the Number of Thofe who Ihall be pardoned and accepted : and that This particular Duty, rightly performed, may be 0?ie Mean of leading them to a Heady Perfeverance in all that is good. Agreeably to all this. We ought to ex- plain that Paffage in the Church-Cate^ chijm^ in which, it being afked. What is the Inward part^ or thi72g Jignified^ in the Lord's Supper ? the Anfwer is, T'he Body and Bloud of Chrift, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the Faithfull, In the Lord^s Supper: which words, for want of an Equitable Explication, have been charged with an abfurdity equal to That of T^ranfubftantiation itfelf. That they cannot be meant of Chrift' s Natural Body 2inA. Bloud^ Every one, who knows the Principles of the Co7?tpilers of the Catechifm^ and the Dodrine of our Churchy not only allows but contends. By Faith^ or a fmcere believing in Chriji^ and Sacrament of thehoxdi^ Supper. 147 and receiving Him as our Mafter, We are faid indeed, figuratively to eat the Flefhy and drink the Bloud^ of the Son of Man ; as We take in, and digeft, for our Spiritual Nouriihment, all his Dodtrine. But this is not by Faithy confidered peculiarly at the Lord's liable ; but by Believing in ge- neral. Nor can the Meaning be , That the Be^ nefits of Chrijl's Body broken, and Blond fhed, are verily and indeed taken and receiv- ed by the Faithfull in the Lord's Supper: not merely becaufe This, as I have already Ihewn, is not true ; but becaufe, I think, it contradidls Another, and a plainer. Part of this very Catechifm. For juft before, the ^ejlion being asked, " Why was the Lord's " Supper ordaiftedT' This very fhort and full Anfwer is given, — *" For the continual Re- membrance of the Sacrifice of the Death of Chrift ; and of the Benefits which We receive thereby ^ We fee. It is for the remembrance of all the Benefits^ which arc promifed to be beftowed upon us by means of Chrifi ; and not for the aBual receiving thofe Benefits^ that our Church declares this Kite to be ordained. This Retnembrance of them is indeed, One Mean tending to the L 2 obtaining 148 ^he Nature and End of the obtaining them : as it tends to our confidering and apprehending what They are, and upon what Terms propofed to Us ; and as it is in itfelf an Acceptable Obedience to a Command of our Saviour. But it is but One Mean ; and that, in thefe Senfes: which are very different from the Senje I am oppofing. But however; this Pajjage in the Cate- chifm will, I think, lead Us to the only Con- fident Senfe of the words, we are now confi- dering : which, I own, are very Figurative^ where a Figure ought rather to have been explained, than made ufe of. Comparing therefore, both thefe Pajfages together ; the meaning of the Words appears to be, That the Things fignified, or appointed to be re- member d in this Rite^ are the Body and Bloud of Chrift ; That thefe may be faid to be received by the Faithfully (that is, by Be- lievers^) as They alone fincerely and ferioufly eat this Bread and drink this Wifie^ in Me- mory of Chrifi:'s Body and Bloud. The Na- ture of the thing fuppofes them Faithfully (that is. Believers in 'Jejus ChrijiJ before they are capable of this Remembrance of Him^ as their Mailer. And confequently, the Faithfull are faid verily and indeed to take and receive the Body and Bloud of Chrift : 2 becaufe Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 1 49 becaufe Believers alone, coming as fuch, eat his Body and drink his Blond, indeed^ or in that very Senfe in which He appointed them to do it ; viz, by eating Breads and drinking Wine^ in a thankful! and ferious remembrance of his Natural Body broken, and Bloud fhed. Or, in words a little different, They who eat this Breads and drink this Wine^ in Re- ligious "Remembrance of Chrift's Body and Bloud^ do verily and indeed perform thefe Commands of His, T'ake^ Eat, This is my Body-y and Drink ye all of this, For this is my Bloud, They take 5o//6, in that Senfe in which He called them his Body and Blond ; viz: as Memorials of Them. And this is faid of the Faithfully or fmcere Believers^ m diflindtion from Others : who, being care- lefs, or not True Believers, may take and re- ceive the Bread and Wine ; but take it, as at a Common Table^ not religioufly remem^ bring the Lord's Body and Bloud \ which therefore, fuch Perfons do not take and re- ceive^ in the Senfe of the Inftitution, for want of this ferious Faith and Remembrance, If this be not the Senfe of this Fcifage^ J Qwa myfelf unable to fay what is. L 3 It ct cc and mod ufefully to Ourfelves. The Promife of ChriiVs being in the midji of Us, is not peculiar to Our Attendance up- on this Rite \ but, as far as it relates to Chriftians of later ages, it belongs to our Affembling in His Name, or as His Dijci- pies, upon this, or upon any Other, Religi- ous Account. To call it the Food of Our Souls, is not to give it a Name peculiarly proper to TbiSy as diftincl from All other Points in which we are equally concern'd. The /^V^ of GOD, and the Doarine of Chrift, are exprefsly re- prefented under the Notion of Our Food, 'viz, the Food of our Souls: as They tend to improve Us in what He requires of Us, and to nourifli Us unto Eternal life. And fo may Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 161 may Prayer^ and fo may this Rite, be called, by a ftrong figure of Speech ; and fo may Every thing elfe, which leads us to a Life of Virtue : every Step of which may be ftyled, hy i\\Q fame figure^ the Nourifliment and Strength of our Souls, towards a far- ther improvement. But the Danger of a Miftaken Expectation, from calling 'This fo, is the Greater -, becaufe, the Rite itfelf confiding in eating Bread and drinking Wine, the Expreflion is apt to convey the Notion of fomething mechanically or miraculoufly conveyed at the fame Time into the Soul^ which is Food to 'That^ as the Bread eaten is to the Body, But This, and o- ther Miftakes arifing from various Forms of ExpreJJion are, I think, originally ow- ing to our neglecting the fimple primary Idea , annexed to this Inftitution , of the Remembrance of Chrift's Death : a No- tion, which, conftantly attended to, would guard Us againft the Errors arifmg from all forts of Exprefilons. And to this we fhall always carefully attend, unlefs We can come to think the fole Account left Us, by Chrift and his Apoftlts, of this Injiitution^ too low and plain for us to be contented with ; and greatly to ftand M i:i 1 6 2 Zo^ I^ature and End of tDe in need of our Addicions to heighten and improve it. This will teach us the true Senfe to be put upon tlrat Anfwer in our Gburcb-Catechijmy which declares the Benefits of which We are Partakers, in this i^/V^', to be, T^be Jlrength- ning and refreJJjtng of our Souls by the Body and Bloud of Chrif^ as our Bodies are by the Bread and Wine: 'viz. That, as5r^<^^and JFine, confidered only as Natural Food, flrengthen and refrerti our Bodies ; fo, This Bread and IVine, confidered and taken as Memorials of the Body and Bloud of Chrif our Mafter, lead Us, by their peculiar Tendency, to all fuch Thoughts and Pradices, as are indeed the Improvement and Healch of our Souls. And thus, if jufiin Martyr, one of the Ear- ly Writers, calls the Euchariji by the Name of Food, or No'irifwent ; He ought to be underflood to do this in a figurative Senje ; as He would have called Any thing in Reli- pion Food or Nouriflwi^nt, which tends, in any deg^ree, to fuch a Behavior and Practice, as improves Oar Souls in their true and pro- per health and flrength; and by this means b.elps to nourifli l^s unto Eternal Life. If Jg- natius, St '^-fohnh Difcipk, and Earlier than the Former^ ca!U tlic Bread broken in the Eucharifii Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 163 Bticharijl^ the Medicine o/' Immortality 3 Our Antidote, that we Jhould not die but live for ever in Chriji Jefui\ This fliews Us that there was too foon a Variety oi figurative Expreffions upon this Subjedt, introduced amongft CZ?r//?/^;n ; which yet may be well interpreted by the plain Nature and Delign of the Thing itfelf. Thus, this Bread which might, in O/rf Senfe, by a Figure, be called Food^ in Another Senfe might, by the ilime fort oi figure^ be called Phyfic 5 [a very dif- ferent Idea from that of Food; ] as the PJte^ of which it is a part, is, by its Defign and End, an open ProfefTion of the Chriflian Re- ligion j as it tends to keep Us in the Profef- fion and Pr^^Ctice of it ; and leads Us to fuch Thoughts and P.efolutions, as are the great- eft Defenfes againft the evil JifFefls of the Poifon of Sin. In this Sejije it may be liken- ed to Bodily P/6v/?i: : and called a Medicine for Immortality ; ^nd an Antidote againft 6"/;/ and Death. Nor can it be fuppofcd that Any of the earlieft Writers fpake of This Breads or of the Euchari/l^ as Food or as Medici?7e^ in any other Senfe, not grounded upon the nature of the Lift i tut ion, or the words of the New Tefiament 3 v/ithout fuppofing at the fame time that in this They foon deviated M 2 frcnii 1 64 'The Nature and End of the from the original fimpUcity of Their Religi- on \ and applied to This i?//^ Expreffions ne- ver intended peculiarly to belong to it ; nor at all proper, in any fuch high fenfe as may have been put upon them by foftie of late Ages. The fame fort of Miflake feems to lie in calling it The Renewal of the New Cove- nant^ on our part 3 and the Seal of It, on GOD's part: The former of which is a ve- ry improper Defcripfion of this Duty, as di- ftingui{hed from All others -, and the Latter feems to Me to have no foundation, in Any Senfe. We may indeed, be faid to acknowledge and own our Covenant with GOD, through Cbri/i, by the virtual profejjing Ourfelves to be Cbrijiians, implied in Our Remembring Him as our Lord, in this Rite. But the fame may be faid of any other, even verbal^ Profeffion of our Faith in ChriJ}\ which is equally an Achio%dedg7ne72t of the fame Co- venant, But the Repeated Ack?Jowledgment of our being entered into fuch a Covenant is by no means, nor in any proper fenfe, the Renewal oi that Covenant, They are Two very different Ideas: and ought always to be kept io. The Sapfciment of the Lord 's Supper, i 6 5 The Chrijlian Religion is confidered as a Covenant between GOD and Us, Under this figure, The Covenant^ on our Part, is, Not that We confent to forfeit his Favor for ever, unlefs We ftridly and rigoroufly, without any one negled: or deviation, perfe- vere to the End of Life, in the performance of his Will : but, That We will fincerely and uniformly endeavor to perform his Will ; and, if in any inftance We neglect or tranf- grefs it. We will not fuffer this to grow into an Habit of Sin, but recover Ourfelves by greater Watchfulnefs, and aftual Amend- ment of Life. Keeping therefore, to this Notion of z, Covenant y Every Individual Sin, into which a Chrijlian may fall, though highly dif- pleafing to Almighty God, and tending to a 'Total forfeiture of his Covenanted Favor ^ yet cannot be faid to be a Breach^of the whole Covenant, in fuch fenfe as to imply in it a Forfeiture of all the Benefits of It : becaufe there is Another part of it, in which Aciual Amendment is ftlpulated ; and the Event of this mufl: be ktn, before judgment can be paffed about this Total Forfeiture. But if Sin^ or any Nmnher of S. js, be fuppo- fed to break and i^iffolve th.s Covenant to- M 3; tally ; 1 6 6 "The Nature and End of th& tally j fo that it (hall ftand in need of being renewed in order to put the Chrijiian again into a State of Favor with God: Let it be confidered and anfwered, Can the partaking of the Lord^s Supper thus renew it ? Can the ferious Remembrance of Chrijt, and the Profeirion of our Faith in Him, implied in this Rite-y or Any Peculiarity belong- ino; to it; be completely, and of itfelf. Such a Renewal as We are fpeaking of? Is there One fuch Word of promife^ or pri- vi/ege, mentioned, in the New T^ejlament^ as peculiarly relating to this Duty? No-- thing of this kind appears there. Nor can this Duty itfelf be efteemed as More than One Infiance of our Belief in Chrift, and One AB of our Obedience; always in itfelf acceptable lo God, as it is accompa- nied with a fincere Defire, and implies in ic an honeft Refolution, of doing his Will. In a word, Theeffe(5luali?^-^^^///7;;;7^;7/of the Chrijiian Covenant on our part, if it has been (liaken by Our Sins, can be only com- paiTed by that ABual Amendmeitt which is part of the Covenant, And therefore, as the partaking of the Lord's Supper is not the ABual Amendment of our Lives^ but is only that One Infiance of our Chrijiianity\ Sacrament of the Lord's Su pper. i 6 7 by which We do in effcdt ackr.owledge our Obligation to it ; and by which, as by a Mean, We are naturally, and by the Ap- pointment of Chriji, led to it : Let not That Benefit be annexed to the Mean , which belongs only to the End ferved by That Mean-, nor Thofe Privileges be given to One A51 of Religious Profejfion, which are conftantly and plainly taught by GOD him- felf to belong to the A5fual Amendment of oxi^i Lives, and the fincere performance of his whole Will. And this being fo, that the AB- iial Amendment of ourlives is tlie only Secu- rity to this Covenant, on our part : it follows that neither the Partaking of the Lord's Sup- per, nor Any thing eife, which is not ABual Amendment, can be fpolcen of, with any pro- priety, under that CharaBer. This being fo plain on our part, It would be fuuicient from hence to infer that this Kite of the Lord's Supper is not the Seal of the Chrifiian Covenant, on God' s part j becaufe it is not the Rene-ical of it, on Our part. But it is fit to add iliil farther, That the Real Bloud of Ckrijl, as llied for Us ', or, in other words, his Death, is the only Seal of the Covenant: and even His Bloud, is called fo, in this Figurative fenfe M 4 alone -, I 6 8 ^ke Ncyture md End of the alone ; 'viz. That, as Covenants amongft Men are figned by fome peculiar Mark or Seal, in order to fliew and prove their 'Truth and Validity: fo Chrijl*s> Death, or Cbrijl\ Bloudy confidered as the Proof He voluntarily gave that the Terms brought by Him to Mankind from GOD, were truly what He had reprefented them to be, i| by a Figure of Speech called the Seal of the New Covenant ; and He may be faid to have fealed it with His Bloud, as his Death w*as the ftrongeft proof He could give of the Reality of his own and of his Father's affed:- ion towards Mankind. This is the Seal of the Covenafit ; that is. It is to this Covenant what a Seal is to Humane Covenants : and there can be no Other. Chriji himfelf put this Seal to it once ; and but once : and it cannot be fuppofed to be fet again to It, with- out great Impropriety and Abfurdity. It was fufficient at firft ^ and it remains fo for ever. The Partaking of the Lord's Supper is the Re- membranceo{ that iS^^/ which ChriJl^ accord- ing to the will of his Father, and in his Name, fet to the A^^Tc; Covenant : and therefore, can- not be the receiving the Seal itfclf. It is the Commemoration of his Blond flied long ago ; and therefore, cannot be the partaking of His Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 169 His Bloud itfelf. It deflroys (as I have often faid) the Notion of this particular Commemora^ tion^ or Remembrance^ of his Bloud^ to fuppof6 it prefent. And confequently, The Seal here remember d^ cannpt be prefent. There can be no adtual putting to the Seal^ in a Ce- remony, inftituted on purpofe for the Com- 77iemGration of Chri/l's having already once for all put the Seal of his Bloud to the Cove7jant of Grace, When Chriji faid of the Cup, at the Li- Jlitution of this Rite, " This is my Bloud of " the New Covenant \' He did not mean that Real Bloud w^hich was to be (hed, in witnefs to this Covenant : but Wine to be drunk in remembrance of That Bloud, And, if the Words were as St Luke and St Paul relate them, " This is the Neiv Covenant in^ *(or through^ my Bloud \' He did not mean that the Cup was to be that Covenajit, but a Memorial of that Covenant then to be fealed with his Bloud, But in neither of thefe Ex- preffions can it be implied that this Rite is itfelf a repeated Seal of that Covenant \ or any thing more, than That the V/ine at the Lord's liable is the Memorial of that BloU(L which may be figuratively called the Seal of *hat Covenant \ and, in confequence of this, the 170 T^he Nature and End of the the Memorial of that Covenant itfelf, to the reality of which Chrift's Blond was the Seal^ or Teftimony. This therefore, is not pro- perly a Federal Rite, or a Rite making or renewing a Covenant -, but a Rite which im- plies in it, and leads to, the Remembrance of a Covenant to be coniidered as long ago propofed, fixed, and fealed, by Chrill: hirn- felf, on the part of Almighty God-, and accepted and entred into, by Every man, perjonally on his own part, at the inftant of his firft fincerely believing in Chrijl, and profeffing himfclf his Difciple. Before this. No Rite can perjonally engage Him in this Covenant', becaufe no one can be perjonally engaged in a Religion which He has not per- fonally agreed to : tho' He may be juflly liable to puniiTiment for willfully and un- reafonably refufmg to enter into it, when duly and plainly offered to Him, on the part of Almighty GOD. And after this is once done, No Rite can be juftly faid to relate to this Covenaiit, any farther than as an open Profeffion that this Perfon is already engaged in it. Neither does this Chriftian Rite appear to Me to anfwer to any Rites or Cere- mo?iies^. Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 171 monies, amongft the ^ewi or Heathens, which were properly Fcederal Rites, To the Bloud of the Sacrifices, which Mofes called The Bloud of the Covenant ; Ex. xxiv. 8 : To this Bloud, I fay, the real Bloud of Chriji anfwers ; and not the Wine in the Lord's Supper, The Bloud of Chriji is, in the fame figurative Manner of fpeaking, the Seal of the Gofpel-Cove^ nant, in which the Bloud of thofe Sacrifices was the Seal of the Law-Covenant, But the Wine in the Lord's Supper is not the Bloud of the New Covenant ; but appointed to be drunk in remembrance of the Bloud of the ISIew Covenajit : which makes it as different from that Bloud, and that Covenant, as the Memorial is from the Thing remembered. If the Lord's Supper fuccedes in the place of the Fajjover-, this will likewife help to fhew that it cannot be Itfelf a Fcederal, or Covenanting, Rite, For the Fafchal Supper itfelf was inftituted, in re- membraiice of that Redemption or Deliver- ance of Ifrael out of Egypt, by which God claimed Them for his People. And fo, the Lord's Supper was inftituted for the remembrance of that Redemption or Deli- verance of Chrijiians^ which God propofed to ij2 The Nature and End of the to Them, by Chrtjl^ in his New Covenard. As therefore, the Pajfover was a perpetual Memorial of the 0?2e Deliverance^ and the Covenant formed upon it : fo is the Lord's Slipper the Memorial of the Other^ and of the Covenant formed upon That ^y and nei- ther of Them therefore, can be efteemed as the Actual Maki?ig thofe Cove?iants which are only rememhred in them. The Sacrifices of the Ifraelites^ and I'hofe of the Heathens^ to which St. Paul alludes, I. Cor, x. are cQnfidered by Him in that place only as ABs of Religious Ho- fiour paid by the yews to the True God-^ and by the Heathens to fuppofed Imaginary Dc-e/nons, in oppofition to the True God : as has been already fhewn at large, p, 35, &c. But the Lord's Supper does not, in his argumeni, anfvver to thefe Sacrifices-, but to the Peafts made upon what had been be- fore Sacrificed. Nor docs the Lord' 2, T^ablCy in St Paul's argument, anfwer to the Altars fpoken of by Him ; but to thofe Tables at which what had been before offered upon the Altars, was eaten in com- moiz by Thofe of the fame Religion, And his whole argument refls ( not upon thefe Feajls being Fmderal Rites^ of which He Sacraffttnt of the Lord's b'upper. 173 fays not a word; but) upon their being defigned and underftood to be in honour to that real, or fuppofed Being, to whom the Sacrifices had been offered : and that It was abfurd for Chrifiiam to partake of thefe Mif^/j in the Heathen Temples^ and partake alfo of the Lord's Supper^ at His Table ; as being Adlions in their natu- ral tendency inconfiftent with one another. Nor is it reafonable to firetch fuch Allu- fions as this, beyond the plain defign of the Argument to which They belong. To fpeak of a particular Union and Fellow- finp^ with God, or with Angels and Archan- gels\ as Prm/f^^i peculiarly implied or obtain- ed in this i?//^; is, I fear, to lead the Minds of Chrifiians ftill farther from it*s original Sim- plicity : and to forget that the One of thefe things may be faid of Obedience to God's Will in general ; and the Other ^ of the Du- ty of Praife or Thanfgiving in particular ^ more properly than of 'Jhis Rite, which pe- culiarly implies in it our Union and Fellowjbip with Chrifi confidered as Head of his Bo- dyy the Church ; and with all the Member^, of that Body here below. It ought alfo to be remarked that every Petition, or "Thankf" giving^ Ufed in the Publick OfficCy through- out 174 5^- Nature artd End of the out our whole Attendance upon this Diity^ is nor a part of the lyuty itfelfi which (flridly taken) is comprehended within the limits of Eating and Drinking^ with a due Remembrance of Ckrijl's Death. Thus tlie joining in the mofl: exalted Praifes with Angels and Archangels^ though a very proper and devout Expreflion of our Senfe of God's Pvlajefty, has no more relation to "This part, than to any O/i^^r part, of our Worfliip. The Communion would be as completely the Communion of the Body and Blond oi Chriji, without it, as with it: and it is as properly a Part of our Worfhip every day, in the Te Deum, as it is before the Communion^ or partaking of the hordes Sup^ fer. I idj^ before it : for fo it is placed in. our Office 5 and not at all fuppofed to be of the EJfence of this Duty, which ought always to be confidered as diftinft from all Expreffions^ Prayers, or T'hankfgivmgs, which are made \\k of, before and after it. The Communion, or Fellowjljip, \n\i\\ O- tber Beings, peculiarly implied in our foint -par taking of the Lord' s Supper, as I have already obferved, is the Communion with Chrlft our Head, and with all Chriflans throughout the World; even with the Meaneft and Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 175 and Loweji, the moft AffliBed and moft Perfecutedy here below; and not with the Exalted Spirits above. For Chriji taketh -not hold of Angels; but of the feed of Abraham He takctb hold. Hebr. ii. 16: by which means it is, that All Chrifians here below are made One Body ; or Mem- bers, one with another, of One Body-, un- der ChriJl. And this is a CommuJiion which the moft perfed Chrifiian here below ought to be as proud of, as of Singing the S^ong of Seraphs 'y and what, I will prefume to fay, will do more than That, towards fitting and perfecting his Soul for the Happinefs of a Future State. And, ( what is ftiil more to the prefent purpofe,) It is that Communion^ and Sympathy^ which his Mind ought to be particularly diredled to, in his Attend- ance upon this Holy Inftitution ; agreeably to what St Paul fays exprefsly, with re- gard to our FellowJJolp with the Whole Bo- dy of Chriftiam^ in this Rite. I. Cor. x. 17. Before I leave this part of the Subjecfl, I muft obferve that the Beft of thofe Writers upon this Subject, who have taught that *^ by this Sacrament Men are entitled, if *' They be worthy Receivers, to the Benefits '' purchafed by Chrift's death : and that by ^' worth ilv C€ 176 Tide NatU7^e a7td End of the worthily receiving the Lord's Supper *^ We renew our own part in the Chrif- ^' tian Covenant; and fecure to Our felves " His continual Favour and acceptance « through Chrift:" That, after all this I fay, They themfelves feem to fufpedl this Doftrine to be uncertain and hazard- ous; and therefore guard it with fome fuch Reftridlion and Caution as this,— " Unlefs by any Vicioufnefs in the Courfe " of Our Lives we contradid: the Profef- " fions of Our folemn Devotions.'* But all thefe Forms of Expreffion and Caution put together, will not, I fear, at all ex- plain the Nature and Effect of this Kite. One reafon is becaufe they feem to contradid: and deflroy one another. For if by this ^ite We can in any fenfe be faid to renew our tnvn part in the Chriflian Co- njenant ; it muft be only in this improper one ; viz. by repeating our promifes of O- bedience, and acknowledging what our own obligations are : which are not Things pecu- liar to the Holy Communion ; but may be done every day, and every hour. Under this Notion, therefore. Our partaking worthily of theicr^/'i Slipper implies in it xht pro??iifi?7g to do our part to'ivards obtaining the Bene- 3 fi^^ Sacrame72t of the Lord's Supper. 177 jits of Chriil's death : which is inconfiflent with the Notion of Our adtual participa- tion of thofe Benefits^ at this very time ; when we only engage our Selves to endea- vour to come up, in our future lives, to thofe Terms without which we cannot par- take of thofe Benefits. Again, if by this fort of Confirmation of cur own part of the Chriflian Covenant^ at the Lord's 'Table^ We preferve to Our fehes the affurance of God's performiiig his part of theja?ne Covenant -, That is^ of his granting Us the Benefits purchafed by Chrifl's death ; this alfo is inconfiftent with the Notion of the Aftuai participation of them by receiv- ing the Lord's Supper worthily. For by the very nature of a Covenant between Two, this perforinance on God's part muft depend upon our performance of every thing ftipu- lated on our part : which cannot be deter- mined either from our firft makings or now renewing^ our part of the Covenant -, but from Our Behaviour, thro' the Courfe of our Lives. And laftly, ,To fay that by this Aft of partaking of the Lord^s Supper worthily " We fecure to Our Selves God's favour " and Acceptance through Chrift, unlefs by N ** any 178 "The Nature and End of the '' any Vicioufnefs in the courfe of our lives *' We contradi(ft the profeffions of our fo- ** lemn Devotions ; " feems no better than to give to this Aci^ in one part of this fen- tence, a Privilege which is immediately ta- ken away by declaring, in another part of the fame fentence, the fteady pradice of all Virtue to be fo neceifary, that without it, the performance of this Duty worthily will be of no avail towards this acceptance. And indeed, at beft it is faying nothing which teaches Us the peculiar nature of this TL>iit)\ We are enquiring after : nor any thing but what may be faid, with equal propriety, of the fingle Duty of Prayer 3 or any other of the like fort. Thefe very Cautions ^ We fee, fuppofe (what without doubt is true) that a Chri- ftian may receive this Sacrament worthily; and yet afterwards contradict the profejjion of this part of His Devotion^ by a Vicioiijnefi in the Cotirfe of his Life, As therefore, on one hand, if the Man after this be Vicious and Immoral ; this Sacrament^ tho' isoor^ thily received, will not fecure to Him God's acceptance : {o^ on the other hand, if his Practice be in all refpecfls worthy of a Chri- ftian ; it is his Univerfal Obedience to the Will Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 179 Will of God, which will be his fecurity ; and not this particular In/lance of it, con- fider'd by itfelf For in both Cafes the receiving this Sacrament is the fame^ and of the fame effedl ; viz. It is one Duty, ^worthily performed j and therefore accept- able to G o D. Bat, being but One^ it can- not avail, ivithout the performance of all Others ; and, when accompanied with that performance. It is not to this fxngle Infiance of Chriflian Duty, (any more than to any other,) that the Chrifiian owes the fecurity of his Acceptance with God: but to the Pra6lice of his Whole Duty, and of that Uni- verfal IloUnefs^ ^without which no man JJjall fee the Lord, I have thus endeavored to guard myfelf and Others againft all fuch Doclrines and Ways of Expreffion concerning this Dtity^ as appeared to carry along with them any Notions which might prove of bad confe- quence to Chriftians ; or at bed do not tend to explain the peculiar nature of it, as diftin- guiftied from all other Duties of Religion, And from what I have laid down I think ic very evident that the proper and confident way of Expreffion, upon this Subjedl, is this : " That partaking ^worthily of the N 2 " " Lord's 1 8o T^he Nature andEiid of the ** Lord's Slipper is one particular Duty of " a Chrijlian \ that this partaking of it uoor- *' thily is no more than the Performance of " One Duty, in a manner, and with dif- " pofuions, fuitable to the defign and na- *' ture of it ; and therefore ought not to '^ be accounted of any more importance to- ^ wards the fecuring our Acceptance with " God, than the performance of a lingle <^ Duty of this fort can be : And that eve- " ry Chriftian is obh'ged not only to per- " form this Duty worthily ^ but every other Duty of his Religion upon Principles fui- table to its nature ; and, as to his Final Acceptance with God through Chrift, ought to have his Eye conftantly and particularly upon that whole Syftem of Moral Duties, upon which, throughout the New Tejlament ^ his Acceptance is *' conftantlyput ; and upon thofe Catalogues of Vices which are as conftantly there de- clared to ex'clude all who pradlife them from the Kingdom of Heaven, let their Religious performances, in other refpeds, be what they will/' To conclude, Let Chriflians be content with what i\\Qii' Ma ft er and his Apoftles have taught them to expcB from This Duty ; and Sacrame?7t of the Lord's Supper. 1 8 1 and not think it Any Rx alt at ion of his In- ftitution, to magnify It into what He never defigned it to be. Let them not Efteem That^ as a Low Difpenfatio?j, which is as High as it was His Will to make it ; nor think, above what is written, of T^hafy which can receive it*s value only from what is written. Let them remember that All be- yond, is no better than a Dream : pleafing perhaps at prefent ; but, in the end, hurtful to Thofe who infufe it into Others, and to Thofe who will find Themfelves difappoint- ed when They are waked out of it. Let them attend upon This Holy Inftitiition, as the Commemoration of their Lordy the Revi^ ver and Teacher of the pureft Religion in the World : and This will lead their Thoughts to their Happinefs^ by the Way of their Du- ty \ and difengage them from dwelling chiefly upon Supernatural Favors, and exalted Pri^ vileges, where They are naturally and ftrong- ]y called upon to think of their own indif- penfable Obligations to depart from all Ini- quity \ and to praBice ail Virtue ; that is, to have their Converfation fuch as becometh ^^A^Gofpel (j/Chrift, whom They thus ac- knewledge for their Majler, N 3 A P P E N- T may not be unufefull to Thofe whofe Benefit I chiefly defign, be- fore I concludej jiifi: to mention, and explain, ieveral of thofe Names, by which this Religious Rite has been heretofore, or is now, called : that io^ Unlearned Readers may be as little at a lofs as poflible, to underftand what They may at any time read, either in this^ or any other, Ireatife upon this Subjed. I. From the foregoing Account of the I?2- Jlitution, We fee immediately the Reafon why this Religious Rite was called The Lord's Slipper : which was the Fir/i Name of it ; and a Name agreeable to the Sim- plicity of the I'njlitution itfelf. It was in- ftituted at, or after, the Laji Supper, which our Saviour and his Difciplcs ate together, in Celebration of the jewijh Pafjover : and, as it w^as appointed to confift in Eat- t?jg Bread and Drinking Wine, It was natu- rally APPENDIX. 18- rally called. The Lord's Supper^ from that *?2/;^- per at which our Lord thought fit to declare his Mind about it. But there being nothing in the Words of our Lord, or in the nature of the Thing itfelf, with regard to Chri- fiians^ which makes this Rite at all lefs proper at any one time of the day than ano- ther; Nothing can be inferred, either from the Dejign of the Injlitution^ or the Tifne of it, to confine the Celebration of it to the Evening. And accordingly, we find that fome of the Firft Chrijiia?is, (though not the very Firjl) chofe an Early Hour of the Morning to meet and partake of it -, becaufe That was the time when they could be moft fecure from the difturbance of their Enemies and Perfecutors. And reafons of convenience may determine Others to Any other time of the Day. One thing however feems necefl^ary to be faid ; viz. That, when honefl Chriftians are directed, under colour of Refpedl to thisi?//^, to a moft fcrupulous Care of not eating or drinking^ before They receive this Bread and Wine : That then^ I fay, they ought to call to mind the time of its hijiitution), and the original name of the Lord's- Supper- This will immediately fliew them the Weak- N 4 , nefs 184 APPENDIX. nefs of entertaining any fuch fuperjlifious - dread of what is rather agreeable to the firft Time and firft Name of it, than the contrary. One would be tempted indeed, from hence to wifli that the Time oi partaking of the Lord's Slipper had been never altered from what that /V^/;;^ feems to imply. But when the abfurd Dodrine of Tranfubflantiation came into power, Ew cry Appendage and Every Circumjlance of this Rite was modelled by that Ahfurdity-, and received Rules and Laws from it. And where that Dodlrine is utter- ly difov/ned , Something will often be working the fame way, in its ftead, even againft the natural Tendency of our Blejfed Lord's own Behaviour. Ihus, in the pre- fent Inftance, It was in the place of ihcPaJl cha/ Slipper, [which ufcd to be celebrated after everyother Mealof theday,) that our Saviour bad his Difciples to eat this bread, and drink this wine: but Ot/jers fav. Take care to Eat this Bread and Drink this IVine, before Every other Meal, It was by the Apaflles ihtm(dvcs CdXV dih<^ Lord's Supper y and, in their days, celebrated at, or after, the time oi Supper: but hy Others oi later ages, it has been Kiperftitiou fly recommended, to be ac- tompauied with Faftingj and this^ in fo par-. c ticulai: APPENDIX. 185 licular a manner, as to lead weak honeft minds 10 think it a fort of profanation to follow the Pradtice even of the Apojlles and the very firft Examples. This is a rniftaken and Imaginary RefpeB paid to this Rite ; though often, I doubt not, fincerely and pioufly intended. The real Refpedt is, in obedience to our Lord's Command, (which does not fcrupu- loufly fix the ti?ne of day, fo as to make it part of the Duty,) to partake of it, at any time which Cujlom has fixed, with the mofl ferious Remembrance of Him. Another Name by which this Rite has been long called, is The Eucharijl : which in Engli/Jj fignifies T'kankfgiving. And 'This it is defigned to be, in an high and pe- culiar Senfe, as it is the Reme?nbrance of that Love of God, in Ghriil's dying for Us^ which ought to excite in Us the ftrongeft Sentiments of Praife and Gratitude. Our Blef- fed Lord opened his Injiitution of this Rite v^\\\\ giving of "Thanks to God. And St Paul^ I Cor, X. 16. calls the Cup, ufed in this Re- ligious Ceremony, the Cup of Bleffing which we blefs-y that is, over which We fpeak good Words of Blefjing and Praife ; in allu- fion to that Cup, ufcd in the Celebration of j^he Jewijh Pajfo.ver^ v^^hich was upon the z fame 1 86 APPENDIX. fame account called 7he Cup of Bleffing : and efpecially, as this Cup contains Wine to be drunk in remembrance of ChrijTs Blond filed for our Benefit, and therefore juftly direds Us to the fincereft Thankfullnefs to GOD. And agreeably to all this, in our Public OJjice^ the Communion is accompa- nied with folemn Praifes and ^hankfgivings ; and, at the Conclufion of it. Almighty God is entreated to accept this our Sacrifice of Praife and Thankfgiving. It has been in later Ages, called ( Em- phatically^ and by v/ay of Eminence,) The Communion^ or The Holy Communion^ with- out the addition of any other words. And this muft be underflood in the Senfe which St Paul expreffes more largely, i Cor, x. 1 6, 17. where he calls it the Communion of the Body — and of the Bloud, of Chrifi. Communion^ as I have before obferved, figni- fies partaking of, or Fellowfljip in, fome- thing Comm.on to Many. And fo, The Com- ?nunion, when the Word is applied to this Holy i2/V^,mufS: iignify the foint -Par taking of that Bread vAi\^ is the Memorial oiQhx\^\ Body^ and of that IVine which is the Memorial of his Blond flied for Us ; which are called his Bod's and his Bloud onXy upon this account. It APPENDIX. 187 Ic may alfo be called The Communion^ or FellowJJjip^ as ic is a 'Joint -Far taking of Bread and /F/W : in which adion we com- municate, and bear a part, with all other Chriftians, of all Places, and all Denomi- nations ; profeffing Our Selves One Bod)\ though Many in Number, by thus eating of this Bread ; which may be called one and the fame Bread, as it is appropriated to One and the fame Religious Purpofe, and eaten by all of the fame Society for that one Purpofe only. But the Name of this Rite^ which has moft prevailed, and put the Others almofl: out of common Ufe, is That of lateft Date, and loweft Authority, in the ftridt Senfe in which it is now ufed : ^i^iz. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.^ and, moft commonly, The Sacrament^ without the addition of any other word : agreeably to which the partaking of it is called. Receiving the Sa- crajnent. And it many times fo happens in Religious matters, that Obfcure Expref- Jions get the better of the Plain and fim- ple ofies ; and the moft Modern banifli out of Ufe the moft Antient. But fince this word has got pofTcffion ; the Explication of it is the more aecefiary, becaufe the New i88 APPENDIX. New Tejlament^ which knows nothing of it, cannot lead any Chriftiam into the Notion of it, as applied to the Lord's Supper. The Latin word [Sacramentum] primarily fignified an Oath ; or an Obligation exprelTed by an Oath-, which was always efteemed as a Sacred thing. And in this Senfe, though it be improper to fpeak of receiving a Sacra- ment ; yet the adlion of partaking of the Lord's Supper may be called the Perfor- mance of a Duty which is in effeft a So- lemn acknowledgment, and recognizing, of our Obligations : as it is a Profeffing Our- felves Chrijiians ; and asfuch obliged, as truly as by an Oath, to all the Pradtice becoming Chrijiians, The word foon came to be ufed by the Latin Writers of the Chriflian Church {Ter- tullian and St Cyprian particularly) for al- moft every thing under the Old ^e/lament, that bore any fimilitude to Things under the New ; and for almoft every thing relating to Religion, under the New: and this to fuch an Excefs, that the pious and learned Edt.- tor of St Cyprian at Oxjord, obferved, in One of his Notes, that " there was no word *^ amongft Ecclejiajiical Writers of a more " loQ-lc; APPENDIX. 189 " loofe fignification, than the word Sacra^ " mentum ; " which may eaiily be believed, when this very Note was made upon occalioa •of a PaJ/'age ^ in which St Cyprian fpeaks of the many and great Sacraments of the Lord's Prayer. Thus, amongft other things, this word came to fignify Any Religious Ceremony ; be- caufe Every Religious Ceremony implies in it the profeffion of that Religion to which it peculiarly belongs ; and, by confequence, the owning our felves under all the 'Ties and Ob- ligations of That particular Religion. And in this fcnfe, Receivi?2g the Sacrament is the performance of a Religious Cerejnony peculiar to the Chriftian Religion-, and the Virtual owning Ourfelves, by this aftion ,to be under all the Obligations belonging to that Religion. But at length the Ufe of this Word came to be more confined : And in Ma- ny parts of the Chriftian Church to be ap- propriated to Two only Ceremonies^ under the Definition of an " Outward and vifible " Sign of an Inward and Spiritual Grace gi- " ven unto Us, ordained by Chrifl: himfelf, * Cypr. deOrat. Domin. Ed. Ox. p. 142. '' as I90 APPENDIX. " as a Means whereby We receive the famCj " and a Pledge to afTure us thereof." And in this Senfe the Lord's Supper may be called a Sacrament. For the Bread and Wine are ot/tward znd "vtfihle Signs^ or Marks, ordained by Chriji to call to our Minds, and to point out to Us, the greateft Inward and Spiritual Grace^ ( /. e. Favor or Mercy ) be- llowed upon Man by Almighty God. They call to mind the Death of Ckrifl, and are Memorials of his Body and Bloud^ gi^en and fhed for our Spiritual Advantage ; and confequently. Memorials of all the Benefits we are entitled to, by that Inflance of Grace or Mercy : and fo the Lord's Supper is an Outward and vifible Sign of the greateft In- ward and Spiritual Grace given unto Us, It is likewife an Outward Sign, ordainedy or appointed, l^y Chrift hi?nfelf^ to be the Mark, or Memorial, of all this. Not only fo : but ordained by Him as One Mean, amongft many others, of our Improvement in the practice of the Religion We profefs by our attendance upon this Sacrament-, and of our receiving hereafter, in confequence of that practice, all the Benefits of his Body broken and Blond (bed, now call'd to mind by thefe Outward APPENDIX. igr Outward Signs. It may be confidered alfo as a Pledge, on Chriji's parr, to ajjure Us of all this; as the Bread 2indi Wine are appoint- ed by Him to be eaten and drimk^ as Sicrns, (or in remembrance^ of that £)^^//j oiChrifl which was the higheft Affurance He could give Us of his Love to Mankind, and of our own Title to the partaking of that Love upon his own Conditions. We cannot in- deed, duly partake of the outward and vifi- hie Bread and Wine, in remembrance of Chrijl ; without calling to mind alfo the Af fura?2ce givtn Us by Him, of our partaking, upon the Terms of his Gofpel, of all the good Things promifed in it. In partaking therefore, of the Lord's Sup^ per. We may be faid to receive a Sacrament, in the prefent Senfe of that word ; as We re- ceive Bread and Wine, v/hich are outward and vifible Sigjis or Memorials of thofe /;/- ward and Spiritual Mercies which are given to Us by our Lord, upon the Terms of his Religion ; and thefe Signs ordained, to this purpofe of Remembrance, by Chrijl himjelf^ and upon this account to be confidered as Means (amongft others) tending to that Chnr. tian Behaviour, which will at laft entitle U ^3 192 APPENDIX. to the Pofleffion of thofe Mercies : and alfo as Pledges to affure Us that, as certainly as thefe Outward Signs were ordained for the Remembra?2ce of thefe Benefits promifed to Us ; fo certainly God will be ready to beftow upon Us hereafter all the Benefits thus pro- mifed, upon our perfeverance in the pradice of Every Inftance of Virtue and Holinefs ro-^ quired of Chrifiians, FORMS FORMS O F PRAYER. L For Particular Persons. 1. A Jljort Prayer for the Morning, 2. A JJjort Prayer at Night. 3. A longer Prayer for any other time of the Day, 4. A large Form^ for more particular Occafions. 11. For a Family. 1. A Pr^Ty^r yir Morning ^/^./i Evening. 2. Sele& Prayers, &c, out of the Com- mon-Prayer, Jor Morning <^;?^ Evening. Let every Man Jiudy his Prayers -, and read his Duty in his Petitions, Bp. I'aylor's Holy Living, p, 234, LONDON: Printed for J. J. and P. Knapton, mdccxxxv. PREFACE. ^^%|5^|g H E great defign of the Duty of Prayer is,To exprefs, un- der an acfual Senfe of the Prefence of G O D, thofe ^^y^M^pS good Sentunents, and pious- c)^^r^«iiAws an Errand, by the purity of his Dodrine ; by the integrity of his Life ; by the nature and number of his Mi- racles; by the glory of his Refurreftion after an ignominious Death; by h;s Afcenfion into Heaven ; and by his pouring down from ihence the wonderful gifts of the Holy Spi- rit, in order to the propagation of his Religi- on, and the fettlemcnt of his Church : by all thefe arguments eftablifliing our Confciences in Peace and Truth. I blefs Thee that the joyful found of thy Gofpel hath arrived to this part of the world; That it hath here, by the peculiar Q favour 2 26 For 7ns of Prayer, favour of thy good Providence, been reform- ed from many grofs abufes under v^^hich it long laboured ; and now lies open to the view and ftudy of all men : That, by thy merciful! Appointment, I have been called to the Know- ledge of it, as it is in it felf j and fo am the better aflur'd of the true way to happinefs > the more forcibly engaged to follow after it ; and the more likely to obtain great degrees of it, if I be not wanting to my felf : for all which Inflances of thine Undeferved and Ineftimable Goodnefs, no words can fuffici- ently exprefs the grateful Sentiments which ought to fill and pofTefs my Soul. Accept likewife, O GOD, my moft hear- ty and unfeigned Thanks for the conftant regards of thy good Providence tov/ards me : To which I am indebted for many Angular and peculiar happineffes. To Thee I owe, that I was born in a Country , where Chriftianity is fecurely profefs'd ; that I have been inftrudted in the Principles of true Re- ligion and Virtue ; and my mind led to the knowledge of the mofl [ufefuU and im- portant Truths : and particularly, that I have been fecured, by thy Goodnefs, from many of thofe great and hazardous Trials which have fo often proved fatal to Others. To Forms of Prayer. 22y To Thee I owe whatever opportunities I have enjoyed of improving myfelf in what is truly praifeworthy ; whatever peculiar advantages there are in that condition , in which it hath pleafed Thee to place me with refpedl to this World , towards the attaining the greateft Good and Happinefs of a reafonable Creature. To Thee , the Great Creator and Governour of the World, I owe all thefe bleflings ; and to Thee I offer up my fincereft acknowledgments for Them. I blefs Thee for that daily care of Thy Government over this World, by which I have been preferved, ever fince I was born, from innuftierable dangers ; many more than I can number, and many more than I know of. A mercy ! which I ought thankfully to acknowledge , not merely with refped: to this life, but to a better ; as by this means I have ftill greater opportunities of advan- cing yet farther in the paths of virtue, and adding an increafe to my Happinefs in the World to come. I deiire likewife to offer up my unfeign- ed thanks for all thofe temporal bleffings and conveniencies, by which Thou haft Q 2 made 2 2 8 Forms of Prayer. made my paflage thro' this World much more tolerable and eafy than it could other- wife have been ; for the ufe of my Reafon^ and Underftanding preferved to me, without which all other Bleflings are vain ; for that meafure of health and flrength; that eafe, and freedom from pain, which I have enjoy- ed ; for the fupports of Friendfliip and So- ciety; for the comforts of Food, and Rai- ment, and Habitation y and for all the good things with which Thou haft in Mercy fur- rounded Me, and Thofe in whofe good Eftate I am nearly concern'd : whilft fo many O- thers pafs their lives under the heavy pref- fure of the contrary Evils. What can I render unto Thee, O L O R D^ worthy of all the numberlefs inftances of thy favour which I have experienced ? I praife and magnify thy great and glorious Name: and acknowledge rnyfelf under the ftridleft and moft indifpenfable obligations to live, and a£l, in all refpeds, as becomes one that hath tafted fo largely of thy Loving kindnefs. I profefs, O Lord, my hearty refo- lution of endeavouring to do fo ^ and offer up my fincere defires, that by the confidera- tion of what I have now remembred before Thee, Foj^ms of Prayer. 229 Thee, I may be led to make returns in fome degree fuirable to fo many, and fo great, inftances of thy Goodnefs. Let the ferious contemplation of thy Glo- ries, and Perfections, incite me to endeavour conftantly to adorn my own nature with thofe moral Perfections which I acknowledge to be fo worthy of praife ; and engage me to imitate what appears io truly lovely and glorious. Let the confideration of thy mer- cifull defign in making me capable of know- ing Thee, and being eternally happy in thy Favour \ powerfully move m.e to make fuch an ufe of thofe faculties Thou haft en- dowed me with, that they may lead me to a due fenfe of this happinefs, and condudl me fafe to the poffeffion of thofe Pleafures which are at thy Right Hand. Let thy un- fpeakable mercy in fending thy Son into the Woi-id for the fecuring and promoting my Happinefs, effe(flually influence me to em- brace his Offers ; to fulfill his Commands; to imitate his Example; and to live in all refpedts as becomes his Difciple. Let the Senfe of thofe peculiar advantages which I have, by thy efpecial favour, enjoyed, lead me to fuch a carefull ufe and improvement of them, that they may be the happy occafions 0^3 of 230 Forms of Prayer. of more than ordinary degrees of Perfeftion and Glory hereafter. Let the confideration of thy gracious de- fign in affording me fo many temporal good things, and fo many comforts, in this imperfedl State, influence me to ufe them all to thy Glo- ry, as perifl:iing uncertain Goods; to be enjoy- ed with temperance -, and to be employed for the ufe and fupport of others, as well as my own. And let the ferious remembrance of all thy great and undeferved Goodnefs to me, open and enlarge my heart towards others; lead me to imitate what 1 praife and cele- brate fo much in Thee ; and teach me to be ready to do good to All ; to pity the follies and miferies of Mankind ; and, as far as I am able, to promote the happinefs of all around me: that by fuch a Return to all the inftances of thy Goodnefs and Mercy, I may fhew my felf truly fenfible of them ; and fincerely thankfull for them.^ * Whoe-ver finds this Form too long to he ufedat once, ma)' Jiop, here, only adding—-' -Thefe Prayers and Praifes I offer up to Thee, in the Name of thy Son Jefus Chrijl, in whofe words 1 farther call upon Thee, laying. Our father, Sec. And ^j:hen He returns to make ufe of the remaining part, He may begin thus With the Prayers and Praifes. which I have already prefented before Thee this day, I befeech Thee, ^c. With Forms of Prayer. 231 With thefe Prayers and Praifcs, I befeech Thee, O GOD, to accept the fincere ex- preffions of my Charity and Good-will to- wards thy whole rational Creation : which I now offer to Thee, the Father of all, asaMem- ber of the whole Society of Mankind ; and more particularly as a Member of the Church of Chrift, founded in Love and Charity. As fuch, I fincerely rejoice before Thee in e- very degree of Happinefs enjoyed by any of my Fellow-creatures here below; and hear- tily befeech Thee to difpenfe more, and larger, communications of it to this lower World : to increafe it in all Thofe who en- joy it in any meafure ; and to impart fome Portions of it to all who are in any fort of Mifery, and Diftrefs. Look in great mercy upon the fad Eftate of that part of Mankind, who know not thy Nature; nor worlhip Thee, as becomes thy Perfections. Put an end to their Idolatry, and'Superfrition, by fhewing them the Light and Evidence of thy Gofpel, in its Simplicity : and, by bringing Them to the Knowledge of thy Truth, lead them to a capacity of greater degrees of Happinefs than they could other- wife arrive at. Have pity like wife on the Re- mains of thy ancient People, the "Jews-, and all Q 4 Others, 232 Forms of Prayer. Others, who are better inftruded in the Belief and Worfliip of Thee, than the Pagan World : and guide them to a yet greater degree of true Knowledge, by di- redling their way to the knowledge of thy Son, and the praftice of his Laws ; and bringing them, by this means, to the juf- tification and happinefs of Chriftians. Vifit, with a more efpecial Grace and Fa- vour, the whole Chriftian World ; all who are called by the Name of thy Son, and pro- fefs his Holy Religion. Behold, O L O R D, a large Scene of fpiritual Evils^ worthy of thy gracious and mercifuU interpofition : In many places, the Faithy once delivered to the Saints in Purity and Simplicity, enerva- ted by vain and groundlefs Traditions ; or darkened by the inventions of Men: — The Worfliip of thee, O Father^ exprefsly efta- blifhed, by thy Son Jefus Chrij% in Spirit and hi Truths over-clouded by numberlefs Su- perftitions; and even deftroyed by Idolatry itfelf: The moral Laws which thy Son came to refcue from the corruptions of Men,^ and to enforce upon his Followers, render'd iueffecftual by many humane devices \ and falfe Notions of Religion, fet up inflead of them: — — and the progrefs of Tl^y Holy Gojpel Forms of Prayer. 2 3 3 Gofpel ftop'd and hinder'd by the wick- ed Lives, and fcandalous Behaviour, of thofe vv^ho profefs it ! Interpofe, I befeech Thee, and put an efFeducil ftop to thefe great and Unchriftian Evils. Confound the devices of all fuch as uphold, or encourage, any degree of Super- fticion, for bafe and fecular ends. Give a powerful! check to all forts, and all de- grees, of Perfecution and Oppreffion, fo fcan- dalous and deftrudive to thy Holy Religi- on, which miftaken or wicked Men pre- tend to promote by fuch impious Methods. Put a ftop to all Spiritual Tyranny ; and to all Ufurpation over the Confciences of Men: and diffipate thofe clouds of Ignorance which difpofe People to a bafe and ignominious flavery to the didates of Men, rather than to a rational Enquiry into thy Holy Will which lies open to them. And above all, exert thine Almighty Arm in vindication of the Caufe of Virtue: Leading all profeffed Chriftians to fuch a Senfe of the Importance of it, as that they may ftudy to adorn their Lives with a Beha- viour fui table to their Holy Profeifion ; and recommend it to the Experience and Appro- bation of the Unbelieving World by the In- tegrity 234- Forms of Prayer. tegrity and Unblameablenefs of their whole Converfation. Particularly grant that All Chriftians, who have departed from the grofs corruptions of Popery, may depart entirely from the Spirit of it: that, as They profefs to make the Scripture the Rule of Faith ; fo They may without referve leave it as fuch to all their Neighbours : that, as They have nobly con- tended for their own Religious Liberty and Chriftian Rights ; fo They may not lofc the Glory of this, by contradicting it in their Be- haviour towards Others : but that They may, by their exemplary deportment, and by their fteady adherence to the Principles of Righte- oufnefs, Peace, and mutual Forbearance, ma* nifeft to all the World the Sincerity of their Reformation ; and reap the Fruit of it by flu- dying to excell in all that is praife-worthy. Nor ought I to forget, O great Gover- nor of the Univerfe, the Civil Eftate of the Kingdoms of the Earth. Put an End, O LORD, at length, to the diforders and con- fufions, occafioned by the weak and ambiti- ous Lords of this World: And fiiew Thy Self indeed, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Permitt no longer the happinefs of Humane Society to be, in any part Forms of Prayer. 235 part of thy Creation , ruined and laid wafle by the inferior Government of Men, which was inftituted folely for the Support and Comfort of it. Bring public Difgrace, and Confufion, upon all Tyrants, and Oppref- fors ; and honour with particular marks of thy Favour, all Princes, who fincerely ilu- dy to anfwer the Ends of their Inftitution : that fo, the Triumphs of infatiable Ambiti- on may at length ceafe from the Earth j and the Bleffings of good Government be felt throughout the World. Amongft all the Kingdoms of the Earth, Look, I befeech Thee, with a particular fa^ vour, upon This, to which, by the difpofal of Thy Providence , I belong ; and for which, therefore, I am obliged in an efpecial manner to fhew my concern, by the heartieft wifhes of my Soul. Pardon our many and crying Sins -, and , in order to avert thy Judgments, lead every Sinner amongft us to fuch a fenfe ©f his Sins , as may engage him heartily to renounce and forfake them. Continue, and confirm to us, that peculiar Forrn of Government, fo wonderfully hi- therto preferved to us ; by which we are more effedually fecured againft the extremes of Confufion, and Arbitrary Power, than any 236 For 7ns of Prayer, any other Nations ; and of which we en- joy the happy fruits every moment of our Lives. Preferve and eftablifli us in the free En- joyment of the Light of thy Holy Gofpel, and the fecure Profeflion of our Religion. What Errors ftill remain amongft Proteft- ants, do Thou efFedually remove, by the methods of thy Wife Providence ; and efpe- daily fuch as may have a bad influence upon the conduft of Men's lives : and ftrengthen their common Intereft againfl: their common Enemy. To this End, give a check to the mutual Violences, and Hatreds, and uncha- ritable behaviour, of Men of evil difpofiti- ons on every fide. Kindle once again the fire of Love and Charity amongft us : and permitt not our differences in Religious mat- ters to extinguifh this Fire, or to blov/ up another to our entire Deftruction. Pour down the choiceft of thy Bleffings upon our moft gracious King GEORGE. Defend him, by the peculiar care of thy Providence, from all attempts, of Violent and Unreafonable Men , againfl: his Perfon or Crown : and profper all his good Defigns and Endeavours to preferve his People in Peace , Liberty, and Happinefs. Together with Forms of Prayer. 237 with Him, blefs all who have any part in the Adminiflration of our Government. AffiflHim, and Them, in the great and im- portant bufinefs of their Stations. Guide them into the beft and wifeft Meafures : and give fuccefs to all their Counfels and La- bours, for the Advantage of this Nation ; or for the relief and fupport of any of our in- jured Neighbours. Permitt not the difpofal of the Lives and Properties of thy People ever to come in- to the hands of Ignorant, or Partial, Men : but manifeft thy great concern for Juftice here below, in fuch manner, as That the Guilty may ever meet with their due pu- nifhment, and the Injured and OppreiTed find a fure redrefs, in our Courts of Judica- ture. Dired: all the Magiftrates amongft us to a deep Senfe of their Duty : to give all en- couragement to Virtue, and all pDffible dif- couragement to Vice, both by their Example, and the due execution of their Offices. Lead all Thofe to whom the great Con- cerns of Religion, and of the Salvation of man- kind, are more peculiarly committed, to fuch a knowledge of all neceflary Truths % fuch an Exemplary and Chriflian Converfation ; filch a prudent and conflant difcharge of 2 Uieir 2^8 Forms of Prayer. their Holy Office j as may efFedually pro- mote the Happinefs of Themfelves, and of Thofe committed to their Care. Encourage and promote amongft us, the means and me- thods of fuch a virtuous and laudable Edu- cation, as tends to found Learning and Re- ligion ; to the Reformation of This, and the better Eftate of future Generations. I defire likewife to exprefs before Thee the real fenfe I have of the miferies and ca- lamities of the diftreffed Part of Mankind ; and the finccre defire I have of contributing to their Eafe and Relief. O Thou Father of Mercies, and God of all confolation, w^hat can We do for that multitude of deplorable Objecfls of compaffion, w^ho are out of the reach of our Knowledge, or of our Ability to relieve , but offer up our earneft Wiflies to Thee, the great Difpofer of profperity and adverfity ? Behold, O Lord, I fympa- thize with all the Unhappy; and bear a Part in all the miferies experienced in this World : and do with the greateft earneftnefs beg of Thee for all the miferable, of what fort, or degree foever, whatever I could reafonably beg for my felf, were I in their condition. Affift them all in their feveral Trials and Conflids ; and guide them to fuch a degree of Forms of Prayer. 239 of Contentment, Refignation, and Patience, as may render their prefent affli(5tions the happy occafion of their greater future Glo- ry : and, as far as it is confiftent with the purpofes of thy Wifdom, put an End to their prefent misfortunes and troubles. Rellore light and comfort to the dark , melancholy, and diftradled minds of Thofe who have loft the ufe of their Reafon in any inftance, or any degree. Pity the deftitute condition of thofe who are in want of any of the neceffary circumftances of Life \ par- ticularly of Thofe who are fallen from the comforts of a profperous Condition to the Miferies of Adverfity : and raife them up Friends, and Patrons, in their low Eftate. Relieve by thy good Providence the wants of the Poor and Needy. Be a Father to the Fatherlefs ; plead the caufe of the helplefs Widow s and regard the unhappy Eftate of all who mourn the lofs of Thofe, in whom any part of their Happinefs was placed. Strengthen and affift, in an efpecial man- ner. All who fufFer any where for the Love of Truth, or the Teftimony of a good Con- fcience ; and do Thou fo proportion to their Strength, the meafure and duration of their Sufferings, that they may work for Them 2 a more 2^0 ForfJts of Prayer* a more exceeding Weight of Glory. Hear the Groans of all who are oppreffed, and barbaroufly treated, by the Tyrants of this World j and grant a redrefs to all their mi- feries. Attend to the Sighs and Tears of fuch as are in captivity and flavery \ and o- pen a way to their future Liberty and Se- curity. Vific with thy Light and Comfort all who are atHi^ed with bodily pain, or any fort of ficknefs : and bring to their mind all fuch confiderations and afliftances, as are necef- fary and proper to fupport Them in their unhappy condition; or to dilpofe and fit them for their paflfage into another jftate. Remove in much compafTion all thofe un- reafonable doubts and defpondencies, with which many innocent and honeft minds are, in this World, difturbed and overclouded; and dired; them to fuch juft notions of Thee, and of thy Holy Gofpel, as may eftablifh them in a courfe of chearfull, and fmcere, obedience to the laws of it. Succeed the endeavours of all who ho- neftly and induflrioufly labour after a con- venient livelihood in this World, and are ufefuU members of the Common-wealth; and bring to nought the defigns of all who either Forms of Prayer. 24.1 either privately, or openly, live upon the fpoil of their Neighbours 3 and are the plague, and terror, of Humane Society. Requite, in the courfe of thy Good Pro- vidence, the kindnefs of all who have at any time, or in any degree, endeavoured to con- tribute to the advantage of my mind, body, or outward eftate. Upon all who have ei- ther done, or deiigned, me good, of any fort, fhower down thy rewards, and favour. And, if there be Any, who have either de- iigned, or done, me real mifchief ; in return to their evil, I beg and entreat for thy par- don and thy bleffings. Correcft the evil dif- pofition of all fuch Minds s and plant ia ihem, infleadof it, a temper worthy of Men and Chriflians. Let the confideration of their own eternal intereft lead them all to Charity, and Love : and engage them to put on thofe difpofitions which only can fit them for the BleiTed Society •above. Blefs all in whom I am more nearly con- cerned, or in whofe happlnefs I take a par- ticular part, with fuch a meafure of health, fuccefs, and profperity, as may beft carry forward the defigns of thy Goodnefs towards them; and mofl effedually promote their happinefs here, and hereafter. But v/hat- R ever 242 Forms of Prayer. ever be thy Difpenfations towards them, with rcfped: to this life; lead them all, I befeech Thee, into thofe Paths which will ^nfalHbly convey them to thine heavenly Kingdom in the World to come. Finally, O Lord, 1 wifli, and pray for, all good things to the whole Race of Mankind, 1 rejoice in every degree of Virtue and Hap- pinefs to be f<:cn here below. I mourn for every degree, and every inftance, of Vice and Mifery. Let thy Kingdom come, I be- feech Thee : and (liew thine Almighty Pow- er, by eftablifliing True Keligion amongft Men ; and putting a flop to all the calami- lies of this lower VvV:>rld. Accept, O Lord, I mofc earneilly befeeeh. Thee , the Sentiments and Defires of my Heart, which 1 have now poured out before Thee, under an adtual Senfe of thy Prefence, and of thy Providence over-ruling and di- refting all things. Fiivorably receive the Acknowledgments I have m.ade of my Sins, and Moral Im.perfedlions : and grant me Pardon and Peace upon the Terms of thy Gofpel. Llear and anfwer the Petitions, I have offered up, for the obtaining all things truly Good, and the averting all things Evil. Let the Praifes and Thankfgivings which my Hearc For 7ns of Prayer. 243 Heart hath fent up, as the Homage due to thy PerfecSlons and Goodnefs, be acceptable to Thee. And rejed: not the Interceffions I have made for the temporal and eternal hap- pinefs of all my Fellow-Creatures. And now , O Lord , Take me , I once more entreat Thee, into thy powerfuU and wife Protedtion : and guide me, by the Dif- pofitions of thy Providence, and good Spirit, to the perfect knowledge and performance of thy Holy Will here ; and to the enjoy- ment of that eternal and unalterable happi- nefs hereafter, which thou haft referved for thy faithfull Servants, and promifed by thy Well-beloved Son, Jefus ChrijL in his Name, and as his Difciple, I truft for Ac- ceptance of my felf , and all my fincere , though imperfcdl, fervices : And in his Words I continue to entreat thy Mercy towards Myfelf, and all whom I am obli- ged to pray for. Our Father^ which art in Heaven ; HaU lowed he thy Name. T'hy Ki?7gdom come. Thy Will be done in Earthy as it is in Hea- ven. Give us this Day our daily Bread, And forgive us our T'refpajfcs^ as we forgive R 2 them 244- Forms of Prayer. them that trefpafs againjl m. And lead us not into T'empfation ; But deliver us from evil : For thine is the Kingdom , and the Power^ and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 11. PRAY- II. PRAYERS For a F A M I L Y. go P &y ^ I. A Prayer for Morning and Evening. LORD, perfeft in Wifdom , Goodnefs, and Power; glorious in all that can be truly called Perfedion ; We thy Creatures, and thy Servants, proftrate our felves before Thee, in the deepeft Senfe of our own unworthinefs , and of thy lovely and incomprehenfible Perfedlions : Acknow- ledging the Glories of thy Nature, as it is in itfelf ; and thy great Goodnefs to Us, and to the whole World of thy Creatures. We are truly fcnfible of the great happl- nefs of knowing Thee; and of imitating Thee; and of enjoying the comrriunicati- ons of thy favour hereafter : upon which ac- counts, it highly becomes Us to praife Thee R 3 for 246 Forms of Prayer. for that A(fi; of Goodiiefs in our Creation, by which Thou hall endowed us with Faculties fitted for the attainment of this unfpeaka- ble happinefs ; and for the enjoyment of the higheft Good hereafter. We praife Thee for thy great Goodnefs in our prefervation here, ever fince We were brought into Being : not only as it refpeds this World, in which We now live ; but as by it Wc are enabled to make the better provifion for our everlafting intereft in the World to come ; and have greater opportu- nities of improving our Souls in Virtue , and of fecuring our happinefs for ever. More particularly We now blefs Thee for the care of thy Providence over us, by which Wc have been prefer ved in fafety through the pad [ Day , or Night, ] and mercifully defended from all dangers , and diftrefles. It becomes us likewife to acknowledge thy bounty and goodnefs, manifefted to us through every part of our lives, to this time ; to thank Thee for that meafure of Flealth, and Strength, and Quiet, which We have hitherto enjoyed -, for the Comforts and Sup- ports of all thofe neceflaries and conveni- ences, w^ithout which We iliould be much more F 07^772 s of Prayer. 24.7 more unliappy in this State, than We now are ; and for all other circumflances and ad- vantages of Life, which help to make our Paillige through this World more happy, or more tolerable , than ctherwife it could be. But above all, We blefs and magnify thy great and glorious Name for thy tender re- gards to our everlafting Happinefs in a bet- ter State hereafter : for fending thy Son into the World to declare to us the certainty of a future State of Rewards and Punifliments ; and for all that He did, and taught, and fuf- fer'd, in order to reconcile Mankind to Thee ; and to guide Us all to eternal life and glory : for the great happinefs of a good and virtuous Education 5 and for thofe peculiar difpofitions of thy Providence which have often guarded Us from many particular and hazardous Trials and Temptations. For thefe, and for all other thy mercies, which concern our great and eternal Intereft, We fincerely thank Thee, O Lord, and will ever praife thy Holy Name. It is with fname and grief that we refledl upon the Returns we have made to fo much mercy. We confefs, O Lord, that We have not lived as becomes reafonable Creatures , R 4 cail'd 2 4-8 Forms of Prayer. caird to the knowledge of fuch a God, and of fuch a Saviour. Many have been our failings ; many have been our omiffions, and negle<5ls, in the performance of our Duty, and in the perfedling our felves in all virtue. Many have been our offences, in Thought, Word, and Deed, againft thy Divine Majef- ty: and many are flill our Imperfedions. But, O m.ercifull Father, We befeech Thee, in the name of thy Son 'J ejus Ch?'ijl^ to par- don us now returning to Thee, with the full purpofe of regarding more ftridly the obligations of Gratitude and Obedience We are under; and of living, for the time to come, more like thy Servants, and like Chriftians. And now , O Lord , confcffing and re- nouncing all our Sins ; and hoping for the pardon of all that is pad, through thy Son y^^fus Chrljt^ as far only as We fincerely en- deavour to reform and amend whatfoever We know to be amifs in our felves; We befeech Thee, fo to concur with us, by thy mercifull Providence, and good Spirit, that, in the future condu6l of our Lives, We mav better anfwer the Ends of our moft ho- ly Religion, and adorn the Gofpel which we profefs to believe. Let Fo7^ms of Prayer. 24.9 Let the Experience of thy repeated mer- cies, inflame us with a refolution of ma- king fuitable returns to them. Let the Be- lief of future Glories raife our Minds above the fordid views of this World. Let the confidcration of thine infallible Wifdom, and undoubted Goodnefs, teach us heartily and quietly to fubmit our felves to all the Dif- penfations of thy Providence towards us, as to the Will of One, who hath always wife and excellent purpofes to ferve ; and knows what is beft for us, infinitely better than We poffibly can. Let the Example of our BlefTed Saviour, ever placed before our Eyes, direct our Steps in every Station of Life, and every inftance of Duty : and let our Hopes and AfFedtions be unmoveably fixed upon thofe Rewards which are laid up in Heaven for all who, by patient continuance in Well-doing, feek after Glo- ry and Immortality. Finally, Let the Con- fideration of thy Holy Prefcnce every where, govern all our Thoughts, Words, and Ac- tions, as under the eye of thy Majefty; and lying open to Thee, our Supreme Governor and Judge : that fo our irregular Paflions may lofe their power over us ; and We may daily 250 Forms of Prayer. daily proceed to greater degrees of all Ho-» linefs and Virtue. We now particularly dcfire to put our felves under thy Protedlion, this [£)^j, or Night,'] and to implore thy Fatherly care over us : that no Evil may approach us ; but that our Souls and Bodies may be fafe under that good and powerfuU Providence, in which We entirely truft. We extend likewife our regards to all the World of reafonable Creatures ; and pray for the happinefs and good eftate of all Mankind: that They may all know, and worihip, and obey, Thee, as they ought; and particularly, that All who name the Name of Chriji^ may depart from iniquity, and live as becomes his Holy Gofpel. Put a flop to the miferies occafion'd by Am- bition and Tyranny, whether Temporal or Spiritual : Put an end to every degree of Idolatry, and Superftition ; Perfecution and Oppreflion : and give fuccefs to the labours of All, who ftudy the happinefs of thy Creatures; and preach the Gofpel of thy Son, in fimplicity and love. Regard, with much mercy, thefe Nations to which we belong. Pardon our crying fins : and For 7ns of P7''aye7\ 251 and lead all finners amongft us to true and un- feigned Repentance; that Iniquity may not be our Ruine, or prevent the Mercies We might otherwife hope for. Pour down the choiceft of thy Bleffings upon our moft Gracious Sovereign, King George ; and fo diredl Him, and all that are in Authority under Him, by thy gracious guidance, that They may faithfully difcharge the great Trufl repofed in Them, by being a Terror to Evil- doers only, and a Praife to all that do well. Let the remembrance of the great and folemn account to come, engage all orders of Men amongft us, confcientioufly to perform their Duties in their feveral Places and Stations, with all faithfulnefs and charity. ^ Blefs, we befeech Thee, with all Blef- fings of Soul and Body, our Relations, and Friends : leading them to all Virtue and Happinefs here, and rewarding Them with Eternal Life hereafter. Requite the kind- nefs of all who have done, or defign'd, us any good : and pardon the malice of all who have done, or wifli'd, us any evil ; guiding them to Repentance, and fliewing thy mercy upon them. We 252 Forms of Prayer. We have a deep fenfe, O Lord, of the miferles experienced in this World: of the wants of the Poor and Needy; of the Sick- jielTes, the Pains, and Diftreffes, of the afRift- cd part of Mankind. We truly fympathize with them : and intercede for them, that in thy Providence they may find Relief; and have reafon to rejoice, at the End, for the Days wherein they have feen adverfity. And now, O Lord, We again commend ourfelves, and all belonging to us, to thy rracious nrotedion and care: referrins; our j'elves wholly to Thee for what is truly necefiary and good for us, in this World ; and above all entreating Thee, effeftually TO difpofe the way of thy Servants towards the Attainment of everlafling Salvation in the World to come ; and befeeching Thee to hear and to accept Us, as the Difciples of thy Son 'J ejus Chriji our Lord : in whofe name We pray unto Thee, and in whofe comprehenfive words We fumm up all our requefts. Our Father^ "which art in Hew^en ; Hal- lowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be^ done in Earthy as it is in Hea- ijcn. Forms of Prayer* 253 "oen. Give in this day our daily Bread, And forgive us our T^refpaffes^ as we forgive them that Trefpafs agaiiifl us. And lead us not into Temptation ; But deliver us from evil: For thine is the Kiiigdom^ and the Power, and the Glory ^ for ever and ever. Amen. 2. Sde5i 254 Forms of Prayer. ] 2. Selea PRAYERS &'c. out of the Common-Prayer, for the life of a Family, Morniijg and Evening. Confejfon. ^SM^M Lmighty and moft merciful Father; ^lAJGf) We have erred and ftrayed from ^<^gg^ thy ways like loft Sheep. We have followed too much the devices, and defires of Our own Hearts. We have offended againft Thy holy Laws. We have left undone thofe Things which we ought to have done; And we have done thofe Things which we ought not to have done ; And there is no health in Us. But Thou, O Lord, Have mercy upon Us, miferable Offenders. Spare Thou them, O God, which confefs their faults. Reftore Thou them that are peni- tent ; According to thy promifes declared unto Mankind in Chrift Jefu our Lord. And grant, O moft mercifull Father, for his fake; That We may hereafter live a Godly, For 7ns of Prayer. 255 Godly, Righteous, and Sober life, to the Glory of thy holy Name. Amen. ALmighty and everlafting God, who hateft nothing that Thou haft made, and doft forgive the Sins of all them that are penitent : Create and make in Us new and contrite Hearts ; that We, worthily la- menting Our Sins, and acknowledging Our Wretchednefs, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfedl remiflion and forgive- nefs, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen, The two following Prayers to be ufed ' in the Morning. r/^ God, who art the Author of Peace, L V^ and Lover of Concord ^ in knowledge of whom ftandeth our eternal Life ; whofe Service is perfed: freedom: Defend Us thy Humble Servants, in all Aflaults of our Ene- mies ; that We, furely trufting in thy de- fence, may not fear the Power of any Ad- verlaries, through the might of Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen, O Lord, 256 Forms of Prayer, OLord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everiafling God, who haft fafely brought us to the beginning of this Day ; Defend Us in the fame with Thy mighty Power 3 and grant that this Day we fall into no Sin, neither run into any kind of dan- ger : but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in Thy Sight, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen,^ Thefe twoj at Night. Y /^^\ God, from whom all holy defircs, L v^ all good Counfels, and all juft works, do proceed \ Give unto Thy Servants tliat Peace, which the World cannot give: that both Our Hearts may be fet to obey Thy Commandments j and that alfo We, being de- fended from the fear of Our Enemies, may pafs our Time in reft and quietnefs, through the merits of Jefus Chrift our Saviour. Amen, Lighten our darknefs. We befeech Thee, O Lord : and by thy great mer- cy defend Us from all perils and dangers of this Forms of Prayer. 257 this Night, for the Love of Thy only Son, Our Saviour, Jefus Chrift. Amen,^ OGod, the Protedor of all that truft in Thee, without vs^hom nothing is ftrong, nothing is holy -, Increafe and mul- tiply upon Us thy mercy : that, Thou being Our Ruler and Guide, We may fo pafs through things temporal, that We finally lofe not the Things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jefus Chrifl's fake our Lord. Amen. OGod whofe never failing Providence ordereth all Things both in Heaven and Earth; We humbly befeech Thee to put aw^ay from Us all hurtful! things, and CO give Us thofe things which be profitable for Us, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen, For the KIN G. OLord, our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the only Ruler of Princes, who doft from thy Throne behold all the dwellers S upon 25 § Forms of Prayer. upon Earth ; Moft heartily We befeech Thee, with thy favour to behold Our rapft gracious Sovereign Lord King George: and fo replenifli him vjixh the grace of thj Holy Spirit, that he may alway incline to thy Will, .m^ walk in thy way. Endue him plenteoufly with heavenly gifts. Grant- hia) in health and wealth long to live. Strengthen him, that he may vanqbifli and overcome all his Enemies 5 and finally after this life He may attain everlafting Joy and Felicity,, through Jefus Chrift Our Lord. Amen. ''-^ For the Royal Family. Lmighty God, the fountain of all goodnefs, We humbly befeech Thee to blefs our gracious Quttn Carol i?2e ; their Royal Highneffes, Frederick Prince of Wales, the Duke, the Princeffes, and all the Royd Family. Endue them with thy Holy Spirit- enrich them with thy heavenly grace ; prof- per them wip.h all happinels ; and^bring them to thine everlafting Kingdom, through Je- lus Chrift Qur Lord. Amen. Fof] Forms of Prayer. 259 For all Conditions of Men. OGod, the Creator and Preferver of all mankind. We humbly befeech Thee for all forts and conditions of Men, that Thou wouldft be pleafed to make Thy ways knowili unto Them • Thy faving heahh un- to all Nations. More efpecially we pray for the good eftate of the Catholick Church : that it may be fo guided and governed by Thy good Spirit, that all, who profefs and call themfelves Chriftians, may be led into the way of truth ; and hold the Faith in unity of Spirit, in the bond of Peace, and in righteoufnefs of Life. Finally, we com- tnend to Thy fatherly goodnefs, all Thofe who are any ways afflidted, or diftreiled, ia Mind, Body, or Eftate : that it may pleafe Thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their feveral neceffities ; giving them pa- tience under their Sufferings, and a happy Iffue out of all their Afflidions. And this we beg for Jefus Chrift His Sake. Amen, O God, whofe nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; S 2 Receive 26o Forms of Prayer, Receive our humble petitions 5 and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our fins , yet let the pitifulnefs of thy great mercy loofe us , for the honour of Je*- fus Chrift our Mediator and Advocate^ Amen, A General Thanklgiving, Lmighty God, Father of all mercies. We thine unworthy Servants do give i hee mofl: humble and hearty thanks for alt thy goodnefs and loving kindnefs to Us, and to all Men. We blefs Thee for our Crea- tion, Prefervation, and all the Bleffings of this Life: but above all fot thine ineftima- ble love in the redemption of the World by our Lord Jefus Chrift 5 for the means of Grace, and for the hope of Glory. And we befeech Thee give Us that due Senfe of all thy mercies, that our Hearts may be unfeign- edly thankfuU ; and that we may (hew forth thy Praife, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our felves to .thy Service, and by walking before Thee in Ho- linefs and Righteoufhefs all our days, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord j to whom, with Thee, and Forms of Prayer. 261 and the Holy Ghoft, be all Honour and Gb- iy world without end. Amen, O Almighty Lord, and everlafting God> vouchfafc, we befeech Thee, to di- redt, fandlify, and govern, both our Hearts and Bodies, in the ways of thy Laws, and in the works of thy Commandments : that, through thy moft mighty Protedion, both here and ever, we may be preferved in Body and Soul, through our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. Amen, ASfift us mercifully, O Lord, in thefe our Supplications and Prayers ; and difpofe the way of thy Servants towards the Attainment of Everlafting Salvation ; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life. They may ever be defended by thy moft gracious and ready help, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Ameiu OGod, who haft prepared for them that love thee, fuch good things as paft mans underftanding ^ Pour into our hearts fuch love toward thee, that we loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promifes, which 2 2 'Forms of Prayer. which exceed all that we can defire, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen, LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things i Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increafe in us true Religion, nourifh us with all goodnefs, and of thy great mer- cy keep us in the fame, through Jefus Chrift dUr Lord. Amen. OUR Father, which ?irc in Heaven^ Hal- lowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this Day our daily Bread, And fdrgive us our Trefpalles, as we forgive them that ttefpafs againft us. And lead us not into Temptation ; but deliver us from evil : For thine is the Kingdom, and the Pow- er, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen, r-y-^ HE Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, X and the Love of God, and the Fel- lowftiip of the Holy Ghoft, be with us al! evermore. Amen, FINIS. BOOKS Printed for J ames^ J o h >:, ntid Paul K n a p t o n, at the Crown in Lud- gate Street. TH E Rearonablenels of Conformity to the Church of E9Jgia7id. With the Defenfe of ir, and the Perfuafive to Lay-Conformity. To which is added, the brief Dcfenfc of Epifcopal Ordination. By Benjamin Hoadlyy M. A. Rcftor of St. Peters Poor, now Lord Bifhop of Wui- chcfter. The 4th Edition, %njo. Eighteen Difcouries concerning the Terms of Acceptance with God : In which, I. The Te^ms themlelves are diltinftly Jaid down as they are propofed to ChrilHans in the New Tel- tament. And, IL Several fahe Notions -of-the Conditions of Salvation are confidered ; particularly. Of being faved by Faith; Of truftiiig to external Performances; Of the Power of Chari-ty to cover Sin ; Of relying upon the Merits of Chrift; Of Man's Wcaknefs, and God's Grace; Of Repen- tance ; Of the Example of the Thief on the Crofs ; Of truft- ing to a Death-bed Sorrow ; Of the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard ; Of depending upon Amendment in Time to come. By Benjainin'Eoadly, M. A. Redl:or of St. Peters Poor, now Lord Bifhbp of WiJicheJler. The 4th Edition. A Paraphrafe on the Four Evangelifts : Wherein, for the clearer Underitanding the Sacred Hiflor)', the whole Text and Paraphrafe are printed in feparate Columns, over-againft each other. Together with critical Notes on the more diffi- C-ilt Pail'ages : \ ery ufeful for Families. In two Vols. By Sojnuel Clarke, D. D. late Re(5lor of St. yamess Wejlmivjier , The^th Edition. Eighteen Sermons on feveral Occafions : Particularly, Of the great Duty of Univerfal Love and Charity. Of the Govern- ment of Paflion. Diicourfes upon Occafion of the Plague. Of St. Peter's' being the Rock on which Chrift built his Church. Of the Vimh. oi Abraharn. Of Chrift being the ;^rcad of Life. • Of the Original of Sin and Mifery. Of E- leftion and Reprol^ation ; being a Paraphrafe on Rom. ix. The Prefent Life a State of Probation, in order to a future Lifg. That Chrift's Admonitions to his Apollles belong univerfally to all Chriftians. '^y Samuel Clarke, T>. D. The 3d Edition. Sermons on feveral Subjedls. In Ten Volumes. By Samuel Clarke, D. D, Publifhcd from the Author's MS. by John Clarke, D. D. Dean of Sarum^ With a Preface, giving fome Account of the Life, Writings, and Chara6ler of the Author. By Benjamin, Lord Bifliop of Winchejier. The zd Edition. An Expofition of the Church Catechifm. By Samuel Clarke^ D. D. Publillied from the Author's MS. by John Clarkcy D. D, Dean of Smum- The 3d Edition. Three BOOKS Printed for, fzc. ■ Three Praaical Effays on Baptifm, Confirmation, and Re-. penrance: Containing full InftrLi<5lions for a Holy Life ; with earneft Exhortations, efpecially to young Perfons. Drawn from tl^ Confideration of the Severity of the Difcipiine of the Pri- Hii five Church. 3y 5^/«z^^/ C/«r/ff, D. D. The 5th Edition. An Enquiry into the Caufe and Origin of Natural and lloxdX Evil : Beipg the Subftance of Sixteen Sermons, preach- ed in the Years 171 9 and 1720, at the Leisure founded by the Honourable Robert Boyle, Efq; By John Clarke, D. D. Dean of Saruvi. In two Vols, ^njo. The Truth of the Chriilian Religion. In Six Books. By M^go Grotius. Correfted and illuftrated with Notes by Mr. Ln. Qlert. To which is added, a Seventh Book, concerning this Queftion : What Chrijilan Church nve ought to join our fehes tQ? Jranflated by Joh7i Clarke, D. D. The 2d Edition, \zmo. Fifteen Sermons, preached at the Rolls Chapel upon the following Subjefts i Upon human Nature. Upon the Go- vernment of the Tongue. Upon Compaffion. Upon the Charafter oi Balaam. Upon Rpfentmcnt. Upon Forgive- aeft of Injuries. Upon Self-Deceit. Upon the Love of our Neighbour. Upon the Love of God. Upon the Ignorance of Man. By Jofeph Butler, L. L. D. Preacher 3t the Rolls^ ind Rector of Stanhope, in the Bifhoprick of Durham. S-vo. A Treatife concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality. By Ralph Ciid^vorth, D. D. formerly Mailer of Chrijf s-C'ol- lege in Cambridge. ¥/ith a Preface by the Right Reverend Father in God £<^ic^r^ Lord Biihop of Durham. A Brief Expofitipn of the Apoftles Creed, according Xo Bi- ihop Pear/on, in a new Method, by way of Paraphrafe and Annotation. By B- Kennet, D.' B. kite Prefident of Corpus Chrijli College, Ox on. The 2d Edition. A true Reprefentation of Popery, as it appears in Foreign Parts: Particularly recommended to Britijh Proteftant§ dtiring their Refidence in Popilh Countries. Being ten Sermons pfeachcd before the Britip FacTiory at Oporto in Fortiigal. By fi-enry Stephens, M. A. Vicar of Maiden in Surry, ^vo. Two Letters : One from a Lady to a Friend, who had mar- ried a Roman Catholick Gentleman. The other from the fame Author, to the faid Gentleman ; by which he was converted from the Popith Religion to the Protcilant. Firil publiihed in 1727, upon the recommendation of the late Dr. Sa?;iuel Clarke. The 3d Editipa. pr. Ad. or 2^5 for 6s. to thofe who give them away. Twelve Sermons preached at the Cathedrai-Church oi Sa.- i^iim. To which are added two Sermons : The one concern- ing the Incapacity of a Popiih Prince to govern a Protelhnt Kingdom. : Tl^e other, concerning the inhuman Barbarities of the Church of RofJie to all whon-i they call Hcrcticks znd Scbif- maticks. B^' Daniel fVbitby, D. D. ^■■'j^t'jTy^