nor others, to any thing which is contrary to piety, charity, or fobriety. As long as he keeps himfelf within fuch bounds, he needs not fear that a chearful and facetious behaviour will render him the worse Chriftian, or the less fit to receive the holy

communion.

SECT. XI.

Excufe from uneafy thoughts, answered.

Laft of all there are, who having met with many croffes and afflictions, have their thoughts fo difcompofed, and distracted with care, grief, or trouble, that they cannot fettle their minds, as they think they ought; and therefore do not come to the holy communion.

It is obvious enough, that if any trouble or af→ fiction provokes a man to impatience, and prevails, fo far as to make him murmur and repine against the providence of God; this, indeed, is a fin, and muft, as all other fins, be repented of. But if there be no more in it than this, that the croffes and vexa-· tions under which a man lies, do fo difcompofe his mind, as that he cannot keep his thoughts from wandering when he is at his devotion, it can be no just excuse.

SECT.

SECT. XII.

Excufe from the fuppofed inefficacy of receiving, answered.

If a man reaps no benefit by the reception of the holy communion, the fault is altogether his own, becaufe either he does not duly prepare himself for it, or does not receive it fo, often as he should. Some bodies are fo diftempered, and ftomachs vitiated, that they turn the best food into corrupt and evil nourishment and if a man of the moft healthy conftitution fhould eat but one meal in a week, it would never keep him in health and strength; but let the ftomach be cleanfed, and the body brought into good order, and then let the man eat his conftant and daily meals, and he fhall find both his health and ftrength increafe upon him. The cafe is just the fame with this fpiritual food, which is exhibited to us in the holy facrament. Whilft the foul is thus diftempered with fins unrepented of, it will rather do us hurt than good, to receive it; and when men partake of it but once in a year or two, or it may be, not fo often, whatever ftrength or refreshment their fouls begin to find thereby, is loft and forgotten before it comes again to be renewed by the fame ordinance. But let a man by a fincere repentance, and an honest heart, come as often as he can to God's holy table; he need not doubt but that

by

by the frequent and constant use of this holy facrament, he may find himself to grow in grace, becoming ftill better and better enabled to refift all temptations, and daily find more and more quiet and comfort in his mind and confcience.

SECT. XIII.

The end and defign of the holy communion.

Nothing can be more obvious, that except a man have an intereft in the death and paffion of Chrift, and be made a partaker of the merits of his fufferings, and of that propitiation which he thereby made for the fins of the world (u), he can have no just ground to hope for everlasting falvation.

That both thefe ends might be effectually obtained, and that all Chriftians might often, in a lively manner, be put in mind, and alfo, at the fame time, be made partakers of the merits of Chrift's death and fufferings, this facred ordinance was ap pointed by him, both as the commemoration of his paffion, and the communion of his body and blood. Thus the apostle St. Paul tells us, in the cleareft and moft explicit terms, what three of the evangelifts have alfo recorded, that the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had

(u) 1 John ii. 2.

given thanks, he brake it, faying, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner he took the cup, when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me (x). For (fays the apostle in the fame place) as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do fhew the Lord's death till he come (x). And the fame St. Paul tells us (y), that the cup of blefing which we blefs, is the communion of the blood of Chrift; and the bread which we break, the communion of the body of Christ. From which passages of fcripture it is obvious, why this divine institution is ordinarily called, fometimes the Lord's Supper, and fometimes the holy communion.

Here, then, we have a full and plain account, for what end and purpose this ordinance was inflituted and appointed. It was appointed,

First, to put us in remembrance of the death and fufferings of our Saviour Jefus Chrift: the breaking of the bread being put to reprefent the crucifixion of his body, and the wine his blood, which was fhed for us:

Secondly, that it might be to us not only the commemoration, but also the communion of the body and blood of Chrift; that is to say, the means which God

(x) 1 Cor. xi. 23, &c.

(y) I Cor. x. 16.

himfelf

himself has ordained, by the ufe of which we do communicate in the benefits of that facrifice which Christ offered, and in the merits of that death and paffion which he underwent in his body, and by the fhedding of his blood for us; as already obferved.

SECT. XIV.

The obligation which lies on all Chriftians to receive the holy communion.

What obligation can be ftronger than the plain and pofitive command of our Saviour Christ himfelf? He has laid his command upon us in as exprefs terms as can be; that we fhould do this, that is to fay, eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, in remembrance of him (z). And that these words were ever understood to contain in them a ftrict command, perpetually binding all Chriflians to the obfervation of it, most evidently appears, from the fcriptures as well as from the conftant care and concern which the apoftolic and primitive church always fhewed, in the maintaining, and decent celebration of this ordinance.

Befides the authority of our Saviour, which alone is fufficient to lay an indifpenfable obligation upon

(2) 1 Cor. xi. 23, &c.

us,