ftance; yet is not their cafe defperate thereupon, but they have ftill the benefit of repentance for that breach of promife afterwards.

Indeed, if they break it as foon as ever they have made it, and run constant changes in finning and repenting, performing it this time, and transgreffing it the next; that repentance, it is to be feared, will be of no avail with God, because it refteth only in fair words and promifes, or, at beft, in fome faint attempts, without any real reformation and amendment. But if, after they have promised to leave their fins, they go on for fome due time to make good their word, and avoid the offence in feveral opportunities which lead them to repeat the fame; but at laft they happen to forget themselves, and break it in fome instance; yet doth not that make void their former repentance, or render their cafe desperate thereupon; but they have ftill the benefit of repentance afterwards, for that breach both of duty and promise; and, by amendng what they have done amifs, may be restored and made whole again. For God will pardon us upon our true repentance

and amendment, not only once, or a fe cond time, but as often as there is occafion. So that if after we have promised in the holy facrament, that we will never more be guilty of any particular fin, we yet happen to yield to it at length, and are anew overcome; let us but truly repent of that breach, and fully refolve against it a second time, and amend the fame as we have opportunity, and then we are made whole as we were in our former ftation.

As for this hindrance then, whereby fome are kept back from the holy facrament, namely, Their promifing therein concerning every sin, that they will no more commit it, which promise they dare not make, because they are afraid they shall not keep it; it need not stick with them, nor ought to hinder any man, who pretends to religion. For let them promise the amendment, and keep it, and then the doubt is answered. Or, if after they have kept it *for fome time, they happen to fail upon fome occafion; let them repent of that breach, and make new promises and faithful refolutions, and perform accordingly, and then they are reftored. And all this has

I

nothing

nothing in it that can be avoided, or ought to be feared, but is all neceffary and defirable to be done: For it is their duty thus to promise, and their duty to perform, and their great privilege, that if they fail in any inftance afterwards, yet ftill upon repeating their repentance, and amending what they have done amifs, they fhall receive a pardon. It is what every man must do, not only to be a worthy communicant, but to be a christian.

AND THUS I have done with all thofe pleas I proposed to speak of at this time, by which men are wont to excuse their not coming to the holy communion. And upon the whole matter it appears, that communicating being in it felf a great duty, and of great benefit, none of all thofe pleas can excufe our neglect thereof. For neither the feeming prefumption in joining in this facred feast, nor the customary abfence of many good people from it, nor the admittance of unworthy receivers to it, nor the fear of breaking that promife of new life which is made therein; neither thefe, I fay, nor any other impediment, whereby men are apt to

excufe it to their own minds, can really justify and bear them out, in absenting themselves from the Lord's table, when they are invited to it. So that every man, as he tenders our bleffed Lord's command, and his own foul's everlasting interest, must be careful reverently and devoutly to partake in this holy feaft, when he has an opportunity, and is called so to do.

SERMON

SERMON VIII.

Plea of unworthinefs to receive the facrament.

[From KETTLEWELL on the Sacrament.]

MATT. XXII. 8.

Then faith he to his fervants, the wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

INCE receiving of the holy facra

SINCE

ment, is a duty which our bleffed Lord hath strictly enjoined, and from which we may all hope to receive very great benefits; it may well be expected, that all who would do fervice, either to their Saviour, or to themselves, fhould readily join therein, whenfoever an opportunity is offered for the fame. And fo, it is like, all who pretend to ferious religion would, were it not that they have fome exceptions in their own minds against it, which till they are removed, make all difcourfes of the duty, or usefulnefs of this holy feaft, to fall without effect, and which do persuade them, that however neceffary

VOL. III.

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