fumption, to ftay away, and leave it undone. A

IId PLEA, whereby feveral perfons are wont to excufe their not coming to the holy facrament is, because many good people are Seldom or never seen thereat; and therefore they may be good too, and have good company, if they keep away from it.

Now as for those who urge this in excufe, it would be proper for them to confider, that when they are inquiring after their own duty, in any matter, it is no right way to afk, whether others practise it, but whether our Lord has any where commanded, that it fhould be practifed. For mens practice is not always fully anfwerable to their own duty, and fo is a very falfe rule whereby to judge of ours. All perfons have their faults, and tho' no good men can continue in any wilful ones, yet will even they be fubject to several ignorant flips, and unadvised mifcarriages. But when at any time they either wilfully break any commandment, or ignorantly mistake it; that is no warrant for us to do fo likewife. So that if we would truly understand whe

ther we are bound to communicate, our way is not to inquire whether others do it, but whether our Lord has any where enjoined it to be done; for if he has, we are certainly obliged to communicate, whether others do it or no.

And if any good people keep away from the bleffed facrament, that is no part of their goodness, but their blemish; so that therein they are not to be imitated. For we have God's exprefs command to come, and that we cannot flight, without being disobedient, and guilty of a plain tranfgreffion. We are called therein, to fhew our felves thankfully mindful of our bleffed Saviour's death, and of all that he has done and fuffered for our fakes; and this call we cannot deny, without proclaiming our felves most shamefully unthankful towards him. We are fummoned in, to profess repentance and amendment of. all our fins; and this we cannot honestly decline, if really we are refolved to leave them. We are invited to declare our felves at peace with all our brethren, and reconciled to all the christian world; and this invitation no man can fairly refufe, who in very deed is in charity with all men, and is become

become an hearty friend to them. God's laws peremptorily enjoin us, and the things therein implied do ftrictly oblige us, to partake of the holy facrament, when we have an offer of a fit opportunity for the fame; so that every man who makes confcience of his duty, and regards obedience to his Lord, must be careful to join therein. And it is the greatest means of a good life, and obligation to amendment that can be prescribed; so that every one who has a juft care of his foul, and is earnestly defirous of virtuous improvements, will feek to be admitted to it. A good man's duty binds him, and the care of his own foul engages him to communicate; fo that there is neither virtue nor prudence fhewn in ftaying away, nor is it any part of goodness to neglect it. And therefore if any perfons, otherwise good, are feldom seen at the bleffed facrament, that is no part of their goodness, but their fault, so that therein they are not to be imitated.

As for those then, who urge this in excufe for their not coming to the holy facrament, because several good people are feldom, or never seen at it, the answer to them in fhort is this: In judging our duty, we I 3 muft

muft not take our measures from other mens

practice, but from our bleffed Lord's commandments; fince, if they disobey any precept, that is no excufe to us, nor gives us any warrant for company's fake to disobey likewife. And as for the facrament in particular, if any good people keep away from it, that is no part of their goodness, so thaṭ therein they are not to be imitated. Nay, if they continue in this neglect, after their consciences are rightly inftructed, and informed about it, they cease to be good, and are guilty of a criminal neglect, which will not be forgiven them, but upon the fame terms as all other known fins are, that is, upon their repentance thereof. If they stay away out of ignorance and mistake, all they can expect, is, to be pitied, but not to be commended for their omiffion; and if out of wilfulness, after their confcience has been fet right therein,-they will be feverely punished, unless they are timely reclaimed from it: And therefore their example therein, is very far from being fit to be imitated by us.

A

IIId CAUSE which people are wont to

affign,

affign, for their absenting themselves from this holy feast, is, because others, who are unworthy of it, are admitted to join in it.Tho' this be a very good thing, yet they fear they should give offence by doing it in ill company; and how worthy foever they may be in themselves, they are afraid left they should be defiled by the unworthiness of others. So that unless they can receive the facrament in an unmixed company, and only with the pure and true believers, they think best to stay away, and not receive it at all.

But that they may not be kept back by this hindrance, I fhall obferve to them,That they ought not to be forward in judging any others unworthy to communicate, left they be mistaken in their judgment of them. For every penitent man, who is fully refolved to leave all his fins, is really worthy to receive the bleffed facrament; and whether the person whom they think unworthy be fo refolved or no, is very hard for them to judge, fince no man can see into another's heart, and only God and his own foul are privy to it. When he comes to the Lord's table, every communicant profeffeth

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