myself, so as not to exceed the bounds of temperance and sobriety.

Grant, O Lord, that my corrupt nature may be daily renewed and purified by Thy Holy Spirit, that no danger or persecution may affright me from my duty; that no pleasure may make me careless and negligent in the performance of it; and that under afflictions most grievous to flesh and blood, I may be entirely resigned, and submit to Thy holy will and pleasure. Let Thy Holy Spirit, O Lord, so guide and govern me through the whole course of my short life in this world, that I may not fail to obtain eternal life in the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

T is no wonder that men who are not serious in the business of religion, and who frequent the church only in compliance with the fashion of the world, and in obedience to an established custom, should neglect one of the greatest advantages of the Christian life; I mean, the frequent receiving the holy sacrament of Christ's body and blood: but that Christians, otherwise very devout, and not lawfully hindered, who have the fear of

God before their eyes, and who aim at pleasing Him in all their actions, should ever turn their backs upon His holy table, and when invited to commemorate the meritorious sacrifice of the death of Christ, should refuse to give such an easy instance of a thankful heart, is really matter of astonishment; because they do thereby neglect the most effectual means of growing in grace, and overlook the best method of attaining what they most sincerely purpose

and desire.

I am apt, indeed, to think that this their bad conduct chiefly proceeds from the want of a true sense of their duty in this particular. Their great desire to perform an acceptable sacrifice to God fills their minds with lively apprehensions of the great danger of being unworthy communicants; so that they do not give themselves leisure to attend to those considerations that enforce the necessity of the duty, and therefore do not suffer their thoughts to dwell upon the great hazard they run in neglecting to execute a plain command of our blessed Saviour, which is more dangerous to their salvation than performing it after an imperfect manner. duty, therefore, being indispensable, the just consequence we should draw from the danger of unworthy receiving should be, the necessity of exciting ourselves to great care and diligence

The

in preparing ourselves for the due discharge of it; but never to delude ourselves by false reasons into such a neglect, as will certainly increase our guilt and add to our punishment.

As for those who never partake of the holy communion during their whole lives, for fear lest their sins should receive a fresh aggravation by being committed after so solemn an obligation to be religious, it is plain they run into a very great error; for one main reason why sin becomes more heinous after repeated obligations to the contrary is, because it is committed with greater deliberation, and against clearer conviction. When, therefore, a man who believes religion, and understands the obligations it lays upon him, omits this duty for no other reason but that he may sin, as he thinks, with less danger, his sins are then equally deliberate, and against equally clear conviction; and he moreover adds to them a contemptuous neglect of one of the best means of becoming better.

In order, therefore, to make this short discourse more useful upon so important a subject, I shall reduce it to the following method:

First, I shall inquire into those obligations that lie upon all Christians to receive the holy communion, and to frequent the Christian sacrifice.

Secondly, I shall shew what preparation is

necessary to perform this duty after an accept

able manner.

Thirdly, I shall endeavour to answer some objections against frequent communion.

Fourthly, I shall lay before you the great advantages of frequent communion.

Fifthly, I shall shew the particular care the Church of England has taken to prevent the profanation of the Lord's supper.

Sixthly, I shall add some directions as to the manner of performing it, with suitable devotions on such occasions.

First, I shall inquire into those obligations that lie upon all Christians to receive the holy communion, and to frequent the Christian sacrifice.

The first argument for the performance of this Christian duty arises from the positive command of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Author of our religion. It is from this Anointed of the Lord that we are denominated Christians, which implies a firm belief of those doctrines which He has revealed, and a stedfast purpose of mind to perform those precepts which He has commanded. We moreover solemnly promised, in our vow of baptism, to govern all our actions by the rule of His holy Gospel; therefore, to persist in the neglect of a plain law of our Lord and Master, sufficiently made known to us, is