thou art invited in the holy facrament: let us confider the nature and end of this Jacred inflitution; what is meant by this holy action; to what purpose it was ordained; what benefits and advantages may be expected from it. This neceffary knowledge once attained, and which may be compaffed without great difficulty, will be a ftanding qualification in all our future communions; and create fuch godly difpofitions of mind, that I may no longer be afraid to approach the Lord's table. And to this end,

2. Let us call to mind our baptifmal vow, wherein we have promised to lead a godly and Chriftian life, which can never be fulfilled fo long as we live in a conftant neglect of this holy facrament; nor is it poffible to be a meet partaker of that holy myftery, except there be a due preparation, by confeffing our fins with an humble, penitent, and obedient heart, and a readiness to forgive thofe that have offended us, and afking with faith; without thefe, O my foul, I dare not go to that holy table, and my prayers and praises will find no acceptance at the throne of grace. But if I endeavour to live as becomes a Chriftian; if I really believe the Chriftian religion, and fincerely govern my life by the doctrines and precepts of the gofpel, there is nothing

fhould

fhould deter me from partaking of this holy ordinance: nay, I am bound to receive it at any time when there is an opportunity.

2. Thus, though it be my duty to communicate at the Lord's table, it is very advisable that my lamp fhould be trimmed, that I should examine the state of my mind, renew my repentance, exercise my charity, enlarge my devotions, and spiritualize my affections; I am therefore refolved to retire from all unneceffary bufinefs and pleasures: that by prayer and alms-deeds, thou, my foul, mayft be raised to relish spiritual enjoyments; and that I may no longer be deprived of that glorious expectation of the faints, whither I can never expect to be exalted, if I live in the conftant habitual practice of any known fin, without repentance; for fuch an impious approach to the holy table is a mocking of God, and a great contempt of his authority.

4. Say then, I will wash my hands in innocency, fo will I compafs thine altar, O Lord, Pfalm xxvi. 6. For I believe that according to a man's preparation, fo will be his profit. Impenitence makes our prayers an abomination to the Lord; for to profefs one's felf forry for one's fins, and refolved to forfake them, when there

is no fenfe of the one, nor firm refolution to do the other, is the greatest affront imaginable to our Maker, by fuppofing either that he doth not know our hearts, or that he will be pleased, when we draw near to him with our lips, tho' our hearts are far from him: but yet this is our encouragement, that if the Lord fees a man fet himself seriously to a preparation, he will bear with many failings, and fo heal his people that they may keep the feaft with gladness; a feaft wherein thou, O Father, haft commanded us to commemorate that greatest inftance of thy love to us, our redemption by the death of Jefus Chrift, thy Son, our Lord.

Here observe the directions given on page 8, and more particularly endeavour to improve your soul by reading a lesson out of the NEW WHOLE DUTY OF MAN, Sunday 6.

The prayer on Tuesday evening for a worthy receiving of the most holy sacrament.

What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me; I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord, Psal. cxvi. 11, 12. ·

Leffed be thou, O my Lord, for ever bleffed, for this inftance of thy love to fallen mankind, in fending thine only begotten Son for our redemption, who are not worthy of the great and many mercies which thou haft fhowed unto us. F

Grant,

Grant, O Lord, that this thy inexpreffible love may not be loft upon me: but that, being fenfible of my fad condition by nature, and my worfe condition by my own wilful fins, I may be thoroughly convinced of the neceffity and bleffing of a Redeemer, and that I may, with a heart full of gratitude, join with thy faithful church in giving our devouteft thanks to thee, and in keeping up the remembrance of what thy bleffed Son has done and fuffered for us.

Grant, O my God, that I may always receive that pledge of thy love, and the offers of pardon and grace, tendered to me in this holy ordinance, with a truly thankful heart, and in remembrance of thee, my great and beft benefactor; in remembrance of my Saviour's holy example Of his bitter death and paffionOf his glorious refurrection and afcenfion into heaven, and of his coming again to judge the world.

Give me, O my God, a fteadfast faith in thy word and promifes, and a firm truft in thy almighty power: and let the fear of thy juftice and omnifcience keep me from prefumptuous fins, and a fenfe of thy goodness and mercy preferve me from defpair. Defend me from all thofe fnares, which deftroy my love for thee;

from

from worldly cares; from all fenfual and finful pleasures; from evil company; from foolish diverfions; and from every thing that may make me forget that thou alone art worthy to be feared and loved; grant me thefe mercies for thy Son Jefus Chrift his fake, whofe love and death I am now about commemorating. For,

O my God, I fhall [on Sunday next] prefume to come to thy holy table, not trufting in my own righteoufnefs, but in thy manifold and great mercies. I am fenfible that I am not worth fo much as to gather up the crumbs which fall from thy table. But thou art the fame Lord, whofe property is always to have merey; grant me, therefore, gracious Lord, fo to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jefus Christ, and to drink his blood, that my finful body may be made clean by his body, and my foul be washed through his most precious blood, and that I may evermore dwell in him, and he in me.

Thefe, and whatever other mercies thou feeft neceffary for me, I entreat thou wilt grant for the fake of the fame thy dearly beloved Son, Jefus Chrift my Lord and Saviour. Amen.

See the concluding prayer and blessing on pages 38 and 39.