Imatges de pàgina
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and return to their usual sinful Liberties, as soon as the Service is over.

All such ought to know, that they went unworthily; and if they have any true Concern for their Souls, they will consider better, and lay themselves under stricter Obligations, before they go again to the Lord's Supper.

But then let them not, at the Peril of their Souls, deal deceitfully, and make this a Pretence of neglecting to go to this Ordinance for the future; lest they provoke God to leave them to themselves, which is one of the greatest Judgments that can befal them.

On the other Hand, let not any wellmeaning Christians be discouraged with Fears of having gone unworthily to the Lord's Supper; and so forbear, because they do not find all the Benefit and Change wrought in them, which they hoped for; but let them consider, that a State of Holiness and Perfection is not to be expected at once, but by Degrees, and as we make good Use of the Graces, which the Holy Spirit from Time to Time vouchsafes to us : A good Christian not being one who has

no

no Inclination to Sin, but one who, through the Grace of God, immediately checks and suffers not such Inclination to grow into evil Habits.

God, who knows our Infirmities, will accept our sincere Endeavours, though attended with Imperfections and Backslidings, provided we condemn ourselves for them, and strive to amend.

And let us remember for our Comfort, that Jesus Christ himself pronounced all his Disciples (the Traitor excepted) to be clean, that is, qualified to receive this Sacrament, which he was going to administer to them, although he knew them to be subject to very great Failings and Infirmities; which soon appeared, when they all forsook him, contrary to their solemn Promises; but this they repented of, and were forgiven by their compassionate Re

deemer.

If therefore you love God, and your Neighbour, though not so fervently as you could wish;-If you have a real Desire of being better than at present you find yourself to be ;-If the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, though in a very low Degree, do appear in your Life; Lastly, if you do daily pray for God's Grace, that you

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may, in his good Time, be what he would have you to be, and do not live in any known Sin; by no Means forbear to go to this Ordinance, as often as you have an Opportunity; and depend upon God's Blessing, and an increase of his Graces.

THE PRAYER.

GRANT, O God, that I may never draw down thy Judgments upon myself, either by turning my Back upon this Ordinance, or by going to it without. Thought, and unworthily. May thy Mercy. pardon what is past, and give me Grace, for the Time to come; and consecrate my Life to thee, and to embrace every Occasion of remembering my Redeemer's Love, and thereby securing thy Favour, and my own Salvation! And, if it be thy Will, grant that I may always find such Comfort and Benefit in this Ordinance, as may encourage me to observe it with Joy unto my Life's End.

Give me leave to recommend to thine infinite Mercy the miserable Condition of all such, as neglect so great Means of Grace, and Salvation.-Awaken all Christian People into a Sense of this Duty :-Open their Eyes, and correct their Mistakes, that they

may

may be convinced, that this is the only Means of making their Peace with Thee, and of rendering their Persons and their Prayers acceptable to thy Divine Majesty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SECT. X.

EVERY well-disposed Christian, after he has thus far prepared himself for this Sacrament, will endeavour to keep the Thoughts of his Duty, and the Blessing he hopes for, warm in his Heart, until the Time of Receiving.

Some of the following Scriptures, and Meditations upon them, may, through God's Grace, answer that End; nor will they take up too much Time, because some or more of them, as Occasion offers, may be devoutly used in the Midst of Business.

And this Method of Devotion is here proposed, to lead Christians to make proper Reflections upon other Parts of Scripture which they read or hear.

Rev. iii. 17. Thou sayest I am rich, and have need of nothing. And knowest not that

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thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

This is the sad Condition, to which, as Sinners, we are subject; and it is thy Mercy, O God, that any of us are sensible of it. Preserve me, I beseech Thee, from that Blindness which would hinder me from seeing my own Misery; and from that Pride which would keep me from acknowledging it before Thee, who alone canst help me. O give me a true Sense of the Maladies I labour under, and keep me, for thy Mercies Sake, and for the Sake of Jesus my Redeemer.

Psalm li. 17. The Sacrifice of God is a broken Spirit; a broken and a contrite Heart God will not despise.

But most unfit is mine to be to God presented, until I have obtained his Pardon for the many Sins by which it has been defiled.

Jer. iii. 12, 13. I am merciful, saith the Lord; and I will not keep Anger for ever: Only acknowledge thine Iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God.

I do acknowledge my Sin unto Thee, O God, and mine Iniquities will I not hide:

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