Our Obligations to a frequent Communion.

ties; who faveth thy Life from Deftruction, and crowneth thee with Mercy and Loving-kindness, Pfalm ciii. 1, 2, 3, 4. With what Joy and Thankfulness then fhould every good Chriftian commemorate this exceeding Love of God, in the Salvation of Sinners by Jefus Chrift? This was the proper End and Defign of this Inftitution, to perpetuate this wonderful Love of Chrift in laying down his Life for us. Do this in Remembrance of me, faith our Saviour a little before his Crucifixion; which being a folemn Command of " our Mafter and only Saviour thus dying for us," we cannot refufe Obedience hereunto, without being guilty of the most horrible Ingratitude and Contempt of his divine Authority. He hath appointed it for a folemn Commemoration of his great Love to us, in laying down his Life for us Men, and for our Salvation; and therefore he commands us to do it in Remembrance of him: And St. Paul tells us, that as often as we eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, we do fhew forth the Lord's Death till he come. As for thofe Men then amongst us who profefs themselves Chriftians, and hope for Salvation by Jefus Chrift, not to pay Obedience to this his Command, is a downright Affront to his facred Majefty; and he may justly upbraid us Chriftians, as he did once the Jews, Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the Things which I fay? How unworthy are we of that Salvation which he hath wrought

for

A

for us, if we deny him so small a Favour, fuch a reasonable Requeft, as to commemorate his Death and bitter Paffion once a Month, or at least thrice a Year," who did humble himself 66 even to the Death of the Cross, for us mifer"able Sinners, who lay in Darkness, and in "the Shadow of Death, that he might make us "the Children of God, and exalt us to ever"lafting Life?” In this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper we have the Pardon and Remiffion of all our Sins, the Grace and Affiftance of God's holy Spirit, and the Hopes of eternal Life oblige them to and Happiness, freely offered unto us: And therefore had we no Love, no Regard or Reverence Eto the dying Words of our crucified Saviour, yet furely the Confideration of our own prefent and future Advantage might. prevail with us to be more frequent at the Lord's Table than we usually are.

Mens own Intereft should

a conftant Communion, because of its great Benefits.

And to be in

all Men.

unto God,

Hitherto a Communicant hath been directed to set his Heart right towards God; but this is not all, he must proceed farther, and enquire how Charity with it ftands towards his Neighbour, fince we are exprefly forbidden, Matt. v. 23, 24. to offer up any Gift or Oblation if our Hearts are leavened with Malice, Hatred, or Revenge. If =thou bring thy Gift unto the Altar, 1 and there remembereft that thy Brother bath ought against thee, leave there thy B 2 Gift

Injuries exForgiving of ped from a

Communicant.

Gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift. Here you fee that Chrift preters Mercy before Sacrifice. And it is generally agreed on by the ancient Fathers, that thefe Words of our Saviour do directly point at this Sacrament, on purpose to oblige all Communicants to forgive all manner of Injuries, " be"fore they prefume to eat of that Bread, or to "drink of that Cup." And it is exprefly said, Matt. vi. 14, 15. that our Prayers are not accepted, nor our Pardon fealed in Heaven, until fuch Time as we forgive Men their Trefpaffes; and to be fure we can never be welcome or worthy Guests at this heavenly Feaft, where Jefus the Saviour of Penitents and the Prince of Peace is fpiritually prefent, unless our Repentance reconcile us to God, and our Charity to all Mankind.

Poor.

And this Charity of the Heart, in forgiving Injuries, muft likewife fhew itCharity to the felf by the Hand, in relieving the Wants and Neceffities of the Poor. We read, that when this Sacrament was adminiftred in the Apoftles Days, large Collections of Monies were then gathered for the Maintenance of the poor Clergy and Laity, Acts ii. 44, 45, 46. and I Cor. xvi. 1. And Theodoret obferves, that Theodofius the Emperor, when the Time came to offer, arofe, and prefented his Oblations with his own Hands. It was not determined how much every Man fhould give, but all Men were ex

horted

horted and enjoined to offer something, according to their Ability; which if any neglected, the Fathers cenfured them as unworthy Communicants: And to be fure, nothing within our Power can fo effectually recommend our Prayers and Devotions as this of Charity; it being well obferved, Matt. vi. : that our Saviour hath inclofed Alms between Prayer and Fafting, and therefore they are called its two Wings, without which it will never fly fo high as the Throne of God. While Cornelius was fafting and praying, we read that an Angel from Heaven was difpatched to him with this happy Meffage : Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God, Acts x. 4. He that hath Pity upon the Poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again, Prov. xix. 17. Charge them that are rich in this World, that they be rich in good Works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate, laying up in ftore for themselves a good Foundation against the Time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal Life, 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19. Do ye not know that they who minifter about holy Things live of the Sacrifice, and they who wait at the Altar are Partakers with the Altar? Even fo hath the Lord alfo ordained, that they who preach the Gospel fhould live of the Gospel, 1 Cor. ix. 13, 14. If we have fown unto you Spiritual Things, is it a great Matter if we shall reap your worldly Things? Ver. 11. But we B 3

may

Bafil, Homil. in Matt. xix.

may juftly complain with Bafil, that we know fome who will faft and pray, "figh and groan, yea, and do "all Acts of Religion which "coft them nothing, but will not give one Farthing to the Poor: What Benefit is "there, faith he, of all the reft of their De❝votions?"

And when the Communicant has thus far advanced towards the Altar, in Prayer. his Examination, Repentance, &c. he muft not forget another excellent Preparative belonging to this Duty of communicating worthily, which although it be not mentioned in our Church Catechifm, yet it is always implied as a neceflary Part of our Sacramental Preparation, that is, Prayer, private and public; a Duty upon which all our prefent and future Bleffings depend, Matt. vii. 7, 8. and 21, 22. And fo near a Relation hath this Duty of Prayer with this Sacrament, that all thofe Bleffings therein contained and promised, are only in return to our Prayers; and no doubt but that Man who makes a confcientious Practice of this Duty in his Clofet, and at Church, can never be unprepared for this Sacrament, nor want a Title to God's peculiar

*See The Devout Soul's Daily Exercife, in Prayers, Contemplations and Praifes; containing Devotions for Morning, Noon and Night, for every Day in the Week; with Prayers and Thanksgivings for Perfons of all Conditions, and upon all Occafions. By R. Parker, D. D. Price bound 6 d. or 5 s. per Dozen.

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