of Chrift's Spiritual Flesh, and the drinking of his Spiritual Blood, and that after a Spiritual manner; and this a man may do, though he cannot come to the Sacrament. All Divines do affirm, that Chrift may be received Spiritually, when he is not received Sacramentally; meaning,that we may receive vital influences from him (which are his Spiritual Body) though we do not communicate of the Sacred Elements; and I doubt not but that Children, and young Members of the Church do fo. But this is no Encouragement for any Adult Perfons, who are not under any Incapacity, this is no encouragement to fuch, to despise or neglect this Ordinance; for to fuch as thefe, the Receiving of the Sacramental Bread and Wine is the ordinary. Means of Receiving Chrift; without using these Means, they cannot have any Reasonable Aurance of fo great a Bleffing, nor fuch folid grounds as others have for their Hopes of Salvation.

PEOPLE may build their Hopes of Salvation upon Faith and Repentance, and the like: and the truth is, these are the Conditions of our Everlasting Peace. But yet there are several things which well deferve to be confidered. I. That the Promife of Salvation upon Faith and Repentance doth suppose, that Men are in the Communion C2

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of the Church, and that they exprefs and fhew that Communion, by a Regular Use of this and all other Religious Ordinances; for every one is obliged to do This, as well as to Believe and Reform his life. 2. That Man's Faith and Repentance is very much to be fufpected, who Refufeth to eat of this Bread, and to drink of this Cup. For how can the Truth of his Faith appear to himself, that doth not own and confefs Chrift's Authority over him, by his Subjection to it in this particular? Or, if he believeth this Ordinance to be Neceffary, and himself to be obliged to the Obfervance of it, then how can the fincerity of his Repentance appear, when he continues in That which he muft acknowledge to be a fin? Obedience to the Evangelical Commands is the only thing that Tryes a man, and fhews him to be what he really is; and he hardly deferves the Name of a Chriftian, that declines a Duty which is so eafie, fo comfortable, so advantageous, to every one that is a Penitent indeed. Suppose fuch a man lay upon his fick Bed, with a troubled Confcience, and the terrours of Death about him, I would fain know, how he could fatisfie himself, that he is a Convert in Truth and Reality, feeing he hath lived in a continual Breach and Defiance of Chrift's Law? 3. But fuppofe his Faith

and

and Repentance be fuch as is required, yet ftill 'tis Neceffary for him to Receive the Holy Communion, because 'tis needful for him to have the Seal of that Righteoulness which he hath by Faith. We know

that Abraham Believed, and found favour with God before he was Circumcifed; and yet by Circumcifion he was Affured of God's favour. In like manner, fuppofe a Believer to be forgiven before he comes to the Lord's Table, yet he is Affured of his forgiveness by coming to it; and 'tis neceffary for People ever to take that course which is most for their Safety and Satisfation. Every man is apt to think fo in Civil Contracts, fo that though a Deed be drawn, and agreed to, yet they think themfelves not fure enough, 'till the Wax and the Seal be added. And truly, if the Children of Light were as wife in their Generation, as the Children of this World are in their kind of Wisdom, they would think every thing Neceffary, that helpeth to give them the more and more Affurance. Now this bleffed Ordinance hath fuch an Effe&t and Tendency; fo that let a Penitent's condition be never fo good, an honeft-hearted Communicant's is much better; his Confidence is better grounded; his Hopes are built upon a furer basis; and the Comforts of his heart must be stronger, and the Peace

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Peace of his Conscience must be greater, and his Condition must needs be every way much fafer, than His can be, who from time to time Neglecteth fo great Salvation. For, in the Fourth place, It is upon the due Ufe of God's Ordinances, that he entitleth us to Eternal Life.. Though he be loving unto every man, and is ready to pardon every true Penitent, yet hath he fet us our way, to obtain our pardon; he hath directed a method and courfe, in or-. der to our Salvation; and men muft observe that method, and take that course, if they will be happy. 'Tis not Peoples Fancies that can fave them; nor must they think to Capitulate with Almighty God; or to prefcribe Him Conditions; but with all heartiness and readiness obferve thofe Conditions. which he hath prescribed Vs. Now this is God's Method, to bring men to Happiness upon a due Ufe of Sacraments, as well as by other Performances; and we must conclude, that The who requireth thofe Duties we owe our Selves and our Neighbours, will also (and much rather) exact that Duty we owe his Son. In short, men must go in God's Way, and follow God's Directions, and then depend upon his Goodness and Mercy in fo doing. If the Jews in the Wilderness intend to be healed of their

Wounds,

Wounds, they must look upon the Brafen Serpent. Indeed God might have made them whole and found only by a word from his Mouth; but this was not his way, and therefore there was a neceffity for them to make ufe of the other way that he had ordered them, Numb. 21. And fo if Naaman will be healed of his Leprofie, he must go down into Jordan, and wafh feven times. Indeed he muttered at the Prophet, because he did not strike his hand over the place (as he might have done) and he bragged of Abana and Pharphar, that they were as good Waters as any Rivers in Judea (as perhaps they were) and yet for all this, the Prophet's hand muft not heal him, nor will all the Rivers of Damascus do him good, but to Jordan he must go, or elfe return a Leper, as he went, 2 Kings 5. Why thus it is in the prefent cafe: God hath promised to pardon all penitent people, and to heal them of their Wounds and Leprofies; but withall, he hath fhew'd them whither they muft go, and what Means they must make use of; he hath ordered us to Do This, to Eat of this Bread, and to Drink of this Cup for the remiffion of fins; and we are not to begrudge our Duty, but to follow God's Method and Command, and fo to expect his Bleffing. Men must not C 4

bold