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COMPANION

то THE

ALTA R.

LL thofe Bleffings which we now enjoy, and hope hereafter to receive from Almighty God, are purchased for us, and must be obtained through the Merits and Interceffion of the Holy JESUS, who has inftituted and ordained Holy Myfteries, as "Pledges of his Love, and for a continual "Remembrance of his Death and Paffion, to ❝our great and endless Comfort." Luke xxii. 19. 1 Cor. xi. 24. But then we must remember, that these Benefits and Bleffings, which the Son of God has purchased for us, are no where promifed, but upon Condition that we ourfelves are firft duly qualified for ther.

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The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, is a folemn Ratification of our Baptifmal Covenant, wherein God for his Part hath faithfully promifed "Pardon and Remiffion of Sins to all "true Penitents," and we for our Parts are therein folemnly bound to be faithful and obe dient unto him, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Before then we can promise to ourselves any Benefit or Advantage from the Participation of this folemn Rite and Covenant between God and us, we must endeavour (what in us lies) to poffefs our Souls with all thofe divine Qualifications which this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper requires to render us worthy Partakers thereof.

And what thofe are, it is the Defign of this Difcourfe to enquire; wherein I shall endeavour to fhew what that Preparation of Heart and Mind is, which muft difpofe us for a worthy Participation of the bleffed Sacrament: And herein I hope to remove all those Fears and Scruples which arife in our Minds, about "eating and drinking unworthily, and of in"curring our own Damnation thereby," as groundless and unwarrantable; and to do this I fhall take Occafion to explain that Part of Our CHURCH CATECHISM, defignedly intended for our Inftruction, with relation to this Duty of a Sacramental Preparation; namely, 2. "What is required of them who come "to the Lord's Supper?"

A. "To examine themfelves whether they "repent them truly of their former Sins, ftedfaftly purpofing to lead a new Life, have a

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"lively Faith in God's Mercy through Chrift, "with a thankful Remembrance of his Death, "and to be in Charity with all Men." This is that SacramentalPreparation which ourChurch fin as few Words as is poffible) hath provided for our Companion or Guide to the holy Altar. The Duty then of a devout Communicant confifteth in these Six following Particulars: 1. Self-Examination; to examine themselves,

Repentance towards God; whether they repent them truly of their former Sins. 3. Holy Purposes or Refolutions of a new Life; stedfastly purpofing to lead a new Life. 4. Faith in God's Mercy through Chrift; to have a lively Faith, &c. 5. A thankful Remembrance of his Death. 6thly and lastly, Unfeigned Love or Charity for all Mankind; and to be in Charity with all Men.

The firft Part then of a Communicant's Duty is Self-Examination: A Duty not only enjoined by human Authority, but likewife commanded by St. Paul. But let a Man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup, 1 Cor. xi. 28. Intimating that noMan fhould prefume to eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup, without a previous Preparation, if he mean to escape that fame Judgment of Condemnation which thefe Corinthians 3 brought upon themselves for their irreverent, finful and disorderly Behaviour at this Sacrament; and this was the Occafion of St. Paul's Caution and Reproof: He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, fays the Apoftle, eateth an

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drink

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drinketh Damnation

to himself, not discerning

the Lord's Body, ver. 29.

[* Note, This Word Damnation, does not fignify eternal Condemnation, but on the contrary fome temporal Punishment or Judgment, (as you have it in the Margin of your Bible) fuch as Sickness or Death, with which the City of Corinth was afflicted, for their great Abuse and Profanation of this folemn Inftitution; so that the Sins here reproved, (namely Gluttony, Drunkenness and Faction, ver. 18, 21, 22.) and the Damnation here threatened, hath no Relation to us, unless it could be proved, that any of us were ever guilty of the fame Wickedness with these Corinthians; which I believe no Man ever was, or would be fuffered to approach the Lord's Table after fuch a disorderly manner as they did, if Men were fo lewd and profane.]

But that our Preparation may be fo well performed by us as to prevent the like Danger, let us, as the wife Man advifeth, Remember the End, and we shall never do amifs, Eccl. vii. 16. Firft then, That we may come to this heavenly Feaft holy, and adorned with the WeddingGarment, Matt. xxii. II. we must search our Hearts, and examine our Confciences, not only till we see our Sins, but until we hate them; and instead of thofe filthy Rags of our Righteoufnefs, we muft adorn our Minds with pure, and pious Difpofitions; even that clean Linen, the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, Rev. xix. 8. With thefe Ornain ents are holy Souls fitted for the Society of that celeftial Company, which are to be met with at this Solemnity. 2dly, Another End or Defign of this ftrict Preparation, is, That we may be accepted by God as worthy Communicants; that he who knoweth

Secrets of all aur Hearts, neither is there any

Creature

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Creature that is not manifeft in his Sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do, Jer. xvii. 10. Heb. iv. 13. may approve of the Sincerity of our Repentance; and the King, who comes in to view the Guests, Matt. xxii. 11. may (though ftrictly speaking we are not fo) count us worthy of his Favour and Countenance. And how to attain fo great a Bleffing, thefe following Inftructions will help and affift us.

Repentance.

First, We are directed to repent us truly of all our former Sins. This is that Preparation which Chrift himfelf requires of us, Matt. iii. 2, 3. A Duty, you know, which our finful Lives make always neceffary for our Confideration, if ever we expect eternal Happiness hereafter, Luke xiii. 3. But more especially the Dignity of this Sacrament requires that it fhould be enquired into with more than ordinary Care and Circumfpection, because without fincere Repentance, we cannot expect any Benefit or Advantage from the Death and Paffion of Chrift, which in this Sa=crament we commemorate, and have the Merits of it conveyed to us by this facred Memorial. Suppofing then that this is fufficient to convince you of the Neceffity and Importance of this Duty, that upon it depends our Welcome to this heavenly Feaft unto which we are called; I proceed now in the Second Place to inform you, That if our Repentance or Return to God be real and fincere, it will produce these following good Effects in us.

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