III.

SER M. for examining ourselves, and guiding our Preparation by, not only to prevent the Unworthiness of the Corinthians, but any other Sort of Miscarriage in this great Duty. And I the rather chuse to infift upon the Inftitution only as St Paul has done, and keep close to it, because I am afraid this Bufinefs of Examination and Preparation hath been usually represented as too difficult and nice a Thing for Men of ordinary Capacities; and too tedious a Thing for Men in Bufinefs; and that honeft and fober People have fometimes been deterr'd upon this Account from Communicating: At leaft from doing it fo often as they would otherwife have done. All that is neceffary for a Man to know, and to do, in order to be a worthy Receiver, (at leaft all that seems neceffary from this Place of Scripture, which, as I faid, is the only one that directly requires an Examination of ourselves) I fay, All that is neceffary, I will endeavour to inftruct you fully in; and you will find it lies within a little Compafs, and is fuitable to every Man's common Apprehenfion. More than this, though ufeful to many, yet is not needful for all. They who have Opportunity and Leifure,

would

III.

would do well to go thro' those larger Forms SER M. of Preparation, which are to be found in many of our Books of private Devotions. But tho' this be recommended to fuch Perfons, yet it must not be infifted upon as necessary for all People. Far be it from us to think that no Man can be a worthy Receiver, unless he hath gone thro' all that the Author of his private Devotion hath prescribed him. A Man that understandeth what the Sacrament is, and approaches it with Faith and suitable Reverence, is, (I may venture to pronounce it) a worthy Receiver, whether his Preparation were long or fhort. Do not mistake me, as if I difparaged any of thefe Forms of Devotion, or thought them unprofitable, for they are undoubtedly helpful and beneficial to those who have Opportunity of ufing them. mean Time, while those who Forms, and likewife Leifure to use them, do govern themselves by them, I beg Leave to instruct the more ordinary and ignorant Sort of People, who have not these happy Opportunities, in all that I think will be neceffary to make them worthy Communicants. And as it is to fuch I am speaking, I shall do it with

But in the

have these

all

SER M. all the Clearness of Distinction and Plainness of

III.

Words which I am not able to use for expreffing my Senfe and Notion of the Thing which I would deliver.

The neceffary Qualifications may be distinguished into these two Sorts.

Such as refpect the Knowlege and Understanding of a Man.

And such as refpect the Frame and Difpofition of his Heart.

For no Man who is baptized, and profeffes the Faith of Chrift, can be fuppofed to be unqualified for the Lord's Supper, but upon one of these two Accounts; either his Ignorance that he doth not understand the business he is going about, or his Unfitness with Regard to bis Life and Conversation; that his Heart is not in fo good a Frame as a Man's Heart ought to be when he comes to the Lord's Table. And therefore all the Examination which is necessary for any Man to make of himself before receiving, will fall under these two Enquiries; one into his Head, and the other into his Heart.

III.

First. Whether he hath a fufficient Know- SER M. ledge of the Nature of the Holy Sacrament, and of the Ends for which it was appointed? And, Secondly, Whether the Frame and Difpofition of his Mind be fuch as it should be on fo folemn an Occafion?

The first of these Points the Apostle doth directly charge us in my Text to examine ourSelves in before we eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup; and the other is a Point which follows immediately from it, and fo may be looked upon as included in it,

And if you look into the Church Catechism, you will find all the Inftructions there given about the Lord's Supper are contained under thefe Two Heads, the Knowledge of the Ordinance, and the moral Qualifications. For of the Five Questions which are there put about this Sacrament, the Four first relate to the Defign, Nature and End of it: And the Last to the Frame and Difpofition of the Man's Mind who comes to receive it.

I. I begin then with my Firft Point. We are to examine ourfelves, whether we fufficiently understand, or have a competent Know

ledge

III.

SER M. ledge of the Nature of this Sacrament, and the Ends for which it was appointed?

Now truly whatever you may think of this Matter, there is fo little of Nicety or Curiofity in it, that a Man of the meanest Capacity, and dulleft Understanding may comprehend the Notion. It is not required that every ordinary Communicant should be able to give an Account of the several Opinions and Disputes which have been held about this Sacrament. It is not required that he should be able to determine the Questions about the real Prefence of Christ, or give an Account of the Points about the Sacrament, which are maintained and defended by the Papists on one Side, and the Lutherans on another, and the Socinians on another, &c. God be thanked neither Tranfubftantiation, nor Confubftantiation, nor any other of the controverted Points are made neceffary to be known either by Christ or his Apoftles. The Sacrament which our Lord hath commanded all his Disciples to obferve till his Coming again, and which he has appointed as a Means generally neceffary to our Salvation, must needs be such a Thing as

all