Not to mention, that this Sacrament being designed al∣so
for Reformation of our Lives, which Infants have no
Occasion for, at least, no Sense of, during that State of
Innocence; they can receive no prejudice by not Re∣ceiving
the holy Communion, seeing there is not that
Necessity for it in them, in point of Amendment of Life,
that there is in the Adult.
II. Yet, from the Necessity of Self-Examination be∣fore
this Sacrament, we may very rationally infer, that
as soon as young People are able to examine themselves,
they ought to come to the holy Communion. There
is an Emphasis in the Apostle's Words, mentioned be∣fore;
But let a Man examine himself, and so let him eat
and drink: Which imports, not only that a Person who
hath examined himself, may come; but withal, that
when he is capable of examining himself, he ought to
do it, and so come to this holy Ordinance. I reckon,
that as soon as young Men and Women are able to un∣derstand
what Sin, and what Holiness is, what the De∣sign
of Christ's Death is, and what Heaven and Salva∣tion
means, they are capable also of Self-Examination;
and consequently, of coming to the holy Communion:
And if the Creator be fit to be remembred in the Days
of our Youth, the Redeemer of Men can be no impro∣per
Object of that Remembrance. It must be admit∣ted,
indeed, that the Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, used by the A∣postle,
in the Precept of Self-Examination, is taken from
Metallaries, and Lapidists, or Jewellers, that make a
very strict Examination, whether the Precious Stone be
truly Oriental, or no; and whether there be no Flaw
in it: And though it (being a Word of such Import)
implies a very accurate Search into our Ways, and nice
Care to be found worthy; which Young Men of Four∣teen,
or Fifteen, or Sixteen, may be supposed, not so
very capable of performing; yet they are able to discern
such Sins as they find forbidden in their Catechism, and
have been taught to avoid by their Parents, from whom
they have learned their Duty to God and Man. And,