This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
THERE are three Things absolutely requisite for the making of any one a Worthy and Happy Communicant.
1. HE must throughly under∣stand those Truths, the Memory whereof Our LORD design'd to pre∣serve in the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. For no Man can, with any benefit, receive this Sacrament, unless his Spirit be filled with the same Thoughts, which Our Saviour did thereby suggest to his Apo∣stles.
2. HE ought to have a lively Sense of those Comforts, arising from a Consideration of the Important Truths, which CHRIST so clearly represents to us in the Celebration of this Sacred Mystery; for as much as our Communicating in the LORD'S SUPPER ought not only to consist in the having our Spirits possessed with the Image of Him, who was crucifi'd for us; but in our gathering the precious Fruits, which accrew to us by his Death.
3, and Lastly. As it would be an extreme Injustice for us to be found wanting in our Faithfulness, Acknowledgement, Love and Obedience to GOD, who so graciously acquaints us with, and makes us sensible of these Wonders of his Mercy and Compassi∣on
towords us; so we may easily con∣ceive the Necessity, Reasonableness, and Extent of the Duties our Par∣ticipation of the Holy Sacrament en∣gages us to; which we ought, with a Religious Care, to discharge, through the whole Course of our Lives.
NOTHING can therefore be of greater Use to Christians, with respect to the Holy Communion, than to have the great Truths, imply'd in the Eucharist, distinctly propound∣ed to them, and be made apprehen∣sive of those delightful Comforts treasur'd up therein, to the end they may thereby be disposed to a ready performance of the Duties it layes upon them.
THIS is my Design in this small Treatise, wherein I shall follow no other Method, than that just now hinted at; that is, I shall,
First of all, endeavour to make out, that the Eucharist exhi∣bits the most weighty and Fundamen∣tal Points of Christianity to our View.
In the next place, demonstrate, that the Meditating upon these important Verities (which are frequently cal∣led to mind by this Sacrament, kept up in the Church) is to true Believ∣ers a Well-Spring of inexhaustible Comfort, and indefectible Joy.
And finally conclude, with point∣ing at those several Duties, which this Holy Institution does so neces∣sarily
charge us with, that we can∣not neglect the same, but at the pe∣ril of our Everlasting Ruin.
To which three things I intend to speak, without entring upon any of those Controversies, which divide Christians in this Matter; my Design here being not (chiefly) to oppose Er∣ror, but to excite and fortifie their Devotion and Piety, who are alrea∣dy acquainted with the Truth, though they do not always duly consi∣der and reflect upon it.
GOD grant we may so plainly discover to them, the Connexion there is between the Truths, Consolations and Duties of OUR RELIGION, that while they are seeking for Com∣fort in the Meditation of DIVINE TRUTHS, they may at the same
time, meet with strong and urgent Motives to apply themselves, with all Diligence and Perseverance, to the Practice of True Holiness.