The constant communicant a diatribe proving that constancy in receiving the Lords Supper is the indespensible duty of every Christian / by Ar. Bury ...

CHAP. VI. The Sacrament made useless toward Conversion.

I. That it is made unserviceabl toward conversion of a sinner. Three propositions. 1. To deny it a converting vertu is disho∣norable to the Sacrament, and more so to our Lord. II. No danger to the Worthy, but the whole question is about the Un∣worthy: and concerning them there is more hope than fear: five reasons why the hope should be embraced. III. 2. The Sacrament hath a converting vertu, Proved 1. by the joint authority of the Apostls, and by consideration of this Apo∣stl's argument. St. Augustin used the same argument with the same unhappiness. IV. No fear that such stating the Argument, should drive men as far from the Church as the Altar. V. 2. By Reason. 1. The Death of Christ ser∣viceabl to convert. That he suffered more for This end than any other, proved by Scripture and Reason. VI. 2. This Sacrament setteth forth Christ's death more powerfully than Preaching. We may not imagin that he will deny it his blessing. VII. 3. The converting power promoted by fre∣quent repetitions. A supposition that One solemn address may be worth Twenty, examined. An hypotyposis of such a performance. 1. Fregment offers hit one time or other. 2. Repetition addeth new force to the former decaying act. 3. Teacheth to act better. So it will help, not prejudice the performance in respect of the manner.

FIRST it is plainly made Useless toward the Conver∣sion of unconverted sinners, bicaus All Such ar For∣bidden the use of it.

Yea, Not only those who have no good Inclinations, but those who have good Beginnings, yea those who have

made good Progress; if yet they com short of Any qua∣lification necessary to Complete saving repentance; ar there∣fore excluded from all Benefit, bicaus they ar so, from all Use of it, by this sentence, Bicaus whatever dispositions or alterations he may begin to have in order to pardon and holi∣ness, he as yet hath neither: but is Gods enemy and therefor cannot receve his holy son.

To Such therefor, the Sacrament can have No other power, but to Fright them away: or at best, if it offer any Invitation, it is such as Nurses use to Fallen Children; Com to me and I will help thee up.

This is not to Help, but to Mock; and must suppose those to be very children indeed, that can be incoraged by Such Exhortations, to Endeavor to raise themselvs, or Thank their exhorter.

For if Repentance must precede the Sacrament, then may it be the Caus but not the Effect; and may Dispute against it, Thou bearest not the Root, but the Root Thee.

Other good fruits it may produce, Many and Great; but not This of conversion; which it must not influence as a Root, but attend as a Fruit.

How injurios this is, I shall indevor to shew by three Positions.

1. It is dishonorabl to the Sacrament to deny it a con∣verting vertu, and more so to our Lord, to deny the exer∣cise of such a vertu if it have it.

2. It hath a converting vertu.

3. That vertu is better exercised by Frequent than Rare exercise.

FIRST, That it is dishonorabl to the Sacrament to deny it a Couverting vertu, I might think the plainest proposition in the world; since it is thereby robbed of the better half of it's power (for to have both a Converting and Confirming power, is more than dubl to the Later, without the For∣mer, which is farr more Gracios.) But This is yet plainer,

that it is farr less Sacrilegios to Rob the Sacrament of such vertu; than to Blaspheme our Lord, with an imagination that he should deny Them, the benefit of the Representa∣tive, for Whom he shed his Bloud it self; when by This the Salvation may be Promoted, which he purchased by That.

What a wretched Baffle wer this to the Apostls argu∣ment, whereby he pleadeth He that denied us not his only Son, how shall he not with Him freel giv us all things? How doth it represent the infinite lover of mankind, as an envios malicios enemy, both to Them, and his own Bloud; by taking from Them the benefit, and from This the vertu, which was to Them most Necessary, and to This most Ho∣norable?

This way of Honoring our Lord is but the revers of That, whereby his enemies Reproched him. They blamed Him for Eating and Drinking with sinners; and This doctrine forbids sinners to Eat and Drink with Him. And Both ar fitted with his Own best answer, The whole need not the Phy∣sician, but the sick.

It is the Honor, bicaus the Profession of a Physician, to giv his company, Not to those who most Deserv, but to those who most Need it.

Those who ar already in the state of Salvation, need not his Abilities as a Physician, to save their lives; thogh they do his Bounty, as a Fester, to cherish and glad their hearts: The Godly injoy Many and Great, but Other be∣nefits; such as rather conduce to the advancement of their Happiness, than their Safety, which is above such need: They ar the Sick, they ar such as ly in a state of Misery and Danger, who's need cry loudest for his Saving power: And to help such he Came into the world, traveled about it, went out of it, and left this monument to continu in it, till he com again.

II. AND concerning Such, is our whole question. For that from the Godly there is no danger to

the Sacrament, and consequently that in Them, Frequecy is commendable, is not doubted: The only question is concerning the Unworthy; but we oght also to consider, that concerning Them is a counterquestion no less im∣portant.

For when we inquire on One side, Whether there be Danger, that the Sacrament may suffer dishonor by such mens Unworthiness? it is worth inquiring, whether there be not SOM hope, that it may Gain Honor by their Salvation?

I say [SOME] hope: For if there be Any such Hope, however Short of such Fear, in point of Probability; it will so exceed it in point of Valu, as abundantly to out∣weigh it's defect in Bulk. For

1. The loss of Many Sacraments will be abundantly re∣compenced by the gain of One Soul: Be the odds so great as in a Lottery; yet since One happy draught, will more than answer a Multitude of Blanks; especially when there is nothing to be Lost, but the labor of Drawing; it must needs more conduce to the honor of the Sacrament and its Author, to adventure upon the Smallest Hope That way; than to forbear upon the Greatest Fear the Other way.

2. The Salvation of One impenitent sinner is more va∣luabl than the cherishing of Many already converted. The good shepherd will leav ninety and nine to seek pasture, ra∣ther then suffer one strayer to perish in the wilderness.

3. The odds in point of number lieth the other way: it wer a happier world than ever we ar like to see, if there wer but ninety and nine sinners for one just person, that needs no repentance. Their very numbers wroght in our Lord compassion to the Multitude, and it wer strange if he should intend to let the greater part of mankind perish for want of This food.

4. Here is no need to leav the Flock, for Salvation of the Strayer. Wer there not sufficient for Both, we might perhaps plead it unfit to take the childrens bread and cast it to Dogs: but the Lords tabl is as capabl to receve All comers, as was the wilderness to afford room for never so many thousands; and the Bread is not like those two cours loaves, but like That which came from heaven, and covered the whole face of the earth: it hath both plenty and vertu sufficient to answer All Palates, and All Needs, however different; no less Salutiferos to the Sick, then delicios to Healthy: and where there is enogh and to spare, it wer strange our Lord should intend any one should perish for hunger.

5. Here is no adventure, but of the troubl to Take and eat. The shepherd needs not toyl himself with Wander∣ing quest of the Lost sheep, nor with shouldering home the Found.

Our Lord is not in danger to lose any more Bloud; the greatest loss that can com, must fall upon That already spilt; which at worst, takes no Life from our Lord, thogh it bring None to the Recever.

No wounds or stripes can reach his Body, The greatest danger is, lest the shadow of his body passing by, should (now as in his life-time) fall upon som Lepers and cleanse them; without Hinderance to his Progress, or Prejudice to his Better disciples.

So that if there be any healing, saving vertu, in This other shadow of his body and bloud; to say he forbids Any to com within its reach, for This very reason bicaus they Need it; is so farr from honoring him as a good Physician, that it represents him wors than his very Accusers, of whom he asked which of You (of You my envios backbiters) Which of You having one sheep, &c.

If therefor our Blessed Redeemer have any right to what David said of the Father, His honor is great in Our salva∣tion;

his Dishonor must be proportionably great, if he deny so cheap a means of it, as shall not cost him the troubl of a Journy to seek, but only the Mercy to Admit such as need it.

III. 2. SECONDLY, This Sacrament hath a con∣verting vertu.

This, 'thogh it need no other proof, but only the ap∣plication of That general rule, that In Religion That is al∣ways Truest which is Best; yet bicaus such a work cannot be overdo'n, I shall further prove it, 1. By the Authority of the Apostls: and 2. By Reason, shewing that Morally it must needs be so.

1. If we consider what the APOSTLS thoght of This Sacrament, we shall find, they look't upon it as a Spiritual Panacaea for All distempers of Christ's mystical body: a rich Treasure for All Arguments and All Cha∣racters.

When St. Jude would Character the worst men, he bor∣roweth his black from This Sacrament, if not from This Discours: These (saith he) ar spots in your Fests of Charity while they fest with you foeding themselvs without fear. When the Epistler to the Hebrews would set forth the gilt of Apo∣stacy most graphically, he doth it by treading under foot the Son of God, and That, by counting this blood of the Cove∣nant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing.

In This Epistl St. Paul seemeth to affect this Topik up∣on all occasions: When he would admonish them to put from among them the Scandalos person, Let us (saith he) keep the fest without leaven bicaus Christ the Passover is sa∣crificed for us.

When he would dehort them from fellowship with Idols, he argueth from the inconsistency of the Lords table and the table of devils: When he would exhort them to provide for the poor, he appointeth the first day for the

Offertory, bicause consecrated to the breaking of bread: and Here, when he would reprove them for their debau∣cheries in Gods hous; to set forth the hainosness of the crime, he proveth that thereby they becom gilty of the Body and Bloud of Christ.

I say, when he would reprove them for their debaucheries in Gods hous: for I must now add to what I have already said, that as those Debaucheries were the true Occasion of the whole discours, so was the Lord's Supper employed as the best Argument, whereby to convince them of the hainosness of That crime; that whatever thoghts they might other∣wise have had, concerning such Profaneness in Gods Hous, they might by This new Argument understand it greater than they wer aware of.

And what better argument could he have urged in such a case? Should he have empleaded them at the Moral bar? He knew them proof against such lectures of their own Philosophers, strenuosly, but unprosperosly declaming against them. Should he have pleaded Natural Religion? He knew that They and their Fathers had, time beyond memory, do'n the same in their Templs. Should he then urge the great difference in purity between the true God and Divels? This were proper, but remote; the impres∣sion might be sufficient Plain, but not sufficiently Deep: it might convince their Reason, but not so powerfully move their Affections.

But This interest of the body and bloud of Christ, as it was new and properly Evangelical, so was it utterly unan∣swerabl upon any account, either of reason or custom.

And that it was upon This Occasian and to This End urged, seemeth most plain from the very Text: For their Coming together is twice complained of, before the Lord's Supper is mentioned; and in the third place, This is im∣ployed only as an Evidence of the Other: Whereas by the Laws of Reason and Custom, if This had had the chief place in the Apostls intention, it must have had the

same in his Discurs; and not be'n put to wait behind, to com forth only as a valet to perform service to it's prin∣cipal.

This is worthy more observation than the world is a∣ware of: For as the thing it self is to a considering person very plain, so ar the consequences very great; and That upon an account already cast up.

For if the Apostl make use of the Lord's Supper, as an aggravation of profaneness in Gods hous, and That for This reason, bicaus all the unworthiness which we bring thi∣ther, is imputed to us as broght to his table; then must it be the most potent argument that possibly can be draw'n, ether from Religion or Reason, to make us careful of our behavior in Gods hous, and consequently every where els; In Gods hous, upon the Apostl's reason, bicaus of the in∣terest of our Lords table, which possesseth the chiefest place there; and consequently Every where els, bicaus of the preparations which we must cary thither, and the good impressions which we must receve there, so much the deeper, by how much better our self-examination hath prepared us.

AND This very argument do we find used by St. Au∣gustin to the same Purpose, and with the same Unhappi∣ness in his 252 Sermon de tempore, upon the Anniversary of the Dedication of the Church or Altar. Beginning with the words of the Apostl, The templ of God is holy, which templ ye ar; for a proof how necessary it is, that we keep this Templ shut to the Devil, and open to Christ; he persuadeth every one to examin his conscience; and lay∣eth do••n This for an undoubted truth, Qui enim agnoscens reatum suum, ipse se humiliter ab Ecclesiae altari pro emenda∣tione vitae removere voluerit, ab aeterno illo & coelesti convivio excommunicari penitus non timebit. Rogo vos fratres diligen∣ter attendite, si ad mensam cujuscun{que} potentis hominis nemo praesumit cum vestibus conscissis, &c. and so goeth on throgh∣out the whole Sermon, arguing against unworthy coming

to the Lords Supper in such a stile, that I verily believ our divines take thence their confidence to write as they have do'n.

I answer not for his Doctrine, but I do for his Argument, as being the same with the Apostl's, as above urged. Nor could he have argued better for care of coming worthily to God's Hous, than by urging the hainosness of coming unworthily to his Table; seeing it was as true in His time, as in the Apostl's, that whoever came to the One, came also to the Other.

But if we mesur his Argument by our own Customs, then will it be as weak, as the Supposition will be fals: For the Conclusion will exceed the Premises, and fall short of the Fathers Design; since it will not fright any from unworthiness in the Templ, but such as intend to com also to the Altar, i. e. few or none.

Yet will not this Insufficiency be the worst of its falts; it will be so far from prevailing with a profane man to quit his lusts, that it tends to harden him in them. For when such a man shall hear so much spoken against unworthy Com∣municating, and so littl, or nothing against unworthy Pray∣ing; how plausibly may his willing mind infer, that there is as littl need for Him to fear the later, as for his teacher to warn him from it.

I therefor offer it to most serios consideration, whether the almost general loosness of this age, be not much inco∣raged, by the agreement tripartite which we seem impli∣citely to have made, between Prayer, This Sacrament, and the World; whereby it is agreed, that Prayer shall enjoy Fre∣quency without Reverence; This Sacrament, Reverence with∣out Performance; The World, it's Lusts without Disturb∣ance from either of them.

Whereas were Worthiness pressed in the now mention∣ed figure, with half the vigor that it is in the Vulgar; Were half of that which our Divines speak, of prepara∣tion for the Sacrament in the abstract, applied to it in con∣junction

with Common-Prayer: Did we believ our selvs to ly under the same Necessity and Conditions of worthi∣ness for Gods hous, as we do for his Supper; then can we not doubt it necessary so to live, that we may be capabl to com worthily to Common-Prayer, even for it's companion's sake.

IV. NOR is there any reasonable fear, lest this should have the same malignant aspect upon the Whole, as we complain of in behalf of the Common-service; lest in-stead of bringing men to the Church with greater reverence, it should drive them quite away from it. This danger is sufficiently prevented by the Apostl's Indicative way of arguing, which telleth us that Christ imputeth guilt to us, not according to Our Performance, but his Own Institution: and This imputation will reach us at Any distance, not only from his Table, but his Hous too.

For if it be no less our duty to com to God's hous as of∣ten as the congregation is held There; than it is to com to his Table as often as we com to his Hous; and if God by his scientia media seeth and punisheth the unworthiness which we would have broght to his Table if we had com'n to it; Then to what distance soever we cary it, we ar by God reputed to have broght it both to his Hous and his Table, as often as his Church meeteth at the One, and oght to do at the Other, bicaus we oght to have met it at Both.

What the Apostl saith in another case of himself, we may apply to our selvs in This, I verily as absent in the body but present in the spirit, have already judged as present: and again, When you ar gathered together and My spirit. If the Acts of the Church might be authorised by the reputed suffrage of the Absent Apostl, then may the Lords Supper be profaned by the reputed communication of the Unwor∣thy Absent; since every member no less concurreth with the Church in Worship, than the Apostl did in Disci∣pline.

And this is plainly enogh implyed in that practice of the then Church, which we heard testified by Justin Martyr, For sending to the Absent their parts of Communicated bread and wine, they thereby owned them to have the same interest, as if they had be'n present.

This rock therefor followeth us as it did the Israelites in the Wilderness, to what distance soever we eloin our selvs: He followeth us with imputation of Receving even when we Refuse him, to condemn us if we receve him with un∣washed hands; and to condemn us dubl, if we therefor refuse him, bicaus we will not be at the troubl to wash them.

The Necessity of the H. C. thus stated; Let the con∣dicions of worthiness, be multiplied and enforced with what rigor you please. Let them be more intolerabl, than plucking out Both eyes, and cutting off Both hands, so they be indispensibl: No reasonabl man will be thereby frighted from the Lords table, but every one will be so from his sins, since he every where carieth about him the same guilt and danger, thogh he com not.

Nor will the Scrupulos be at all distracted with doubts whether it be best to com or forbear, since this will be no other than to question, whether it be best to be Singly or Dubly gilty. Singly, if he com with unworthiness; or Dubly, if he dishonor the Lords table, both by Forsake∣ing and Profaning it; the one in Reality, the other by Imputation.

And this must needs be the opinion of the good Alms∣giver above-praised, who would not suffer the peopl to go away without the Communion, but broght them back when they were already go'n out of the Church: an im∣portunity, which he would never have used, had he not believed it more sinful to Omit the duty, than to perform it, unprepared as they wer; whereof no better account can be given than this; that our obligation besets us behind and before, and layeth such hand upon us, that we cannot fly

from it's presence; but must necessarily fly from our sins, bicaus this is the only way left us, to escape the judgments threatened to unworthy Communicants: and whether such an ordinance be a converting one or no, I shall no further dispute from Scripture: but proceed to consider Rea∣son.

V. REASON will persuade that the Sacrament must be a converting Ordinance.

He that will deny this, must impute the Defect, either to the Unfitness of our Lords Death, toward such an effect, or 2. To the Insufficiency of the Sacrament, to set it forth, or 3. To our Lords denial of his ordinary Blessing. In One, or All of These, must the Defect needs ly; for if they All concurr, Nothing is wanting to a saving efficacy.

1. The defect cannot ly in the Death of Christ, which the Apostl so often tells us, he suffered to This very Purpose.

The Scripture speaketh, I say not more Clearly, but (sure) more Frequently, of his dying for our Sanctification, than for our Justification; to redeem us from the Works, than from the Wages of Sin.

If it sound ambiguosly when the Apostl saith he died to redeem us from all iniquity, he cleareth it by an immediat explication, to purchase to himself a peculiar peopl zelos of good works. What can be spoken plainer than this, That he died to redeem us from our vain conversation; that he carried our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness; to leave us an exampl that we should fol∣low his steps &c.

And had the Apostls be'n silent, plain Reason would have taught it us, For as in Law, without shedding of bloud there was no remission; so was there no need of more, than the mere death of the Sacrifice; so much the fitter for That ser∣vice, by how much more Pampered.

Why then must our Lord be so unhappily unlike his typi∣cal Oxen? why might he not have be'n sacrificed like Them:

by One blow and No pain; closing a Full and Easie Life, with a Death as Easie?

What could the Law have expected from Him, beyond what the Jews expect in their Messiah the Son of David; a Life Victorios and glorios, closed with a Death suitably glorios in the Bed of honor? One Drop of bloud (perhaps) certain∣ly the singl Death, however Easie or Honorabl, of a Person of infinit valu; must in justice be sufficient to satisfie a Father so Willing to receve satisfaction.

To what purpose then All the (this way) Needless, and to him incomparably more Grievos, Other Sufferings? Why a Life so Poor, so Despised, so Hated, so Laborios? Why a Death so Painful, so Shameful, so Intolerabl? Why? but for the Apostl's reason; To leave us an exampl that we should follow his steps? which as they shewed us the way, so did they smooth it for us; that no man might think much to take up his Cross, and follow such a Leader.

SUCH a leader as Caesar, who did not say to his Sol∣diers, Go, but Com; make, them follow him, if not for Valor, yet for Shame: It became him who was to bring many Sons to Glory, to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect by sufferings; and such sufferings too, that none of his fol∣lowers shall ever be able to upbraid him, as requiring More.

To deny therefor that such a Death is fit to Redeem us, both from the Service of sin, and Fear of suffering; is to giv the Scripture the Ly, and to take from our Lords death it's Vertu.

VI. 2. AND Secundly to Deny this Sacraments suf∣ficiency to set forth our Lords death; is yet (if possibl) a greater affront, both to our Lord and his Apostl; Both of them expressly declare This for it's Adaequate de∣signe. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he com. What the Apostl said to the Galatians, that Christ was evidently set forth crucified a∣mong

them; was not so much ascribed to Preaching, as to This Sacrament; which so evidently sets it forth to All senses; that whoever consideringly receveth it, may say, not only we have heard with our ears, but we have seen with our Eyes, we have looked upon, our hands have handled, our mouths have tasted, and our bowels have be'n strengthened with the bread of Life.

What Orator can com neer an ordinary Painter in set∣ting forth a mans countenance? By how much the Ey is tenderer than the Ear, by so much is the Mind more affect∣ed by it: Now This Sacrament setteth forth the Death of our Lord, not to the Ear as Preaching doth, but to the very Ey; and that not as a Picture but as a Drama: it so Com∣memorates, as to Act the Tragedy; so Describes, as to Ex∣hibite it's Benefits.

How much more potent such visibl Rhetorik is than the most powerful Preaching, Antony made a memorabl ex∣periment: He imployed all his Eloquence to stir up the peopl of Rome, to revenge the death of Caesar: He magni∣fied his Wisdom, his Industry, and his Valor: he recount∣ed his Victories, celebrated his Vertues, lamented the cruelty of his Death; Then he recited his Testament, and from the Legacies therein bequeathed, proved the greatness of his Love to them; in his life their Champion, after death their Benefactor. All this the peopl heard, thogh with Grief, yet with Patience: But when he produced his Robe, when he shewed the Holes and the Bloud, where∣with the murdering Poniards had Pierced and Stained it; then did those visibl Orators, not only Move them to An∣ger, but Transport them to Rage; they snatched up Wea∣pons and Firebrands; and missing the Persons, destroyed the Dwellings of the Conspirators.

Such is the Designe, such the Rhetorik of This Sacrament. When the Word hath prepared the Heart by the Ear; when the Understanding is Informed, and the Affections somewhat Moved, with the recital of What our Lord suffered, And

Why? Then doth the Sacrament complete the service, by shewing to our very Eyes, the Wounds, not of his Garments but his Flesh; and Those, not as long since made, but as now in making, Represents his Sacred bloud, not as dried up by time, but as Now, even Now, streaming from his Heart. It so Commemorates his passion, as to Repete it: and in the most inflaming manner presents to our Souls, all those incentives against sin, which our Lords death, our Lords Present death, can furnish.

He that considers, how the little sens of Religion yet left in the world, is derived from the Frequency of Preach∣ing; will find too great reason to bewail the invaluabl loss it suffers, by want of so helpful an Attendant.

For if That (maimed as it is) do in Som (however Lit∣tl) mesure, prevail by it's Singl and Deserted strength; how much more might we hope from their united Forces, if Jonathan secunded his Armor bearer!

To say that we might Then sing of them, as the daghters of Israel did of their victorios Princes, Preaching hath sa∣ved it's Thousands, and the Sacrament it's Ten thousands, would be but a cold Eulogy: We have no reason to doubt, that as there is more than Ten to One, difference in their Powers, so would there be in their Successes: Unless we will needs doubt of our Lords ordinary blessing upon his so belo∣ved ordinance; which we have far more reason to believe, he would assist with the Spirit, not only of a David but a Samson; as being a Nazarite, appropriat to himself. Ther∣for

THIRDLY, I shall say but this litle to such a scru∣ple: That as it would look almost like a Miracle, if an Ho∣nest Constant Communicant should miss a blessing; so we may be sure, that if there needed a Miraculos Power to bless such an one, it would not be wanting.

For it is incredibl, that he who promised, that when ever two or three ar gathered together in his name, there he will be in the mids of them, should not be most Especially, and most

Graciosly present with those, who meet, not in his Name only, but at his Table, upon his Own kind invitation, to fest, not With him only, but Upon him.

Of this I say no more, bicaus Those whom I dispute with, ar so far from denying our Lords especial Presence; that they make it the Reason for Their Absence, who most need it, but how much they thereby honor our Lord and his Supper, let what I have above said declare: for I hasten to my third position.

VII. 3. MY THIRD Position is, that the Convert∣ing Power of the Sacrament is better Exerci∣sed, and it's Honor more Advanced, by Frequent, than by Seldom Celebrations.

The question is concerning the Greater or Less probabi∣lity of the Conversion of a Sinner: whom we must suppose arrived to neither of the Opposit perfections; neither Worthy on the One side, nor Atheistical on the Other; but in a Midl state; sensibl of his duty, both to our Lord and his Church; Willing (or rather Submitting) to do, what he shall be convinced to be required of him; but Wa∣vering between his Obedience to our Lords Command, which seemeth to require Frequency at least; and the A∣postls indulgence, backed with appearance of Reason, which recommendeth Aw and Distance, as necessary to preserv that Reverence, which it is supposed will best advance both the Honor of the Sacrament, and Benefit of the Recever.

For such an one may plead, that if I ow any person Twen∣ty shillings, and pay him One Guinny, I do better, than if I paid him Twenty silver shillings: So if One Solen Address, be more worth then Twenty of the Constant; it will be bet∣ter to com One time for Twenty, With such Solennity, then Twenty times for One Without it: And consequently, our Lord will accept of That, as more perfect obedience than This.

At present we dispute not, that in This Institution, the

Number of pieces is the very Essence of the Obligation; but admit the supposed liberty of paying One Golden per∣formance, in lieu of Many Less valuabl; and upon This Supposition, require that the Pretence may be made good: viz. That the One for Twenty may be Such, as shall recom∣pence by the greater Valu, the defect in Number.

This One Solen address must have not only a plainer Stamp (as every new Coin may have) but purer Metal; not only more Outward Solennity, but more Inward Devotion.

For if a man bow the knee never so Solenly, and give the title of King never so Formally; yet if in So doing, he put no better then a Dry, Hollow, Light, Reeden Scepter into our Lords hand; he acteth more like a persecuting Jew, than a Loyal Disciple.

And in the present inquiry, Those who ar to make the Address ar supposed to ly in a state of Enmity, and Need of Conversion, for concerning the Godly, there is no doubt, but the oftener the better.

What ever Outward deference such enemies bring, if it have nothing of the power of Godliness; it doth not honor our Lord with his Own Sceptre; For the Sceptre of his King∣dom is a right Sceptre, a love of Righteosness, and hatred of iniquity: What ever wanteth This, wanteth That Divine life, without which the most Solen worship, is no better than a gay Pageant; who's Forced motions pass for Solen, mere∣ly bicaus Unwieldy; the Absence of inward life giving the Ly to them all.

That we may the better Compare them, it will be requi∣site we bring to vieu both the Rivals.

And first let us bring forth that Shew, wherewith our Lord is to be better Served and Pleased, than with literal Obedience,

WHEN the Unwelcom season is now at hand, which Indispensibly exacteth the painful task; the Unwilling vo∣tary (if he can deserv That name) finding No way to escape it, forceth himself to look Sadly upon his still Beloved

sins, Confineth himself for som tedios days, to the Lothed conversation of that Troublsom stranger, his Conscience; wherewith he Communeth in such Awkward manner, as plainly betrayeth his Unacquaintedness with it's language, not to be supplied by the vainly courted assistance of those good Books, which at such times only, he taketh the Pen∣ance to read; and after the appointed days, languished a∣way in this heartless Exercise, which he calleth Preparation; he receveth (I say not the Lords Supper, but) the holy Sym∣bols; with great Solennity (we grant) but with as little Benefit or Relish, as Appetite; and goeth home with This on∣ly comfort, that the Tedios work is do'n; and the Stately, Lifeless machin may be laid aside, till the Revolution of ano∣ther Solennity, call it forth to stalk abroad again, with the same Troubl, to the same Little purpose.

Let our adversaries now deal freely; can they suppose such Pageantry acceptabl to God? can such Counters as have somthing of the due Image and Superscription, but nothing of the due Metal; not only pass for Current in the Kingdom of God; but bear a greater Valu, than such pieces, as com out of his own Royal Mint? can God be pleased with such performances as please not the Votary himself? can he be so much Better pleased with them, that One of them shall be reputed payment for Multiplied o∣missions of Duty?

Or (which is more pertinent to our present enquiry) can such an exercise destroy the kingdom of the Devil in the un∣willing Soul? &c.

I grant, Somthing hath be'n do'n toward it, The man hath be'n put in mind of his need of Christs bloud, and the Love that first Spilt it, and now Offered it; and This hath somwhat awakened the sens of the Obligation he hath, to Lov and Serv him; which cannot but make som impression upon his mind, which for som time, and in som mesure, may check his lusts, and quicken his care.

All this I hope, and for This very reason complain, that

the good sparks should dy away; which by Repetition of the same exercise, might be blowen up to such a vigoros Flame, as might wholly Destroy those lusts, which ar now a littl Disordered, but not Subdued: For the Litl that this hath do'n, is a sufficient evidence how much More might be do'n; if so hopeful an exercise were duly Prosecuted with such Constancy, as we have found required by our Lord; and comes now to be considered by Reason, in counterbal∣lance to its rival Solennity, and this we do by steps.

1. Multiplied repetitions one time or other will proba∣bly hit the mark. He who is missed by Many a Sermon, and Many a Communion, may happily be struck to the heart by the Next.

There was a time, when One Sermon converted Thou∣sands, but miracles ar ceased; and now Many, perhaps Thousands, of Sermons, ar necessary to convert One: Yet can we not charge God, as wanting to Necessary means, since the Miraculos efficacy is supplied by the Moral power of multiplied Repetition.

Too many of those who Separate These ordinances in their Practice, do them the right to Join them in their Discourses; pleading the same color of reason against fre∣quency in Preachings and Communions; and those who do Not, but will have These rare for reverence sake, and Those frequent for their effects sake; need no other evidence of the Weakness of their Objection against Frequence in the Communion, than its too great Strength; whereby it will cast down what they would keep up; so that they ar redu∣ced to This choice, either that Preaching must be Less fre∣quent, for fear of the Objection; or the Objection renegued, lest Preaching should be rob'd of Frequency, for preserva∣tion of Reverence.

And as the Objection is equally Deficient, so is Frequen∣cy equally Useful to Both. Who knoweth but That Ser∣mon, or That Communion which he is forsaking, may be

the critical One, which is to convert him?

When an Affliction hath bruised, or a Blessing melted the heart; When the man hath Lost a friend, or Escaped a danger, when a Neighbors unexpected death hath warned him of his Own frailty, or a good Angel hath unaccountably stirred the pool, and he is by som secret disposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 set in due order, and almost perswaded to be a Christian; then the Sermon or Communion, coming upon him in his soreness, prevaileth by nicking the critical Opportunity.

We know not the secret walks of Gods providence, nor the advantages of Som seasons above Others, by influences imperceptibl: that therefor we may not miss the Proper, but Ʋnknowen one, it will concern Every man, to say of Every one, This is the day of the Lord, This is That sin∣gular hour, wherein I am to receve That flesh and bloud of Christ which must save me.

He that truly considers the valu of Salvation, and his own need of it; will not think much to ly in the way that Jesus of Nazareth Passeth by; or rather, wherein he Com∣eth on purpose, to heal and save.

2. Repetition both Preserveth the otherwise decaying Power of former acts, and addeth new of its own. The sturdiest oak is felled by Many of those stroaks, whereof every particular one was inconsiderabl; but if they com at such distance, that the scratch (rather than wound) which the first made, be healed up before it be secunded; the tree may be a litl moved, but not at all weakened.

If a man be but Litl, yet if he be At all affected; if he do but consider, What he Doth, or Oght to do; if he think on the Death of Christ, and it's Reason; if he inde∣vor to commemorate it in due manner, or but consider that he oght so to do; These Acts of Consideration and Re∣flection, however weakly performed, contribute their litl proportion, toward the great work; as every stroke of

the oar doth to a long voyage, but will soon be caried away by the contrary stream, if it be not quickly renewed.

For as in Bodies, so in Souls, there is continual Deperdi∣tion, and there needeth continual Reparation: The Sym∣bols do as truly represent Our Need, as their Principals Vertu: This Flesh is meat indeed, and This bloud is drink in∣deed, as in their Cherishing and Strengthening Vertu, so in the Constancy, wherewith they ar to be receved; and Those who ar so easily satisfied with far Distant Commu∣nions, seems to Betray the Weakness of their spiritual Life, by That of their Appetite.

3. Repetition will improve the power of Every Singl Act, by making the Agent more expert.

No Tutor like Exercise. It teaches us to do those things, both Easily and Perfectly; which to the inexpert, appear not only Difficult but Impossibl.

And upon this account, is Frequency so far from a hin∣derance; that it is of all moral means, most Proper to bring us to Worthiness.

That Self-examination which all Christians confess ne∣cessary before we com to the Lords table, is by the best Philosophers prescribed before we go to sleep: and Seneca incorageth his Lucilius to the practice upon This considera∣tion; that Exercise will make it as Easy, yea, as Pleasant, as Profitabl.

For the same reason it is adviseable, that we stablish se∣veral Periods: the end of every Week for the past Week, of every Moneth for the past Moneth, of every Year for the past Year, and every eve of the Communion for the Inter∣val from the Last: which Intervals, were they left to our discretion, we oght to shorten as much as possibl, even for This very Reason; that by Frequence, we may learn to examin our selvs still Better: so that if we have no other Obligation, nor no other Design, but to com as Worthily, we must com as Frequently as Possibl.

So in the Result, Worthiness must not be Opposed to Fre∣quency as it's Rival; but Proposed, as it's Encoragement. For whether we ey the Honor of the Sacrament in the Abstract; or the Vertu of it, in Reference to the Salva∣tion of mankind: They ar Both promoted more by the Constancy of our Approaches, than by the Awfulness of our Distance.