or read the Word of God, left by ſo doing ⟨he⟩ ſhould endanger & aggravat his condemnation? ⟨And⟩ yet there is as much reaſon from this conſideration to perſwade men to give over praying, & attending to God's Word, as to lay aſide the uſe of ⟨the⟩ Sacrament. And it is every whit as true, that he ⟨that⟩ prays unworthily, & hears the word of God ⟨unworthily⟩, that is, without fruit and benefit, is guilty ⟨of a⟩ great contempt of God, & of our bleſſed Saviour; ⟨&⟩ by his undevout prayers, & unfruitful hearing ⟨of⟩ God's Word, does further & aggravat his own damnation: I ſay, this is every whit as true, as he ⟨that⟩ eats and drinks the Sacrament unworthily is ⟨guilty⟩ of a high contempt of Chriſt, & eats and drinks ⟨his⟩ own judgment, ſo that the danger of the ⟨unworthy⟩ performing this ſo ſacred an action is no ⟨otherwiſe⟩ a reaſon to any man, to abſtain from the ⟨Sacrament,⟩ than it is an Argument to him to caſt off all Religion. He that unworthily uſeth or performs any ⟨part⟩ of Religion is in an evil and dangerous ⟨condition;⟩ but he that caſts off all Religion plungeth ⟨himſelf⟩ into a moſt deſperat ſtate, & does certainly damn himſelf to avoid the danger of damnation: ⟨Becauſe⟩ he that caſts off all Religion, throws off all the means whereby he ſhould be reclaimed & ⟨brought⟩ into a better ſtate. I cannot more fitly illuſtrat ⟨this⟩ matter than by this plain Similitude. He that ⟨eats⟩ and drinks intemperatly endangers his health ⟨and⟩ his life, but he that to avoid this danger will ⟨not⟩ eat at all, I need not tell you what will ⟨certainly⟩ become of him in a very ſhort ſpace.
There are ſome conſcientious perſons who abſtain from the Sacrament, upon an apprehenſion that the ſins which they ſhall commit afterwards are unpardonable. But this is a great miſtake; ⟨our⟩ Savior having ſo plainly declared, that all manner
