Page:Perswasive to frequent communion (1).pdf/3

Perſwaſive to frequent Communion.

Cor. 11. 26, 27, 28.

⟨For⟩ as oft as ye eat this bread, and drunk this cup, ye do ſhew the Lord's death till he come.

⟨Wherefore⟩ whoſoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

But let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him of that bread, and drink of that cup.

MY deſign in this Argument is, from the conſideration of the Nature of this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and of the perpetual Uſe of it to the end of the world, to awaken men to a ſenſe of their Duty, and the great obligation which lyes upon them to the more frequent receiving of it. And there is the ⟨greater⟩ need to make men ſenſible of their duty in ⟨this⟩ particular, becauſe in this laſt Age by the ⟨unwarry⟩ diſcourſes of ſome, concerning the nature of this Sacrament, and the danger of receiving it unworthily, ſuch doubts and fears have ⟨been⟩ raiſed in the minds of men as utterly to deterr many, and in a great meaſure to diſcourage ⟨almoſt⟩ the generality of Chriſtians from the uſe ⟨of⟩ it; to the great prejudice and danger of mens ⟨souls⟩, and the viſible abatement of piety by the ⟨groſs⟩ neglect of ſo excellent a means of our grouth ⟨and⟩ Improvment in it; and to the mighty ſcandal of our Religion, by the general diſuſe and ⟨contempt⟩ of ſo plain and ſolemn an Inſtitution of our bleſſed Lord and Saviour.

Therefore I ſhal take occaſion as briefly & clearly ⟨as⟩ I can to treat of theſe Four points.

Firſt,