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and our Saviour, the great friend and lover of ſouls? A command ſo reaſonable, ſo eaſie, ſo full of bleſſings and benefits to the faithfull obſervers of it!
One would think it were no difficult matter, to convince men of their duty in this particular and of the neceſſity of obſerving ſo plain an Inſtitution of our Lord, that it were no hard thing to perſwade men to their intereſt, & to be willing to partake of thoſe great & manifold bleſſings, which all Chriſtians believe to be promiſed and made good to the frequent and worthy Receivers of his Sacrament. Where then lyes the difculty? What ſhould be the cauſe of all this backwardneſs, which we ſee in men to ſo plain, ſo neceſſary, and ſo beneficial a duty? The truth is, men have been greatly diſcouraged from this Sacrament, by the unwarry preſſing and inculcating of two great truths; the danger of the unworthy receiving of this holy Sacrament, and the neceſſity of a due preparation for it. Which brings me to the
III. Third Particular I propoſed, which was to endeavour to ſatisfie the Objections and Scruples, which have been raiſed in the minds of men, and particularly of many devout and ſincere Chriſtians, to their great diſcouragement from the receiving of this Sacrament, at least ſo frequently as they ought. And theſe Objections, I told you, are chiefly grounded upon what the Apoſtle ſayes v. 27. Wherefore whoſoever ſhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. And again v. 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelf. Upon the miſtake & miſapplication of theſe Texts have been grounded Two Objections of great force to diſcourage men from this Sacrament, which I ſhal endeavour with all the tenderneſs and clearneſs I can to remove. Firſt, That the danger of unworthy receiving being ſo very great, it ſeems the ſafeſt way not to receive at all. Secondly, That ſo much Preparation and worthineſs being required in order to our worthy receiving, the more timorous ſort of devout Chriſtians can never think themſelves duly enough qualified for ſo ſacred an Action.
