though he comes prepared with faith, repentance, and charity. If unfeemly behaviour at the time of celebration be all that is meant by unworthy receiving, as the depreciators fometimes contend, then it is scarcely poffible in our Churches to receive unworthily; for a man who fhould behave indecently would either be turned out by the beadle, or rejected by the minifter.

Doctrines and opinions fo abfurd would hardly require refutation, if they were not obtruded on the multitude by artful means, and recommended by an impofing authority.

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SECTION XXIII.

The Neceffity and Propriety of Preparation for the Sacrament; with a few Suggeftions on the Means.

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HE neceffity of preparation for the Sacrament is evident from the nature of the cafe, even if Scripture did not point it out, which is far from being true, in the opinion of the best, wifeft, and most learned divines that have adorned this country. "He that leads a good life," fays Dr. Stanhope, "is never unprepared to receive the Sacrament." This is affented to, if by a good life is meant a CHRISTIAN life; a life of obedience to the precepts, and of faith in the doctrines of Chriftianity. But are not the best of Chriftians fubject to lapfes from infirmity? Is not the weakness of human nature fuch as to require continual efforts

efforts to preserve it from degeneracy? Has not the experience of mankind evinced, that thofe who cease to be progreffive in afcending the hill of Virtue, foon become retrograde?

The benefits fought in the Eucharift are grace, or the favour of God, and pardon. These benefits, there is every reafon to think, will not be bestowed on the impenitent; and it cannot be faid of any man that he needs no repentance. The general habits of his life may be virtuous, yet, if he confiders attentively his fins of omiffion, as well as commiffion, he will find that he has much to regret in the courfe of a conduct which, comparatively speaking, may be called good and exemplary.

But what shall we fay of the multitude of all ranks conftantly engaged in pleafurable pursuits, or in anxious, heart-corroding queft of gain and advancement in life? Are they the persons, however reputable they may be, of whom Dr. Stanhope speaks, when he says, " he that leads

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leads a good life is never unprepared to receive the Sacrament." Supposing them to preserve their integrity amidst conficting paffions and interefts, and in the haunts of pleasure, where the finews of virtue are always in danger of being relaxed, yet experience will justify the affertion, that they feldom have time or inclination to attend seriously to the duties and doctrines of the Chriftian religion. Are men, however good their credit in the world, to come with minds heated with worldly contefts, with envy, with rivalry, with voluptuous affections, to the Altar? Surely before fuch perfons venture to receive the Sacrament, preparation is abfolutely neceffary. The reafon of the thing determines, that preparation is neceffary for the majority of mankind, even if Scripture had been filent on the fubject; and the most refpectable divines had left the point undecided..

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Of the propriety of preparing for the reception of the Sacrament, none but men of perverfe minds will entertain a doubt;

a doubt; though divines of great character have imprudently denied its neceffity.

The first time of receiving requires peculiar attention to the duty of preparation. Care must be taken to understand the nature of the rite, to have a due sense of the benefits annexed to it, and a full conviction of its importance. And can a person who has never read or thought of the Sacrament, till the moment when it is to be adminiftered, be fuppofed to poffefs this knowledge, and to have this fenfe? Is he not likely, if he come unprepared, to err either on the side of careleffnefs or of fuperftition? His life and converfation may be good, and so far all is ewell; but he will require knowledge or information on the meaning and end of the Communion. The most adventurous among those who degrade the Sacrament, will not affert that inftruction is improper previous to the firft reception of the Sacrament. It is now more than ever proper, that the Communicant may be prevented

from