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to fave themselves the trouble of any preparation at all.*

Of our Duty after Receiving.

But what will all the preparation in the world avail us, if, as foon as we have turned our backs on the Lord's Table, we forget that ever we were there, and remember no more our folemn engagement, or thofe holy refolutions, which had been raised in our minds by that course of devotions in the week, preparatory to our receiving the holy Commu nion? inftead of placing us in the favour of the Almighty, this will draw upon us the abundance and feverity of his wrath, for fuch our mockery of his divine inftitution and commands.

Some account of the method of this Work,

Therefore I have, in this fecond part of the new Week's Preparation, inferted fuch meditations, hymns, and prayers, to be ufed by the worthy communicant, during the week following his participation of Chrift's Body and Blood, as I apprehend will furnish him with a right fenfe of his duty: which I take to be the best means he can make use

of,

* See the preface to the first part of the new Week's Preparation, concerning the usefulness of actual Preparation before the receiving of the LORD's Supper,

of, to fecure himself, against the fudden furprife and impetuous attacks of all his enemies, ghoftly or bodily. And,

It is great fatisfaction to me, that I can af fure the reader, I have taken the Church Catechism and the Communion Service for my guide; fo that he may be fatisfied, this New Week's Preparation is ftrictly orthodox, and perfectly agreeable to the doctrine of the Church of England, and to the word of God,

Moreover, I have been advised to prefix the explanation of that part of the Church Catechim, which relates to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, by fome who believe it to be the fhorteft, plaineft, and moft comprehenfive of any extant; and for the fatisfaction of those who are defirous to fearch the Scriptures, and to fee and examine the authorities upon which this explanation is founded, I have cited the texts at the bottom of each page.

FAMILIAR AND COMPREHENSIVE

EXPLANATION

OF THAT PART OF THE

CHURCH CATECHISM

WHICH

Relates to the Sacraments, especially that of the Lord's Supper, as warranted and Supported by Scripture.

TH

HE Church tells us, that Christ hath ordained only two Sacra

Sacraments.

ments, as generally neceffary to fal- The two vation; that is to fay, Baptifm and

the fupper of the Lord. Now Baptifm was instituted by Chrift, to be the rite of admiffion into his church, and is anfwerable to circumcifion among the Jews. The Lord's fupper was ordained for the exercise and confirmation of our faith in Chrift, and ap pointed by him inftead of the Jewish paffover; and thefe are thus neceffary to falvation,

John xix. 34.

Acts x. 48.

41 Cor. xii. 13. 1 Cor. x. 2, 3, 4.
5 Acts ii. 4. Acts viii. 12.
Heb. vi. 1, 2. 6 Cor. ii. II, 12. Gen.
Phil. iii. 3. 71 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25,
8 I Cor. v. 7, 8. Exod. xii. 3, 21, 24,
1 Pet. i. 18, 19.

1 John v. 6, 8.
Mat. xxviii. 19.
xvii. 9, 12, 23, 27.
Luke xxii. 19, 20.
23, 27. John i. 29.

tion, viz. Baptism is neceffary thereto, as being the appointed inftrument of our regeneration or new birth; and the Lord's Supper, as being that spiritual food, by which we are nourished up to everlafting life, the former to be only once, the latter often received. Thefe ordinances miniftering to fuch great

to Salvation.

ends, we fay are only generally How necellary and not abfolutely neceffary to Salvation; becaufe we dare not take upon us to exclude all hope of God's mercy in fuch extraordinary cafes, as the want of opportunity or capacity of receiving them reduces mankind often unto. 1oBut as the Jews were obliged under the fevereft pealty to be circumcifed, and keep the paffover; "fo our guilt and danger will be pra portionably great, in not obferving when it is in our power, these two more eafy inftipations, which are not only of a higher authority, but alfo the diftinguishing badges of a more excellent profeffion.

By

John Hi. 5. John i. 12. 13. Tit. ii. 5 1 Pet. ii. 2. John vi. 3. Eph. v. 29. Col. i 19. Jude 21. 1 Cor.

9 Acts

xi. 33, 34. Eph. iv. 5. John iii. iv. Rom. vi, 10. ii. 42. 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26. Luke xiv.15. John vi. 34. 10 Matę xii. 7. Joh 5, 6, 7. Luke xxiii. 43. I Cor. v. 12, 13I. Gen. xvii. 14. Exod iv. 24, 25, 26. 4 Numb. ix. 13, &c. Exod. xii. Matt. xxvi. 18. 51 John v. 3. 2 Kings v. 13. John iv. 40. Heb. xii. 25. Heb. ii. 2, 3. Hea x. 28, 29. 1 John ii, 4. John xiii. 8. Pla. ij. 12. 7 1 Cor. xi, 26.5 Tim. ii. 19. 8. John i. 17. 2 Cor. iii. 7, 8,9.

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By the word Sacrament, the Church tells us, is meant an outward and vifi

a Sacrament.

ble fign of an inward and fpiri- The meaning of tual grace, given unto us, ordained by Chrift himself, as a means whereby we receive the fame, and a pledge to affure us thereof. Now for the clearer understanding this account, which the Church gives us of a Sacrament, it is neceffary that the feveral parts of which it confifts, fhould be diftinguished: and therefore you are to obferve, we are therein taught, that to conftitute a Sacrament, there must be, firft, fomething difcernible and apparent to our fenfes; which, fecondly, muft reprefent fome fpiritual grace and favour vouchsafed us by God; thirdly, that outward fign must be of Chrift's own inftitution; and, fourthly, appointed by him as a means of conveying to us this inward grace, and as a feal and token of affurance, that he will bestow the one upon those who do worthily receive the other; and as these properties are only to be found in Baptifm and the fupper of our Lord, no other religious rite can be truly called, or ought to be efteemed, a Sacrament.

The parts of

Now the parts, of which a Sacrament confifts, are two, viz. the outward visible fign, and the inward fpiritual grace. Thus, outward fenfible things can be a means of conveying,

a Sacrament.

and

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