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 performance of it. Let us view the thing in a like caſe; A pardon is graciouſly offered to a rebel, he declines to accept it, and modeſtly excuſeth himſelf, becauſe he is not worthy of it. And why is he not worthy? Becauſe he reſolves to be a rebel, and then his pardon will do him no good, but be an aggravation of his Crime. Very true; and it will be no leſs an

aggravation that he refuſeth it for ſuch a reaſon, and under a pretence of modeſty does the moſt imprudent thing in the world. This is juſt the caſe; and in this caſe there is but one thing reaſonable to be done, and that is for a man to make himſelf capable of the benefit as ſoon as he can, and thankfully to accept of it: But to excuſe himſelf from accepting of the benefit offered, becauſe he is not worthy of it, nor fit for it. nor ever intends to be ſo, is as if a man ſhould deſire to be excuſed from being happy, becauſe he is reſolved to play the fool and to be miſerable. So that whether our want of preparation be total, or only to ſome degree, it is every way unreaſonable. If it be in the degree only, it ought not to hinder us from receiving the Sacrament; If it be total, it ought to put us immediatly upon removing the impediment, by making ſuch preparation as is neceſſary to the due and worthy receiving of it. And this brings me to the

IV. Fourth and laſt thing I propoſed, viz. What preparation of our ſelves is neceſſary in order to the worthy receiving of this Sacrament. Which I told you would give me occaſion to explain the Apoſtle's meaning in the laſt part of the Text, But let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. I think it very clear from the occaſion and circumſtances of the Apoſtle's diſcourſe concerning the Sacrament, that he does not intend the examination of our ſtate, whether we be Chriſtians or nor, and ſincerely reſolved to continue ſo; and conſequently that he does not here ſpeak of our habitual preparation by the reſolution of a good life. This he takes for granted, that they were Chriſtians and reſolved to continue and perſevere in their