Page:Perswasive to frequent communion (2).pdf/7

 our Lord, during his abſence from us; that is, till his coming to Judgement, then this Sacrament will never be out of date till the ſecond coming of our Lord. The conſideration whereof ſhould mightily ſtrengthen and encourage our Faith, in the hope of Eternal Life, ſo often as we partake of this Sacrament; ſince our Lord hath left it to us as a memorial of himſelf till he come, to tranſlate his Church into Heaven, and as a ſure pledge that he will come again at the end of the World, and inveſt us in that Glory, which he is now gone before to prepare for us. So that as often as we approach the Table of the Lord, we ſhould comfort our ſelves with the thoughts of that bleſſed time, when we ſhall eat and drink with him in his Kingdom, and ſhall be admitted to the great Feaſt of the Lamb, and to eternal Communion with God, the Judge of all, and with our bleſſed and glorified Redeemer, and the holy Angels, and the Spirits of Juſt men made perfect.

And the ſame conſideration ſhould likewiſe make

us afraid to receive this Sacrament unworthily, without due Preparation for it, and without worthy effects of it upon our Hearts and Lives. Becauſe of that dreadfull ſentence of condemnation, which at the ſecond coming of our Lord ſhall be paſt upon thoſe, who by the profanation of this ſolemn Inſtitution trample under foot the Son of God, and contemn the blood of the Covenant; that Covenant of Grace and Mercy, which God hath ratified with Mankind by the Bloud of his Son. The Apoſtle tells us, that he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, is guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord, and eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelf. This indeed is ſpoken of temporal Judgment (as I ſhall ſhew in the latter part of this Diſcourſe) but the Apoſtle likewiſe ſuppoſeth, that if theſe temporal Judgments had not their effect, to bring men to repentance, but they ſtill perſiſted in the profanation of this holy Sacrament, they ſhould at laſt be condemned with the world. For as he that partaketh worthily of this Sacrament, confirms his intereſt in the promiſes of the Goſpel, and his Title to eternal life; ſo he that receives this Sacrament unworthily, that is, without due reverence, and without fruits