Page:The Works of Samuel Johnson ... A journey to the Hebrides. The vision of Theodore, the hermit of Teneriffe. The fountains. Prayers and meditations. Sermons.v. 10-11. Parliamentary debates.pdf/409

 dispute the usefulness, or call in question the necessity of it, is to reform his religion, and to set up our own wisdom in opposition to his commands; and that to refuse the means of grace, is to place our confidence in our own strength, and to neglect the assistance of that Comforter, who came down from heaven according to the most true promise of our blessed Saviour, to lead the apostles out of darkness and errour, and to guide them and us into the clear light and certain knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ.

If we consider this sacrament as a renewal of the vow of baptism, and the means of reconciling us to God, and restoring us to a participation of the merits of our Saviour, which we had forfeited by sin, we shall need no persuasions to a frequent communion. For certainly nothing can be more dreadful than to live under the displeasure of God, in constant danger of appearing before him while he is yet unappeased, and of losing the benefits of our redemption. Whoever he be, whom sin has deluded and led away, let him not delay to return to his duty, lest some sudden disease seize upon him, and the hand of death cut him off for ever from any possibility of reformation, while he is indolent and voluptuous, irreligious, and profane. It will be too late to bewail his supineness, and lament his folly, when the dreadful and irrevocable sentence is past, and the gates of hell are closed upon him. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye on him while he is near! Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

But lest, instead of obtaining pardon, we aggravate our sins, by coming unprepared to the holy table, let us consider,

Lord's Supper.
 * What is required of them that come to the

With respect to the preparatory duties requisite to a worthy reception of the sacrament, Saint Paul has left