,transcribed from the #ahaa seventh     
edition ,j4 ,hatchard edition by ,david 
,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org          
,picture3 ,pamphlet cover               
,,an                                    
,,earnest ,,exhortation                 
,,to                            ,a      
,,frequent ,,reception                  
,,of ,,the                              
,holy ,sacrament                        
,,of ,,the                              
,,lord',s ,,supper4                     
,,particularly ,,addressed ,,to         
,,young ,,persons4                      
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,by ,a ,,layman4                       
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,seventh ,,edition4                    
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,london3                               
,,printed ,,for ,j4 ,,hatchard1         
,,bookseller ,,to ,,her ,,majesty1      
,,no4 #aij1 ,,opposite ,,albany ,,house1
 ,,piccadilly4                          
#ahaa4                                  

99 99 99 99 99                   ,price 
#c;d4 or #bs4 #f;d4 per ,dozen4         
99 99 99 99 99                          
99 99 99 99 99             ,s4          
,,gosnell1 ,printer1 ,little ,queen     
,street1 ,london4                       
,,advertisement  ,,to ,,the  ,,second   
,,edition4      ,,the ,author of the    
following ,tract cannot hope that he has
 said any thing  new upon this important
 subject2 but having had occasion to    
consider the  objections usually made by
 young persons1 to excuse their         
non-attendance  on this sacred          
ordinance1 he trusts he has been able to
 place the answers  to those objections 
in a new point of view1 and to compress 
in a few  pages1 what his reading and   
memory supplied from various sources4   
,the ,letter1 as it purports to have    
been1 was written to a gentleman1 who   
had expressed to the ,author many of the
 scruples here obviated2 and by  the    
strong solicitation of two or three     
respectable friends1 who were of        

opinion that it was calculated to do    
much good1 he was induced to give it  a 
more extensive circulation4  ,that much 
good has been done by the  publication  
of this little ,tract the ,author has   
the comfort and  satisfaction of knowing
 upon undoubted testimony4  ,and when   
his  ,bookseller informs him1 that in a 
period of less than nine months the     
whole of the first impression1          
consisting of three thousand copies1 has
  been disposed of1 may he not be       
allowed to hope that it has done much   
more extensive good than can possibly be
 known8 #d;a  ,the ,author1  therefore1 
though a ,layman1 and though to the     
clergy is more peculiarly  committed the
 charge of bringing men to the love and 
obedience of ,jesus  ,christ1 trusts he 
is not offending against the respect and
 reverence due  to their sacred function
 and ministry1 if 8with ,christian      
solicitude1  seizing every opportunity  
which his station affords him of        
strengthening  others in genuine faith1 

and of upholding and advancing them in  
holiness10 #d;b he sends forth a second 
large and improved edition of a  ,tract1
 for which there has been so great a    
demand4    ,september1 #ahjd4           
,,an  ,,earnest ,,exhortation1  c4      
,,dear ,,sir1    ,,having made you a    
solemn promise upon a most important    
subject1 ,i proceed  to discharge it in 
the best manner ,i am able4  ,had not   
this promise been  made to one whose    
best interests ,i have so much at heart1
 ,i should regret  my having given it1  
from a conscious inability to perform it
 as the  subject deserved4  ,but ,i know
 you will excuse the performance1 and ,i
  humbly trust that it will be attended 
with the desired effect4    ,of the     
importance of the duty of receiving the 
sacrament of the ,lord's  ,supper1 no   
man1 who believes1 as you do1 the       
,scriptures to be the  revealed word of 
,god1 and that it is our duty to        
practise whatever they  have expressly  
and positively commanded1 will require  

any arguments  to be convinced4  ,now1  
no command can be more express than     
that1 which  requires all ,christians to
 receive the communion of the body and  
blood  of ,christ4  ,in the institution 
of this holy communion1 our blessed     
,lord  says1 8,take1 eat1 this is my    
body1 which is given for you3 this do1  
in  remembrance of me40  ,and he also   
said1 8,drink ye all of this cup1 for   
this is my blood of the ,new ,testament1
 which is shed for many for the         
remission of sins2 this do ye1 as oft as
 ye drink it1 in remembrance  of me40   
#f;a  ,and the great ,apostle of the    
,gentiles1 in giving an account  of this
 sacred rite to his ,corinthian         
converts1 and which he expressly  states
 himself to have received 7by tradition 
or communication #f;b7 of  the ,lord1   
and which1 as he received it1 so he     
delivered to them1 adds1  8,for as often
 as ye eat this bread1 and drink this   
cup1 ye do show  7or1 as it is in the   
original1 declare aloud1 or proclaim7   

the  ,lord's death till he comes40 #f;c 
,this is the command2 and it surely     
must be admitted to be an express       
injunction4    ,what benefits1 then1 may
 we not humbly expect to derive from our
  obedience to it8  ,the same divine    
word has assured us1 that our souls     
shall be thereby strengthened against   
the commission of future sins2 and  that
 those which we have committed1 if      
repented of and renounced1 shall  be no 
more remembered against us3 8,for       
whosoever10 saith the ,redeemer of      
mankind1 8eateth my flesh1 and drinketh 
my blood1 hath eternal life1 and  ,i    
will raise him up at the last day40     
#g;a  ,hear also his own tremendous     
declaration6  ,,he has said1 and has    
introduced the declaration by two       
asseverations of the certainty of the   
denunciation3 8,verily1 verily1 ,i  say 
unto you1 except ye eat the flesh of the
 ,son of ,man1 and drink his  blood1 ye 
have no life in you40 #g;b  ,what       
dangers1 then1 may we not  apprehend1 if

 we disobey this command6 and under what
 awful sanctions has  our ,saviour bound
 us to the observance of it6  ,this is a
 solemn and an  awful warning3 and it   
might be thought1 if sad experience did 
not prove  the contrary1 that when such 
blessings follow the performance1 and   
such  dangers may attend the neglect of 
this positive duty1 nothing more need   
be said to ensure the obedience1 and    
awaken the fears of every one1 who      
professes to believe in the truths of   
revelation4  ,to a man of an  ingenuous 
mind and a tender heart1 the time and   
manner of instituting  this sacred rite 
furnish a most powerful motive to       
obedience4  ,a very  short time before  
his death1 our blessed ,lord had a most 
affecting  interview with his disciples3
 he confirms their faith2 he prepares   
them  for the trials they were to       
endure2 he animates their hopes by the  
promise of assistance from above2 and   
finally1 commends them to his  ,father  
in strains of the most pure and sublime 

devotion4 #h  ,it was in  this most     
interesting moment1 that he instituted  
this holy feast to be  the harbinger of 
peace to the returning sinner1 and the  
consolation of  the faithful to the end 
of time3 and1 as an additional          
incitement to the  performance of it1 he
 was pleased to command1 that all this  
should be  done in remembrance of him4  
,supposing we derived no benefit to     
ourselves from this ,sacrament1 as the  
means of grace1 what heart that is not  
dead to every virtuous feeling1  could  
refuse to comply with this command1 as a
 mere act of gratitude to  such a       
,saviour6 to ,him1 who was moved with   
such compassion for the sons  of men1 as
 to leave the glories of ,heaven1 and to
 take our nature upon  him1 to make     
satisfaction in that nature for our     
sins8  ,it was at that  awful moment1   
when1 as ,man1 his soul was exceedingly 
sorrowful1 on  account of the heavy     
burden of our sins1 then lying upon him1
 that our  dying ,saviour graciously    

bequeathed this holy ordinance1 to      
distinguish  all his faithful followers1
 requiring them and all1 who expect any 
benefit from his death1 to commemorate  
it after the manner which he has        
ordained4  ,when it is recollected1 that
 all this happened the very night       
before our gracious and affectionate    
,redeemer was bruised for our           
iniquities1 and expired upon the cross  
for our transgressions1 can  any        
,christian profess that he loves his    
,saviour1 and that he is  grateful for  
his bitter sufferings1 and yet wantonly 
and continually  turn his back upon this
 sacred feast1 instituted at a time and 
under  circumstances so peculiarly      
affecting8    ,but as ,i am addressing  
one1 who professes to be a ,christian1  
,i expect to  be told1 that you know    
that ,christ has given this command1    
that you are  assured of the benefits to
 be derived from obedience1 and aware of
 the  punishment denounced against      
disobedience4  ,if you know all these   

things1  do1 my dear friend1 consider1  
that to know what is right1 and wilfully
  and repeatedly to err against that    
knowledge1 is the very highest pitch  of
 criminality3 and let me conjure you    
also to remember1 who it is that  has   
said1 that the servant who knew his     
,lord's will1 and did it not1  shall be 
beaten with many stripes4    ,i am      
willing1 however1 to believe that you   
have hitherto been  restrained from     
attending the holy altar1 from an       
apprehension that your  life has not    
been answerable to what you conceive it 
ought to be1 in  order to a worthy      
reception of the body and blood of      
,christ3 and you  stifle the suggestions
 of your conscience with flattering     
hopes1 that you  may live to be more    
worthy1 and that you may yet have1 after
 your course  of life shall have become 
more conformable to the dictates of the 
,gospel1  many opportunities of         
communicating4    ,this is the          
difficulty ,i undertook to obviate2 and 

always supposing  myself to be          
addressing a ,christian1 ,i think ,i    
shall find it no difficult  task4  ,let 
us examine this matter1 and begin with  
the hopes you have  expressed1 that you 
shall yet have many opportunities of    
worthily  communicating4  ,i trust that 
you will have many2 but what will be the
  dreadful consequence1 should you die  
before you have embraced any of  those  
which have been presented to you1 of    
giving this testimony of your           
obedience1 love1 and gratitude1 and     
wholly destitute of those graces and    
blessings which the devout performance  
of this duty is so well calculated  to  
produce and to secure8  ,you must also1 
,i should hope sorrowfully1  recollect  
how many opportunities have already been
 graciously vouchsafed  to you1 how many
 invitations 7at least twelve or fifteen
 in every year7  #aj have been given1   
which you have hitherto neglected2 and  
considering  how much is to be done in a
 short time1 for the attainment of      

heaven1 the  best of us have no         
opportunities to spare2 for who can tell
 but the  next may be the last afforded 
to us8    ,if the sacred rite now       
insisted upon1 were merely commemorative
 of the  death of our beloved and       
crucified ,saviour1 such a plea as this1
 must  still subject those who urge it1 
to the charge of base ingratitude3 but  
when it is considered1 as it truly is1  
as the best means of grace  bestowed by 
a merciful ,god upon a sinful world1 the
 continued neglect of  it must also     
brand us with the grossest stupidity1   
folly1 and  self-destruction4    ,as to 
the plea of unworthiness3 are you       
therefore1 because you are  unworthy1 as
 all are in many respects1 to abstain   
altogether from  receiving8  ,certainly 
not4  ,you are commanded1 having first  
considered  the nature1 object1 and end 
of this holy ,sacrament1 to examine     
yourself1 whether you are desirous to   
perform the will of ,god1 and to  render
 him an acceptable service2 and so to   

communicate4  ,if you thus  consider it1
 you may have faults1 you may fall into 
error2 but this  ,sacrament is the      
appointed method1 by which you may hope 
to obtain  pardon for your faults1 and  
grace to guard you against error for the
 time  to come4  ,if you say1 you are a 
great sinner1 and are afraid to come2 ,i
  answer1 ,even the greatest sinner1 if 
he is really sorry for the past1  and   
intends to lead a new life1 cannot any  
where expect to plead for  mercy1       
through the merits of ,christ1 better   
than at his altar1 and in the  manner   
which he has graciously appointed4  ,in 
short1 he that cometh not  at all1 is in
 a no less dangerous state1 than he who 
cometh unworthily2  that is1 who comes1 
resolving to continue in his sin2 the   
former1  because he uses not his best   
remedy against sin2 the latter1 because 
he abuses it2 and both1 while in that   
state1 must fall short of the  glory of 
,god4    ,now1 observing1 as ,i do1 your
 great anxiety to do all the good to    

your  fellow-creatures1 that you have it
 in your power to perform2 and          
believing that you thus act from no     
worldly or ostentatious motives1 but  in
 obedience to the will of ,god1 the only
 true and solid principle of  action in 
the breast of a sincere ,christian2 and 
observing also1 that you  attend the    
public services of religion1 at least   
one day in a week2 ,i am  convinced that
 you cannot live in the habits of vice1 
or in the  unrestrained indulgence of   
any wilful sin4  ,if ,i am right1 and   
you have  only been subject to          
occasional lapses from a virtuous course
 of life1  the effect of a sudden       
surprise1 or violent temptation1 that is
 the  very reason why you should come to
 the ,lord's table2 because if you      
earnestly desire to conquer that vice1  
whatever it be1 which most easily       
besets you1 and come with an honest     
heart1 and sincere purposes of          
amendment2 it is our comfort1 in the    
midst of our imperfections1 that our    

,god expects no more from us1 than he   
will enable us to perform2 and that     
even as a father pitieth his own        
children1 so will the ,lord be merciful 
unto them that fear him2 for he knoweth 
whereof we are made1 he  remembereth    
that we are but dust4 #ac;a  ,but while 
he is thus merciful  and gracious1 he   
does expect this2 that we be sincere in 
what we  profess1 and that we go to him 
for help by those ways and ordinances1  
which he has mercifully vouchsafed to   
afford us1 as our comfort in this  life1
 and our guide to everlasting happiness4
  ,still1 ,i hear you persist  in       
expressing your fears1 lest1 after      
having received this blessed food1  you 
should relapse into sin4  ,probably you 
may2 and so have the best of  men that  
have lived before you4  ,but ,i am      
convinced of this 7supposing  you not to
 be an habitual sinner71 that the       
oftener you attend this  holy           
,sacrament1 purposing to amend your     
life1 and to walk from  thenceforth in  

,god's holy ways1 though you should     
still occasionally  fall1 the less and  
less frequent will those relapses be1   
till they  altogether cease2 #ac;b and  
be assured1 that he who1 with pious     
diffidence1 forces himself1 as it were1 
to approach that table in  obedience to 
,god's will1 and because he finds that1 
without it1 he is  unable to cleanse his
 way1 is better prepared than he is     
aware of4  ,come  unto me all ye that   
travail1 and are heavy laden 7with the  
burden of  your sins71 and ,i will give 
you rest1 #ad is ,christ's gracious     
invitation and promise to sinners4  ,and
 if you desire to be relieved from  such
 occasional relapses1 you ought1        
undoubtedly1 to obey this merciful      
call2 for the denunciations against the 
unworthy reception of this  ,sacrament1 
apply to those1 who1 at the moment of   
receiving1 not only have  not forsaken  
their sins1 but are continuing in the   
wilful and  habitual commission of known
 sins4    ,but another argument on this 

subject overpowers me with its weight2  
and ,i  trust1 my dear friend1 it will  
produce a similar effect on you4  ,i    
know  you would be greatly shocked1 as  
,i should be1 to be told1 that we were  
unfit to approach our ,maker1 in the    
ordinary devotions of the closet1 or  to
 join our fellow ,christians in the     
daily service of the church4  ,and  yet 
it is your duty and mine to consider    
7what is most certainly true71  that    
every act of religion1 whether public or
 private1 requires the  same            
dispositions of mind1 namely1 repentance
 of past sins1 and purposes  of future  
amendment1 as the celebration of the    
,sacrament4  ,no man is fit  to approach
 the throne of ,god in that divine form 
of prayer which ,christ  himself hath   
taught us1 or in any other1 if he is    
then living in  habitual violation of   
his laws2 for that is to pray with his  
lips1  while his heart is far from ,god2
 and this we know is declared to be     
mockery in his sight4  ,praying         

unworthily1 that is1 without reverence  
and godly fear1 and whilst we live in   
the love and habitual indulgence  of any
 known and deliberate sin1 will be      
equally offensive to the eye of         
spotless ,purity1 as unworthily         
communicating4  ,if this reflection were
  duly attended to1 men would discover1 
that the common excuses alleged for     
non-attendance at the altar1 if pursued 
through all their consequences1  would  
necessarily lead to the casting off     
every branch of social and  private     
worship4 #ae  ,do not imagine that ,i   
seek to depreciate this  sacred         
ordinance1 or to lessen the reverence   
due to it2 for ,i readily  admit1 that  
whoever is determined to indulge in the 
practice of known  sins1 and to         
persevere in a wicked course of life1   
ought not to come  to the table of the  
,lord3 but ,i most earnestly entreat you
 7if you are  such a one1 as ,i trust   
you are not7 to consider the danger of  
your state3  to such a one ,i say1 ,if  

you are not fit to receive the          
,sacrament1 you are  not fit to pray2   
and1 oh horrible thought6 you are not   
fit to die4  ,so  far am ,i from        
depreciating this blessed institution1  
that ,i wish it to be  universally      
regarded1 and resorted to by all        
,christians1 as the best  means of      
grace1 and a pledge to assure us of     
,god's favour to his people3  but ,i am 
also desirous to convince you1 that     
reverence and respect are  equally      
required1 and a general good life and   
virtuous conduct are no  less essential 
to the right performance of those       
ordinary duties of  prayer and praise1  
which by too many are performed in      
compliance with  custom1 and regarded as
 mere matters of course2 whereas there  
is not one  of these duties1 the due    
performance of which 7,i repeat this    
idea for  its importance7 does not      
require the same sorrow for past sins1  
the  same steadfast purposes of         
amendment1 the same faith in ,christ1   

and  the same charity to men1 as        
communicating at the holy table4  ,no   
man  is1 or can be1 accepted by ,god1 in
 the performance of any of these        
duties1 who is not fit to come to the   
other4  ,no man1 who has a just  sense  
of the nature of this holy ,sacrament1  
who has sincerely repented  of his past 
sins1 who is desirous of leading a good 
life1 and in  general does so1 can ever 
be unprepared for the ,lord's ,supper2  
no man1  who leads a bad life1 can ever 
come properly prepared to that1 or to   
any other ,christian ordinance whatever4
  ,as to previous1 special  preparation1
 this is all well1 and ought never to be
 omitted1 where men  have opportunities 
for it2 and it is quite clear that we   
cannot take too  much pains in          
self-examination1 or in raising our     
affections to ,god4  ,but  to think that
 by these preparations alone we are1 and
 that without  them we cannot be        
prepared1 is a grievous and dangerous   
error4  ,even  our preparatory1 or our  

ordinary prayers1 if we hold fast any   
darling sin1 or adhere to any habitual  
vice1 are an abomination and a  mockery 
of ,god4  ,prayers1 when added to a     
general good life1 are1  indeed1 an     
admirable preparation2 and nothing can  
be depended upon as a  security against 
vice1 but a frequent and reverent       
reception of the  ,holy ,sacrament1 and 
endeavouring to live every day1 as if we
 were  daily to communicate4  ,this is  
the true1 this is the only preparation2 
and he that with such impressions       
communicates1 though at a minute's      
warning1 will never be rejected by ,him1
 who was touched with a feeling of  our 
infirmities4  ,on the contrary1 such a  
man will find this holy rite to  be1    
what its all-bountiful ,author intended 
it should be to all faithful            
,christians1 a support and a comfort in 
every situation of life2 it will        
confirm his faith and good resolutions1 
elevate his hopes1 and increase  his    
charity2 it will bring to his mind      

assurances of forgiveness and           
acceptance1 in that tremendous hour1    
when we are taught most earnestly  to   
pray that no pains of death may make us 
fall from ,god3 it will enable  him to  
support those pains with ,christian     
fortitude1 because he will feel  that   
they are to be his introduction to      
eternal joy4    ,a great master in the  
art of holy living1 the most excellent  
and pious  ,bishop ,jeremy ,taylor1 has1
 in so pointed and convincing a manner1 
enforced this duty upon all descriptions
 of ,christians1 and his reasoning  so  
strongly confirms what ,i have already  
advanced1 that ,i cannot deny  myself   
the pleasure of transcribing the        
passage4        8,all ,christian people 
must come to this holy supper4  ,they1  
indeed1 that are in a state of sin must 
not come so1 but yet they      must     
come2 first1 they must quit their state 
of death1 and then      partake of the  
bread of life4  ,they that are at enmity
 with their      neighbours must come1  

that is no excuse for their not coming2 
only      they must not bring their     
enmity along with them1 but leave it1   
and then come4  ,they that have a       
variety of secular employments      must
 come2 only they must leave their       
secular thoughts and affections         
behind them1 and then come and converse 
with ,god4  ,if any man be      well    
grown in grace1 he must needs come2     
because he is excellently      disposed 
to so holy a feast3 but he that is but  
in the infancy of      piety had need to
 come1 that so he may grow in grace4    
,the      strong must come1 lest they   
become weak2 and the weak1 that they    
may become strong4  ,the sick must come 
to be cured1 the healthful      to be   
preserved4  ,they that have leisure must
 come1 because they      have no excuse2
 they that have no leisure must come    
hither1 that by      so excellent an act
 of religion they may sanctify their    
business4      ,the penitent sinners    
must come1 that they may be justified2  

and      they that are justified1 that  
they may be justified still40 #ai       
,such are the arguments1 my dear ,sir1  
by which ,i have convinced myself of    
the absolute duty of frequent and       
regular communion2 and so far am  ,i now
 from considering the attendance upon   
the holy altar as a burden1  which one  
cannot but fear is the case with too    
many1 ,i am sensible1 that  to be       
permitted to perform this duty is a high
 and inestimable  privilege1 as well as 
a duty4  ,i have now1 therefore1 myself 
arrived at  this determination1 never to
 turn my back upon the holy table1 when 
it is  prepared for my reception4  ,from
 this practice ,i have derived a peace  
of  mind1 a steadiness of motives to    
good conduct1 and a consolation under   
the pressure1 both of sorrow for the    
loss of friends1 and of frequent  pain  
and bodily infirmity2 which by the grace
 of ,god1 ,i trust1 no worldly          
considerations could now induce me to   
relinquish or forego1 by a contrary     

conduct4    ,i cannot do better than    
close what ,i have to say upon this most
  interesting subject1 with the         
conclusion of a sermon1 of one1 #bj who 
is  as bright a luminary of our         
venerable church at this day1 as the    
pious  and most excellent ,prelate1     
whose works ,i have lately quoted1 was  
in the  seventeenth century4  ,i quote  
from a sermon preached on this subject1 
at  the ,magdalen ,chapel2 and if there 
be any thing in what the devout         
preacher has said1 applicable to your   
own case1 ,i trust your good sense  will
 make and improve the application4      
8,i wish1 in conclusion10 says this     
energetic and pious divine1 8to         
draw your attention to a circumstance of
 importance1 which      particularly    
offers itself to our notice1 both from  
the subject      before us1 and the     
place in which we now are4  ,they who   
minister at      the altar1 are         
witnesses of a truth much to be         
lamented1 that very      few of our sex1

 in comparison with the other1 ever are 
partakers of      the ,lord's ,supper2  
and much it is to be feared1 that a     
determination      to proceed in the    
deliberate commission of that deadly    
sin1 which      fills this house #ba    
with woe1 is by many made a reason for  
neglecting the indispensable duty of    
receiving the ,holy ,sacrament2      and
 they vainly imagine1 that1 by not      
partaking of it1 they may sin      with 
a greater chance of impunity4  ,they    
assume1 moreover1 a kind of      merit  
to themselves in abstaining from it1 as 
if it indicated a      laudable fear of 
eating and drinking unworthily4  ,alas6 
how much are      they mistaken6 for let
 us consider a little4  ,the            
,scriptures1 that      is1 the law by   
which we are all to be judged at the    
last day1      expressly forbid         
fornication as a sin1 which1 if         
persevered in1      without repentance1 
will certainly exclude us from the      
kingdom of      ,heaven2 and they also  

command the receiving of the ,holy      
,sacrament1      as a means of obtaining
 grace and salvation3--whoso eateth my  
flesh      and drinketh my blood1 saith 
our ,saviour1 hath eternal life4  ,now  
imagine1 for illustration1 that you had 
a child1 in a state improper      to    
appear before his parents from want1 let
 us say1 of cleanliness in      his     
person2 and imagine also1 that he is    
admonished to make himself      ready   
that he may attend his duty2 suppose he 
replies1 that he is      not in a fit   
state1 that he will not prepare himself1
 and      therefore he cannot perform   
the duty enjoined3 would you in this    
case look upon him as excusable8 or     
would you not rather regard him      as 
deserving double blame1 who knowing what
 is right1 insolently      refuses to   
perform it1 and dares to plead one      
offence1 as a reason      for committing
 another8  ,it is the same with respect 
to yourselves4      ,your souls1 in the 
sight of ,god1 are covered with         

impurity2 and he      exhorts you to    
cleanse yourselves from all filthiness  
of flesh and      spirit1 that you may  
take this holy ,sacrament to your       
comfort2 and      can you be so weak as 
to suppose1 that your wickedness in the 
former point will be diminished because 
you refuse to listen to your            
,redeemer in the latter8  ,if there are 
any here1 to whom what ,i have      now 
said1 is in any degree applicable2 let  
me entreat them to break      off       
instantly that fellowship1 with which   
,christ can have no      agreement4     
,let them remember1 that to reject the  
blood of the      covenant1 because they
 are unworthy1 through the habitual     
commission of any known sin1 is to      
render that unworthiness still          
greater3 whilst1 on the contrary1 to    
forsake their sins1 that they      may  
seek acceptance with their ,redeemer1 is
 to render that acceptance      sure40  
,i here quit this subject with these    
most forcible arguments of my  excellent

 friend2 and though you may think ,i    
have said too much1 yet if  the result  
shall be1 after a careful and attentive 
perusal1 that you  shall become a       
regular attendant at the ,lord's ,table1
 where ,i shall have  much comfort in   
meeting you1 your labour in reading1 and
 mine in writing1  will be rewarded by  
the production of much solid fruit1 and1
 ,i trust1  endless satisfaction to us  
both4    ,with anxious concern for your 
present and eternal happiness1          
,i remain1 dear ,sir1 c4                
,,laicus4                               
99 99 99 99 99    ,,note4--,i have been 
much urged by a valuable friend1 to     
recommend some book  of preparation for 
this holy rite4  ,but where there are so
 many good  books1 it is difficult to   
fix upon any one1 to the exclusion of   
others4  ,my objection to most of these 
works is1 that they are too long1 and   
many  people of weak consciences        
imagine1 that unless they have gone     
through  the whole course of devotion1  

therein prescribed1 they are not fit to 
approach the holy altar4  ,this is1 in  
my opinion1 an unhappy mistake1 and     
cannot be too soon eradicated4  ,but    
were ,i to give a preference to any     
books1 my own choice would be fixed upon
 ,bishop ,wilson's work1 and ,the       
,companion to the ,altar 7and of these  
two prefer the latter71 which used1  and
 ought always1 to be bound up with the  
,book of ,common ,prayer4  ,the         
,companion to the ,altar is excellent1  
founded upon the ,church ,catechism1    
and the prayers are complete1 without   
being tedious or enthusiastic4  ,and  if
 any one wishes to lengthen his         
devotions1 there is1 at the end of each 
preparatory prayer1 a reference to      
appropriate ,psalms--and they1 to use   
the words of the late pious ,mr4 ,jones1
 of ,nayland1 as applied by him to      
,bishop ,horne's beautiful ,commentary  
on these sacred ,songs1 will never      
cease to be the companion of the devout1
 till the devotion of earth shall  end  

in the hallelujahs of ,heaven4          
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,the ,,end4                            
99 99 99 99 99                          
99 99 99 99 99             ,s4          
,,gosnell1 ,printer1 ,little ,queen     
,street1 ,london4          ,,footnotes4 
#d;a  ,a seventh edition being now      
called for within about eight years     
from the first publication1 the ,author 
has the satisfaction of knowing  that   
eighteen thousand copies of this ,tract 
have been dispersed within  that period1
 each edition having consisted of three 
thousand copies4    #d;b  ,see          
,gisborn's ,serm4 vol4 ii4 p4 #aib4     
#f;a  ,see the institution of the       
,sacrament1 ,st4 ,matt4 chap4 xxvi4 and 
,st4  ,luke1 chap4 xxii4    #f;b  ,see  
,parkhurst's ,greek ,lexicon on the verb
 4    #f;c  #a ,corinth4 chap4 xi4 ver4 
#bf4    #g;a  ,st4 ,john1 chap4 vi4 ver4
 #ed4    #g;b  ,st4 ,john1 chap4 vi4    
ver4 #ec4    #h  ,this divine prayer    
occupies the #agth chapter of ,st4      

,john's ,gospel2  but the ,christian    
reader will do well to peruse the whole 
of the heavenly  discourse which        
preceded it1 and which is contained in  
the #acth1 #adth1  #aeth1 and #afth     
chapters of the ,gospel of the beloved  
disciple1 ,st4 ,john4    #aj  ,i could  
wish that these invitations were given  
by some of our  clergy1 in a more solemn
 and earnest manner than at all times   
prevails1  and that the whole           
,exhortation were read1 as it is in many
 churches in  the north of ,england4  ,i
 should think1 also1 it would be        
attended with a  very happy effect1     
which1 indeed1 ,i have known to be      
produced by it1 if  notice of the       
,sacrament were sometimes given by      
reading the second  ,exhortation1       
addressed 8to those who are negligent to
 come to the ,holy  ,communion20 the use
 of which1 ,i am afraid1 the state of   
most  congregations in this country will
 fully warrant4  ,and if1 after using   
either of these ,exhortations1 the kind 

and affectionate ,pastor would in  the  
course of his sermon pathetically and   
earnestly entreat his  congregation to  
attend the ensuing ,sacrament1 to which 
they have just  been invited1 as they   
value their soul's health1 occasionally 
explaining  any difficulty or scruple   
that may be likely to affect ordinary or
 young  minds upon a part of the first  
,exhortation1 ,i am confident the       
happiest  effects would frequently      
follow4    #ac;a  ,psalm ciii4 ver4 #ac1
 #ad4    #ac;b  ,i cannot here deny     
myself the pleasure of inserting in a   
note1 a  passage ,i have lately met with
 in ,mr4 ,archdeacon ,daubeny's ,guide  
to the  ,church 7a work which ought to  
be diligently perused by every          
affectionate and dutiful son of the     
venerable and apostolic church of       
,england71 and which peculiarly applies 
to our present subject3 8,it is a       
remark that has long since been made1   
that no man who prays can long  continue
 a sinner2 for either his praying will  

make him leave off  sinning1 or his     
sinning will make him leave off         
praying40 #ac;c  ,apply  this to that   
more solemn office or prayer and        
thanksgiving which is used  in the      
administration of the ,holy ,sacrament1 
let a man pray the prayers  of our      
,church1 and devoutly attend her        
,sacraments1 being in charity  with all 
men1 and we may venture to predict1 that
 religion will soon get  the mastery    
over such a man's worldly and sinful    
dispositions1 and that1  through the    
merits and atonement of ,christ1 his    
salvation is secure4    #ac;c  ,guide to
 the ,church1 #b;d edit4 vol4 i4 p4     
#bjb4    #ad  ,st4 ,matth4 chap4 xi4    
ver4 #bh4    #ae  ,in a prayer of       
preparation1 by the pious and excellent 
,bishop ,kenn1  in his ,manual1 which   
has fallen in my way1 since ,i wrote the
 above1 ,i  find this passage3 8,if     
thou1 ,lord1 shouldst be extreme to mark
 what ,i  have done amiss1 alas1 alas1  
,i am then unfit1 not only to           

communicate1  but to say even my daily  
prayers3 ,i know1 ,lord1 that if ,i     
should stay  till ,i am worthy to come1 
,i should then never come2 and1         
therefore1  though ,i am unworthy of so 
unspeakable a mercy1 yet ,i come to beg 
thy  grace to make me worthy1 or1 at    
least1 such as thou wilt                
accept40--,since  the third edition of  
this tract was published1 ,i have met   
with an  excellent sermon of ,dr4       
,benjamin ,calamy on this subject1 who  
draws a very  sensible distinction      
between unworthy receivers1 and         
receiving  unworthily4  ,unworthy       
receivers the best of men ever must be1 
but it  does not follow that the ,holy  
,sacrament is therefore received        
unworthily4    #ai  ,taylor's ,art of   
,holy ,living1 chap4 iv4 sect4 #aj4     
#bj  ,the now worthy ,dean of           
,canterbury and ,rector of ,st4 ,james's
  ,westminster1 the ,rev4 ,gerrard      
,andrewes1 ,d4,d4    #ba  ,the ,magdalen
 ,hospital4