Ceremony, which in other Places are fit and neceffary to be practifed towards one another; becaufe, when we are offering our Requests to the great God of Heaven and Earth, our Attention fhould be fo fixed, that we should have no Leifure to regard any Thing elfe. To this End, when we put our Bodies into a praying Pofture, with which I think leaning and lolling feems very inconfiftent, we fhould do well to fix our Eyes downwards, that we may not be diverted by any Objects near us; at the fame Time refolving not to fuffer them to gaze about, whereby they do but fetch in Matter for wandering Thoughts. A farther Help to this Attention is great Silence; therefore we should never join aloud with the Minifter but where it is enjoined, endeavouring to make it our own by an hearty Amen. Great Care must be taken not to repeat after the Minister what peculiarly relates to his Office; which I mention the rather, because I have frequently observed fome devout People following him that officiates in the Exhortation and Abfolution, as well as the Confeffion; which, if thoroughly confidered, mufst be adjudged a very abfurd and improper Expreffion of the Peoples' Devotion, becaufe a diftinguishing Part of the Prieft's Office.

Q. What Preparation of Mind is necessary for our joining in the public Prayers?

A. To abstract our Thoughts as much as we can from our worldly Bufinefs and Concerns, that we may call upon God with Attention and Application of Souls: To keep our Paffions in Order and Subjection, that none of them may interrupt us when we approach the Throne of Grace: To poffefs our Minds with fuch an awful Senfe of God's Prefence, that we may behave ourselves with Gravity and Reverence; to work in ourselves such a Senfe of our own Weakness and Infufficiency, as

may make us earneft for the Supplies of fupernatural Grace; fuch a Sorrow for our Sins, fuch Humiliation for them, and fuch a Readiness to forgive others, as may prevail upon God for the Sake of Chrift's Sufferings to forgive us: To recollect thofe many Bleffings which we have received, that we may fhew forth his Praise, not only with our Lips, but in our Lives, by giving up ourselves to his Service.

A more particular Account of Prayer, and the neceffary Qualifications to make it an acceptable Sacrifice, may be found in the Chapter on Rogation Days.

Q. How ought we to hear the Word of God read and preached to us?

A. With a Refolution of Mind to perform what we shall be convinced is our Duty; and with fuch a Submiffion of our Understanding, as is due to the Oracles of God: With a particular Application of general Instructions to the State of our own Minds, that we may grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. In order to this, we should give our Attention with great Luke viii. Reverence, and take Heed how we hear, left our Negligence be interpreted as a Contempt of that Authority which speaks to us.

18.

Q. How comes it to pass, that among those who hear God's holy Word read and preached to them, fo few are influenced thereby to reform their Lives?

A. It chiefly proceeds from the Strength of vicious Habits, which blind their Understandings, and difpofe them not to apprehend the Force of fuch Arguments as are urged to expofe the Folly of Sin, and the mifchievous Confequence of a wicked Life. Where Men's Affections are engaged, their Judgments are strangely perverted; this makes them ftifle the Checks of their Confciences, and quench thofe Sparks of Piety which

were

were kindled in their Education. When therefore Curiofity or Decency engages them to hear a Sermon, they fix their Attention upon the Ornaments of their Difcourfe, and find Fault with the Manner of the Compofition, when their Thoughts never dwell upon the main Subject recommended. But when Men have long refifted the Solicitations of God's Minifters, he may juftly give them up to a reprobate Senfe, and withdraw that Grace which they have abused; and then it is no Wonder they turn the most serious Things into Ridicule, and hear the Terrors of the Lord without the leaft Emotion.

Q. But why do not the good Defires, which are raifed in fome People's Minds by hearing God's Word, produce the Fruit of Virtue in their Conversa

tions ?

A. Because many imagine when they have been affected with a Sermon, that the great End of hearing is fulfilled; when, alas! the main Matter, which is the putting ufeful Inftructions into Practice, is still behind. God indeed hath done his Part when he enlightens our Minds; but then it is our Business to walk as Children of the Light. Others fuffer the Cares and Pleasures of this Life to destroy the good Seed that is fown in their Hearts; they apply their Minds fo immediately to other Objects, that even the Memory of those good Impreffions is erafed. Some find their evil Habits fo ftrong, that they defpair of conquering them, and therefore are difcouraged in profecuting the Convictions of their own Confciences; but a mighty Refolution, with the Affiftance of God's Grace, will overcome great Difficulties; and it is a good Sign God will enable us to perform our Duty, when he so earnestly folicits us to undertake it. Others fink under a Senfe of their own Weaknefs, and fearing they fhould not perfevere, aban

don

• Pet. i. 20.

don an Enterprize which they think themselves not able to go through with. But Perfeverance is a Gift of God, which he ordinarily bestows on those that are not wanting to themselves, and who depend upon him in the Ufe of all thofe Means, which he hath established for the making their Calling and Election fure.

Q. How ought we to prepare ourselves to receive the boly Sacrament?

A. They who have never received the holy Sacrament, ought to inform themselves carefully in the Nature and End of this facred Inflitution, what is meant by this Holy Action, to what Purpose it was ordained, what Benefits and Advantages may be expected from it. This neceffary Knowledge once attained, and which may be compaffed without great Difficulty, is a ftanding Qualification in all our future Communions. And as for all other pious Difpofitions of Mind which make us fit Guefts at the Lord's Table, they are the fame we are obliged to by our Baptifmal Vow, and are neceffary in the Course of a Chriftian Life, and in the Ufe of all other Means of Grace: For, except we confefs our Sins with an humble, penitent, and obedient Heart, and are ready to forgive those that have offended us, and afk with Faith, even our Prayers and Praises will find no Acceptance at the Throne of Grace. The best Preparation for the Sacrament is a conftant Endeavour to live as becomes Chriftians; for they who really believe the Chriftian Religion, and fin cerely govern their Lives by the Doctrines and Precepts of the Gofpel, have all that fubftantial Preparation that qualifies Men to partake of this holy Ordinance; and ought to receive at any Time when there is an Opportunity, though they were not before-hand acquainted with it. Indeed when they have a Forefight of their communicat

ing, it is very advifeable they fhould trim their Lamps, examine the State of their Minds, renew their Repentance, exercife their Charity, enlarge their Devotions, fpiritualize their Affections; and, in order to this Purpose, fhould retire from Bufinefs and Pleafure; that by Prayer and Fafting, and Alms-deeds, their Minds may be raised to relifh fpiritual Enjoyments; but ftill great Care must be taken, when a Man is habitually prepared, that he doth not impofe upon himself fo much actual Preparation as fhall make him lofe an Opportunity of receiving the Sacrament, when he hath not had Time to go through with that Method he hath prescribed to himself.

Q. What makes a Man abfolutely unfit to receive the holy Sacrament?

A. The living in the conftant habitual Practice of any known Sin, without Repentance; fuch a Man's Approach to the holy Table would be a mocking of God, and a great Contempt of his Authority; and though the ancient Difcipline of the Church is at a low Ebb among us, yet there is ftill Power to debar fuch fcandalous and open Sin- Can. so, ners the holy Communion, and a particular Order to Parochial Minifters not to admit fuch. And this Impenitence makes our Prayers alfo an Abomination to the Lord; for to profefs ourselves forry for our Sins, and refolved to forfake them, when we have no Sense of the one, nor are determined to do the other, is the greatest Affront imaginable to our Maker, by fuppofing either that he doth not know our Hearts, or that he will be pleased, when we draw near to him with our Lips, though our Hearts are far from him.

Q. What is that unworthy receiving, and the Punishment of it, taken Notice of by St. Paul in his 1 Cor. xi Epiftle to the Corinthians

29.

A. The