The great duty of frequenting the Christian sacrifice, and the nature of the preparation required. To which is prefixed Instructions for confirmation

commemorating the death and passion of our blessed

Saviour.

To this holy end and purpose I have endeavoured by proper arguments to press the duty of frequent communion upon the consciences of men; for all those motives that persuade us to communicate at all, ought to prevail upon us to do it often; and it appears to me very plain, that no sincere Christian, not otherwise lawfully hindered, can justify going out of the church when the Christian Sacrifice is celebrated; nor is there any pretence or excuse sufficiently valid for a man that is in earnest with religion, to turn his back upon the holy table when the heavenly banquet is there prepared.

I have no design to push those forward that have pitched their tents in the quarters of the enemy; because being under the power of evil habits, their receiving, as well as their praying, must aggravate their crimes, and increase their condemnation; they cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and live and blaspheme as if they partook of the table of devils. And it is in vain to persuade such people to be converted, in order to make themselves fit to receive often, because this motive will make little or no impression upon those that are so destitute of

faith and the love of God. But I hope all such honest minds and candid readers, who have a just concern for the welfare of their souls, will consider so seriously the weight of those answers that are given to the most plausible objections against frequent communion, as to reform this neglect, if they have been hitherto guilty.

I have, moreover, set in its true light the great care our holy mother, the Church of England, has taken to prevent the profanation of the Lord's Supper; and did our own members govern themselves more exactly according to such admirable rules, or did those who differ from us more thoroughly weigh the excellency of them, we should hear no more of those objections they are wont to make against our discipline in this point.

I have particularly taken care to shew that this Christian institution was ordained, not only to put us in mind of those great blessings which our Saviour purchased for us by His death,-for what man that reflects upon his Christianity can easily forget them? -but that it was also established as a sacred rite, to supplicate God the Father by the merits of our Saviour's passion, representing to Him the symbols of His body and blood, that thereby He may become

favourable and propitious to us. This sense of it is agreeable to the holy Scriptures, as they were understood by those who lived nighest to the times of the apostles, and has been evidently proved so by the learned, judicious, and pious Mr. Mede.

I must freely confess that the sum and substance of the following Treatise was printed, in a catechetical form, in the chapter of the Vigils in the Companion for the Festivals and Fasts of the Church of England; but in great deference to the concurrent judgment of some worthy divines and laymen of my acquaintance, it now appears in another dress, with some enlargements, more easily to be purchased by all sorts of people. They were so indulgent to the composition which they desired, as to think it might be serviceable to the interests of religion: an argument which, I am willing to own, I was not able to resist ; for I hope I shall be always ready to sustain the shock of the severest worldly censure when the providence of God offers me a probable opportunity of doing the least good.

To make it more effectual to that end, I have added upon this occasion the devotional part, which in some measure owes its original to the ancient liturgies of the Christian Church, which I have care

fully perused, and have transplanted many a pious thought and warm expression from those sources into this private composure.

I am very sensible this subject has exercised the pens of many learned and devout persons; and though I think we abound too much with discourses upon the argument of preparation, wherein the substance of practical divinity is introduced as if it was only necessary at such times; yet I am of the opinion we cannot exceed in multiplying books upon the devotional part; the tempers and apprehensions of men being so different, that what does not affect one may touch another; and so that substantial piety and devotion are improving, too many instruments cannot be employed in advancing them.