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"their state of death, and then partake of the bread "of life. They that are at enmity with their neighbours must come, that is no excuse for "their not coming; only they must not bring their enmity along with them, but leave it, and then come. They that have a variety of secular employments must come only they must leave their "secular thoughts and affections behind them, and "then come and converse with God. If any man "be well grown in grace, he must needs come; "because he is excellently disposed to so holy a "feast: but he that is but in the infancy of piety "had need to come, that so he may grow in grace. "The strong must come, lest they become weak; "and the weak, that they may become strong. "The sick must come to be cured, the healthful "to be preserved. They that have leisure must

come, because they have no excuse; they that "have no leisure must come hither, that by so ex"cellent an act of religion they may sanctify their "business. The penitent sinners must come, that "they may be justified; and they that are justified, that they may be justified still* ̧”

Such are the arguments, my dear Sir, by which I have convinced myself of the absolute duty of frequent and regular communion; and so far am I now from considering the attendance upon the holy altar as a burden, which one cannot but fear is the

Taylor's Art of Holy Living, chap. iv. sect. 19.

case with too many, I am sensible, that to be permitted to perform this duty is a high and inestimable privilege, as well as a duty. I have now therefore, myself arrived at this determination, never to turn my back upon the holy table, when it is prepared for my reception. From this practice I have derived a peace of mind, a steadiness of motives to good conduct, and a consolation under the pressure, both of sorrow for the loss of friends, and of frequent pain and bodily infirmity; which by the grace of God, I trust, no worldly considerations could now induce me to relinquish or forego, by a contrary conduct.

I cannot do better than close what I have to say upon this most interesting subject, with the conclusion of a sermon, of one *, who is as bright Juminary of our venerable church at this day, as the pious and most excellent Prelate, whose works I have lately quoted, was in the seventeenth century. I quote from a sermon preached on this subject, at the Magdalen Chapel; and if there be any thing in what the devout preacher has said, applicable to your own case, I trust your good sense will make and improve the application. “I wish, in conclusion," says this energetic and pious divine, 66 to draw your attention to a circumstance of importance, which particularly offers itself to our no

*The now worthy Dean of Canterbury and Rector of St. James's Westminster, the Rev. Gerrard Andrewes, D. D.

tice, both from the subject before us, and the place in which we now are. They who minister at the altar, are witnesses of a truth much to be lamented, that very few of our sex, in comparison with the other, ever are partakers of the Lord's Supper; and much it is to be feared, that a determination to proceed in the deliberate commission of that deadly sin, which fills this house with woe, is by many made a reason for neglecting the indispensable duty of receiving the Holy Sacrament; and they vainly imagine, that, by not partaking of it, they may sin with a greater chance of impunity. They assume, moreover, a kind of merit to themselves in abstaining from it, as if it indicated a laudable fear of eating and drinking unworthily. Alas! how much are they mistaken! for let us consider a little. The Scriptures, that is, the law by which we are all to be judged at the last day, expressly forbid fornication as a sin, which, if persevered in, without repentance, will certainly exclude us from the kingdom of Heaven; and they also command the receiving of the Holy Sacrament, as a means of obtaining grace and salvation:—whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, saith our Saviour, hath eternal life. Now imagine, for illustration, that you had a child, in a state improper to appear before his parents from want, let us say of cleanliness in his person; and imagine also, that he is

The Magdalen Hospital.

admonished to make himself ready that he may attend his duty; suppose he replies, that he is not in a fit state, that he will not prepare himself, and therefore he cannot perform the duty enjoined ; would you in this case look upon him as excusable? or would you not rather regard him as deserving double blame, who knowing what is right, insolently refuses to perform it, and dares to plead onc offence, as a reason for committing another? It is the same with respect to yourselves. Your souls, in the sight of God, are covered with impurity; and he exhorts you to cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that you may take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; and can you be so weak as to suppose, that your wickedness in the former point will be diminished because you refuse to listen to your Redeemer in the latter? If there are any here, to whom what I have now said, is in any degree applicable; let me entreat them to break off instantly, that fellowship, with which Christ can have no agreement. Let them remember, that to reject the blood of the covenant, because they are unworthy, through the habitual commission of any knówn sin, is to render that unworthiness still greater: whilst, on the contrary, to forsake their sins, that they may seek acceptance with their Redeemer, is to render that acceptance sure."

I here quit this subject with these most forcible arguments of my excellent friend; and though you

e Lord's

way think I have said too much, yet if the result shall be, after a careful and attentive perusal, that you shall become a regular attennt at Table, where I shall have much comfort in meeting you, your labour in reading, and mine in writing, will be rewarded by the pr duction of much solid fruit, and, I trust, endless satisfaction to us both.

With anxious concern for your present and eternal happiness,

I remain, dear Sir, &c.

LAICUS.

NOTE. I have been much urged by a valuable friend, to recommend some book of preparation for this holy rite. But where there are so many good books, it is difficult to fix upon any one, to the exclusion of others. My objection to most of these works is, that they are too long, and many people of weak consciences imagine, that unless they have gone through the whole course of devotion, therein prescribed, they are not fit to approach the holy altar. This is, in my opinion, an unhappy mistake, and cannot be too soon eradicated. But were I to give a preference to any books, my own choice would be fixed upon Bishop Wilson's work, and The Companion to the Altar (and of these two I