But as their piety grew lefs, fo their communions became less frequent; fo that at length they fell almost into a total neglect of the facrament: the ufage was confined to the devotion of a few ; the generality of Chriftians refrain'd whole years. from the holy table; and altho' fome covered their neglect with the fpecious pretence of refpect, yet indevotion, or rather forgetfulness of their falvation, was the real cause of their negligence. To prevent this inconvenience, the church has laid a precept on all her children to communicate at leaft three times in a year, of which Eafter to be one: First, Because then Christ was pleased to institute this great facrament; and, at his departure out of this world, to leave it as a pledge of his kindness, and a perpetual memorial of his paffion. Secondly, That we might rife at the fame time from the ftate of fin to that of grace, that our Saviour arose from death to life, and fo, by a spiritual refurrection to grace, accompany his real and corporeal refurrection to glory in a word, fhe has commanded these stated communions, that her children may not be permitted to lay afide all practice of religion; and certainly thofe, who wholly abfent themselves from this great duty, are not far from taking their farewel of all religion. Some have thought, that even an unworthy communion fatisfies the command of the church; but fhe has declared authentically, that thofe, who eat and drink the body and blood of Chrift unworthily, eat and drink their own damnation. Her intention, in obliging her children to this duty, was as it were to force them, at least, three times in the year to reconcile them felves to their Creator; and that the grace, receiv'd by this facrament, might enable them to continue in this good difpofition. If then any are fo unfortunate as to approach the holy table with a polluted heart, to avoid the cenfures of the church, or the dif-esteem of men, fuch must return with a due preparation, i. e. with a hearty forrow for all their Sins, and a firm purpose of amend ment. Certainly we cannot make too great preparation for the reception of the facrament, feeing damnation is threaten'd to thofe, who receive it unworthily, and life everlasting promised to those, who receive it worthily. The effential difpofition therefore to receive the fruits of this facrament, is the ftate of grace; but this is not all; we must approach with a lively faith and an inflamed love, with a heart detach'd from all inclinations to the leaft fin; for, as our Saviour has given himself entirely to us, fo we must consecrate every part of our body, every faculty of our foul, wholly to his fervice. Cry out with the centurion, Lord, I am not worthy, that thou shouldt come under my roof, Matth, viii. 8. I know my unworthinefs, and nothing but thy preffing invitation emboldens me to come to the holy banquet thy love has prepared. I rely upon no deferts of my own, but folely upon thy goodness. My defire is to obey thy orders, to accomplish thy designs, and to die to the world and all its deceiving vanities. Thefe humble fentiments move God's goodness, and excite him to liberality; to think ourselves worthy of his favour, is to deferve none; but God seldom fails to impart abundant graces to those, who pretend no other title to them but his bounty. Think what return you can make God for this inestimable benefit, how you can contribute to the increase of his fervice, to the augmentation of his glory; if you find an attachment to any thing that may endanger your virtue, or cool your zeal, fa crifice crifice it to his love; and tho' you cannot kill the paffion, you may abate the excefs, and force it within the bounds of reafon. Not only make his name known to your domefticks, but his law and take care (as much as you can) they practise what they believe, and ferve their Maker, with the fame fidelity they ferve you: when you take care of God's concerns, he never forgets yours. But the receiving the communion at these stated times only, tho' it complies with the precept of the church, does not fatisfy the duty of a Chriftian; and I am perfuaded we have the misfortune to fee so many disorders, because we fee fo few communicants. When a man lives the whole year in a fupine negligence of all that relates to his falvation, when he feldom implores God's grace in his prayers, and daily provokes vengeance by his fins; how can we think he is so prepared at Eafter, as to receive fuch a provision of grace, as will influence his conduct the year following, as will remove all obftacles to virtue, all allurements to vice? Some pretend, tho' they lead Chriftian lives, that they find themselves unworthy to frequent the facrament, that they want the perfection requifite to approach with fruit this holy table that this action demands the purity of an angel, the tranfports of a feraph, and the perfection of a cherub; that it is better to abftain with reverence and respect, than to receive often with lukewarmnefs. And, upon this pretext, they content themselves with two or three communions in the year, and make it a confiderable part of their devotion to cenfure those, whose piety calls oftner upon them to receive. But, firft, if we confider our indigence and neceffity, we fhould communicate every day. Our fouls want their food, as well as our bodies; and Christ has inftituted this facrament for our fpirtual nourishment, nourishment. For this reafon he fo often invites us to eat his flesh, and drink his blood; nay, and commands us to do it under pain of damnation. He has appointed the fymbols of bread and wine, to teach us, that it is as neceffary for the fupport of our spiritual life, as food for our corporeal. Secondly, Thofe, who demand a perfect fanctity, are in a great mistake, and whilst they pretend to honour the facrament, they dishonour it, by rendring it unneceffary and unprofitable: for, if I must. be a faint before I receive, to what purpose do I receive? God commands us to be perfect, Matth. v. 48. and has inftituted this facrament as a means to attain the fanctity and perfection he requires; now if it be a means to fanctity, it cannot prefuppofe fanctity acquired; but contributes to the acquifition, by fupplying grace, the primary agent: why is it called by the holy fathers a medicine, unless we are fick? a falve, unless we are wounded? an antidote, unless fome poifon lurks within us? the fountain of fanctity, if we are faints without it ? Thirdly, Some are so nice, that they forbid the ufe of the facrament to those that have an attachment to any venial fin; but this is in foft terms to banish communion out of practice; or at least to confine it to a narrow compass: for how few fhall we find, that walk fo fteady, as not to trip fometimes; that are fo fenc'd against temptation, as to have no weak fide? fo difengag'd from all the pleasures of fenfe, as always to model their fatisfaction by the rule of ftrict reafon? Always to hit upon the point between too much and too little, is a hard task; it requires more than an ordinary prudence, and a greater circumfpection, than can be expected from the most numerous part of Chriftians: fo that, if this doctrine be admitted, few would be obliged to obey the precept of the church, even even at Eafter; because her commands must give place to thofe of God, that forbid to communicate with an attachment to any venial fin: all those therefore, who cannot have a moral certainty they have no fuch attachment, muft not communicate; and I believe the number of these will prove ten times greater than of the others. Fourthly, Others pretend, they find no amend ment by communicating, and think this a fufficient pretext to abftain: but if you grow not better, is it no profit not to grow worfe? If a medicine ftops a disease, and hinders its malignity from increafing, will a patient refufe the remedy, because it does not reftore him to perfect health? The facrament is a medicine, as well as nourishment, to the foul it gives ftrength, and, if it abates not our spiritual diftempers, it impedes their growth. This is certainly a great advantage, which they cannot expect, who abandon the use of this facra ment. But if you perceive no fruit, examine the reafon, and remove the obftacle; but lay not afide the practice. Is your confcience clean, not only from mortal fin, but from a fufpicion of mortal fin? If not, you turn this fpiritual food into poison, and the pledge of falvation into the feal of your eternal damnation. Have you a hankering after venial fins? This does not hinder indeed the whole effect of the facrament, but deprives you of a great part: it cafts you into a languor and weakness, and just entertains life, but infuses not strength and vigour. Do you not come unprepared? without intention, without reflection? It is good to get a habit of doing well; but it is to do a good thing out of cuftom. Do you refolve to aim at perfection in good earneft? If you do, communicate: for this facrament is a channel, by which God in fufes |