22 AN HUMBLE ATTEMPT, &e. selves. " O cruel and profane parents! where is your tender- ness ? where your bowels of affection ? How strangely and wick- edly careless are you of the immortal interests of your own offspring, and the interest of God in them? Have you not devoted them to God and Christ in baptism; and yet neither teach them yourselves the way to the favour of God by Jesus ,Christ, nor make any provision for your neighbours to do it for you ?" You will be condemned by the world and the church, yen will be condemned by all your neighbours and by your own children, and you will be terribly condemned by your own con- sciences, and by Jesus the Judge of mankind, if you neglect this sacred work, or do it in so formal and triflinga manner as can have little or no effect on the hearts and consciences of your offspring. 3. Shall I take one step farther, and mention the appoint- ment of kneeling at the Lord's-supper*, which is acknowledged to be an human institution, and not required in scripture. It must be granted that the church of England, by a solemn cau- tion, declares plainly that no adoration of the elements is intended thereby; nor do I enter here into the enquiry howfar it is lawful -or convenient, but it is certain that it offends the consciences of many of you, who cannot think that any other posture is proper for the receiving of this sacrament, than that of eating and drinking at a table, in which posture it was instituted. But the question that my text would address to your consciences on this occasion, is this Are you as humble and as devout at this sacred solemnity, while you neglect this outward sign of humility, as your brethren are who practise it? Are you more penitent and self-abased under a sense of your sins, and more thankful for the condescending love of Jesus the Sonof God, who came and died to save you ? Have you as great a reverence for the blood of Christ, which was shed for the remission of sins, and do you adore God and the Saviour with a more contrite spirit and a warmer zeal ? Do you partake of these sacred emblems of the body and blood of Christ with a most profound respect to him ? Otherwise you will give your neighbours just reason to reprove and censure you, that you neglect at once the outward forms and the inward duty ; that you renounce the posture of humble warship and forget the spiritual practice of it ; that you have need to be rouzed from your seats at the table of the Lord, and be brought down upon your knees to confess your want of devo- tion and honour to the Son of God, and your want of humility and religious gratitude for his inestimable benefits. In vain you pretend scruples about the posture of your knees, if your hearts are not found in a very devout and adoring frame at so solemn a season. ,t Dr. Calamy of Mottos. Nonconf. Vol, II. p. 197, and Vol. III, p. 69. Lay Nonconf. Justified, p. 31.
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