SECTION' III. '23 But give me leave to make a further enquiry. While some of you profess to he displeased with kneeling at the Lord's- supper, because it is performing such an institùtion of Christ in a gesture, which he has not instituted, do you think you are less criminal who never perform this duty at all, which our Lord and Saviour has so expressly instituted and commanded ? Is this a proper way to shew your reverence for the body and blood of Christ, to abstain entirely from the' appointed emblems and to- kens of them ? Will you dare to tell Jesus the Lord,' upon his throne of judgment, that you were offended with your brethren, who kneeled down to worship him while they eat his bread and drank his wine, and partook of the feast to which he has called them ; and yet that you dared from year to year, for twenty or thirty years together, to neglect this sacred feast entirely, and turn your backs upon this gracious ordinance ? Can you imagine that you please him better by utterly refusing the remembrance of the death of Christ at his supper, than they do who remember him at his table in a mistaken posture ? Can you ever persuade your own consciences, that you who never comply with the ten- derest pledges and memorials of his love, and reject his dying commandment, are better christians than they who practise this sacred duty with a mistaken gesture of humble worship while they are called and invited to sit around this table ? Examine yourselves, my friends, you that have never yet sealed a cove- nant with God the Father by the blood of Christ at his table, what are the true reasons of this neglect ? Is is not sloth and negligence in spiritual things ? Is it not a very shameful indo- lence about matters of religious importance? Is it not an unwil- lingness to make open profession of the cross of Christ, and to bind yourselves more publicly to all the practices of strict chris- tianity and godliness ? Converse over these enquiries with your own hearts, and let your own consciences determine, whether youare not vastly more to blame in neglecting to honour Christ in such an ordinance, appointed with his dying breath, than your brethren of the church of England, who conscientiously and devoutly practise this command of Christ, though it is in the posture of adoration, instead of the posture of communion at a feast; and let your own reproof awaken and shame, you out of your guilty negligence. I mention no more the incumbrauµe of human ceremonies, but to proceed immediately to the'third ad- vantage for the increase of piety, which you suppose you enjoy amongst the protestant dissenters, and raise some serious enqui- ries upon it. III. You are not confined to a perpetual repetition of set forms of prayer in your public worship*. This has been one * See Dr. Ca1amp'a Meder. Noueoef. Vol. 111. p. 100, Kt. Lay Noncm,f. ustifi rd, p. 19.
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