have ſome good effect upon them for a time: ⟨If⟩ it did not make men good, yet it would ⟨make⟩ them reſolve to be ſo, & leave ſome good ⟨thoughts⟩ and impreſſions upon their minds.
So that I doubt not but it hath been a thing ⟨of⟩ very bad conſequence, to diſcourage men ⟨ſo⟩ much from the Sacrament, as the way hath ⟨been⟩ of late years; and that many men who were ⟨under⟩ ſome kind of check before, ſince they ⟨have⟩ been driven away from the Sacrament, ⟨have⟩ quite let looſe the reigns, and proſtituted themſelves to all manner of impiety and vice. And among the many ill effects of our paſt ⟨confuſions⟩, this is none of the leaſt; That in ⟨many⟩ congregations of this Kingdom, Chriſtians ⟨were⟩ generally diſuſed and deterred from the ⟨Sacrament⟩, upon a pretence that they were unfit ⟨for⟩ it; and being ſo, they muſt neceſſarily incur ⟨the⟩ danger of unworthy receiving; and ⟨therefore⟩ they had better wholly to abſtain from it. ⟨By⟩ which it came to paſs, that in very many ⟨places⟩ this great and Solemn Inſtitution of the ⟨Chriſtian⟩ Religion was almoſt quite forgotten, as ⟨if it⟩ had been no part of it, and the ⟨remembrance⟩ of Chriſt's death even loſt among ⟨Chriſtians⟩: So that many Congregations in England might ⟨juſtly⟩ have taken up the complaint of the ⟨Woman⟩ at our Saviour's ſepulchre, They have taken ⟨away⟩ our Lord, and we know not were they have laid ⟨him.⟩
But ſurely men did not well conſider what ⟨they⟩ did, nor what the conſequence of it would be, ⟨when⟩ they did ſo earneſtly diſſwade men from the ⟨Sacrament⟩, 'Tis true indeed the danger of ⟨unworthy⟩ receiving is great; but the proper inference ⟨and⟩ concluſion from hence is not, that men ſhould ⟨upon⟩ this conſideration be deterred from the ⟨Sacrament,⟩
