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But let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat of that bread & drink of that cup.
For, if this be a good reaſon to abſtain from the Sacrament, for fear of performing ſo ſacred an action in an undue manner, it were beſt for a bad man to lay aſide all Religion, and to give over the exerciſe of all the duties of piety, of prayer, of reading and hearing the Word God; becauſe there is a proportionable danger in the unworthy and unprofitable uſe of any of theſe. The prayer of the wicked (that is, of one that reſolves to continue ſo) is an abomination to the Lord. And our Saviour gives us the ſame caution concerning hearing the Word of God; take heed how ye hear. And St. Paul tells us, that thoſe who are not reformed by the doctrine of the Goſpel, it is the ſavour of death, that is, deadly and damnable to ſuch perſons.
But now will any man from hence argue, that it is beſt for a wicked man not to pray, not to hear or read the Word of God, left by ſo doing he ſhould endanger and aggravat his condemnation? And yet there is as much reaſon from this conſideration to perſwade men to give over praying, and attending to God's Word, as to lay aſide the uſe of the Sacrament. And it is every whit as true, that he that prays unworthily, and hears the word of God unworthily, that is, without fruit and benefit, is guilty of a great contempt of God, and of our bleſſed Saviour; and by his undevout prayers, and unfruitful hearing of God's Word, does further and aggravat his own damnation: I ſay, this is every whit as true, as he that eats and drinks the Sacrament unworthily is guilty of a high contempt of Chriſt, and eats and drinks his own judgment, ſo that the danger of the unworthy performing this ſo ſacred an action is no otherwiſe a reaſon to any man, to abſtain from the Sacrament, than it is an Argument to him to caſt off all Religion. He that unworthily uſeth or performs any part of Religion is in an evil and dangerous condition; but he that caſts off all Religion plungeth himſelf into a moſt deſperat ſtate, and does certainly damn himſelf to avoid the danger of damnation: Becauſe he that caſts off allReligion
