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they ſhould come to it with great reverence; and reflecting upon their former miſcarriages in this matter, ſhould be carefull upon this admonition to avoid them for the future, and to amend what had been amiſs; which ⟨to⟩ do requires rather reſolution and care than any long ⟨time⟩ of preparation.
I ſpeak this, that devout perſons may not be intangled ⟨in⟩ an apprehenſion of a greater neceſſity than really there is of a long & ſolemn preparation every time they receive the Sacrament. The great neceſſity that lyes upon men is to live as becomes Chriſtians, and then they can never be abſolutely unprepared. Nay I think this to be a very good preparation; and I ſee not why men ſhould not be very well ſatisfied with it, unleſs they intend to make the ſame uſe of the Sacrament that many of the Papiſts do of Confeſſion and Abſolution, which is to quit with God once or twice a year, that ſo they may begin to ſin again upon a new ſcore.
But becauſe the Examination of our ſelves is a thing ſo very uſefull, and the time which men are wont to ſet apart for their preparation for the Sacrament is ſo advantageous an opportunity for the practice of it; therefore I cannot but very much commend thoſe who take this occaſion, to ſearch and try their ways, and to call themſelves to a more ſolemn account of their actions. Becauſe this ought to be done ſometime, and I know no fitter time for it than this. And perhaps ſome would never find time to recollect themſelves and to take the condition of their ſouls into ſerious conſideration, were it not upon this ſolemn occaſion.
The ſum of what I have ſaid is this, that ſuppoſing a perſon to be habitually prepared by a religious diſpoſition of mind, and the general courſe of a good life, this more ſolemn actual preparation is not always neceſſary; And it is better when there is an opportunity to receive without it, than no to receive at all: But the greater our actual preparation is, the better. For no man can examine himſelf too often, and underſtand the ſtate of hisſoul
