[13a] Psalm ciii. ver. 13, 14.
[13b] I cannot here deny myself the pleasure of inserting in a note, a passage I have lately met with in Mr. Archdeacon Daubeny’s Guide to the Church (a work which ought to be diligently perused by every affectionate and dutiful son of the venerable and apostolic church of England), and which peculiarly applies to our present subject: “It is a remark that has long since been made, that no man who prays can long continue a sinner; for either his praying will make him leave off sinning, or his sinning will make him leave off praying.” [13c] Apply this to that more solemn office or prayer and thanksgiving which is used in the administration of the Holy Sacrament, let a man pray the prayers of our Church, and devoutly attend her Sacraments, being in charity with all men, and we may venture to predict, that religion will soon get the mastery over such a man’s worldly and sinful dispositions, and that, through the merits and atonement of Christ, his salvation is secure.
[13c] Guide to the Church, 2d edit. vol. i. p. 202.
[14] St. Matth. chap. xi. ver. 28.
[15] In a prayer of preparation, by the pious and excellent Bishop Kenn, in his Manual, which has fallen in my way, since I wrote the above, I find this passage: “If thou, Lord, shouldst be extreme to mark what I have done amiss, alas, alas, I am then unfit, not only to communicate, but to say even my daily prayers: I know, Lord, that if I should stay till I am worthy to come, I should then never come; and, therefore, though I am unworthy of so unspeakable a mercy, yet I come to beg thy grace to make me worthy, or, at least, such as thou wilt accept.”—Since the third edition of this tract was published, I have met with an excellent sermon of Dr. Benjamin Calamy on this subject, who draws a very sensible distinction between unworthy receivers, and receiving unworthily. Unworthy receivers the best of men ever must be, but it does not follow that the Holy Sacrament is therefore received unworthily.
[19] Taylor’s Art of Holy Living, chap. iv. sect. 10.
[20] The now worthy Dean of Canterbury and Rector of St. James’s Westminster, the Rev. Gerrard Andrewes, D.D.
[21] The Magdalen Hospital.