N00426:272
A companion for communicants. Discourses upon the nature, the design, and the subject of…
A companion for communicants. Discourses upon the nature, the design, and the subject of the Lords Supper; with devout methods of preparing for, and approaching to that blessed ordinance. / By Cotton Mather, Pastor of a church at Boston. ; [Seven lines from Augustine]
Boston: printed by Samuel Green for Benjamin Harris, 1690
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly, A Communicant should Examine himself, whether his FAITH be, The Faith of Gods Elect. And what is true Faith, but, A Grace of God, whereby a Christian do's embrace the Word of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ as therein Exhibited.
We are told in Heb 11.6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Even, Even so, at the Lords Table, Without Faith it is impossible to find Christ. We are coming to a rich Banquet but it is Faith by which we are to feed upon it. We cannot see what is upon the Holy Table; much less can we Take it, Eat it, Drink it ⟨p. 121⟩in a due manner, if we have no Faith in our Souls; and we shall at best have but a Seal unto a Blank, in this Glorious Ordinance.
We are then particularly to Examine our selves,
Do I yield a full Assent and Consent, unto the whole Word of God?