Note 15 — AN EARNEST EXHORTATION, &c.

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.