66 Vol. It Motives to, and Prepa- Pfalm XXVI. 6. I will wash my hands in Innocency, so H E Sense of thefe Words is ve ry eafie; the Jews were oblig'd to wash before they entred into the Tabernacle to Worship or Sacrifice; and by this Rite was fignified that Purity and Innocence which did fit Men to draw nigh to God, and was a neceffary Qualification to render their Persons and their Worship acceptable to him. By compaffing the Altar, is meant the Offering up Sacrifice with Praise and Thanksgiving: this is plain from the following Verfe; where the Reason affigned for compaffing the Altar, is, That I may publish with the voice of Thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous Works. David therefore in these words declares his Refolution to offer Vol. II. up Euchariftical Sacrifices to God in Innocence and Integrity. Nor do I think that this is to be understood of a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving to be offered upon fome Solemn Occafion,for a particular Deliverance;nor of any peculiar Preparation of himself for fuch an A& of Worship, but of his constant PraEtice, and habitual Innocence; as may eafily be gather'd from the Context, wherein he expreffes a fix'd love of Goodness, and a hate of Wickedness an averfion, a fettled averfion for the Conversation of Evil Doers, and a delight in the Houfe of God: And all this founded on, and springing from daily and inceffant reflections on the loving kindness of God. If from this Example of David, I take occafion to Exhort you to the frequent participation of the Holy Sacrament, I fhall, I think, commit no force at all upon the Text. The Worfhip the Text invites us to, is the Sacrifice of Praife and Thanksgiving; and fuch is our Eucharist. The Preparation required in my Text is Integrity and Innocency; and this is the best Preparation for the Sacrament. And laftly, Vol.II. lastly, what mov'd David to the frequent Oblation of Eucharistical Sacrifice, ought more forcibly to move us, namely, the loving kindness of the Lord.For ifTemporal Favours wrought fo much Piety and Gratitude in David, how much more ought Spiritual Ones in us: Or if he too must be fuppofed (as undoubtedly he muft) to have carried his Meditations beyond the Veil and Type of outward Bleffings, yet furely the Redemption wrought by Jefus, could not at that distance be fo confpicuous to him, as now it is to us. I will then from these words infist on these two or three things. First, I will lay before you those Secondly, I will fhew you what Preparation is neceffary for it, I will wash my hands in innocence. And Thirdly, How this Innocence is to be obtained. The Motives to the Sacrament deducible from the Text, may be Three. ¡Vol. II. 1. The Example of David, 1 will 1. The Example. It is certainly a great Inducement (or ought to be) to this Duty, to confider that no Religion was ever instituted by God without Sacrifice; that under the Patriarchical and Mofaick Oeconomy, their Sacrifices had relation to that of Christ; that all devout Men in all Ages, like the Pfalmift here, did offer up their Sacrifices to God conftantly, and delighted to do fo; that the beft Chriftians in the best times, did lay a mighty stress upon this Inftitution of the Holy Sacrament; that looking upon it as their Recognition of Chrift being our Lord, as the Teft of their Chriftian Profeffion, and as an acceptable Euchariftical Sacrifice to God, they made it always one effential part of their Publick Worship. They look'd upon it as their great Happiness and Ad Vol. II. Advantage thus to offer up their Thanks, their Subftance, and Them felves (as they always did in this Sacrament) to God: and thus to commemorate and lay before their heavenly Father, the Sacrifice of the Cross ; and in the vertue and merit of it, implore his Pardon, and beg his Spirit. and his Heaven. Now certainly, if there be any force in Example, this ought to have the strongest upon us imaginable. There is nothing in this Example of Humour or Fancy, of Superftition or Will-worship; for 'tis founded in an exprefs Precept of Christ, Do this in remembrance of me. 'Tis the Example of Men led by the Spirit of God, and fully acquainted with the Mind of God: 'tis the Example of the beft Men, influenced by a firm Faith, by an understanding Zeal, and devout Gratitude. Can we then do better than to imitate fuch as these? are we raised for far above them? are we fo much perfecter than they, that we ftand in no need of that Ordinance? of the neceffity and excellence of which they have left us fuch evident Testimonies ? are we more wife and enlightned than they? do we understand the design and purpose |