grace) in its languishing moments, and say with the Psalmist," Why art thou so disquieted, O my "soul?" (Psalm xliii. 5.) Why are thy trust and hope so feeble? These blessings were confirmed in the most solemn manner. God has set his own seal to your title; and "he is not a man, that he "should lie; nor the son of man, that he should "repent."

3. Meditate on being a fellow-member of Christ's body. Daily regard your fellow-creatures, under the amiable character of fellow-members of Christ, children of one Father, redeemed by one Saviour, and heirs of one and the same eternal glory. This will be an excellent method of suppressing every little animosity, of enlarging your heart, and of warming it with universal and brotherly love.

It may be here asked, perhaps, How can we love such as are notoriously bad, and use us very ill? I answer; We cannot but resent such usage; and God has planted in us resentment as one necessary mean of preserving ourselves from farther injuries. "We may be angry, and yet "sin not." Ephes. iv. 26.

We should consider such an one as diseased in his mind, and as an object rather of our compassion than of our hatred; and shew him the same compassion as we should if he had broken a limb, or was wounded in his body. We should moreover pray to God to heal his spiritual disease, to rescue him from the bondage of Satan, and to subdue in him the dominion of sin. We should beg of God to dispose us to a reconcilable, forgiving temper to all men, as this may qualify us for his forgiving grace to us.

But if it should be further objected by the injured, that they have received very great provocations from such or such a person, that they cannot love him, and are not in charity with him, and

therefore are not in a fit state to receive the Sacrament, I hope to remove this objection, by remarking that there are two sorts of love.

One is a love of friendship, which disposes us to desire and delight in the conversation of others.

The other is a love of benevolence, which prompts us to desire the good of others; and we should endeavour on all proper occasions to promote the good even of our enemies.

The love of friendship is not due to all men, for we are to be wise as serpents, and not to treat our enemies as our friends: this would be folly.

But the love of benevolence, (or good will,) which prompts us to desire the welfare of all men, and to endeavour to contribute to it when we can, obliges us to be just to all mankind, and consequently to our enemies. You must be faithful in all your promises to them, and just in all your dealings with them; nor must you pretend to have any right to falsify and tell lies, or to raise false or slanderous stories even of your enemy. Thus by a love of benevolence, you are obliged to be in charity with all men. Distinguish thus between these two sorts of love; and all your objections against receiving the Sacrament, on account of your dislike to those who use you ill, will at once be removed.

Some heart-searching questions should often be put to yourself between the times of your receiving the Sacrament (whether weekly or monthly) from some parts of the Communion Service, by way of examination, that you may see whether the words of your lips have been the sentiments of your

heart.

Parts of the Communion Service used as a self-examination.

As for instance, in the confession of sin you repeated these words, "I earnestly repent, and am "heartily sorry for my misdoings." Then ask yourself, Do I repent? Am I sorry?

I confessed before God" that the remembrance "of them was grievous to me?" Is this true? Was the remembrance grievous to me? Was the burden of them intolerable? Do I consider sin as an heavy burden, or were these only words of course, in repeating of which after the minister I meant nothing, and I felt nothing. Do I now perceive it was only a matter of form, a solemn mockery of God? If so, may I be more attentive to this for the future!

I said that "I desired to serve God in newness of "life." But had I really any such desire? Had I any design of altering my present course of life?

Parts of the Communion Service turned into a prayer. It may likewise be very profitable to you, if you would turn some parts of the Communion Service into prayer. As for instance; I have been exhorted "always to remember the exceeding great "love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ, "thus dying for us." God grant, that with a most grateful heart, I may continually remember this institution of the blessed Sacrament, and all the benefits obtained by our Lord's death, to my great and endless comfort?

The minister declared in the Absolution, "that "God of his great mercy had promised forgiveness "of sins to all them that with hearty repentance "and true faith turn unto him." I humbly beseech thee, O Lord, to give me true repentance, and thy Holy Spirit; "Lord, increase my faith." May I look up to thee, O Lord, for this promised mercy to all true penitents.

I am exhorted to draw near to the sacramental table with faith, and to receive the sacred elements to my comfort. May I be enabled to draw near with a true faith, and find by my own experience that comfort and peace which this ordinance was intended to give me.

I have acknowledged, "that I do not presume to "come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trust"ing in my own righteousness, but in thy mani"fold and great mercies." May I give thee, O Lord, the glory of thy manifold and great mercies; not trusting to what I am myself, or can do to save myself; but may I rely on thine undeserved mercy. May I never approach thine awful presence with a look of confidence towards heaven, like the selfrighteous Pharisee, who, blind to his own sinful state, and puffed up with pride, "thanked God "that he was not as other men are:" words which implied a celebration of his own praise more than a prayer to God; but may I, with a deep humiliation as a poor sinner, like the penitent publican, plead the merits and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. May I now and ever be found repenting, believing, renouncing all self-confidence, and looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude, ver. 21.)

In like manner the whole Communion Service (and indeed the whole Liturgy) may from time to time be occasionally so applied to ourselves, either by way of examination, or of prayer, as to be highly beneficial to us.

Instances of a personal application of some promises in Scripture by way of examination, and prayer for the fulfilment of them. See p. 106.

Here are a few texts of Scripture selected for meditation, both before and after the Sacrament, which may be serviceable to communicants in general; particularly to those in the lower ranks of life, as servants, day-labourers, manufacturers, &c. who have little time to spare from the employment on which their subsistence depends. These texts they will find at length by turning to their Bibles, before, in, or after church. They will see likewise the connection in which these passages are recorded. These texts moreover may easily be im

pressed on the minds of such as cannot read, if they would solicit an occasional repetition of them from those who can; and thus they may, as it were, have them strong on their memory, and ever ready for immediate use.

It is desirable that every communicant should bring with him to church a pocket Bible, which will be the best companion to the altar, and very useful for better understanding and retaining some parts of the Lessons for the day read by the minister, as well as for turning to the texts here recommended for meditation. The Common PrayerBook likewise may be employed to advantage while others are receiving, by making a proper use of some particular Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, or suitable Psalms. As, for instance, the Collect for Ash-Wednesday; the Epistle for the Thursday before Easter, which gives an account of the institution of the Lord's Supper; the Epistle and Gospel for Good-Friday; the twenty-second and the hundred and sixteenth Psalms; the former relates to our Lord's sufferings; and in the latter "the cup of salvation" (meaning the sacrificial cup of the drink-offering, described in Numbers the twenty-eighth) may very fitly be applied to the sacramental cup; which is indeed a cup of blessing to all those who rightly partake of it.

Texts for meditation before and after Sacrament.

Before the Sacrament.

When you intend to receive the Sacrament, endeavour to keep the thoughts of your duty, and the blessings you desire, alive on your heart before you receive, by meditating on the following, or the like texts.

See Psal. li. 17. Jer. iii. 12, 13. Matt. vi. 24.