from being an argument against your seeking such a method to strengthen it, that it rather strongly enforces the necessity of doing it. The neglect of this solemnity, by so many who call themselves Christians, should rather engage you so much the more to distinguish your zeal for the institution, in this respect so much slighted and injured. And as for the fears of aggravating guilt in case of apostacy, do not indulge them. This may, by the divine blessing, be an effectual remedy against the evil you fear; and it is certain, that after what you must already have known and felt, before you could be brought into your present situation, on the supposition I have now been making, there can be no room to think of a retreat; no room, even for the wretched hope of being less miserable than the generality of those that have perished. Your scheme therefore must be, to make your salvation as sure, and to make it as glorious, as possible; and I know not any appointment of our blessed Redeemer, which may have a more comfortable aspect upon that blessed end, than this which I am recommending to you.

One thing I would at least insist upon, and I see not with what face it can be denied. I mean that you should take this matter into serious consideration: that you should diligently inquire, whether you have reason in your conscience to believe it is the will of God you should now approach to the ordinance, or not: and that you should continue your reflections, your inquiries, and your prayers, till you find farther encouragement to come, if that encouragement be hitherto wanting. For of this be assured, that a state in which you are on the whole unfit to approach this ordinance, is a state in which you are destitute of the necessary preparations for death and heaven; in which, therefore, if you would not allow yourselves to slumber on the brink of destruction, you ought not to rest so much as one single day.

A PRAYER for one who earnestly desires to approach the table of the Lord, yet has some remaining Doubts concerning his Right to that solemn Ordinance.

"BLESSED LORD! I adore thy wise and gracious appointments, for the edification of thy church in holiness and in love. I thank thee, that thou hast commanded thy servants to form themselves into societies; and I adore my gracious Saviour, who hath instituted, as with his dying breath, the holy solemnity of his supper, to be through all ages a memorial of his dying love, and a bond of that union which it is his sovereign pleasure that his people should preserve. I hope thou, Lord, art witness to the sincerity, with which I desire to give myself up to thee; and that I may call thee to record on my soul, that if I now hesitate about this particular manner of doing it, it is not because I would allow myself to break any of thy commands, or to slight any of thy favours. I trust thou knowest that my present delay arises only from my uncertainty as to my duty, and a fear of profaning holy things by an unworthy approach to them. Yet surely, O Lord, if thou hast given me a reverence for thy command, a desire of communion with thee, and a willingness to devote myself wholly to thy service, I may regard it as a token for good, that thou art disposed to receive me, and that I am not wholly unqualified for an ordinance, which I so highly honour, and so earnestly desire. I therefore make it my humble request unto thee, O Lord, this day, that thou wouldst graciously be pleased to instruct me in my duty, and to "teach me the way which I should take. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart." (Psalm xxvi. 2.) Is there any secret sin, in the love and practice of which I would indulge? are there any of thy precepts, in the habitual breach of which I would allow myself? I trust, I can appeal to thee as a witness, that there are not. Let me not then wrong mine own soul, by a causeless and sinful absence from thy sacred table. But grant, O Lord, I beseech thee, that thy word, thy providence,

and thy Spirit may so concur, as to "make my way plain before me." (Prov. xv. 19.) Scatter my remaining doubts, if thou seest that they have no just foundation. Fill me with more assured faith, with a more ardent love; and plead thine own cause with my heart in such a manner, as that I may not be able any longer to delay that approach, which, if I am thy servant indeed, is equally my duty and my privilege. In the mean time, grant, that it may never be long out of my thoughts: but that I may give all diligence, if there be any remaining occasion of doubt, to remove it by a more affectionate concern to avoid whatever is dis pleasing to the eyes of thine holiness, and to practise the full extent of my duty. May the views of Christ crucified be so familiar to my mind, and may a sense of his dying love so powerfully constrain my soul, that my own growing experience may put it out of all question, that I am one of those for whom he intended this feast of love

And even now, as joined to thy churches in spirit and in love, though not in so express and intimate a bond as I could wish, I would heartily pray, that thy blessing may be on all thy people: that thou wouldst "feed thine heritage, and lift them up for ever." (Psalm xxviii. 9.) May every Christian society flourish in knowledge, in holiness, and in love. May all thy priests be elothed with salvation, that by their means thy chosen people may be made joyful. (Psalm cxxxii. 16.) And may there be a glorious accession to thy churches every where, of those who may fly to them "as a cloud, and as doves to their windows." (Isaiah lx. 8.) May thy table, O Lord, be "furnished with guests;" (Matt. xxii. 10.) and may all that "love thy salvation, say, Let the Lord be magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants." (Psalm xxxv. 27.) And I earnestly pray, that all who profess to have received Christ Jesus the Lord, may be duly careful to "walk in him;" (Col. ii. 6.) and that we may all be preparing for the general assembly of the first-born, and may join in that nobler and more immediate worship, where all these

types and shadows shall be laid aside; where even these memorials shall be no longer necessary; but a living, present Redeemer shall be the everlasting joy of those, who here in his absence have delighted to commemorate his death. Amen."

CHAPTER XIX.

SOME MORE PARTICULAR DIRECTIONS FOR MAINTAINING CONTINUAL COMMUNION WITH GOD, OR BEING IN HIS FEAR ALL THE DAY LONG.

I WOULD hope, that upon serious consideration, selfexamination, and prayer, the reader may by this time be come to a resolution to attend the table of the Lord, and to seal his vows there. I will now suppose that solemn transaction to be over, or some other deliberate act to have passed, by which he has given himself up to the service of God; and that his concern now is to inquire, how he may act according to the vows of God which are upon him. Now for his farther assistance here, besides the general view I have already given of the Christian temper and character, I will propose some more particular directions, relating to maintaining that devout, spiritual, and heavenly character, which may, in the language of scripture, be called "a daily walking with God, or being in his fear all the day long." (Prov. xxiii. 17.) And I know not how I can express the idea and plan, which I have formed of this, in a more clear and distinct manner than I did in a letter, which I wrote in the year 1727, to a young person of eminent piety, with whom I had then an intimate friendship; and who, to the great grief of all that knew him, died a few months after he received it. Yet I hope he lived long enough to reduce the directions into practice, which I wish and pray that every reader may do, so far as they may properly suit his capacities and circumstances in life, considering it as if addressed to himself.-I say, and desire it may be observed, that I wish my reader may act on these directions, so far as they may properly

suit his capacities and circumstances in life; for I would be far from laying down the following particulars as universal rules for all, or for any one person in the world, at all times. Let them be practised by those that are able, and when they have leisure: and when you cannot reach them all, come as near the most important of them as you conveniently can. With this precaution I proceed to the letter, which I would hope, after this previous care to guard against the danger of mistaking it, will not discourage even the weakest Christian. Let us humbly and cheerfully do our best, and rejoice that we have so gracious a Father, who knows all our infirmities, and so compassionate a High Priest to recommend to divine acceptance the feeblest efforts of sincere duty and love.

My dear Friend,-Since you desire my thoughts in writing, and at large, on the subject of our late conversation, namely, "By what particular methods in our daily conduct, a life of devotion and usefulness may be most happily maintained and secured?" I set myself with cheerfulness, to recollect and digest the hints which I then gave you; hoping it may be of some service to you in your most important interest; and may also fix on my own mind a deeper sense of my obligations to govern my own life by the rules I offer to others. I esteem attempts of this kind among the pleasantest fruits and the surest cements of friendship, and as I hope ours will last for ever, I am persuaded a mutual care to cherish sentiments of this kind will add everlasting endearments to it.

The directions you will expect from me on this occasion, naturally divide themselves into three heads, How we are to regard God,-in the beginning,-the progress, -and the close of the day. I will open my heart freely to you with regard to each, and will leave you to judge how far these hints may suit your circumstances; aiming at least to keep between the extremes of a superstitious strictness in trifles, and of an indolent remissness, which, if admitted in little things, may draw after it criminal neglects, and at length more criminal indulgences.