evil inclinations,and over all our vicious habits. It preserves a lively sense of God and religion in our minds, and fortifies us against the temptations that assault us. It spiritualizes our nature, raises our souls above the world, and by sanctifying the calamities of this life, effectually supports us under them. It leads us gradually to the perfection of a Christian life, and preserves that union between God and our souls, which feeds our spiritual life with grace.

Without

it, we pretend in vain to discharge the Christian duties incumbent on us, or to prosper in our temporal affairs, which must haveGod's blessing to crown them with success. And as prayer, in general, has these blessings attending it, give me leave to suggest to you, under this head, that those public prayers and devotions which we offer to God in our churches, are not only more acceptable to him, but also much more advantageous to ourselves. They cannot but be more acceptable to God, because thereby his glory is much more considerably advanced in the world than by our private devotions. By these outward signs, we publicly declare to all the world,

the inward regard which we have for the Divine perfections; and hereby we let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father, which is in heaven, Matt. v. 16. -There is no duty in Scripture more frequently commanded, none more earnestly pressed upon us, than this of public prayer. We have the example of all good men, in all ages, for it, and of Christ himself, who was daily in the temple and in the synagogues; and, no doubt, he frequented those places at the usual hours of prayer, because then he had the fairest opportunity, from those public assemblies, to instruct and to exhort to faith and repentance. 2dly, We may expect greater success to our requests, when we join in the public prayers of our church, than from our private prayers, because our Saviour has promised to such assemblies his immediate presence; that where two or three are gathered together in his name there will he be in the midst of them, Matt, xviii. 20. This he hath no where said of private prayer, though both are good, nay, both are necessary for the beginning and ending of a Christian life; and it

is a bad sign of some evil principle or other, for any man to be much a stranger to the house of prayer, which is one of the greatest privileges (if we know how to value it) that we can have in this world, and has always been accounted such among all wise and good men. It is certain that the Turks, whom we call Infidels, go to their public devotions five times every day; and shall not they rise in judgment against us Christians, who cannot afford to go once or twice a day to God's House, when we have both leisure and opportunity? If men shall be judged for every idle word, to be sure they shall not pass unpunished for the omission of their duty in this respect. But to proceed:

Besides this duty of fervent Prayer, the Communicant should spend some portion of time in reading and meditation to raise his soul into a devout and heavenly temper. The proper office of reading, is to gain spiritual food, and of meditation, to digest it. The divine subjects most proper for our contemplation on this solemn occasion, are our Saviour's Sermon on the

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Mount the love of God in the salvation of sinners, through Jesus Christ; repentance, faith, charity, death, judgment, and the prospects of futurity. These, as they offer themselves unto you, should be meditated upon until some sorrow of mind, some ardour of devotion, some act of faith, some flame of love and charity, arise in your souls!

Thus have I briefly represented to you the nature and necessity of a Sacramental Preparation, which contains the whole duty of a Christian's life; namely, Repentance towards God, "faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,

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and Charity toward our neighbour.' And I also hope, that whoever among us will but endeavour to prepare for the Holy Communion, according to these directions, may by the help of God, upon all occasions, come to the Lord's table, without the least fear or danger of "eating and drinking dam"nation to themselves."

And now, perhaps, some persons may censure this discourse, as giving men too great encouragement to approach the table of the Lord, with less prepa

ration than they would otherwise venture to do. But they will find no reason for any such suggestion, if they consider the excellency and perfection of that guide and companion which I have followed throughout the whole (the Church Catechism.) Indeed, what can be a more effectual preparation for this ordinance, than "Repentance toward God;" evinced not only by a deep sorrow and contrition for all past transgressions, but by truly forsaking our sins, and walking with God, in all holy conversation and godliness? 2 Peter iii. 11. What can be more effectual, than that "Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," which worketh by love which leadeth to true repentance, which exciteth holy aspirations after heavenly things, assureth us of the forgiveness of God, and of our final acceptance by him, if we persevere unto the end? And, moreover, what a happy tendency has that "Charity towards our neighbour" which is best expressed by acts of benevolence to our fellow creatures, and which will prove one of the best preparations, not only for the table of the Lord, but for the everlasting society of the BLESSED IN HEAVEN!