Considerations at the Lord's Supper.

hath bestowed upon me. Happy, holy joy! How different from the mirth of vanity, which makes the heart sad! how different from the short-lived joys of this world, which are but as the suddenly expiring blaze of thorns! This is the foretaste of eternal bliss, a drop of those everlasting pleasures out of the ocean, from which we shall shortly be replenished at God's right hand for evermore.

So

6. We should depart with fresh courage to fight the Lord's battles against the world, the flesh, and the devil. It was said of the primitive Christians, when they met for these holy purposes, that " they "went in as lambs, but came out as lions." should be said of us. Receiving strength from the Lord, we should depart with full purpose of heart to cleave unto, and labour for, the Lord; to shew forth all holy zeal and boldness, and never to be ashamed of our profession, or act unsuitably to it. This ordinance should mightily confirm, strengthen, and establish us; so that our souls, manifestly refreshed by it, may be pressing forwards, amidst surrounding enemies, with renewed vigour, towards the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus.

7. Lastly, We should depart with increasing desires after the kingdom of heaven. If in these lower courts, the glimpse of glory be so delightful, what must the full blaze of that beatific vision be, when we shall no longer, through the dark glass of faith, but face to face, behold Jesus as he is; when we shall see him with our mortal eye, enthroned, to bless and glorify his peo

Considerations at the Lord's Supper.

ple, and find all our souls infinitely more happy in the intimate union to, and communion with him, than now it is possible for us to conceive! Here our joys are at best imperfect, and some tears of sorrow for what remains of darkness and sin still steal down our cheeks; but there every tear shall be wiped from our eyes, there imperfection will be no more; we shall be like him as he is, perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. Hath our faith then entered into that within the vail? have we seen Jesus sitting on the right hand of God? how can we but desire to depart, and be with Christ, which is far better? How can we but long for the wings of a dove, that we may fly away, and be at rest in this dear Saviour's bosom? Is faith at present so comfortable? Is hope only so pleasing? What must it then be when faith is lost in sight, and hope in enjoyment? See then that your souls pant high for glory, and that you go away from this Table with such a heavenly mind, as both brings down a taste of heaven below, and sharpens the desire after the full enjoyment of everlasting rest. This will be a profitable use of the ordinance. I can pray for nothing more conducive to your eternal salvation, than that such may be abidingly and increasingly the holy frame of your mind. Then you will know the blessing of discerning the Lord's Body; and find, by delightful experience, that the Body and Blood. of Christ, thus received, will keep your body and soul unto everlasting life.

H

Directions for walking with God.

CHAPTER IV.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE COMMUNICANT'S DAILY WALK WITH GOD AFTER RECEIVING THE LORD'S SUPPER.

HAVING hitherto led you on from the nature of the ordinance to the dispositions necessary for partaking of it, and the frame wherein we should approach the Lord's Table, I would conclude the whole with some considerations of what sort our after-conversation should be, and by what means we may be enabled so to walk, as becomes our profession this being the great end of the ordinance, that its influence may abide with us, and that it be not looked upon as a ceremonious visit, which we may forget till the time returns again. And here I solemnly admonish all you, who have partaken in these holy mysteries, to take heed to yourselves lest you lose the things you have wrought. Remember Judas, who no sooner received the sop, but Satan entered into him; and, though he had so often eat and drank at Christ's Table, was a son of perdition, and betrayed his Master. And therefore if, as we have engaged, we would take Christ for our Master, and live as his faithful and covenant servants, or rather brethren and friends, then must we shew forth the following conversation.

Directions for walking with God.

1. We should go forth into the world professing his name. We must not be ashamed of Christ, nor his cause; we should speak for his honour, and glory in his cross. Profession now becomes peculiarly demanded from us as Communicants; and whilst in these evil days vital Christianity and real religion are branded with every opprobrious name, that an ungodly world, who knows not the truth, can invent, we must heartily welcome these reproaches, and walk so as to deserve them, not silent, hiding our heads, sealing up our lips, and leaving the world to their own ways, but by an open declaration, at every proper season bearing testimony against them, that their works are evil; boldly rebuking vice by word as well as practice; having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but separating ourselves from all intimate society with every brother who walketh dis⚫ orderly, whose conversation agrees not with the simplicity of the Gospel. This will make us singular, it is true; we shall be unlike the world, and displease the world; but wherefore did we meet at Christ's Table, but to make our solemn declaration to him, that we are not of the world, even as he is not of the world? and how shall we dare be so unfaithful, as to go forth and mix again familiarly, and as bosom-friends, with those who are enemies to the cross of Christ, who glory in their shame, who mind earthly things? To take up our cross, and follow Christ, was our sacramental vow. But how unfaithfully have many of you hitherto performed it! How utter strangers are you this day to any reproach or shame for Christ's sake! Where is your cross that you have borne in the

Directions for walking with God.

world? Alas! you go from the Lord's Table, and return again to the world just as before, lost in its cares, pleasures, and vanities; and how then should the world possibly have any quarrel with you?

Ye are of the world, and therefore the world loves its own. You never by your professions disturb the slumbers or security of the unawakened souls around you. The form of a ceremonious duty will reprove nobody, unless there be afterwards something more of profession than this mere act of communicating. But be sincere, and then you cannot escape; go into the world, speak as a Christian, profess your views, live for Christ, and then the world and you will have no longer fellowship; for if you are thus chosen out of the world, the world cannot but hate you. Let this, brethren, comfort you who bear forth Christ's name in the world, as well as at his Table. The cross is an honourable badge; to be reproached for righteousness sake is happiness. The remembrance of our surrender to Christ will make us count all things light and easy; and suffering as a Christian, we need not be ashamed; we know in whom we have believed; we know under whose banners we have taken the sacrament to fight; and God forbid we should quit our colours for shame, reproach, evil report, dishonour, or reviling, yea, though we were called for his sake to prison or to death!

2. We must practise as we profess. Going forth to give up our whole bodies, souls, and spirits to Christ, and to walk worthy the high vocation wherewith we are called, we should carry away