that as occasion shall serve, it may be realized, and brought into practice, thy life and conversation being cast into the mould of the word. With the same dependence on thy divine teacher read, as well as hear, the scriptures. Meditate on them. Convert about them, expecting to find them able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus; and, as thy faith in him increases, able to bring in richer experience of thy Father's love in him.

How sweet is prayer, how delightful is praise, how blessed is hearing and reading the word, when these are the means of meeting and conversing with God! His presence puts the highest honour upon them, and exalts duty in a royal privilege : for he is present as a Father with his children. O what a dignity is it to have God for our Father! What an happiness to have free fellowship with him in this dearest relation! In thy daily hearing and reading his word, observe, O my soul, what is spoken of this holy fellowship; and seek to maintain it, and to improve it in every

appointed way; particularly in keeping the command of thy dying Friend,

It

DO this in remembrance of me. When his disciples meet together for this purpose, then place the whole dependence of thy heart upon thy crucified Saviour. Considering the infinite and everlasting efficacy of the sacrifice of his body and soul to take away sin, draw near in faith to feast upon it: for his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed. Look well to the end of the Institution. was not only to remind thee of, but alsó to convey to thee all the blessings of that one offering, which perfects for ever. It was to teach thee, that thy spiritual life, and every grace and comfort of it, are as dependent upon Christ crucified, as the life of thy body is upon the meat and drink of this world. Thy life comes from his death. Thy life is nourished by feeding upon Christ thy passover, who was sacrificed for thee. He intended by the bread to point out unto thee his body, and by the wine his blood-by eating and drinking them, thy taking him and living upon him by thy bodily support received from

them, the nourishment of thy soul, by eating his flesh and drinking his blood. He would have thee to look through the signs to the things signified. Thou art not to rest in the outward act, but to rest in the promise in the word of God. Thy faith is not to be exercised about the Lord's Supper as a duty; but it is to be exercised upon his word; and what he has therein promised to make it, that thou art to expect in taking it. He appointed it to be the means of communicating with him, and of thy enjoying fellowship with him in his sufferings. It is a spiritual believing act, in which thou art invited to partake of the paschal lamb. It is the Lord's passover; and will certainly answer every purpose, which he instituted it. He appointed it to be the means of safety from the destroyer, of deliverance from bondage; of free and full forgiveness of all sins, of an happy passage through the red sea, and of the everlasting possession of the promised inheritance. For these gracious purposes the Father's love gave his Son to be a Lamb slain, and then a lamb feasted on: and the holy Spirit makes

for

it a feast indeed. It is to the believing receiver spiritually, whatever the passover was to the Jews on their coming out of Egypt. It is a communion with the blessed Trinitywith the Father for providing such a banquet of love with the Son for giving himself to be a lamb slain, and to be a spiritual repast to his people in earth and in heaven-with the holy Spirit for rendering the bread which is broken the communion of the body of Christ, and the cup of blessing to the communion. of the blood of Christ. Communion signifies union with the believer united to Christone with Christ-a member in his body, lives in him, and on him, has communications of life, nourishment, strength, comfort, &c. as the members have from their union with the head. He has a real inward fellowship with Jesus, in his cross and passion; in his resurrection and ascension; in his intercession, and sitting at the right hand of the majesty on high. He communicates now with Jesus in all the blessings of his Father's love, and will communicate with him in all his Father's glory. O what a privilege is the Lord's Sup

per, when it is thus the means of communion with the Son, and with his Father through the Spirit! What an honour is it to be admitted to a feast instituted by the Lamb of God, and for the enjoyment of the love of God! What a blessing is it to sit down now to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and tò partake by faith of its spiritual realities and delights! There is nothing beyond this upon earth, and it has sometimes been to the believing receiver, a foretaste of heaven. Yes, blessed be God, it has been, even to thee, O my soul, unworthy as thou art of one crumb from the master's table, a feast of fat things, of wines kept, even of fat things, full of marrow; of wines kept, and well refined. And when thou hast not been so highly feasted, yet thou hast enjoyed solid communion. Partaking of the bread and wine according to the Lord's institution, and depending on the Lord's promise, thou hast been fed and nourished at his table. The virtue of the Spirit has been put forth in thy heart, and thou hast as truly by faith, eat the flesh, and drank the blood of the Son of man, as thou