Our danger from the powers of hell was great, they foiled our first parents, even in Paradise: and if such things were done in the green tree, what would have been done in the dry? No doubt the devil triumphed in that victory. He looked on mankind as his prey: but Christ took the spoil out of the hands of the mighty. Little did the devil think how his devices would end. Little did he think how God would overrule them to his own glory, and to the advanced happiness of his people: "how out of the eater there should come forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness." As little did he think, when he was tempting and triumphing over Christ on the cross, that he was wounding his own cause, and destroying his own kingdom; but there Christ despoiled him, there he covered him with confusion and shame. For there he recovered his people out of his hands, "he bound the strong man armed, and spoiled his goods." Then he led captivity captive, ascended in triumph, and having broken the head of the dragon, gave him, as it were, to be meat to his people inhabiting the wilderness. Now the victory is begun; ere long it shall be completed, and the God of peace, he who though Christ became so, shall shortly bruise Satan under our feet. Yet a little while, and we shall trample upon him; not only as a wounded, but as a destroyed enemy: for by death Christ has destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Oh let us celebrate the victory. In breaking the bread, I had some reflections on the manner of Christ's making himself known to his people, in the riches of his dying love, the power of his resurrection, the prevalence of his intercession, the stability of his covenant, and the glory of his kingdom. Oh, how happy to see Jesus! We rejoice to receive a letter from a friend. But how much more do we rejoice to meet that friend; to converse with him. What will our meeting above be, should this be the last sacrament. Before Before pouring out the wine, I said, By the cross of Christ the world is

crucified to us, and we to the world. It makes us indifferent to it, by filling our minds with other thoughts. When John stood before the cross of Christ, as his soul was possessed with the idea of his crucified master, how little was he impressed with earthly things. Surely, it would have been much the same, whether he had been to return to a palace or a cottage. It also encourages our dependence upon God for what is necessary. If he spreads such a table, will he not spread our own? If my Prince allows and invites me to come monthly and to sit down with him at his own table, will he see me starve on other days? Will he not one way or another find bread for me and my family? How unworthy a suspicion! After the prayer, just before I received cup, I fell into a pleasing reflection on these words, "They all drank from the same rock," the apostles, the martyrs, our remote ancestors, our fathers, our former companions in the ways of God. They came to this ordinance, and were refreshed by it. Future Christians shall arise and partake of it, when our places are empty. We are related to all! Methinks we should look back, look around, look forward with delight, and make, as it were, the joy of the whole church our own. But oh, that better assembly where we shall all unite, all meet triumphantly around the board of our Heavenly Father, and share in much nobler entertainments. In the prayer I had a pleasing view of God as one without whom we should not know what to do, but be even a burden to ourselves.

the

Sunday, January 5, 1735.

THE FIFTY-SIXTH SACRAMENT.

THIS Sabbath was very remarkable on account of the extraordinary pleasure that I had in attending both on the sermon in the morning, and the Lord's supper in the evening; nor can I forbear observing the connexion between them. Mr. Wilkinson preached in the morning, perhaps the best

sermon I ever heard, undoubtedly one of the best on the duties and privileges of the children of God: a subject from which I had preached a sermon that I thought laboured but when I saw the vast disproportion between the two discourses, and the great advantage on his side, and indeed considered how much superior it was to almost any thing I ever produced, it shamed and humbled me; and yet I bless God it did not grieve me. If any stirrings of envy moved, they were immediately suppressed. And as soon as I came home I solemnly returned my acknowledgments to God for having raised up such a light in his church, for having honoured me with his education, and recommended him to the divine blessing with meltings of the tenderest affection, leaving myself in the hand of God, acquiescing in the thought of being eclipsed, of being neglected if God should so appoint;-at the same time adoring him, that with capacities inferior to a multitude of others, I had been led into services superior to many of those in comparison with whom my knowledge and learning is but as that of a child.

In the prayer I had much communion with God, in the sermon little or none, but so much in the sacrament that my very heart was almost swallowed up. A variety of plain, solid, and natural thoughts sprung in upon my mind like water from a fountain, and gave unutterable pleasure. Many of them are vanished away, some few remain; the substance of which is as follows.

I introduced the ordinance with some meditations on these words, "He has ascended on high, he has led captivity captive, he has received gifts for men." We are met to commemorate the death of Christ, but not only his death. There was a sacred pleasure, after his resurrection, in beholding the place where the Lord lay. But had he never risen what a grief would it have been. On the fourth day

to have seen Christ lying there-in succeeding days and

ages; what a reproach to Christians, if Christians had risen in succeeding ages, to have said to them, behold the sepulchre of your Lord!-But now the reproach of the cross and of the tomb is ceased. He is risen, and that is a pleasant thought. He is ascended on high, and that is much more delightful. Had he risen and dwelt on earth, we might have rejoiced and glorified in him, though we had seen him in the same humble form in which he appeared to Mary Magdalene, or to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. But he is gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God. Let us look after him. When Elijah was taken away, Elisha smote his hands and said, "Alas, my master, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!" But is there reason thus to lament an ascended Saviour? we should rather rejoice. The disciples stood gazing up into heaven; but wherefore; one would have thought, they should have recollected it as a matter of joy, on principles of gratitude and interest. Gratitude! how pleasant to think of the triumph of our friends. If a kind generous friend had exposed his life for us, and instead of perishing in the attempt had found his own advancement in it, surely it would give us peculiar joy; perhaps even greater than our own preferment could have done. It is matter of congratulation that Christ is ascended on high, and sat down at the right hand of God; especially when we consider how our interest is concerned, both as he has led captivity captive, and given gifts to men. He has led captivity captive, that is, triumphed over those who would have triumphed over us. Over our enemy, when he thought to have the greatest advantage. Even on the cross he triumphed over death, so that he has abolished it, and quickly it will be swallowed up in victory. We view death here as a conqueror; he has made late depredations, for within ten days two of our members have died (that is, Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Cook); but yet we triumph over him

by faith in Christ. Arise, arise, and lead captivity captive, O Son of God!-we should raise our hosannas to thee from earth. Especially considering the gifts received for men; the extraordinary endowments of the apostles and evangelists, the benefits of which we now receive, and other spiritual gifts which are given us in conversion, in quickening, in carrying us on thus far. Why have we not fallen by former difficulties? We had never got thus far without support. Had we seen them we should not perhaps have had the courage to encounter them. And he will impart more comforts, so that we may now consider ourselves as risen and ascended with him. In the meantime, let us go to the throne of grace.

In breaking the bread, I remarked, how highly should we have thought ourselves indebted to Christ, if in the days of his flesh he had invited us to sup with him: Lord, if thou hast given me a crumb of bread, a cup of cold water, as a token of thy love, it had been better to me than wine; better than a feast of fat things. Thou givest me this bread: thou comest to sup with me, and invitest me to sup with thee.

In pouring out the wine, I added, Christ suffered the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. It is not said to heaven, but to God: to intimate that those who share in salvation by Christ are reconciled to God; reinstated in his favour; his love is shed abroad in your souls, and they shall be brought to the eternal enjoyment of him. In the mean time, in this dependence let us go to God. To Him that has loved us. Pleasing gradation! Loved me-gave himself for me. But when I look around me at his table, what then; could I then see all Sion, an assembly of all men, in every nation, kindred, and language; above all, could I look within the veil? O what a joyful universal hosanna will rise when all are assembled together! Such as these were the workings of my heart at this most