of it, have been explained, the obligations: lying on the disciples of Chrift to commu-> nicate in this facrament fhown, and the most plausible objections against it answered: and I would fain hope that all this will not be without fome good effect, both with regard to the judgment and the affections of my reader; helping to give him a distincter notion of this part of his religion, the wifdom and the defign of the inftitution; to convince him, that it is equally his duty and his advantage to obferve it; and to produce in him, in concurrence with his own ferious confide-t ration, and the grace of God, all thofe; good difpofitions which the remembrance of Chrift requires, and is fo well fitted to ftrengthen and perfect. Whatever defects: there have been in the manner of handling this fubject, yet I will take the liberty toofay, it must be the reader's own' fault, if he is nothing at all the better for what has been laid before him. Enough," I am perfuaded, has been offered to gain the affent of any impartial perfon; and, if ferioufly confidered, to prevail with all to devote themselves tos God and to the Redeemer, to love them more fervently, and to ferve them more diligently and> faithfully. God grant our communions

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may be more numerous, and communi-> cants more eminent and exemplary for every Christian virtue! The Lord's fupper is undoubtedly a moft excellent infti-: tution; and were it but improved as it ought, would appear to be fo to the con viction of the whole world. Would to God that all thofe, who in obedience to the command of their Mafter, eat and! drink at his table in remembrance of him, would duly confider this; taking care to behave at all times fuitably to the dignity of their character, the folemn nature of their vows and engagements, and the greatness of their obligations! Then would: others, feeing their good works, glorify their Father, who is in heaven; and not be easy till they had joined with them in celebra-t ting the memory of our common Lord and Saviour; faying, “Come and let us "alfo go to this feaft, and at once honour "Chrift, and promote, as they have done, "our edification in holinefs and comfort: then would the church of Chrift be more glorious and beautiful, and his religions at fource of more abounding and more perai manent pleasure and fatisfaction: then, in a word, as the excellence and ufefulness! of all the commandments and inftitutions of the gofpel would be evident, fo parti

cularly of the Lord's fupper; for which we should efteem ourselves obliged to praise God, as in it we do, for his wonderful goodness to the children of men. ERALDINI JAKOITOVKI

DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES

Relating to the Lord's Supper, before, or preparatory to Receiving.

TO THE READER.

THE author's design in this little prefent which he makes the public, is not to confine and fetter the devotion of pious communicants, but affift it, by furnishing them with materials for meditation which they may have always at hand, to make ufe of when and in what manner they judge convenient. Souls the best turned for the exercises of the spiritual life, have not at all times the fame happy flow of thought, or liveliness of affection; and when this is the cafe, that their ufual activity fails them, who can tell but they may find something or other here which may help to rouse their attention, to lead them into a train of thinking, and fo fan the facred fire, that it may burn the more

brightly? And if this may be fuppofed of thefe fuperior fouls, much more of thofe in lower claffes. As devotion, true, enlightened devotion, is one of the moft fublime, and, withal, most delightful and ufeful attainments of the human mind, being not only a very great fupport and refreshment to it, a fort of heavenly mufic in the houfe of its pilgrimage, but a confiderable help to the moft animated practice of all virtue and goodness; I fhall efteem myself not a little happy to contribute in any degree to the spreading, or the exercife and improvement, of fo exerciferee excellent a difpofition. I have fincerely attempted it, and have nothing further I can do, but to commend what follows to the bleffing of God, and the reader's candid and ferious perufal. Farewell. H. G.

SECT. I.

Now, O my foul, that thou art retired from the world, let me afk thee, as in the prefence of the all-knowing God, Haft thou ever feriously confidered thy nature, thy intereft, and thy dangers? that thou art a fpiritual being, reasonable and immortal, capable of other and nobler pleafures that thou receiveft from the enjoy

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