might become a sacrifice for sin. And God delivered him up for us, mean and worthless creatures as we are; for all, even the meanest and the vilest of us; gave him up to all that heavy load of punishment and wrath for you and me. How amazing was it! Not because he needed us; Christ was in the enjoyment of eternal happiness and glory: though ten thousand creatures are sentenced to everlasting destruction; and what, if we had been in their number, had he not been still the same; but God gave him for us, and if so, shall he not with him freely give us all things? temporal blessings, so far as we need them; above all, the blessings of his covenant. If he has given Christ to purchase them for us, shall they be purchased in vain; if reconciled by his death, shall we not be saved by his life. Let us come with boldness to receive these blessings. God will give them. And let us come and give up ourselves to him; shall we not freely and faithfully give up ourselves to that God who has given us so much? In breaking the bread, I particularly considered how, in this dispensation, sin appeared exceeding sinful. Few have just notions of it. It is the great design of the devil to represent it as no very considerable evil, that sinners may be easily drawn into it, and kept from repentance of it. But here God has contrived a method to show how malignant it is. We must have low thoughts of Christ, or we cannot have low thoughts of sin. Could it have pleased the Lord to wound him, and put him to grief, had not such an atonement been fit, and, if fit, necessary? How odious and hateful must we appear to ourselves in this view, as polluted with that which the soul of God hated, and which the blood of Christ expiated. In pouring out the cup-God prepared him a body on purpose that he might suffer in it-that he might have something to offer. I have lost many other serious and good thoughts for want of a timely recollection of them after I

came home; yet I remember to have pressed a renunciation of all sin. The Lord grant I may act according to the tenor of that discourse.

Northampton, March 4, 1733.

MEDITATIONS ON THE THIRTY-FOURTH SACRAMENT.

THIS has been a delightful day. God gave me freedom and boldness in delivering his word from the pulpit, and sweet enjoyment in meditation at his table on those words, "He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it on till the day of the Lord." I observed the view given us of the nature of religion; it was a good work in its nature, and good in its consequences. It makes the soul good, and makes it happy. We have also a view of its author; God begins it. He prevents, awakens, enlightens, subdues, and he carries it on, and perfects it: that is, every step you take in the ways of God, you take it by a divine influence; every gradual ascent towards the mountain is as supported by him. He also gives us the view of the security of it, being confident he will carry it on, nor forsake the work of his own hands; and this till the day of Christ; to that it is referred. So may we here take our eyes from the table of the Lord, and look on to his day. Oh, what a difference in our appearance! yet having this good work begun is a pledge to us of all the rest: that we shall appear without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Delightful thought!

In breaking the bread I represented the devil as accusing; and the soul as taking shelter in that thought; it is God that justifies, who is he that condemns? It is Christ

that died.

In pouring out the cup I said, Would you separate what God has joined, and take the saving influence of Christ's blood without its sanctifying influence? If you would not, you have an interest in both.

Sunday, April 1, 1733.

MEDITATIONS ON THE THIRTY-SEVENTH SACRAMENT.

I SET apart last Thursday for meditation, fasting, and prayer; and I hope I can say, that in the midst of many interruptions and avocations I had something of the delightful presence of God with me in preparatory duties. I saw the deepest reason to humble myself before my heavenly Father, on account of many late negligences and follies, particularly the omission, or trifling performance of secret prayer, and reading the Scriptures, in many instances the interruption and neglect of my proper studies, while I have been eagerly set on some mathematical inquiries, in which God has been pleased very justly to deny me success. My fault was aggravated in all these instances by the repeated opportunities I have lately had of attending the Lord's table now four times within six weeks between our own sacrament days. For all this I took shame to myself in the divine presence. I felt the liveliest self-resentment, and formed humble and serious resolutions for a more regular conduct in future, which I hope and trust God will confirm. I did on this occasion particularly recommend to the divine regard the case of my dear wife, in daily expectation of an hour of sorrow, and of the young gentlemen in my family, who have lately entered into some stricter rules for maintaining and promoting religion in their own souls, and among others.

This day I preached from the story of Joseph's discovering himself to his brethren; and at the Lord's supper my meditations were fixed again on those words, " Go, tell my brethren I am risen from the dead, and say unto you, I ascend," &c. I observed the different style of Christ and of the angel. The angel says, "Go, tell his disciples:" Christ says, "Go, tell my brethren;" graciously owning the relation, lest they should fear, as the brethren of Joseph did, considering the manner in which they had treated

him. Tell them I live, but am not to live here; nor let their hearts be swallowed up with grief upon that account: tell them I ascend; let them rejoice for me, let them rejoice for themselves. Now God is, through me, their God and their Father: we share the same relation, though not in an equal degree; and the purpose for which I go thither is not only most happy and delightful to myself, but most happy to them.

I forgot to consecrate the bread in prayer, but afterwards set it apart. In breaking it I talked of famine, the terror which many have been driven to by it, the infinitely greater value of the bread of life. In pouring out the wine I had some lively meditations, which I cannot now particularly recollect, and found my heart much drawn out in love to my people, and in prayer for them while they were receiving the elements. May a sense of the blessed enjoyment of this day still remain upon my soul; for I think it has been one of the most delightful sabbaths of my life.

May 6, 1733.

MEDITATIONS ON THE FORTIETH SACRAMENT.

I OPENED the ordinance with some brief reflections on these words: "If one died for all, then all were dead," &c. and observed, we have in them a view of the state in which we naturally were: we were dead, dead in trespasses and sins, dead under the condemning sentence of the law of God, and under the power of our own corruptions. But we are redeemed; we live; our lives are reprieved; they are given to us, and we are inspired with a principle of new life; and this is by the death of Christ, which engages us not to live to ourselves, to make ourselves the end of life, but to him that died for us and rose again. I hope it is the temper, sentiment, and desire we have brought with us to the table of the Lord in our various capacities and relations of life. When breaking the bread I said, Our

fathers are dead, yet those that eat this only live for ever; death to such is not to be called death. In pouring out the cup-"My blood was shed not only for you, but for many:" that is a joyful thought. Many other reflections I have forgotten, but these were the substance.

August 9, 1733.

MEDITATIONS ON THE FORTY-FIRST SACRAMENT.

I DESIRE thankfully to own it, that I have been enabled to keep closer to God for some time towards the close of the last month than ordinary. Yesterday was a season of sweet communion with God. I found it good for my soul to draw near to him, and to converse with him by fasting and prayer. This day I have been endeavouring to promote the interests of practical godliness by my preaching and exhortation from those words, "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." At the table of the Lord my meditations were fixed on those words of Isaiah, "I will pour out water on him that is weary, and floods on the dry ground," &c. I observed the persons to whom the promise was made. It represents naturally what we are; dry ground; what we are by grace, thirsty; longing for gracious assistance and spiritual communications. And God's spirit is represented by water, to signify how refreshing and how fructifying it is; and for the effects, it was to make them grow as the grass, and even as willows by the water courses, the flourishing of which is very remarkable. I referred to the promise also to the rising generation, and recommended fervent application to God through prayer. In breaking the bread, I particularly insisted on the obligations we are under to depart from all iniquity. And oh, how contemptible and vile does the dearest lust and corruption seem when compared with the Lord Jesus Christ! In pouring out the wine, I spoke particularly of resolution for Christ, and that we should look around in our various circumstances to find opportunities of serving him. And