that I spent in the devotions of the fast day and yesterday, as well as that it was the first sabbath in the year, and that I had a very experimental and useful subject assigned me by my good friend, Mr. Browne, that is, Psalm xxvii. 14. I expected something considerable; and perhaps that was one reason why I succeeded no better. Another was, that I permitted myself to write some letters in the morning, which, though in the main serious, were not necessary, and thereby contracted the time of preparation in too great a presumption on some late enlargements. The consequence on the whole was, that my spirits were very much straitened, and I preached to my own apprehension very ill, though it pleased God to render it in the main acceptable and useful to several that heard me.

The subject of my meditations at the table of the Lord was, "The Lord will give strength to his people: The Lord will bless his people with peace." His people have peculiar reason to expect strength. I hope we find it given. Here is an additional promise worthy our contemplation: "The Lord will bless his people with peace;" that is, peace in life, calmness and serenity in their own consciences, as reconciled to themselves, when they can look inward, and see a pardoned, sanctified, quickened spirit. Peace with God, and a sense of peace. Whereas he might long ago have said, "what hast thou to do with peace?" And peace at death. Many of our dear friends (I particularly referred to Miss Bliss and Mrs. Wingate) had in a remarkable manner a sweet calm and serenity in that awful hour which might throw nature into so much commotion and distress. And peace to all eternity; so that we should then enter into peace: no more war, no more alarm, no more sorrow. Christ is our peace; in him we have it, and that even while we have tribulation in the world.

In breaking the bread I said, " Herein is the love of God manifested:" this is the most glorious display of it. Let

the Pagan, let the Mahometan say, what has on their principles been done for them comparable to it. Let the Jew boast that he calls Abraham father, that he delivered his fathers from Egypt, settled them in Canaan, wrought out wonderful deliverances there, sent them Moses and the prophets, and gave them his laws. Nay, but he gives his Son to live, to die for us! He raised him to his own right hand, and has seated him in glory, and made him head over all things.

Then I mentioned that text in pouring out the cup, "We are come to the blood of sprinkling." Do we not come to it? Do not our souls apply to it, and desire to be washed in it? It "speaks better things than the blood of Abel." And in consequence of it, we "are come to the general assembly and church of the first-born." It is delightful to think, that we are come to a church on earth; to look round on such an assembly. O how much more important to look on "an innumerable company of angels!" To have seen one would be a pleasant thing, but to converse with them without any danger of idolatry; yea, to be numbered among their society, made equal to angels, and "The spirits of just men made perfect." It was delightful to converse with many saints now in glory, in the midst of all their imperfections and sorrows; but now they are complete in holiness and glory, what admiration and joy will it give “ To God the judge of all." We may now think with pleasure of coming even to God as a Judge, because his righteousness and justice are engaged to accept us through Christ.

Just before I took the cup I said, "Thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ," and turns the greatest terror into comfort; witness those three most dreadful words to an impenitent sinner, Death-Judgment— Eternity. Oh, what a source of pleasure! Death—to get rid of sin and sorrow, to fall asleep in the arms of Christ. Judgment to appear to be rewarded and applauded. Eter

nity to dwell for ever, for ever with God, and Christ, and holy angels, and saints. O blessed words! Death, Judgment, Eternity! They are so because the savour of Christ has been spread abroad upon our hearts.

I concluded with the mention of one lively thing, which I said in the sincerity of my heart. Were there a hundred of the most polite and most accomplished persons in a carnal state, I could be content, putting their guilt out of the question, by the earnestness of my importunity to make myself the scorn of the ninety nine to be but the means of converting only one of the hundred.

January 7, 1739.

MEDITATIONS ON THE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH

SACRAMENT.

THE leading subject of our meditation was that text in Micah (having been preaching on God's promise of giving to his sheep eternal life), " He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth." In which words I observed—1. A view of the diligence and piety of the Redeemer. He shall stand and feed: intimating, he shall be a watchful shepherd, and take care of his flock; and he shall do it in the strength of the Lord, and the majesty of the name of his God; implying a dependence on divine assistance. This Christ showed in all his ministration. I honour my Father ;-I seek not my own glory, but his that sent me ;—the works which my Father has given me to do; -this command received I from my Father, &c.-2. The glorious display of the divine power in him. "He shall stand in the majesty of the name of his God." Christ's works were very majestic; much of God appeared in them. Were a man to cure one blind or lame person, to raise one dead body to life, what a glory would it reflect upon him.

The miracles of Christ, for number, for excellence, were unparalleled.—3. The perpetuity of his interest. They shall abide: that is, in Christ and his flock in all ages. Accordingly, it is so. In vain the terrors, in vain the learning and wit of the world, are armed against it. It is observable that most of the writers against Christianity have been left to dishonour themselves by vile immoralities.—4. The extent of it. He is great to the ends of the earth. Accordingly, we see it. We live in a country then almost unheard of, yet he is great among us. Perhaps idolatrous worship was paid on the very spot of ground on which we now are; yet we honour him; and we are gathered as into his fold. He makes us to lie down in green pastures. Blessed be his name that we are not in dry and withered pastures, under dead ordinances; we lie down by the still waters, and are not troubled by persecutors; not obliged, as our fathers were, to disguise our sacred table with common meat, that, in case of a sudden surprise, it might not be known. In breaking the bread I observed, Lord, we are unworthy of a thought, a word, a tear of thine, much more a drop of thy blood; yet all is given for us! Let us then be deeply humbled before thee.

On drinking of the wine I said, Christ our forerunner is entered within the veil. Joyful news, on his own account; but not only on that, he entered for us, entered as our forerunner, intimating our quickly entering; therefore shall we be raised up, and made to sit together in heavenly places. I congratulate you. Look up to Christ your head, enlarge your desires for the propagation of his kingdom. Would you not receive the cup which is the communion of the blood of Christ? Have you not need of it? Would you not thankfully submit yourselves to it, and to that way of saving grace in the gospel?

February 4, 1739.

MEDITATIONS ON THE HUNDRED AND NINTH

SACRAMENT.

I INTRODUCED the ordinance with a meditation on those words in the Revelation, chap. vii. verse 9 and 10: " After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."-Let us observe who this blessed company were, how they were situated, and how they were employed. 1. They were a vast multitude. Though Christ's fold on earth is little, and the gate straight, yet in heaven it is great, because it takes in infants. How many little creatures, having a little while borne the image of the earthly Adam, bear that of the heavenly. And in the latter days many shall be brought in; the way shall be wider, and many shall say, Come, let us walk in it. It is a various society, not confined to Jews, but of all nations and kingdoms; our own, through grace, is eminently distinguished. Let us acknowledge the goodness of God therein; and that in our language a multitude of holy souls being dead, yet speak. 2. In what a situation: clothed in bright robes of purity, victory, and joy; with palms in their hands, as conquerors over sin, satan, the world, and death. How joyful that triumph, and how completely secured by salvation appointed as its walls and bulwarks. 3. How they are employed: in humble worship, ascribing salvation (not wishing it) to him that sitteth upon the throne, to their God. They consider him as on the throne; they see how lofty, how radiant, how firm; and this God is our God. The bands of nature are often broken, but those that ally him to us shall never be broken. They also abscribe salvation to the Lamb, remembering the obligation of suffering