before we go thither, and to entertain fome good affurance that we are the genuine difciples of Christ, and interested in the bleffings of his covenant; for as far as the true spirit of devotion is wanting, and our fears prevail with refpect to our real christianity, fo far will our fatisfaction and, pleasure in the ordinance be abated. Now I cannot but think that it requires, in ordinary, fome particular care, previous to the celebration of it, to have the mind thus prepared for it, so as to enjoy much pleasure in the exercife, and to receive much benefit from it. If indeed, that were true which you seem to fuppofe, viz, that communicants in general habitually 86 carry about with them a ferious compofed temper “of mind, and never indulge themselves in any criminal exceffes," very little preparation might fuffice. But that this is the cafe with mere nominal Christians, (and all fuch you fay ought to celebrate this rite) I know not how to fuppole, and leave it to you to explain. I can by no means think that is always the happiness of real Chriftians themselves. It is too poffible, (would to God it were not too common!) even for fuch, thro' the power of temptation, and by reafon of their own weakness and irrefolution, to indulge themselves in what may justly be called criminal exceffes, of one kind or other: Where is that man who can fay, he "never" does this? Where, especially, is that chriftian, who never finds the want of a "ferious and compofed ftate of mind," fo as to be indifpofed for engaging in the exercises of devotion with pleasure and improvement? Thofe that have appeared to be the beft acquainted with themfelves, and to have made the highest attainments in religion, have been known to make very free and humble confeffions on this head. Now when the mind is thus indifpofed, whatever be the cause, especially if it be fome criminal excefs, it requires no fmall pains to recover fuch 5 fuch a frame as divine ordinances in general require, With refpect to the means which are proper to be ufed in order to prepare the mind for "this folemn tho' chearful rite," I obferve; it feems to require not merely the fame previous exercises with public worship in general, viz. reading, meditation, and prayer; but that these exercises fhould be conducted with fome particular reference to the Lord's Supper; to thofe objects which are therein to be prefented to our view, and thofe acts about which the mind is therein to be employed, which more especially belong to this inftitution.-But let it be further observed, that there is one exercife which is particularly proper to precede this folemnity, and which the Scripture exprefsly recommends, namely, Self-examination. Let a man examine himself, and fo let him feat of that bread, and drink of that cup.' This exhortation exhortation is justly applicable, not only to those who are about to come to the Lord's Table for the first time, but to communicants in general. It is indeed contained in an address to the Corinthian church, and is expreffed in fuch general terms, that we may "naturally understand it as recommending frequent felf-enquiry, even to Chriftians of the longeft standing in the church, previous to their celebration of the Lord's Supper. And it appears to me most highly reasonable thus to understand it, as there feems to be a great propriety in it, that Chriftians fhould, in ordinary, either in a greater or less degree, as circumstances require, and time will permit, examine themselves, when they are about to attend this peculiar ordinance of our holy religion. That felf-examination is in itself a reasonable and ufeful exercise, is what I need not here attempt to prove reafon and fcripture unite in the recommendation of it. And it will, I suppose, be allowed on all hands, that it ought to be frequent, and that no age or character can render it unneceffary. It will alfo be further granted, that it is a matter of considerable moment, in order to fecure the practice of it, that we should fix upon fome certain times to be appropriated to this work. Now let me afk, what times we could chufe more fuitable for a serious enquiry into the state of our own fouls, than those, when we are just going to celebrate the most folemn ordinance of our religion, and to make a public declaration of our chriftianity? Such a previous felf-enquiry, is of admirable fervice in fitting us for this inftitution, as it is a neceffary means of obtaining the knowledge of ourfelves; fome good degree of which (if the above account of the Lord's Supper be juft) is requifite to a fatisfactory and useful attendance upon it. None but real Chriftians (we have feen) have a right to attend it at all, as they only are capable of anfwering the ends of it; fo that that those who have not fome good evidence concerning the truth of their chriftianity (if they have any tenderness of confcience) muft find much of the pleasure of communicating abated, by the prevalence of diftreffing fears, leaft they should eat and drink unworthily. Whereas thofe Chriftians, who difcover in themselves the effential evidences of their being the genuine difciples of Chrift, can approach his table with an humble confidence, and rejoice in him with joy unfpeakable.' Now this delightful evidence, with refpect to their real character and condition, is not to be attained without ferious, im partial felf-examination. And as it is requifite that this fhould be a frequent exercife, What can be more proper and natural, than for a Chriftian, in ordinary, when he is going to make a most folemn declaration of his chriftianity, to enquire concerning the reality of it, even tho' he has done it, again and again, and has drawn a favourable conclufion concerning him felf? As there is always danger of felf-deception, there is always need of felf-enquiry. The oftener this is performed, the better. Those that still bear the teft, have by every trial additional ground to hope that they are Chriftians indeed, and confequently, additional reafon to approach this chriftian feast with fatisfaction and joy.-But this felf-enquiry should not refpect merely the truth of our chriftianity, but likewife the particular state of religion in our minds. We fhould often examine ourfelves, whether we have grown in grace, or whether we have gone backwards: what fins we have fallen into, and what duties we have omitted; what temptations we are most exposed to, and wherein we moft need to have our refolutions confirmed, and our graces ftrengthened: what we have moft to complain of, what to rejoice in, and what to defire. Such enquiries as these are neceffary to direct our humiliations, our thanksgivings, and our prayers, previous to our ( approaching approaching the table of the Lord, and will furnish fuitable matter for our meditations and devotions there; and will thus prove a means of rendering this inftitution inftrumental in promoting, what is the grand defign of it, the intereft of vital religion in our fouls. I can fee nothing of fuperftition or enthusiasm in all this, and am fully perfuaded, that thofe Chriftians, who have moft diligently pursued fuch a courfe, have found fo much pleasure in it, and fo much benefit from it, as have afforded them a conviction of the propriety of it, beyond the power of any arguments to remove. In what you fáy concerning "days fet apart for "folemn preparation, before the receiving of the "Sacrament, among all our denominations," I must obferve; your manner of expreffion in fome measure mifrepresents the fact. Days of preparation we have ot, among any of our denominations. We have indeed a fervice of about an hour, or an hour and half, in fome of our congregations, confifting of the ufual exereises of praying, preaching, and finging, with fome particular refpect to the Lord's Supper but these preparatory fervices are by no means univerfal: there are many focieties in the kingdom that have nothing of this kind; and many, of the ftri&teft denominations amongst us, have no fermon, but only a meeting of the church,, to tranfact affairs relating to it, accompanied with prayer. And let me add, that there is fo little of this kind of fuperftition among the diffenters of the prefent day, that, where thefe preparatory fervices are kept up, they are fo far from confidering an attendance upon them as a neceffary preparation for the Sacrament, that there are no publick exercifes fo much neglected as these. For my own part, I freely acknowledge, I can by no means 'confider them as neceffary. But, where Christians have opportunity and inclination for them, Why fhould they be difcouraged? If it be expedient and |