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Meditations

AFTER COMMUNION.

ARE our hearts indeed set on things above, where JESUS sits at GOD's right hand? Search and try. Do we in good earnest travail with high and heavenly designs? Are we ambitious of nothing so much as to be like JESUS, and by the most selfdenying ways to obtain his glory? Do we spare no pains to flatten our too eager desires towards the things on earth; to let out our vain and airy conceits; to sharpen our appetites after real righteousness; to inflame our love; to heighten our desire and hope; to strengthen our faith; to excite our watchfulness, and engage our serious endeavours that we may possess the things above? Are our hearts carried aloft in holy prayers? do we send up continually the sacrifice of praise, giving thanks to GoD for all his benefits?-BISHOP PATRICK.

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ECOLLECT, my soul, where thou hast been, and what thou hast been doing. Thou hast been with

the Lord of life; and before God, angels, and men, thou hast acknowledged him, and devoted thyself to his obedience. Remember, that there may be but a few days before you must appear at the tribunal of him who hath now entertained you at his table. The next sight you have of him may be upon his throne, as one that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. With what affection has the death of the Lord been now remembered? Hast thou as sincerely renounced all thy evil ways, and consecrated thyself to the life of Christ, as thou hopest to be saved? It concerns me nearly,

O my soul, to keep him ever in my thoughts, and to express him in my life, that when he comes, he may see himself in me, and behold his own image in righteousness and true holiness fairly engraven on my heart. For many will say unto him at that day, "Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets;" but he will say, "I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity."

BISHOP PATRICK.

II.

O Saviour, thou art the living bread that came down from heaven. Thy flesh is meat indeed, and thy blood is drink indeed. He that cometh to thee shall never hunger; he that believeth in thee shall never thirst. Thy people of old were fed with manna in the wilderness, yet they died; that food of angels could not keep them from perishing: but O, for the hidden manna, which giveth life to the world, even thy blessed self! Give me ever of this bread, and my soul shall not die, but live. O the precious juice of the fruit of the vine, wherewith thou refreshest my soul! Is this the blood of the grape ? is it not rather thy blood of the new testament, that is poured out for me? Thou speakest, O Saviour, of new wine that thou

wouldest drink with thy disciples in thy Father's kingdom; can there be any more precious and pleasant than this, wherewith thou cheerest the believing soul? Our palate is now dull and earthly, which shall then be exquisite and celestial; but, surely, no liquor can be of equal price or sovereignty with thy blood. Ó, how unsavoury are all earthly delicacies to this heavenly draught! O God, let not the sweet taste of this spiritual nectar ever go out of the mouth of my soul: let the comfortable warmth of this blessed cordial ever work upon my soul, even till, and in, the last moment of my dissolution. . . O, what a blessing have I received this day! no less than my Lord Jesus with all his merits; and in and with him the assurance of the remission of all sins, and everlasting salvation. How happy am I, if I be not wanting to God, and to myself! how unworthy shall I be, if I do not strive to answer this love of my God and Saviour in all hearty affection and in all holy obedience!

BISHOP HALL.

III.

That God should employ his eternal and only-begotten Son, who had been with him from all eternity, partaker of his happiness and glory, to save the sons of men by so

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