nity of demanding of one who has observed the rite, 'Why are you a communicant? What is his reply?

'I am a communicant, for the same reason that I receive the gospel as a divine revelation; that is, from a conviction of the authority of Christ to teach the will of God, and to disclose the conditions of pardon and of final happiness. Having this conviction, I am bound to obey all which the gospel inculcates; and language cannot make a duty more plain than is the command, do this in remembrance of me.'-This is indeed very simple reasoning; but has it not all the force which truth can give to it?

The authority of Christ, in all the commands of the gospel, is the authority of the Father who sent him. This will not be denied by any one who receives the New Testament as a divine revelation. If you should ask me, why I am a christian, or a believer in christianity? I should appeal to evidences, external and internal, to prove the divine mission of our Lord. But if you ask me, why I am a communicant? I allege as my first reason, the conviction these evidences have produced in my mind, that he is the Son of God; authorized and empowered to teach the way of salvation; and consequently, that all he requires has the sanction of divine commands. This argument, to be sure, to have any force, presupposes an acknowledgment of Jesus as a Teacher sent by God. But on him who avows his faith in the gospel, does it not impose a perfect obligation to keep this feast, which our Lord has instituted?

This is a very important view of the subject. If he whom we call our Lord was not invested with the authority of God, why do we appeal to any of his laws? If he had this authority, how can we feel ourselves to be safe, while we thoughtlessly and habitually disregard any one of his commands? Do you say, this is but a positive rite; and cannot therefore, in its neglect, expose us to the consequences of violating a moral precept? But if it be commanded by God, or, which is the same thing, by one sent from God, it is as obligatory, as the moral precepts of the gospel. If the will of God be the basis of religious and moral obligation, -and it is equally so, whether the law be written on our hearts, be suggested by our conditions and relations, or promulgated by a divine messenger,-then are we equally accountable for the neglect, or the abuse of this institution, as we are of any divine command. The authority of God, in all cases, must be equal; and to a believer in the gospel, the command, do this in remembrance of me, is a command of God. To us, indeed, the diffe rence may be great, whether a man neglect this service, or the laws of justice and benevolence; for in one case, he injures us

essentially; and in the other, neither counteracts our interests, nor interrupts our pleasures. But God has no interests to be opposed, and no pleasures to be disturbed by man. He requires duties, not for his own sake, but for ours; and he would not give his authority to a command, of which it was indifferent whether we should obey, or disregard it. Even therefore if we could not discern any immediate advantages resulting from the service, a disregard of it could not be justified, while we are convinced of its divine appointment; for as soon as this conviction is produced, the service becomes to us essentially a religious duty, of which, equally as of other and universally acknowledged duties, we are to give account to God.

I would not press an observance of this ordinance of our religion exclusively on the ground, that its obligation is supported by the authority of God; for God has not, in fact, required any thing of us, to which he has not attached benefits so important, as to establish the closest relation between our duties, and our highest interests. But the ground of that confidence, with which we look for the blessings which are in any instance assured to our piety and virtue, is, the authority of him who has assured them; and proportionally feeble will be our trust in the authority which dispenses promises, as is our sensibility and reverence of that which demands obedience to laws. A recurrence to the original source of obligation, the will of God,-or, which is the same thing as to every command of the gospel, the will of Christ, -is therefore not only proper, but frequently necessary, to produce conviction where it is not, and to strengthen it where it already exists. Hence a communicant may, and ought to adduce it as his first answer to the inquiry, 'Why do you observe this service? that Christ, his Lawgiver, to whom he applies for a knowledge of the will of God, has commanded it. And I appeal to any dispassionate judgment, whether I could innocently neglect, or refuse to partake of this ordinance, while I am convinced that the commands of Jesus have all the obligation of the will of God. I appeal to conscience, if our Lord has indeed given this command to all his disciples, whether his authority does not demand its observance of all, by every consideration that gives dignity to his character, and solemnity to his commands?

It is Jesus, the Son of God; it is Jesus, whom you call your Saviour; whose laws you acknowledge to be the will of the Most High, and by whom we shall finally be judged, who says to you, Take, eat, this is my body; and, Drink ye all of this cup. If a stranger to our religion should ask you, whether you are a believer in the gospel of Christ, you would assert your faith with

out hesitation. But should he also inquire, Why then do you not commemorate the love he has expressed for you by his death,' what would be your reply?

We may distinguish the commands of the gospel into different classes, and call them, if we will, religious, moral, and positive. But if we attribute to each different degrees of obligation, and flatter ourselves that we are secure, because we observe those which are most essential, we pervert the word of God, and most dangerously deceive our own hearts. The institution of a law, or of an ordinance, by an authorized Messenger from God, is a perfect evidence of its importance, as well as of its obligation; and we derogate from the character of God by the supposition, that any of his appointments may be disregarded with impunity. I do not say, nor would I intimate, that the observance of this ordinance will alone secure for us the favour of God. It will conduce to our salvation no otherwise, than as it is a means of our christian piety and virtue. But it is a part of the will of God concerning us, no part of which is unimportant; and which must be received with desires and endeavours for entire obedience, to secure the blessings it proposes.

SELF-COMMUNION.

ONE of the causes why self-communion is so much neglected is, that we have neither an appointed place, nor time for it. But would publick worship be maintained, if there were no sabbaths? Is any one accustomed to private, or to family prayer, who has no stated seasons for this intercourse with God? Does any one faithfully read the scriptures, who has no allotted hours for this exercise? It is with the means of religion, as with many of the more common duties of life; many, very many acknowledge their importance, and intend to observe them. But a future time, it is thought, will be more convenient, or more favourable, than the present; and the duty is delayed,—perhaps never to be performed. Would you then commence and practise self-examination? Let me recommend the time and place prescribed in the fourth Psalm: "Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still."

This is not indeed the only time, nor is it the only place, for communion with our own hearts. But surely, in the darkness of night, and when we have lain down, it may be, to rise no more in this world; when our account for another day is about to be sealed, for eternity; it is a time peculiarly suited for solemn

consideration; for proposing and answering the inquiries, 'how have I been engaged? What have I done? What duty have I neglected? What law have I broken? What account, if I were called this night, should I have to render to God? And when we awake, refreshed from the fatigue of toil; when we feel the new vigour that has been imparted by a night of rest; when hope has been so far accomplished, and we are again permitted to see the sun, and are again called to exercise the faculties God has given for our improvement; to resume our labours, and to partake of the blessings of heaven; when we are again about to enter upon scenes of duty, and of discipline; upon trials, the consequences of which will be so important to us, both in this life and that which is to come;-it is surely reasonable, it is wise, it is a duty, to pause; to consider what we are about to do; what God requires of us; and, what is the preparation of our hearts for his service. Let me refer to some of the benefits that will result from this practice.

I. In communion with our hearts upon our beds, we may at night retrace and examine with no inconsiderable exactness, the courses of our thoughts through the day; the subjects, expressions, and feelings of our conversation; the objects we have pursued; the motives by which we have been actuated; the passions we have indulged; all our well intended efforts; all our omissions of duty, and our more direct transgressions of the will of God. And in the morning, we may at least anticipate the common cares and duties of the day before us; and inquire, what are the principles and dispositions with which we are prepared to meet them? We may anticipate probable circumstances and events; temptations, to which we may be exposed, and sufferings we may be called to sustain; and at least for the few waking hours of one short day, resolve in each to remember and to feel, that we are accountable to God. But the thoughts, the motives and feelings, the words and actions of a month, or of a week, are not so easily to be recalled, nor so distinctly to be perceived. They become effaced from the memory; or if still there, are blended together; or, viewed at a distance from the present moment, like other distant objects, they will be seen as a whole, but not in the peculiarities which distinguish them. It is therefore a very great advantage of this frequent self-communion, that it enables us with such exactness to examine, and with such accuracy to understand, the character and tendencies of our thoughts and words, of our dispositions and conduct.

II. Another great advantage of this frequent self-communion will be, the impartiality with which we shall be enabled to judge ourselves, and the fidelity with which we may apply the principles, by which we shall at last be judged.

Our judgments are essentially affected by the circumstances, under which we decide concerning our dispositions and actions. If we attempt to judge them, while yet the passions and feelings that excited them are alive and active, these passions and feelings, by which we have been overcome, will plead so loudly and so earnestly in their own justification, that reason and religion will scarcely obtain an impartial hearing. Such an examination will tend as little to our improvement, as that distant and indistinct view of our dispositions and conduct, in which they can scarcely be perceived, and are but very imperfectly comprehended. Or, if we examine ourselves, merely that we may determine what opinions will probably be formed of our characters and actions, we shall easily excuse in ourselves what is wrong, if it have not been condemned by others; and especially, if it have the sanction of the example of those, whose favour we would obtain. Or, if in any instance we incur, or fear public censure, it is very doubtful whether we shall aim at any thing higher, than greater caution in future; it may be, than greater secrecy, that we may avoid the discovery of conduct, of which we have not resolution to reform. But when we lie down at night, to rest from the labours and indulgencies of the day; when the glare of the day has passed away; when appetite and passion, having received their customary indulgence, have sunk to repose; when, amidst the darkness that surrounds us, we feel the presence of God, and feel too, that from the sleep into which we are about to fall, we may awake in another and untried state of existence; when our tempers, and appetites, and conversation, and conduct through the day, are yet so fresh in our remembrance, that every circumstance of them may be recalled, we may, if we will, be impartial; we may ascertain what have been our deviations from the straight and narrow way; what feeble and drooping sentiments of duty require our fostering care to raise and to strengthen them; what self-denials we have practiced, or are yet demanded of us; and in what condition, if suddenly called, we should appear before God? Cyour pillows, at night, we may call up and examine even our most secret and suddenly excited motives and feelings; our expressions, and the circumstances in which we used them; all our temptations from within and without. if, to this examination of ourselves, we bring our principles and hopes as christians, how ineffectual, how evil will appear to have been all the excuses we have admitted of our sins! How ashamed shall we feel of carrying with us to the bar of Christ, the apologies by which we have soothed, or the promises with which we have deluded conscience! How important will appear to us true repentance, reformation towards God-and a living, active New Series-vol. 11.

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