The purchaser of a slave expected service from him. The redeemed of the Lord owe the same service. If we do not pay it with alacrity and diligence our redemption is imperfect, we cannot but expect to be sent back again to our original possessor. "Our

Saviour Jesus Christ gave himself for us, "that he might redeem us from all îniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

The commemoration of this redemption by a participation of the sacrament of the Lord's supper is a powerful mean of communicating grace by the particular appointment of Christ himself. The two sacraments of our church are to be considered as badges or tokens of our profession, since by them Christians are visibly distinguished from Atheists, Deists, Heathens, Jews, and Mahometants. So many excellent treatises have been written on this subject, that I refer to them for a more copious account of the nature and end of these christian institutions. But while I am considering the various means by which God conveys his spiritual blessings to the world, I cannot

omit

omit recommending that holy ordinance which offers itself to the wants, to the piety, to the affections of mankind.

That we all want, what is there offered, pardon of sins and reconciliation with our God, none of us, but the most presumptuous, can deny that the practice of piety will dispose us to an humble reception of God's favours, must be universally allowed: and that all the tender affections of our mind are roused and agitated when we behold the pure and spotless Jesus "nailed "to the cross, and slain for bringing life," is a truth notorious to every feeling heart. A bare spectator of so melancholy a scene could not unmoved behold it. But when we reflect that this event took place in consequence of the universal defection of the human race, and that their restoration to the divine favour depended upon its completion; when we consider that there is no exception to this observation, but that all. the world are in a greater or less degree the servants of sin, that the nand which writes this, and the eye which reads it, have internal evidence of this truth, we are struck

with the magnitude and importance of the sacrifice.

To regain the favour of God is the great object of the Christian's life: and therefore he endeavours, by every means in his power, to procure a participation in the blessings of the gospel. To frequent the Lord's table he finds an indispensable duty; for in so doing, he complies with the positive injunction of the Author of his religion, and the acknowledged practice of the church of Christ in every age. He approaches it, however, without superstition, and without presumption. He neither

exalts it, with some, into an object of adoration, nor depresses it, with others, into a cold unmeaning ceremony. He is not prevented from participating, by the fear of sharing the fate of Uzza when he touched the ark neither does he rush towards it as to a cursory act of devotion, in which neither his heart, nor his affections, are concerned. But he considers this sacred ordinance, as our Lord himself and his apostles represent it, as the channel of divine grace. "The cup of blessing which we

"bless,

bless, is it not the communion [the com "munication to you] of the blood of "Christ? The bread which we break, is "it not the communion of the body of "Christ?"

What the graces and blessings are which are communicated by this sacrament, it is unnecessary to enumerate: they are deeply imprinted in the good man's heart; the effects of them are visible in the good man's life. Such a renovation of mind, such a strengthening and refreshing of our souls as we experience on these occasions, is peculiar to that happy system of religion which we possess.

In the execution of this act there is no obscurity. The ordinance is plain, the effects certain, and, I may add, the neglect of it dangerous. An attentive perusal of the office of our church appointed for the celebration of this sacrament, will be our best instruction, and a good life our best preparation for it. The service is solemn and affecting; it touches the feelings and improves the heart. By this we declare our confidence in Christ's merits, our

belief in his mission, and our adherence to his religion. By this our confidence is increased, our belief confirmed, and our adherence established, not only by an accession of pious thoughts and holy resolutions, but by the extraordinary influence of those divine blessings annexed to the performance of a duty, appointed and recommended by him, in whose

face

Divine compassion visibly appears,

Love without end, and without measure grace.

MILTON,

As we are at every period of our lives in want of the distinguishing graces of christianity, no criminal negligence on our part should prevent their operation. If we are indeed believers in Christ, let our faith be productive of those good fruits, which Christ alone delivers. Does he point out methods of conveying to us the ordinary and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit? and. dare we dash the untasted moisture from us? This conduct is unworthy of the sacred name we bear. It is for this, and such as this, that blessings are withheld from us..