r 1 1 or TIIK Theo logical Seminar y. PRINCETON, N. J. Cdse Shelf Book Division Section.... N*. '' -- ,054? THE c^<:i^- J<^/^^if*^»^ ^r, TRUE END AND DESIGN '^ ^^^' '^"'^"^ Of the HOILY SACRAMENT OF THE LORDS SUPPER, TOGETHER. WITH THE NATURE OP THE PREPARATION, Necessary for A Right and Profitable Reception ihereoj. OPENED AND EXPLAINED, BETWEEN A FATHER AND HIS SON. Bij the Rev, JOHN CLOJVES, M. A. Rector of St. John's Church, Manchester. PRINTED BY M. WARDLE, NEW CANNON-STREET^ 1810. TO THB YOUNG COMMUNICANTS, la the Neighbourhood Of St. Johns Churchy MANCHESTER.* xIaVING had the happiness of instructing several amongst you, in an annual course of public lectures, on the interesting subject of the following pages, I have long been desirous, in compliance with the re- quest of many of your parents, of arranging on paper the substance of that instruction, that so you might have an opportunity of recurring to it at your own homes, as often ax occasion and inclination might lead you to consult it. The exemption from public duty, to which I have lately been compelled to submit in consequence of a tedious hoarseness, has been favourable to my wishes in the above respect, and has enabled me at length to present you with the following dialogues^ in which you will find the principal matter of those lectures, digested in such a manner, as will, I trust, tend at the same time to fix it more deeply in your minds, and also to excite new sentiments of holy affection and thought on the subject. So many excellent books having been already writ- ten concerning the Lord's Supper, you may possibly thmk that it would have answered the same, or perhaps a better purpose, if I had recommended some of those books to your perusal. I wish to ob- serve iti reply, that every one has a way of thinking peculiar to himself on every subject, and it is for the advantage of the public, to be in possession of as great a variety of sentiments as possible, on every impor- tant point of Christian doctrine, provided those senti- ments be agreeable to the truth of God's Hox-y "WoKD. I wish to observe further, that though many learned and pious treatises have been already written, concerning the nature and design of the Holy Supper, yet it has always appeared to me, that in general, too little attention has been paid in those treatises to the nature and necessity of the spiritual nourishnient, meant to be conveyed in and by that supper. The sacred ordinance, has been too often considered, as intended merely to excite in the com- municant a recollection of the Saviour's suffering and death, which recollection, there is reason to fear, for want of some deeper and more spiritual appre- hension of the subject, passes away and perishes, in many case.?, with the external celebration of the sa- cred rile. To obviate these mischiefs, it has always appeared to me expedient, in treating on the Holy Supper, to Insist upon and explain more especially the true 7iature of that Remembrance of Jesus Christ, to excite which was doubtless the great cad of the insti- tution of the sacred ordinance ; and in connection with this Remembrance, and as necessary to give it full and proper effect, it seemed further expedient to explain the true nature of that spiritual food, in- tended to be conveyed in the divine institution, what and whence^ it is, the reason ichy , and the manner how it is to be received, and thus what are the real and eternal qualifications for deriving all possible be- neiit and blessing from this solemn sacrament. Such is the outline of what I have attempted to express and explain to you in the public lectures you have already received, and also of what you are to expect to sec arranged and further elucidated in the following pages. That the perusal of these pages may be made in- strumental, through the Divine blessing, in exciting and keeping alive the good impressioas which may A 2 heretofore have been made on your hearts and under- standings, and thus in leading you to a further know- ledge of God and yourselves, and to a more faithful discharge of all your Christian duties, that so you may daily feed upon heavenly food, and be nourished thereby in all heavenly graces and virtues, is the sin- cere and fervent prayer^ of your ever affectionate mi- nister, t/. Clowes. DIALOGUES, CONCERNING TME JLOMB'S SUFFEK, BETWEEN ' A FATHER AND HIS SON. DIALOGUE I. Father. I am happy, my son, to observe in you so serious an attention to the things of God and reli- gion, and I trust, you will so far remember the good instructions I have heretofore given you, as to grow daily more and more in Divine grace, being convin- ced that this is the only way which leads to solid peace and happiness. Son. Through God's assistance, I trust, I shall ever observe and profit by all your good counsels, and I ought to t>c very thankful to God and you, for hav- 8 ing had the benefit of so kind and able an instructor in my early years. Bat still, my father, I find my- self very ignorant, and there are many things which I v/ish fur'.her to know and to have explained to me. Father. God, my child, will not leave you in ignorance of any knowledge which may be profitable to you, because he is greatly desirous that all his children should become tvise unto salvation, and therefore he hath implanted in ycu the love of grow- ing wise. But may I ask, what is it that you want further to know and to have explained to you ? Son. You may remember, when you gave mc instruction about ConJiTmation, you admonished me to begin to think of receiving the holy sacrament of the Lord's supper, as a further means of growth in the divine grace : T have not failed to attend to your admonition, which, I shall never forget, you pressed with so much warmth and tenderness of parental af- fection: I am persuaded also, that to receive worthily the blessed hodi/ and Hood of Christ, must needs be of all other things the most happy and excellent. But the more I have thought on the subject, the more I have been perplexed, and therefore I should esteem it a particular favour, if you would permit me to ask you a few questions on a matter of such great impor- tance, and would give me such answers as you may- judge best suited to my present capacity. Father. You know that I love you too well to deny you a request of this nature, and that I have too tender a concern for your everlasting happiness^ 9 to with-hold from you any information which it is in my power to give you. I beg therefore you will be free to ask me any questions you may think proper, and I trust God will enable me lo give you such an- swers, as shall be best suited to your apprehension, and most profitabje to your spiritual instruction and improvement. So?i. I sincerely thank you, my dear Father, for Hie liberty you allow me, and for the tender regard you express and have ever shewn towards me j and believing that God will instruct me through you, I shall the more freely communicate all my doubts, and propose my enquiries. And first, I wish to ask you, for what end or purpose did Jesus Christ 171- stitute the sacrament of his supper ? Father. Have you never read his own words to his disciples at its institution ? Do not you recollect how in delivering to them the consecrated elements, he says, do this in rememlrance of me? Son. What am I to learn from hence ? Father. What do the words plainly teach you, but that the end or design of receiving the consecra- ted Inad and wine, was to stir up in the disciples a rememlrance of their dear Lord and Master ? Se«. Is this then the only end of the institution of the holy supper ? Father. What greater end, my child, can there be than -this? Or what other end can be wanted or desired besides this ? Consider well with yourself, and you will find that in this rememlrance of Jesus 10 Christ is contained the one spring and fountain of all heavenly graces and virtues, insomuch that where this rememlrance really hath place and operates, there dwells of necessity all holiness and excellence, together with eternal life and peace ; but where this remembrance hath no place and operation, there of necessity dwel's all sin and abomination, together with eternal death and misery. Son. In receiving the holy supper then, is it enough to exercise my memory only about Jesus Christ, his sufferings and death, as I have seen re- commended in some pious books on this subject? Father. Do not misunderstand or misconceive me. To rememler Jesus Christ is a very different thing from exerting an act of the memory only about his sufferings and death. None but very good Chris- tians can really and truly rememher Jesus Christ, whereas very bad and wicked persons may exert an act of the memory about h^s sufferings and death, at we see by experience is frequently the case. Son. I fear then I do not rightly apprehend what you mean here by the word rememlrance. I have always conceived that to rememher any person or thing is to exercise the memory in thinking abou^ them, or by recollection to make such person or thing present in the mind and thoughts. Father. This is not, properly speaking, remem- lrance, my child; it is only exerting an act of the memory. 11 Son. Bat how am I to distinguish between what you call rememhrance, and what I call an exercise oj ihe mtmory ? Father. Consider and understand this well, my dear : rememhrance, properly speaking, implies both a love towards, and a knowledge of the person or thing you remember, whereas you may exert an oc* casiojial act of the memory without either love or knowledge. Did y6u never take notice and observe in yourself, that you always rememler best what you most love, and in consequence of that love are best acquainted with, and that in truth and reality you only rememler what you love, or what moves your affections ? Son. What would you infer from hence, my Father? Father, That the remembrance of Jesus Christ, properly speaking, implies both love towards him, and knowledge of him, and that you can only so far rememler him, as you love him, and are acquainted with his divine perfections 3 and in this sense it is, that you are required in the commandment to re- memler the Sabbath day. Son. I think I begin now to apprehend your meaning, my father : you would teach me that no- thing properly enters into my remembrance, but what enters into my love and affections, and that it cannot enter into my love and affections, but so far as it is loved and known by me. 12 Father. This is my meaning, my child : and here you may see at one view why Jesus Christ institu- ted his holy supper, and commanded his disciples to do it in rememlrance ef him : it was to stir them up to a continual love and knowledge of him, this being all that was wanting for their blessedness either in time or in eternity : and as this was all that was wanting for their blessedness, so is it all that is want- ing for our blessedness also, and therefore he requi- red this sacrament to be for ever continued in his church, as a means of exciting all to the same bless- ed love and kwjwleds:e. Son, But here another difficulty presents itself, my father : why cguld not the disciples of Jesus Christ have rememlered their Lord and Master as well without this institution as with it ? Or in other words, why were bread and wine ordained as necessary to be received, in order to stir up such re- memhrance ? Cannot I rememher Jesus Christ without eating bread and drinking wine ? Father. I will answer your question, my child, by another question : did you never observe that you are more affected by those things which you can see, and/ee/, and taste with your outward bodily senses, than by those things which you cannot so see, and /ee/,and taste 9 Son. What would you infer from hence ? Father, Nay, let me ask you, what would you infer ? Son. I confess that vvhat I see and feil and taste 13 with my outward bodily senses, appears to make more impression on my mind, than what is not seen, felt, and tasted by me, but this possibly may be ow- ing to my gross and material body, which makes me more atfected by material and natural things, than by such as are immaterial and spiritual. Father. You say right, my child : it is owing (o your gross and material body that you are thus most affected by sensible objects : but have not all man- kind like gross and material bodies with yourself? Son. They have. Father. Is it not likely then that all mankind will be more affected by what is visible and material than by what is invisible and immaterial ? Son. So it should seem. Father. Cannot you here then see a reason, my child, why Jesus Christ in his wisdom ordained that all mankind should be stirred up to the remem- Irance of him by eating bread and drinking wine ? For do not you see that bread and wine are material and sensible things, and that eating and drinking are material and natural acts ? And do not you confess yourself, that you are more affected by what is mate- rial and natural than by what is immaterial and spiritual ? Son. I think I begin to apprehend your meaning. Father. My meaning is plain and easy to be ap- prehended by all who allow themselves to be com- pounded of soul and body. Such persons must needs have observed, that if the soul alune be affected, or 14 the body alone, the effect produced is not full and compleat -, but when both soul and body are affected conjointly, and at the same time, then a full and compleat effect is wrought and produced. This was what Jesus Christ saw in his wisdom, and therefore in order to produce the mos\ full and compleat effect, or, in other words, to lead his disciples to the most full and compleat exercise of remembrance, and thereby to the most full and compleat reception of the love and knowledge of himself, he ordained that they should receivfe him under the outward, visible, and se?isible elements of bread and wine, whereby both soul and body might be wrought upon and af- fected conjointly, and at, one and the same time. Son. I thank you, my father, for making this matter so plain ard ensy of apprehension. But here another difficulty occurs 5 Jesus Christ, in deliver- ing the bread to his disciples, says,. Take, eat, this is my body ; and in delivering the wine, he says. Drink ye all of this, for this is my blood of the New Testament : what now am I io suppose is here meant by body and blood P And in what sense am I to un- derstand the bread in the holy supper to be the Lord's body, and the wine to be his blood ? Father. Let me first ask, what is your opinioUj my child, on this subject ? Son. I should suppo-ie, that by the expressions body and blood, when applied to the Lord, are sig- nified things spiritual and divine, and not things merely natural and material ,- and that when the 15 Lord calls the Iread his lody, and the wine his Hood, he means that they a:e Jigurailvely and reprC' sentativcly so. Father. You suppose avight ; But do you see and comprehend the ground and reason why the Lord thus expresses and conveys divine and spiritual things by means of natural and material? Son. I confess I do not ; but I should be very thankful if you would enable me to see and com- prehend it. Father. You will find no difficulty on the sub- ject, provided you considei and understand well what the Psalmist meant when he said. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the Jirmament sheweth his handy work ;* and also, what were the Apostle's ideas when he thus instructs his Roman converts. The invisille things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, heing understood hy the tilings that are made, eveji his eternal power and God' head :\ for from these words it should appear mani- fest, that there is established from creation, a strict and close connection and correspondence between things spiritual and things natural, inasmuch as the latter things are but external forms and images of the former, wherein, and whereby, the former things arc clearly seen and understood. Thus the whole ?iatural world, which we inhabit, is an exact type or im- age of the spiritual world from which it hath birth > * Psalm xix. i, f Romans i. 20, 16 and thus ai! things which exist in the natural world are like types and images of similar things existing in the spiritual world, with which they are connected and make one, and of which therefore they are na- tural outward pictures and representatives. Son. But what am [ to learn from all this ? Father, You may possibly learn what you never knew or thought of before ; viz. the true ground and reason why in the sacred scriptures spiritual things are continually expressed and signified by natural things, and why therefore the Ldrd himself, in speak- ing of the divine things which are in himself, which constitute himself, and which proceed from himself, calls them lady (or Jiesh) and Hood, and also bread and wine. Son. But pray, my father, how doth it appear that spiritual things are expressed in the sacred scrip- tures by natural things ? Father. It appears from the scriptures themselves throughout, of which I could give you abundant proof from every page, w"Ould the time permit : but at present I shall be content with pointing out to you a few instances of this manner of expression, from which you may draw your own conclusions about the rest. Jesus Christ, you know, calls himself Light, as when he saith, lam the Light of the luorld.* In like manner in other places he call himself a Door,f a JVay,X and a Vine ;% and speaking of the trulh of * John'.iii. 12. + John X. 9. % John xiv. 6. §John xv. 1. 17 his holy word, he calls it JFater, which he declares shall flow out of tlie Bdlij of him who believeth * and speaking of his Word itself, he calls it a Foun^ tain and a JVdl •,\ to the same purpose, and for the same reason, speaking of the divine things which are in himself, and which proceed from himself, he calls them Flesh (or Body) and Blood. But as re- markable an instance, perhaps, as any of this mode of expression, and as applicable to our present pur- pose, is what occurs in the Prophet Ezechiel, chap. xxxix. verse 17, 18, Ig, 20, 21. where are these singular words. And thou Son of Man, thus saith the Lord God, speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every least oj the field, assemble yourselves and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacri- fice that 1 do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink Hood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the 7nighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lamhs, and of goals, oj hullocks, all of themJaiUngs of Bashan. Jnd ye shall eat fat till ye he full, and drink Idood till ye be drunken, of my sacrfice which I have sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and with cha- riots, with mighty men, and with all men of zvar, saith the Lord God : and I will set my glory among the Heathen. Like words occur in the book of Revelations, chap. xix. verse 1/. which it ii * Johnyii. 33, f John iv. 14. Jer. ii. 13. B 2 18 impossible can have any sense or meaning as under- stood only naturally, and therefore they must needs be expressive of spilitual thing?. For who can sup- pose that by the Flesh and Blood above spoken of are meant material flesh and blood ? or that by horses and chariots, 7nigkty men and men of ivar, with which the ^lests were to hefilled at the Lord's tahle, are meant such things in a natural sense ? But when it is known and believed that by these natural things are represented and signified ^piri^wfl/ and hea^ venly things, the whole passage is then found to be full of all that instruction and reasonableness, which must needs abound in every part of the Word of God, Son. I confess, my father, that I never hereto- fore considered the sacred writings according to the view which you now present of them ; but what you have said appears to throw a great light upon the di- vine volume, and will tend, I trust, to make me pe- ruse it with more attention and edification than ever I did before. I shall henceforth regard every natural term or expression which occurs in my Bible, as con- taining and signifying somewhat spiritual relating to the Lord and his Kingdom, and thus I shall endea- vour to see and find the treasures of the Lord and his Kingdom in every part of his holy word. Father. It is impossible that you can enter into the real sanctity and full use of the Word of God in any other way than this : and indeed it is impossible that in any other way the Bible should be seen to be 19 the Word of God ; for the Word of God must needs be divine and spiritual, and treat of divine and spi_ ritual things, and this it cannot be seen to be and do, until divine and spiritual things are seen to be con- tained in it, being expressed by things natural. So?i. But still, my father, a difficulty remains, viz. what am I to apprehend by the locly and Hood of Christ in distinction from each other? I can readily conceive that the lody of Christ means something di- vine and spiritual, intended to be represented and conveyed by Iread ; and I can as readily conceive that the Hood of Christ means also something divine and spiritual, intended to be represented and conveyed by ivine ; but how am I to distinguish what is parti- cularly meant and expressed by lody from what is meant and expressed by Hood? Father. Do not you say yourself, that yen con- ceive the body and hlood of Jesus Christ mu&t needs be divine and spiritual things ? Son, I do. Father, Cannot you then conceive further, that if they he divine and spiritual things, they must needs be his love and his ivisdom, since nothing else, pro- perly speaking, is divine and spiritual ? Son. I fear I do not rightly understand this. Father. Do not the sacred scriptures teach you throughout, that God, or Jesus Christ, is essential love and essential tvisdom P And can you conceive him to be any thing else ? Son, I cannot. 20 Father, Can you conceive any thing else to pro- ceed from him but love and wisdom ? Son. I cannot, except it be his life and light. Father. But what are God's life and light but his love and wisdom ? Do not yon see that the united principles of the divine love and the divine luisdom constitute the divine lije and divine light ? Son. I confess it should seem so. Father. God is said in the sacred scriptures to be good and true, to be righteous zndjust, to be merci- ful ^nd gracious, and many other properties and qua- lities are attributed to him, such as omniscience, om- nipotence, and omnipresence, but if you will consider with yourself, you will lin.l that all these attributes and properties ascribed to God, have reference to his love and wisdom, and are included the;ein. And what greatly confirms this idea is the consideration of the nature of Fxian, who was created to receive life from God. Son. I can"ot see at all how the consideration of man's nature can tend to explain pr confirm the na- ture of God. Father, Do not the sacred scriptures teach you, that man was created in the Image of God, and in- tended to receive life from God ? Son. Yes, this I believe. Father. And doth not man consist of two princi- pal faculties, will and understanding ? Son. So it should seem 3 but what doth this prove. Father. To me it proves satisfactorily, that es- 21 senl'ial love and essential luisdom united are what constitute the nature of God, inasmiich as that be- ing, who was created in the image of God, and in- tended to receive life from him, is endowed with distinct facuhies to receive both those divine princi- ples. Son. Am I then to conceive that the will of man was designed to receive love from God^ and his under standirig to receive wisdom ? Father. You cannot conceive otherwise if you allow that man was created to receive lijefrom God: neither, according to any other view, can you ex- plain the reason why man was endued with these two distinct faculties. But when you see that the tvill'principle of man ' was made to receive the life of love from God, and his understanding to receive the life of wisdom, you will then see opened to your view a knowledge both of God and of yourself, which will at the same tim^e delight and edify you .S'o72. But how am I to conceive of this love and i^^i^JoOT of Jesus Christ ? Are they two distinct principle^;, or are they to be corisidered as one and the same principle ? Father. In Jesus Christ they are distinctly one, and they are spoken of as two ff/^arar^e principles only in regard to man, in whom and by whom they maybe divided, and frequently are divided j never- theless, it is the continual intention and operation of Jesus Christ to prevent such division, by making them one in man, as they are one in himself. 2-2 Son. This I confess I do not apprehend j pray my dear father, endeavour to explain yourself, so tnat I may clearly see and understand what you mean. Father. Did not you just now allow that you have two faculties, a will and an ujiderstauditig, a iv'ill whereby you can love, and desire, and choose, and an understanding whereby you can think, and consider, and reason, and that your will was created to receive love from God, and your understanding to receive wiadom ? Son. Yes, all this I allow. Father. But do not you find by daily experience, that these two faculties are frcqaemly at variance, so that your will at times chuseih, desireth, and de- lighteth in, what your 2/;zaV:7-5^Q??fl^i720' doth not ap- prove, and that your understanding approves what your will doth not chuse, desire, or delight in ? Son, Yes j this I think I comprehend, but what am I to inter from hence ^ Father. Is it not pla-n from hence, that tLe dirine love and the divine wisdom are not one in you, but are divided or disunited ? Son. It should scem so. Father. And can you conceive it possible that you should ever be happy, or at peace, whilst this is the case with ycu ? Son. No surely j I feel by experience that I can never be happy vi'hilstmy ivill loxes what my under- standing doth not approve, or whilst my understanding approves what my will doth not love 3 ior in such case I nm like that hoi/sc or kingdom divided against it thjt your spirit sees, zxid tastes, and /ee/5 that object, whatsoever it be, jast as fully and really as your body sees .z\\d tastes and feels its bodily food. Son. But, you would not say that my spirit eats and drinks that object ? Father. No ; not according to the gross natural idea of eating and drinking 5 but I would say, and should be justified in saying, that according to the A 2 30 true spiriiual idea of those acts, your -spirit eats rnd drinks every object in which it finds delight, and f.bout which it employs its thoughts, inasmuch as it appropriates that object to itself, and talies it as it li'cre into its life, which is the true spiritual idea of eating and drinking. But the sacred scriptures of truth put this matter out of all doubt, and clear away every perplexity which may arise on tiie subject : for in them it is asserted again and again, that the spirit of man hath its food, that it hnth also its hun- ger and thirst, and that it eats and drinks, and is FiOurished thereby: Accordingly it is written *^ Lahour *' not for the meal wliich pcrislieth, Imt for that " MEAT WHICH ENDURETH TO EVErxLASTING LIFE, '^ WHICH THE Son of Man shall give unto tou^"* and again. " My meat is to do the will of him that '' sent me, and to fiiish his luorli ;"f and again, *' man shall not live ly I read alone, but by every '' word that proceedeth our of the mouth *^ OF God /'+ and again, " blessed are they that avN' " ger and thirst after righteousness, for they *' shall he filled \''\ and lastly, " Except ye eat the '^ P'lesh and drink the Blood of the Son of Man, *' ye have no life in you ;*'{] From which passages we are taught, as plainly as words can speak, these great truths, both that there is a food and nourish- ment proper to man's spirit, without which it cannot live, and also that man's spirit hath its appetite for * Jchn vi. 27. -r John iv. 34. X Matt. iv. 4. Deut. viii. 3. § Matt. V. 6. li John vi. 53. 31 such food, that it hungers and thirsts after Its proper ment ^nd drink, and further, that it receives, and is as really and trii^y fed and nourished thereby, as the body is fed and nourished by the daily food which it receives. £on. But in receiving lodily nourishment, there is a manifest distinction between eating and drinking : am I to suppose there is a like distinction between spiritual eating and drinking? Father. Most assuredly ; and Jesus Christ him- self points cut this disiinction when he speaks of his Body and Blood as distinct principles, and talks of eating the one and drinkm.j the other j and also when he distinguishes between spiritual hungering and thirsting. Son. And pray, my Father, what am I to conceive to be the distinction in this case ? Father. You have already seen the distinction pointed out between the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and how the one denotes his essential love, and the other his essential vnsdom. Now, if you will only consider with yourself, tl>at the principle of lore, with all tilings relating thereto, hath reference to m.an's u'ill, and is received thereby, and that the principle of icisdom, with all things relating thereto hath reference to man's understanding, and is re- ceived thereby, you will then be enabled to see and apprehend clearly what is the distinction between spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst, as also between spiritual eating and spiritual drinking ; and that hunger and eating have relation to the things of love. 32 and to man's desire and reception thereof in his willj whilst thirsting and drinking have relation to the things of wisdom, and to man's desire and reception thereof in his understanding ; so that according to this distinction, man's tvill hungers and eats, and his understanding thirsts and drinks, or in other words, the desire of the good things of love in man's will [^spiritual hunger, and iiis reception thereof is spiritual eating, whilst the desire of the truths of wisdom in his understanding is spiritual thirst, and his reception thereof is spiritual drinking. Son. Am I then to suppose that my spirit is now rished, stengthened, and refreshed by spiritual food, as my body is fay natural ? Father. You cannot possibly suppose otherwise, if you allow that spiritual food is as really and truly received by your spirit as natural food is by your body, and if you recollect at the same time the Lord's WORDS where he saith, '' Blessed are they that hunger *' and thirst after righteousness, for they shall " BE FILLED ; and in another place, he that eatefh '' my flesh and drinketh my hood, hath eternal ''Life 5 andagain. He that eateth Me, even he " SHALL LIVE BY Me :"* For what can possibly be the end and Deign of jour spirit's receiving spiritual food, but that it m:iy be 720Mm/zerf, strengthened, and refreshed thereby ? And what else could the Lord possibly mean when he talked of being spiritually filled, and ot having eternal life, and living ly him? * John vi. 5i 57. 33 AlMhe difference therefore in this ca-e between your spirit and your body is, that the one is nourished spiritualhj, and the other naturally. It is however well to be noted, that the vourishwent and the lifs nourished will always be according to the nalurc and kind of the food received. So?i. How do you mean, my Father ? Father. I mean that unwholesome spiritual food will always produce umvholesome nourishment, and unhealthy h^:^; as on the other hand, wholesome food will always have a contrary effect. Son. But what am I to understand hyumuhohsoine spiritual food ? Is there more than one kind of spi- ritual food ? Father. There are as many kinds of spirKunl food, my child, as there are objects of spiritual love and affection, and ns there are persuasions of the under- standing grounded in those objects : I have shewn you above, ^thn^ whatsoever your spirit loves and clAights in, and in conseqnence thereof e^ercfies its thoughts alout, that is its food, because i^a^es that object into its life ; if then the object so taken into the life be an evil or vain objert, it ^viU yield unwholesome nourishment, and hurt the lifes health ; but if it be a good and substantial object, it will then yield wholesome nourisliment, and preserve the health. Son. But how am I to distinguish between evil or vain objects, and good or substantial objects ? Father. The Word of God instructs you in this ns in every thing else conducive to the welfare of 34 your spiritual and eternal life; Therefore it is writ- ten, *' Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Wokd which proceedeth out of the MOUTH OF God." And again, ** Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat zvhich en- dureth to everlasting life, which the Son of Man SHALL GIVE UNTO YOU." Aud again the Lord saith, '• My meat is to do the will op him that sent ME." In these words you are taught plainly what iho-e good or substantial objects are, which yield wholesome nourishment to the spirit ; that they are the Will of God, and what proceeds from the Son of Man ; or in other words, they are the Di- vine love and divine wisdom of Jesus Christ AND his word. All the goodness and truth of God iherefore, whether manitested in his word or in his WORKS, is the proper and wholesome food of man's spirit. Son. But what then are those evil or vain ob- jects, which yield unwholesome nourishment ? Father. Every thing, you may be sure, which is contrary to Jesus Christ and his divine love AND divine wisdom. The things of the 2^/GrW there- fore, and of ihejlesh, and of self, wht-nsoever they oppose or counteract the reception and operation of the divine love and divine wisdom in you, become poison to your spiritual life, and corrupt all the springs of spiritual health. The reason is, because spiritual life and health consists solely in receiving and bringing forth the fruits of the luve and wisdom of 35 God. Nevertheless, the love of the world, and of \\\e flesh, and of self, hath not this pernicious effect, only so far, as it is exalted above heavenly love and wisdom : when it is kept in subjection thereto, it can do no harm, but rather administers to the strength of the life. Son, I ihink, I understand what you mean, by a wrong love of the world and of the flesh ; but I confess, I do not know what I am to apprehend by a wrong love of self. Is it possible for me to love my' self too much r Father. If by yourself you mean what is of God in you, this you cannot love too much, because to love this is to love God j but if by yourself \i to be understood something you call your own, indepen- dent of God, as your own will, or your own zvis' dom, or your own virtue, this you may love too much, because in loving it, your heart and affections may be turned away from God, and fixed upon some- thicg which is not God, or of God. And it was ac- cording to this sense of self, that the Lord saith. Except a man deny himself, he cannot be my dis' ciple ; by which words you are plainly taught, that every man has naturally a will and wisdom of his own, which is in opposition to the will and ivisdom of God ; and that as the will and wisdom of God is salutary food, and nourishes a healthful life, so man's own will and wisdom, separate from God's, is unsa- lutary food, and destroys the life. In short, my son, you cannot help exercising the faculties of love. o oi dt'site, and of knowledge, which the merciful God has implanted in you, and according to the objects on which you exercise them, will be theyoofif of your spirit, and the life nourished thereby. If God and the things of his kingdom be those objects, your food will ever be wiiolesome, and the life nourished will be fiealthfuly because it will be heavenly, holy y and llessed. Butif^e//', the world, and the flesh be those objects, 7;zore than God and the things of his kingdom, in this case your daily food will be of a poisonous quality, and the life nourished by it will be sickly and deadly, because it will be earthly, unclean, and unblessed. Son, But Jesus Christ declares in the Gospel, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my Hood dwell" ethin Me and I in him^ — how am I to understand this ? Father. Cannot you understand, my dear, that whatsoever is realjy good and true is from Jesus Christ, who is the Father thereof? Son. Yes, this lean under tand Father » Is it not plain then, that wheresoever there is any thing really good and true, there also Jesus Christ is and dwells, inasmuch as you cannot pos- sibly separate him from what proceeds from him ? Son. Yes, I think I apprehend this also. Father. You must then of necessity apprehend, and see plainly, how in eating the Flesh of Jiisus Christ * John vi. 56. 37 and drinking his Blood, which we have already shewii to mean the reception of love and whdom, or of goodness and iruth from Him, you must of neces- sity receive Him at the same time, and consequently have Him dwelling in you as your Lii'E, whilst you dwell in Him as the willing and glad receiver of Him and his Life. Sou. I think, my dear father, that I begin now to apprehend the whole of your meaning, and I trust that I shall no longer have any doubts and perplexi- ties on this important subject. You have taught me, what I confess I could not comprehend before, that my spirit eats, and drinks, and is nourished, as well as my body ; but that tbe 7neat and drink of my spirit are spiritual, as the meat and drink of my body are material. You have taught me further, that according to my ruling affection and my ruling thought, such is my spiritual food ; and therefore, that if Jesus Christ and his Wokd bs the principal objects of my love and regard, they will become also the living nourishment of my life. You have taught me also, that this living nourishment is called the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and is given and received in the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper, under the outward elements of head and wine, in order that by affecting the material body at the same time, it may be received in all fullness and effect. Lastly you have convinced me in the most satisfactory manner, that the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are his divine love and divine wisdom D 3S and that these divine principles are intended to be received by man, who for that end is endowed with two receptive faculties, tiie will and the ltnder- STANDiNG, the WILL to feceivc LOVE, and the un- derstanding to receive wisdom, and that whoso- ever thus receives love and wisdom in his inner man, receives at the same time Jesus Christ and his life, and together therewith all the blessings of redemption. There is only one thing now which seems to perplex me, ^d about which I appear to want further in- formation and instruction, and that is, concerning the preparation which is necessary in order to my being a worthy or profitable receiver of the holy supper. St. Paul, you know, speaks of eating and drinking unworthily , and declares the punishment for so doing to be eternal condemnation. How then shall I escape this punishment, and so eat and drink that it may conduce to the support of life, and not to the causing death ? Father. Your question, my child, is of infinite importance ; but having some urgent business at present, which calls me from you, 1 shall take some , other opportunity of answering it, and I trust it will not be long before snch an opportunity offers itself. DIALOGUE II. — =»coo« Father. JL am happy in being permitted so soon to rf^aume my discourse with you on the subject about ■which you appeared to be so much interested^ and I trust the short interruption it met with will not have been unproiitable. Son. If I may judge by the more earnest desire kindled in ray mind for further instruction, the in- terruption has not been unprofitable to myself. Ever since bur last conversation, my thoughts have been wholly engaged on the new and edifying ideas which you suggested respecting spiritual nourishment. But the mere I think on the subject, the more anxious I find myself about it, not only in regard to under- standing or apprehending it aright, but also in regard to practice. And therefore I beg you will lose no time in satisfying my enquiry concerning the pre- paration necessary in order to my being a worthy or profitable receiver of the holy supper. Father. Your enquiry appears to me to amount to this, what is the best preparation for receiving good spiritual nourishment from good spiritual food ? Is not this what you mean ? 40 Son, It is, Father- Permit me, in the way of answer, to ask you a question —What, think you, is the best pre- paration for receiving good natural nourishment from natural food ? Son. I should suppose a good appetite and good digestion -, but what has this to do with spiritual nourishment ? Father. Mbr'e perhaps than you at present appre- hend, or are willing to allow. You are as yet influ- enced, I perceive, by the common prejudices of man- kind, before they become enlightened with spiritual truth. You are not aware at present, that all sensations and operations, which manifest themselves in the cor- poreal man, have their proper and only ground in af- fections and faculties of the spiritual man, and cor- respond thereto. Thus natural eating and drinking have their ground in, and exact correspondence with the spiritual eating and drinking of which we have been speaking 5 and in like manner also, every na- tural sensation and operation, which regards natural eating and drinking, is grounded in, and exactly corresponds with some spiritual affection and faculty which regards spiritual eating and drinking. Of con- sequence, as there is a natural appetite for natural food, without which food cannot be received, and a natural digestion, without which food cannot be ser- viceable, so also there must needs be a spiritnal ap' petite, and a spiritual digestion alike necessary for the salutary reception of spiritual food. 41 So?i. But what am I to conceive is meant by a spiritual appetite and a spiritual digestion ? Father. Only consider with yourself what is meant by a natural appetite and natural digestion, and you will then want no further instruction on the subject. When you feel a desire for natural food, and a de- light in receiving it, you then say ycu have a good appetite^ but if you have no desire for your food, and feel no delight in receiving it, you then say you have no appetite, or that your appetite is not good* So again, when you find your food refreshes and strengthens your body, and enlivens your natural spirits, rendering you active and alert to discharge your natural duties, you then conclude that you have a good digestion, but on the other hand, if your food tends rather to oppress than to enliven you, and if your body grows, weak instead of growing strong after you have received it, ycu then conclude, and rightly, that your digestion is not good. Now this is precisely the case in regard to spiritual appetite and spiritual digestion. If, for instance, you find a desire for spiritual food, which is the love and the knowledge of God, and experience a delight or sa- tisfaction in receiving it^ you may then conclude that yom spiritual appetite IS good 'j but if you feel v.o such desire, and experience no such delight, you may then conclude with equal certainty that you have no spiritual appetite, or that your spiritual appetite is not good. And so also respecting spiritual diges^ iion. If you fiiiJ, upon receiving your spiritual food 42 that it strengthens and refreshes your spirit, quicken- ing and enlivening you with new life, and rendering you active and alert to discharge your spiritual duties, you may then conclude that your spiritual digestion is good ; but on the other hand, if your spiritual food, instead of producing these salutary effects, tends rather to oppress and overcharge your spirit, and thereby to render it indolent and lifeless, you may then with equ.il reason conclude that your spi' ritual digestion is ivipaired, and not in its proper state. Son. But how comes it to pass, my Father, that no mention is made in lioly scripture of spiritual ap- petite and spiritual digestion 9 If such things are, and if they are of that great importance, which, from your account of the matter, they appear to be, how happens it that the word of God is totally silent on so interesting a subject ? Father, Who has told you, or where did you learn that the word of God is totally silent on this interest- ing subject ? Possibly the express terms appetite and digestion do not occur in the holy book, but other expressions occur frequently which have pre- cisely thesame signification, and denote the same thing* Son. Pray, my Father, mention to me some of those expressions. Father. Is it not written, thou shalt love the Lord THY God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and ivith all thy might ?* Now what is * Deut. vi, 5, Matt, xxii. 37. 43 this Love to God which is here enjoined, but that good spiritual appetite of which we have been speak- ing, and which is so necessary for the receiving of spiritual food ? again, is it not written, if a man love Me, he ivill keep my words ?* And what is this keeping the Lord's word, but that good spiritual digestion of which we have been speaking, whereby the spiritual things of heavenly love and wisdom be- come truly incorporated in the life of man, and ren- der him chearful, active and alert in fulfilling all the duties of a Christian life? Numberless other passages might be adduced to the same purpose, as where mention is so frequently made of the hungry and thirsty, implying man'fsstly such as are so in a spiritual sense. But suffice it to observe at present, that every call to love God, to delight in him, and to keep his commandments, is a call to man to excite in him a good spiritual appetite and a good spiritual digestion. Son. If then I understand you aright, my Father, by a good spiritual appetite, which is necessary to receive spiritual food, you mean nothing more or less than a true and sincere love towards God, which implies a right state and tendency of the will and af- fections in regard to him. And by a good spiritual digestion, which is necessary to profit by the food received, you mean the living in such a con'ormily to God's word and commandment, in the doing those things which are pleasing lo him, as may be needful * John xiv, 23. 44 to give the received fodd admission into the life, and so to render the life vigorous and operative. Father. This is my meaning, my child ; for as, in a natural way, it is impossible for a man to take food into his body, unless he has a natural appetite and relish for it -, and as without such appetite he would starve in the midst of the greatest plenty, and perish for want, even though his house was filled with provisions, even so it is in a spiritual way : God hath mercifully provided in his holy worJ an abun- dance of spiritual food for all his creatures, whereby the spiritual life of each may be supported in a due degree of health, vigour, and activity: But if his creatures have no des've of, or relish for this food, how plain is it to see that its abundance cannot profit them, inasmuch as they are utterly incapable in such case of tasting and receiving ir, and of consequence, as to their spiritual life, they must starve and perish in the midst of plenty, merely for want of the appe- tite necessary to receive it. And so likewise in re- gard ro digestio?i'^'Who cannot see that, in a natural way, the mere eating and drinking is of no benefit to man's bodily lile, only so far as the things eaten and druuken are well digested, and thereby incor- porated in the corporeal system ? And what en- lightened eye cannot see in like manner, that spiritual eating and drinking cannot profit man's spiritual life, unless so far as the spiruuai p;inciples received are really formed into life, and that this cannot be ef- fected but by living agreeably thereto, or in other 4& words, by doing as well as receiving the things of "heavenly love and wisdom ? And here, my child, you may see at one view the reason why so much is said in the sacred scriptures concerning loving God, hiouing God, and oh eying God. The love and the knowledge of God imply a right appetite for, and continual reception of the things of God, which are his love or goodness, his wisdom or truth, in our wills and understandings ; and obedience to God implies a good digestion of the heavenly things received, whereby they become in- corporated in the life, and the spirit of man is thus rendered strong and alert in the discharge of chris- tian duties, and the doing of all useful and proliiable works, which is the great end of man's creation; For who cannot see that man was crr?ated to be for ever happy and blessed in conjunction with the God of happiness and bliss ? But who cannot see further, that this conjunction cannot be effected only so far as It is wrought in the three grand constituent prin- ciples of man, his ivill, his understanding, and his works or operations ? And who cannot see further still, if he be so disposed, that it must needs be wrought in these three principles conjointly, other- wise the conjunction cannot be compleat, in which case the divine image and likeness in man must needs be incompleat also, and he will be so far short of the full perfection and happiness of his being ? Son. But are there any rules, my Father, for the acquiring and maintaining such spiritual appetite 46 and digestion, or for recovering them when they arc lost ? You have convinced me clearly of the import- ance of those two mental faculties, and that the due reception, exercise and enjoyment of spiritual life depend entirely upon their state and operation. I should be glad therefore to know how these two fa- culties may be best acquired, maintained, and if los^, recovered ? Father. The scriptures of truth, my child, from the Book of Genesis to liie book of Revelations, abound with rules and regulations on this subject ; yea, I will venture to assert that the whole of man's duty, as unfolded in the heavenly volume, has refer- ence to one or other of these two Things, viz. the right reception, or right digestion of heavenly prin- ciples of good and truth in his mind, in as much as there is notriing else which properly concerns man in his religious character, as capable of spiritual life, and created to receive and to have spiritual lite per- fectly formed in him, but such reception and digcs* iion And as the sacred scriptures were given to roan solely w'th a view to the formation of spiritual life in him, they must of necessity abound with rules and regulations respecting the above two facul- ties and operations. Son. But pray, my Father, be so kind to point out to me such rules and regulations, because from what you have told me, I feel myself exceedingly desirous to know and practise them. Father. It is impossible to point out all the in- 47 itances of the sort which occur in the sacred writings, for that would be to give a transcript of the greater part of the divine book ; but perhaps one instance may be sufficient, at least I will venture to say, that if you attend rightly to this owe, and set yourself to practise it, you will be able to discover all the rest for yourself, as you shall hereafter find occasion to apply them. Son. And pray what is that one instance ? Father. It is in the words of our Lord, when he first began to preach the gospel, saying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Son. Fray, my Father, explain yourself, for I con- fess I do not see at first sight what connection these words have with spiritual appetite and spiritual dir- ges tion. Father. Do not you know what is meant by re- pentance ? Son. I have always been taught that it means a sorrow for sin, and a sincere purpose to forsake it. Father. You have been taught aright j but before sin can be sorrowed for and forsaken, ii is necessary to know what sin is, and not only to know what it is, but also to discover by self-examination tvherext is, and how it hath gained dominion in every heart of fallen man. When this is known, true repentance may then be performed, and it will then appear clearly what connection there is between this great Christian duty and a good spiritual appetite and di' gestion. 48 Son. And pray, my Father, tell me what I am to understand by sin, for I am much afraid I do not as yet comprehend properly and fully what it means. Father, Sin, ray child, is every thing which is contrary to that love, knowledge of, and obedience to God, of which we have been speaking. As oppose to the love of God, it htis its seat in the will, and denotes every evil and perverted affection of the mind, that is, all evil and perverted love, especially the inordinate love of self and of the world, which is contrary to the love of God and of our neighbour. As opposed to the knowledge of God, it hath its seat in the understanding, and denotes every false prin - ciple and persuasion opposite to the truth of God, that is, to the genuine truth of his holy word. And as opposed to obedience to God, it has its seat in the life of man, and denotes every bad and lawless act, which is the fruit of a disorderly will and of a per- verted understanding. Son. I thank you, my Father, for thus explaining 'to me what sin is, and the more so, because I never before considered it in this extensive light, having been accustomed to confine it solely to ray outward words and actions ; whereas I now see clearly, that sin has its root in my will and affections, or as you call it, in my love. Father. This, it is to be feared my child, is the case vi'ith the generality of mankind, and on this ac- count few are aware zvhat sin really is, and still less where it is, and how it originates solely in the ruling 49 love, which has its seat or abode m man's will. Fevr therefore, it is to be feared, know what is meant by true repentance, and how necessary the performance of this duty is for the acquiring a good spiritual ap- petite and digestion. Of consequence they pass their whole lives without such appetite and such digestion, and never receiving wholesome spiritual food, and still less being nourished by it, they remain all their days in a mere natural and unregenerale state, being neither acquainted with, nor in possession of that spiritual life for which they were created, and feed- ing only on the husks which the swine do eat, that is, the external natural delights of mere concupis- cence. Son. I should esteem it a particular favour, my Father, if you would take the trouble of explaining this matter further to my apprehension, for I fear I do not yet see clearly how my spiritual appetite and digestion can be affected by repentance. Father. Do not you recollect the Lord's words where he saith, no man can serve two masters ? And do not you recollest further the memorable rea- son which he assigns for this, viz. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the^one and despise the other ? Son. I recollect it well. Father. Cannot you hence then see clearly, that if evil be hated, good will be loved? Son. Yes, this I think I can see clearly. Father, And doth not the good spiritual appetite, 50 of which we have been speaking, consist as we tiave shown, in loving what is good ? Son. Assuredly. Father. Is it not hence then very evident, how repentance, and repentance alone, must of necessity tend to excite a good spiritual appetite? For doth not repentance, and this duty alone, lead to the ha- tred and abhorrence of all sin, that is, of all sinful and inordinate love, which is opposite to the love of God and of our neighbour ? And if this sinful love be hated and abhorred, will it not ot necessity be separated and removed ? And if it be separated and removed, will not the love of goodness, which is the love of God and of our neighbour enter and abide in the same degree ? And thus, do not you see clearly, and to a demonstration, that repentance must needs beget a good spiritual appetite P And as repentance not only implies a change of the love, from the love of evil to the love of good, or, in other words, from the love of self and the world to the love of God and our neighbour, but also a change of life, from the practice of evil to the practice of good, must it not needs also conduce to give a good spiritual digestion, as well as a good spiritual appetite ? Son, Is repentance then, my Father, the only preparation you would recommend for my becoming a worthy receiver of the holy supper ? Father. Yes, my child, you cannot possibly want any other, provided you do but rightly understand what is meant by repentance, and diligently practice 51 It; nii.^ proviaed further, you do thf? work of re- peiitincf undt-r a due influence of the moiive thereto whirii (be- Lord recommends. Son. What motive do )ou menu ? Father. The motive expressed in those other words, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Son. I fear I do not rightly understand what is implied in this motive. Father. Do not yon understand what is meant by the kingdom of heaven ? Son. I always conceivei '**. to mean that state of bliss and glory, which angels and good men enjoy in another world. Father, But did you ever consider what properly constitutes that state of bliss and glory ? Son. I always conceived that in heaven God is present, and that where God S present, every thing must needs be blessed and glorious. Father. You conceive the presence of God then to constitute the bliss and glory of the kingdom of hea- ven ? Son. Yes, I do; Father. Heaven then may be upon earth if Godi le present there ? Son. So I should suppose. Father. And wheresoever, or in whomsoever, God is present and manifested, there is so much of the kingdom of heaven ? Son. It should seem so. Father. Cannot you hence then see the motive io 52 repentance implied in these words of the Lord to the Jews, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand '^ For is not this an express declaration that he was God^ 77ian}fested in the flesh, by virtue of which manifestation he was called the kingdom of heaven at hand P And do not the words therefore imply that all mankind should believe in him under this mani- festation, as their God and Saviour, and should accordingly come unto him, and by repentance and faiih seek conjunction with him, which is salvation and eternal life ? And can there possibly be a stronger motive to repentance than this, to know and consider that the eternal God himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, appeared on earth, to call men from their sins unto himself, and to give them power therehy to lecome the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life ? Son. Am I th6n to believe that Jesus Christ is the true God ? Father. You cannot believe otherwise, if you be- lieve his words, where he saith. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Alan, and drink his Hood, ye have no life in you; and again, Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my Hood, hath eternal life, and 1 will raise him up at the last day ; for unless he had been the only true God, what meaning or tiuth could there possibly have been in these words ? Can the flesh and blood of a creature communicate eter- nal life, or can they in any sense be supposed neces- sary to be eaten and drunken ? If Jesus Christ therefore had declared in express terms, / am the 53 tternal Jeuovak, the Alone True God, he could not have given a fuller or more unequivocal proof of his sole Divinity, than is contained in the above passages. You are then to believe, because the holy scriptures continually teach you, that Jesus Christ is the manifested Jehovah, and that all the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth lodily in Him, and that He and the Father are One ; and that therefore no man comet h to the Father but ly Him. And if you will believe this, my child, with a sincere heart, and to this belief join true repentance, you will then find this manifested redeeming God ever present with you in the very inmost center of your life, open- ing and forming every day his eternal kingdom of heavenly graces, affections and tempers in your heart, and enlightening your understanding more and mor« with the knowledge of himself, and thereby creating you again unto every good work. And if you will continue thus to seek the love and the knowledge of him, he v/ill soon teach you that his peace is such as the world cannot give you -, and thus he will in- spire you more and more with a continual hunger and thirst after him and his righteousness, which is that good appetite of which we have been speaking : And enabling you to do, as wtU as to love and know his commandments, you will be blessed also v/ith a good digestion, and will thus both receive a daily portion of heavenly food from hira for your spiritual nourishment, and also will turn it into nourishmentj ■whereby you will enjoy conjunction of life with him F 2 54 in every part and principle of your being, and wil eternally dwell in him and he in you, which is the blessed end of worthily eating his Flesh and drink- ing his Blood. Wherefore, my child, from henceforth seek ear- nestly an acquaintance with this redeeming God, whose name is Jesus Ckrist. Make it your chief care and study to feed daily on his most precious Word, which is his Body and Blood. Deny not your spirit this its proper and only true sustenance, for death must be the ineviu^ble consequence of not receiving the Food of Life. Think how little the world can dj towards conferring on you solid happi- ness, and how false and light are all its glittering joys, when weighed in the halance of the sarictuary : And let this consideration lead you to build your happiness on a better foundation. You are now young, and the prospects of life delight and enchant you ; but remember the words of a father who loves you, and who has had experience of life sufficient to make him wise. There is no solid peace to be found but in the ways of God, and every other peace must sooner or later fail you. If you make God your friend, you will be preserved from misery and delu- sion. If you feed upon his word, it will nourish in you the life of everlasting comfort. You will thus rise daily out of vanities into realities, out of uncer- tainty into stability, out of disorder into order, out of the mixed and impure principles of a mere natural life and existence, iiitg the purities ancj isanctities of 55 that spiritual and eternal life, for which you was created, and which, when all the fleeting shadows of temporal appearances fail you, will administer to you substaniial and never-fading bliss in the bosom and kingdom of Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my child, let these ivords of your God be ever engraven deep on the tablet of your heart, and then you will never want a blessing. Do THIS IN Remembrance of Me. AMEN. PRAYERS, THANKSGIVINGS, AND MEDITATIONS, To assist the devout Christian in bis Preparation for, and Attendance on the UDIRB'S SUFFEM. A Prayer 'o God that he would he pleased to assist us in our Preparation to receive the Blessed Sa- crament. I PROSTRATE mjself before thee, O blessed Je- sus, my most gracious God and Hierciful Father, in an humble acknowledgment of my un\vorthiness, and insufficiency cf myself for any thing that is good. I know, O Lord, that without thee 1 can do nothing, and therefore do humbly implore thy gracious assis- tance and acceptance of my endeavours, to prepare myself for the worthy receiving of the holy sacrament of thy precious Body and Blood. Stir up, I beseech thee, such picus affections and dispositions in my soul, as are suitable to this im- portant occasion : grant me such a sense ot" my sins, as may affect my heart with a deep sorro^v for them, and an eternal hatred and displeasure again^^t ihem ; and such a sense of thy mercies, as may effectually engage me to love and live to thee, who hast loved me at so dear a rale, as to come down from heaven and suffer death, to seek and to save me. And let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen. A Meditation on the In