are burning there who have not sinned so heinously, in making light of precious Christ, as we have done. Moreover, Reader, consider, if you go to this ordinance unpreparedly, or with indifference, you not only make light of the Lord Jesus Christ, but you are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, 1 Cor. xi. 27. Surely that word may cause you to quake and tremble; bloodguiltiness of any sort is a dreadful sin, and especially to be guilty of the blood of the Lord. Murder is a sin that cries for vengeance on the actor, and gives God no rest till he punish it, Gen. iv. 10. The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth. If it be a crying sin to murder a common person, what must it be to murder a king? Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? 1 Sam. xxvi. 9. O then, what a crime must it be to murder the eternal Son of God, who is thy exalted King, thy everlasting Father, thy dear Redeemer, and thy God who gave thee a being. Child murder is a heinous crime, but what Christ-murder is, no tongue can tell! If on him that slew Cain (that wicked man) vengeance should be taken sevenfold, what vengeance will be taken on him that crucifies afresh the Lord of Glory? This consideration should make all of us afraid of careless and unworthy communicating. If we would communicate worthily, we must be earnest, not only for the life of grace, but also for the liveliness of grace; not only for the truth and sincerity of grace, but likewise for the activity and vigorous exercise of grace. So that believer himself doth not eat and drink worthily, unless the grace that is in him be excited and exercised at this ordinance. There must be not only faith in the truth of it, but there must be faith realizing, applying, appropriating, and making use of Christ's death and purchase in this ordinance. Not only must there be a disposition of soul to be humbled for sin, but there must be actual mourning and melting of heart for sin, and for particular sins, when we look on him we have pierced by them. Not only must there be a principle of love to Christ, but also an exciting of love to flame out to Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. Worthy communicating being a work of such importance, the following Scriptural Meditations and Advices are humbly offered to Christians, as an help in their prep aration for it. Reading and thinking much on the subjects here proposed, may through God's blessing be useful to promote their habitual preparation for the holy supper. Christ's body and blood herein exhibited are pure and holy things, and should be received in prepared and cleansed hearts. His body never saw corruption in the grave, nor will be mixed with it in hearts where corruption is allowed. It lay in a virgin's womb, and in a virgin sepulchre, and will still be entertained in virgin souls and affections; in hearts purified and consecrated to God. In these Christ chuses to reside, and not in those where sin and the world, with the lusts thereof, are harboured. Oh, had we grace to maintain and cherish the fear of God, and the love of Christ habitually in our souls, we might, without much pains, be prepared for coming to him at his table. Did we always bear in our minds, that sacramental occasions are solemn appointments, and Bethel meetings with God, for renewing covenant, and entertaining fellowship and communion with him, we would guard more against formality creeping in upon us in our preparations for, and in our attendance upon this ordinance, than, alas, we do. Oh, such formality will provoke the Master of our solemn feasts to withdraw from them, and then what poor, dry, melancholy, and lifeless things will they be? What are sacraments without Christ's presence in them? O let us never be satisfied with communion sabbaths, without communion with Christ in them. On the other hand, if we would keep up communion with Christ in these ordinances, let us beware of relying on our previous pains or preparations, either for our right performing of our duty, or for our acceptance in it: For we are never more ready to miscarry, and to be disappointed, than when we are guilty of this resting. Sundry go to the Lord's table with great humiliation for sin, and yet come away without comfort: Why? because they make a Christ of their sorrow. O what worth can we see in our best preparations, confessions, prayers, tears, humiliations, &c. if we compare them with the law of God? We have more cause to be ashamed of them, than to lay any stress on them. Could we renounce all selfconfidence, and disclaim all our provision, in point of dependence, and cast ourselves wholly on Christ for strength, through-bearing, and acceptance, we would have better success at the Lord's table, than commonly we have. We are never more fit for this holy table, than when we are most humbled, and most ashamed of ourselves, because of our unfitness for this solemn approach; and we are never less fit, than when we think ourselves most fit and prepared for the duty. A holy deniedness to all self-sufficiency, and a deep sense of unworthiness and unfitness, is the best preparation we can attain to for this solemn ordinance. Let us make holy David our pattern, when going to partake, Psal. Ixxii. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: 1 will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. And let us pray with the spouse, Cant. iv. 16. Awake, O north wind, and come thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof flow out. AMEN. DUNDEE, August, 1747. CONTENTS. 2d.—2 Pet. ii. 4. Fallen Angels punished, and fallen Men 3d.-Pfalm cxlvii. 20. Britain's Gospel mercies Subject of 4th. John iii. . The amazing love of the Father and of Chrift pierced for our Sins, a Heart affect- 35 9th.-Matth. xv. 27. Often trials are fharp where Faith is 10th. I Cor. ii. 24. Christ's fufferings worthy to be remem- 11th-Phil. 1. 23. Communicants oft in ftraits betwixt two 12th.-Phil. iv. 19. Rich Supplies in Christ for all our Needs, 88 Chrift's willingness to fuffer for us view- The expediency of Chrift's going away An astonishing match betwixt lovely 24th-Ifa. liii. 8. A view of Christ stricken by many hands for our many Sins, 25th.-Gal. ii 20. A particular and appropriating Faith in 26th-1 John iv. 19. God's preventing Love the Cause of 28th. Rev. i. 5. Chrift's Love in pouring out his Blood for 30th-Song i. 4. Our remembering of Christ's Love at his Table fhould fill our fouls with wonder, love, and gratitude, 131 31-Ifa. liii. 5. Chrift's Wounds by our Sins fhew the evil ADVICE 1ft-Gen. vi. x. A Call to perifhing finners to 2J-Rev. iii. 20. Christ's standing and knocking at the door A view of the Extenfivenefs and Solemnity of Christ's calls to open to him, and the bleffed Provision he feph, with directions how to come near him in the Sacra- Contract with Christ at his table, with directions in doing it, 160 7th. Lam. i. 12. A Call to view Chrift's dreadful fufferings |