honest wish to know the truth, should be necessary, for the resolution of the question. If a man is ignorant of the way of salvation through Christ Jesus, if he does not really believe that the Son of God in human nature suffered and died, the just in the room of the unjust, that he might bring them to God, if he does not rely on Jesus Christ, and on him alone, for salvation, if he does not love genuine Christians, just because they are genuine Christians, and if he habitually neglects or violates any of the laws of Jesus Christ, in his present condition, he is utterly incapacitated from deriving any spiritual advantage from this ordinance. And on the other hand, if a man understands and believes the testimony of God concerning his Son, trusts in him as his only and allsufficient Saviour, loves all who love him, and are like him, and while conscious of much wanting and much wrong, has the testimony of his conscience, that he delights in the law of the Lord after the inward man, such a person ought to avail himself of every opportunity of obeying Christ's commandment, "Do this in remembrance of me," and may reasonably anticipate, from such obedience, both spiritual enjoyment and improvement.

If we wish to obtain either, however, it is of importance that we keep steadily in view the nature and design of the Lord's Supper. When engaged in eating bread and drinking wine, in obedience to our Redeemer's command, our great endeavour should be to yield up our minds to the native influence of the truth and its evidence, as represented to us in the ordinance. The business of the communicant is simple; and, were we in any good measure what we should be, easy. It is to look to Jesus, plainly set forth, crucified and slain-to behold the Lamb of God bearing, and bearing away the sin of the world, and to allow these truths, so strikingly exhibited, so powerfully confirmed, to produce that love to God and to his Son, that penitence, humility, and resignation, that love to the brotherhood, and benevolence to all men, that weanedness from the

world, and that earnest longing for a better one, which are their natural results. The best preparation for comfortable, profitable communicating, is habitually to "let the word of Christ dwell in us richly." The more thoroughly we are acquainted with Christian truth, the more firmly we believe it, the more readily will the instituted symbols in the Lord's Sup, per recall that truth and its evidence, and, under the influence of the good Spirit, contribute the more to our sanctification and consolation.

It is to the Bible that we have endeavoured to send our readers for their views of the nature and design of the Lord's Supper; and it is to the Bible we would wish to send them, as furnishing them with the best of all "Sacramental Directories," the only infallible "Guide to the Lord's Table." At the same time, we are disposed to think, that, when kept in their own place, those Treatises, whether doctrinal or devotional, which pious men have given to the world, on the Lord's Supper, may be turned to good account by the intelligent Christian. From almost all of them, important and useful instruction may be derived; but, perhaps, none of these Treatises possess more excellencies, and fewer defects, than MATTHEW HENRY'S COMMUNICANT'S COMPANION. It is much more than a general account of the nature and design of the Lord's Supper, and a set of rules for the observance of that institution; it contains in it an admirable view of Christian doctrine, experience, and duty, and is peculiarly fitted to prevent persons from taking that insulated view of the ordinance, which, with too many, converts it into a mere rite, a piece of "bodily service, which profits little." It is distinguished, in a high degree, by the characteristic good qualities of the minor works of its Author, who, on a scale of literary merit, graduated on the principle which will regulate the judgment of the last day, would occupy a high place among English writers. It is very plain, very pious, and very practical. There is a simplicity, a naturalness, and a familiarity, which renders it peculiarly delightful reading, and makes

us almost fancy ourselves enjoying the conversation of its venerable Author. With these views of the following Treatise, we cannot but apprehend that much good must be derived from its attentive, prayerful perusal; but the advice we would give, as to reading this or any other human composition, is that of the apostle-" PROVE ALL THINGS, HOLD FAST

TO THE READER..

I HERE humbly offer you, Christian reader, some assistance in that great and good work, which you have to do, and are concerned to do well, when you attend the table of your Lord; a work in which I have observed most serious people desirous of help, and willing to use the helps they have; which I confess was one thing that invited me to this undertaking.

I offer this service with all due deference and respect to the many excellent performances of this kind, with which we are already blessed, done by far better hands than mine; who yet have not so fully gathered in this harvest, but that those who come after may gather up plentiful gleanings, without robbing their sheaves:"Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet, there is room;" room enough to enlarge upon a subject so copious, and of so great a compass that it cannot be exhausted

I do this also with a just sense of my own unworthiness, and unfitness to bear the vessels of the Lord, and to do any service in his sanctuary. Who am I, and what is my father's house, that I should have the honour to be "a door-keeper in the house of my God," to show his guests the way to his table? And that I should be employed thus to "hew wood, and draw water for the congregation of the Lord?" I reckon it true preferment, and "by the grace of God," his free grace, "I am what I am." It is

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service which is its own recompense;-work which is its own wages. In helping to feed others, we may feast ourselves; for our master hath provided that the mouth of the ox be not muzzled when he treads out the corn. For my part, I would not exchange the pleasure of converse with the Scriptures and divine things, for all "the delights of the sons and daughters of men, and the peculiar treasures of kings and provinces." It was a noble saying of the Marquis of Vico, "Let their money perish with them, who esteem all the wealth of this world worth one hour's communion with God in Jesus Christ."

In doing this, I hope I can truly say, my desire and design is to contribute something to the faith, holiness, and joy of those who in this ordinance have given up their names to the Lord Jesus. And if God, by his grace, will make this endeavour in some degree serviceable to that end, I have what I wish, I have what I aim at; and it will not be the first time that praise hath been perfected, and strength ordained out of the mouths of babes and sucklings.

In this essay I have an eye particularly to that little. handful of people among whom I have been, in much weakness, ministering in these holy things seventeen years; during all which time, through the good hand of our God upon us, we have never once been disappointed of the stated solemnities, either of our new moons, or of our Sabbaths. As I designed my Scripture Catechism, and the other little one that followed it, to be a present, and perhaps ere long it may prove my legacy to the young ones, the lambs of the flock; so I recommend this to the adult, and leave it with them, being desirous that the sheep we are charged to feed, " may go in and out, and find pasture." And I earnestly wish, that both these may prove successful expedients to preserve some of those things they have been taught, from being quite forgotten; and that, after my decease, they and theirs will have those things always in remembrance.

And lastly, I send this abroad under the protection and blessing of heaven; with a hearty prayer