God, and adorn the doctrine of my Saviour. O thou who hearest prayer, and givest good things to them that ask, give me, give thy church, give unto all flesh, largely and fully, that best gift-thy Holy Spirit.

Behold, thy Spirit hath converted and sanctified millions; let me therefore, together with thy whole church, receive here such portions of thy Holy Spirit, as may suppress our evil affections, revive our dead hearts, comfort our dejected minds, and turn our ignorance, disobedience, and sorrow, into knowledge, and practice, and holy joy. Let the Spirit rest upon me, and dwell in me for ever, so that I may always have cause to bless thee for so incomparable a gift.

TRINITY-SUNDAY.

Ephes. ii. 18. Through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Jesus our Lord, having reconciled us to God by the cross, may I practically know what it is to have access unto him, through Christ, by the Spirit. I desire to know the great and glorious doctrine of this day, not as a matter of theory, or belief merely, but as a thing of experience, and daily practice. Deliver me from a proud and presumptuous spirit, that would cavil at thy truth. Deliver me from a too curious and prying spirit, that would attempt to comprehend that which it has not pleased thee fully to reveal. Give me grace in all simplicity of heart to receive what thou hast declared, and feeling my own ignorance and nothingness, to adore thee in

thy incomprehensible Majesty and unsearchable glory.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, I come to thee as one who spared not thy beloved Son for us, and art now reconciled by him; and I beseech thee, receive, provide for, and bless me.

Blessed Redeemer, thou art the Way, the Truth, and the Life; my Mediator, and my Advocate, my hope is in thy merits and thy intercession.

Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who shewest the Saviour to sinners, I look to thee to teach and guide, to purify, strengthen, and console me.

U

CHAPTER VIII.

TEXTS SELECTED FOR MEDITATION, AND ARRANGED

UNDER DIFFERENT HEADS.

THE frequent recurrence of the duty of attending at the Lord's table, makes it desirable to have a greater variety in the subjects of pious reflection, than the preceding meditations furnish; still, however, keeping in mind the main point to be dwelt upon at the Lord's table, the death of Christ as a sacrifice for sin. In this view, the following passages of scripture have been selected, that the communicant may from time to time choose those subjects of contemplation, which may be most adapted to the present state of his mind, and yet have his eye chiefly fixed on Christ. Younger Christians may find it advantageous to commit to their memory some of these passages. David says, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

I. THE LOVE OF GOD.

John iii. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 John iii. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.

1 John iv. 10. Herein is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Rom. v. 8. God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom. viii. 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things. Isaiah lxiii. 7. I will mention the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

Isaiah xlix. 15, 16. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Behold, I have graven thee on the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

2.-THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

John xv. 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for friends.

Rom. v. 10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.

Eph. iii. 18, 19. To comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.

Eph. v. 2. Christ hath also loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour. John xv. 9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: my love.

continue ye in

2 Cor. v. 14. The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.

John xiii. 1. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

Rev. i. 5, 6. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

3. THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.

Isaiah lii. 14, 15. His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men so shall he sprinkle many nations.

Isaiah liii. 3. He is despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

Isaiah liii. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed.

Matt. xxvi. 38. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.

Lam. i. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger.

Heb. xii. 2. Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Luke xxiii. 33. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

John xix. 34. One of the soldiers with a spear, pierced his side; and forthwith came thereout blood and water.

1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. tures, and that he Luke xxiv. 26.

Christ died for our sins, according to the scripwas buried, and that he rose again the third day. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

4. THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST.

Isaiah liii. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah liii. 8. He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Matt. xx. 28. The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Rom. iv. 25. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Rom. v. 6. When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Eph. i. 7. We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

1 Tim. ii. 6.

Who gave himself a ransom for all.

Heb. ix. 28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. 1 John ii. 1, 2. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Rev. v. 9. Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Exodus xii. 23. When he seeth the blood, the Lord will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Rom. v. 10. We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Col. i. 19, 20. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself.

Heb. ii. 17. A merciful and faithful High Priest,-to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.