Father and the Son to be our constant guest. It also includes public worship, family worship, and solitary worship. There is no duty which Christ hath more explicitly and frequently enjoined than this of prayer. The unjust judge who yielded to the importunate widow, the friend who because of another's importunity rose at midnight to give three loaves, the repeated assurances of ask and ye shall receive, testify how earnestly we are invited to this duty. It was the object of Christ's religion to purify the heart; and can any thing purify it more than thus submitting it to the great Searcher of Hearts? If we were half as careful of the health of the soul as we are of that of the body, how diligently we should use the remedy of prayer! Let us then begin by allotting a specific time each day for this purpose. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Spare no sin, but confess it plainly, and repent of it heartily, that you may forsake it resolutely. Think not so much of your words, as of the sins you confess and of the grace you seek for. Pray in such words as may best relieve your burthened heart. God cares not for words and sentences, but for repentance and sincerity; therefore above all things let us daily approach Him in prayer with a "humble, penitent, and contrite heart."

Reading the word of God is also a daily duty which Christ hath commanded. When he says search the Scriptures, he must be so understood as

to mean that we should make them our daily study. The word of God is the bread of life; the daily food and nourishment of the soul. Now as food cannot nourish unless it be taken daily; and as food cannot nourish if it be only taken into the mouth; as it must be so received as to be digested and thoroughly mixed with the whole body, therefore

Meditation on the word of God is also a daily duty which Christ hath commanded. This is plainly signified in the parable of the sower, that we should keep his word and ponder it in our hearts. Unless we do this every day at stated times, it is impossible to keep his word in our heart. That the seed may take root, that it be not choked, nor snatched away, it is necessary that we meditate upon it every day. How else shall we keep up that intimate union with Christ which He himself declares to be necessary by such images as a branch abiding in the vine, and eating his flesh and drinking his blood? Howsoever careless and worldly persons may satisfy themselves with a few cold precepts of morality, a Christian knows that if any have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his. We must be satisfied with nothing less than an intimate union with him and sincere affection for him. If we wish to keep up any affection for him, our Lord Jesus must be continually, and in more especial sense for a stated time, present to our thoughts each day, or in vain we shall attempt to do whatsoever he hath commanded.

Charity to the poor is also a daily duty which Christ hath commanded. The poor we have always with us. If any one reflects upon the vast importance our Lord has attached to this duty, making the whole proceedings of the day of judgment to hinge upon it, he cannot suppose it much that he should, as a Christian ordinance, and for the sake of Christ, be required to perform some specific act of charity to the poor every day, saying "I do this because Christ commanded it, and for his sake.' This practice has a peculiar tendency, by making us acquainted with much human suffering to humble and to soften the heart, so as to make it a fit recipient of Divine grace, but being besides so positively and peremptorily commanded by our Lord, it must be considered as a daily and sanctifying ordinance.

So far we have been considering the duties which should be performed by a Christian every day of his life, which are prayer, reading the word of God, meditation on the word of God, and charity to the poor. These are duties enjoined by Christ himself, and should be performed daily, if we wish for his Spirit to sanctify us, and teach us to observe whatsoever he hath commanded. The two sacraments remain to be considered. Baptism is essential to our salvation. The Lord's Supper is also essential to our salvation.

Would Christ have enjoined the observance of this sacrament, saying do this in remembrance of me, if it were not essential to our eternal salvation?

Would he have conveyed the knowledge of it in a miraculous manner to St. Paul, (who was not present at its first institution,) as a rite to be preached to the world by the apostle of the Gentiles, if it were immaterial whether we observe it or no?

Can any one pretend to be a Christian who does not bend his whole endeavour to be spiritually united to Him, knowing that he hath said as a branch beareth no fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me? And can any one endeavour to be spiritually united to Christ, who neglects the means He has appointed? For the celebration of the Lord's Supper is not merely a positive commandment of our Lord, but the means by which he bestows that grace which is necessary for our sanctification, and consequently for our salvation.

Seeing that the great work of promoting Christ's kingdom upon earth, or of converting souls to Christ, cannot rest solely upon the ministers of the Gospel, but that every one as he has received the gift should also administer it, not burying his talent in a napkin, nor hiding his light under a bushel, but letting the light of his example shine as far as possible to the glory of God and to the good of the souls and bodies of men; can that man make the light of his example shine, or contribute his endeavours to advance Christ's kingdom by converting souls from the power of Satan unto God, who withdraws himself from the celebration of the

Lord's Supper; and does he not injure the public as well as disobey Christ and condemn himself by the neglect.

Is that man fit to die who will not receive the sacrament? Is it not fit that he should, as a kind of rehearsal of that account which he must one day give at the last judgment, accustom himself to judge himself at this mercy-seat, that he be not condemned at that tribunal? How shall he bear the presence of his Judge if he be not accustomed to kneel at the altar of repentance and mercy, offering as a sacrifice to a crucified Saviour, the crucifixion of every evil thought, evil habit, evil desire, and evil resolution? Do you wish for mercy? Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Seek it not at the tribunal of Christ when He cometh to judge the world, but at the communion table, where He waiteth to be gracious, freely offering forgiveness for the past and grace for the future. He hath thus said this do in remembrance of me. My brethren if we will not do this in remembrance of Him, notwithstanding that He hath both commanded it and hath given us the reason of the commandment, how shall we behold his face? How shall we expect mercy if we neglect the means by which He bestows mercy? Say not "I will delay it for some time" for sudden or speedy death may cut short the means You may never have an opportunity of

of grace.

doing this in remembrance of Him.

These my brethren are some of the leading

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