VIII. We are affured that the confcientious discharge of our business is an admirable qualification for receiving the Lord's Supper. We ferve God when we follow our callings with diligence, and obferve justice and equity in all our dealings; when we manage the affairs of the public with fidelity and honesty; without felling justice, without oppreffion, and without facrificing them to our private intereft and paffions. Befides the great dangers and temptations we are expofed to, the greater need we have of God's grace and affiftance, which is abundantly communicated in this holy inftitution. Is it not prudent for thofe that travel in ways frequented by robbers, to go well armed, and to unite companies, that they may be the better able to defend themfelves? thus the man of bufinefs, who has any serious thoughts of another world, ought more especially to embrace all opportunities of receiving the facrament, it being beft able to fecure him against those dangers he daily converfes with, and to fortify him against those watchful enemies that lie in wait to deftroy his foul. Therefore, as they who have leisure, ought frequently to receive the holy Communion as the best improvement of their time; fo they, who are engaged in many worldly affairs, ought to learn how to fanctify their employments by coming often to the holy Sacrament.

IX. The

IX. The obligation that lies upon any chriftian to receive the holy Communion, is the plain and pofitive command of our bleffed Saviour to do this in remembrance of him; which makes it a neceffary and perpetual duty incumbent upon all christians; and to live in the neglect of a plain law of the author of our religi on, is no way consistent with the character we profefs of being his disciples. The circumftances of this inftitution ftill bind us to have a great regard to it; for it was the last command of our best friend and great benefactor, when he was about to lay down his life for our fakes.

Nevertheless great care must be taken, that when a man is habitually prepared, he do not then impose upon himself fo much actual preparation, as fhall make him lofe an opportunity of receiving the holy Sacrament, when he has not had time to go through with that method of devotion he has prescribed to himfelf on that occafion.

The Hymn for Tuesday Morning.

Of fure truft in God's grace through Jefus Chrift.

JUDGE me, Lord, and prove my ways,

And try my reins, and try my heart;

My faith upon thy promise stays,

Nor from thy law my feet depart.

I hate

I hate to walk, I hate to fit,
With men of vanity and lies;
The fcoffer and the hypocrite

Are the abhorrence of my eyes.

Among thy faints will I appear

With hands well wash'd in innocence ; But when I ftand before thy bar,

The blood of Chrift is my defence. I love thy habitation, Lord,

The Temple where thy honour dwells :* There fhall I hear thy holy word,

And there thy works of wonder tell. Let not my foul be join'd at laft

With men of treachery and blood, Since I my days on earth have past Amongst the faints in fear of God.

WHE

Another.

HEN rifing from the bed of death,
O'erwhelm'd with guilt and fear,

I fee my Maker, face to face,

Oh! how shall I appear!

I yet, while pardon may be found,
And mercy may be fought,

My heart with inward horror fhrinks,
And trembles at the thought.

When thou, O Lord, fhalt ftand difclos'd

In Majesty severe,

And fit in judgment on my foul,

Oh how fhall I appear!

But

• Pfalm xxvi. 2.

But thou haft told the troubled mind,
Who does her fins lament,
The timely tribute of her tears

Shall endless woes prevent.
Then fee the forrows of my heart,
Ere yet it be too late;

And hear my Saviour's dying groans,
To give thofe forrows weight.
For never fhall my foul despair
Her pardon to procure,

Who knows thy only Son has dy'd

To make her pardon fure.

The prayer on Tuesday Morning.

For obtaining God's grace and protection.
LMIGHTY God, the creator and pre-

A ferver of all mankind, I thy creature,

whom thou haft made, and to this moment preferved, do now, as I promised in the holy Sacrament, prefent myself before thee to offer up the morning facrifice of my unfeigned praises and thanksgivings: for, as thy mercies are renewed to me every morning, and thy goodness follows me all the day long; as thou vifiteft me in the night feafon, and every moment of my life is a new inftance of thy mercy: fo,

It is my abfolute duty to lay hold of every opportunity to magnify thy glorious name, evermore praifing thee and faying: it is by thy D 3 goodness,

goodnefs, O Lord, that I have this night slept fecure, and am now raifed up in health and fafety. Praised therefore be thy name, O God, for of thee only cometh my falvation. Thou art the God of my health, my faviour and mighty deliverer; as long as I live I will magnify thee, O Lord, for a joyful and pleafant thing it is to be thankful.*

Oh! give me a heart always tuned to thy praises, which is my happiness as well as my duty. Imprint on my mind fuch a deep fense of thy merits, that I may never provoke thee to withdraw thy favours from me. Let not the bleffings thou beftoweft on me make me in love with this world: let neither covetoufnefs nor ambition, pride or vanity, a contempt of others, or a fond conceit of myself, be the refult of thy loving kindness towards me: But,

Endue me with fuch an humble and contented mind, fuch a meek and refigned fpirit, fuch a quiet and peaceable temper and behaviour, as becomes a creature and a finner. Oh, infpire my foul with pure and pious difpofitions, and instead of those filthy rags of my righteoufnefs, clothe me with the righte oufnefs of the faints. Let the confideration of my unworthiness fupprefs in me all proud and afpiring thoughts, and all covetous and ambitious defires; that being meek and lowly in my own eyes, my heart may be a fit receptacle

* Pfalm cxxxiii.

for