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It is the custom of some Clergymen to read no more than the first sentence of the first Exhortation, by which all such may be considered as addressing their flocks in the following manner: When we next assemble, a certain ceremony will be performed; it is, indeed, no other than a commemoration of the meritorious cross and passion of Christ, To this cere< mony you are invited you will come if you are dis'posed; but if you have not such a disposition, I do not think that ye will be condemned as guilty; and therefore, I forbear to recommend it to you to en• brace the invitation, much more to urge it upon you.' How! Does a worthy participation of the Lord's Supper impart strength to the poor, to the needy in his "distress?" Is it in itself" a refuge from the storm, "a shadow from the heat ?" Does it encourage them that receive it" with a fearful heart, to be strong, and "not to fear-to sanctify the Lord of hosts" to enrol themselves "among the children who shall be "taught of the Lord," that they may know and feel how great is the peace of His children," and may become "the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord?" If this Institution contain within itself such mighty blessings, and we perceive our respective flocks inattentive to appropriate them to themselves; is it not our indispensable duty, to expostulate with them in the language of the second Exhortation-" whether

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they are not ashamed, when God calls them, not to "come? and to beseech them to consider, whether "their feigned excuses will avail them any thing be"fore God?" And is it not, further, incumbent on us, previous to its celebration, so to illustrate the design of the Ordinance, that the lowest comprehension VOL. III. N n

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may understand it; and to enforce it, warmly, and vehemently, upon the minds, and consciences of our hearers? for on this subject, above all others, may it not be said to us-" ye that make mention of the "Lord, keep not silence-?" If we have done this, and without effect-and if we have not done it, is not the lamentation of the Prophet applicable unto us, "O, my people, they which lead thee, cause thee to

err!"it is natural that we should enquire of ourselves, how it is that "the word," which is described as "sharper than a two-edged sword," should, in our mouths, return unto us void," and should disappoint and mortify us, by not "accomplishing the pur66 pose for which it was sent,"

To enforce a devout, and frequent, celebration of Christ's death in the Holy Sacrament, the ministers of the Gospel are impelled by the most powerful and urgent motives. When we look around on our flocks, and perceive, more especially the higher, and, in a worldly sense, the most respectable, parts of our Congregations, imitated, unhappily, where imitation is most culpable; voluntarily depriving themselves, with an unaccountable infatuation, of that spiritual nourishment which endureth unto everlasting life;" when we contemplate the train of evils which, usually, pursues such astonishing insensibility-indifference to public worship, neglect of family prayer, absence of religious principle-who, interested in the honor of God, and solicitous for the Salvation of men, does not feel himself constrained to employ, according to the state of his several hearers, all those powers with which the Gospel has supplied him-mild persuasion, vehement exhortation, urgent reproof-that he may, "in love to

"their souls," become an instrument in the hand of God, "to deliver them from the pit of corruption," and from that deplorable condition, in which, instead "of peace, they have great bitterness?" Who does not feel himself constrained to set before them the horror of, so shamefully, and perversely, disregarding the voice, and transgressing the law, of their Redeemer and Judge? It seems, indeed, scarcely possible that the feelings and sensibility of a minister of a parish should be, more keenly, excited, than when he perceives some of his parishoners living in an entire neglect of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; people too, whose behavior, according as it is exemplary or profligate, pious or profane, is productive of abundant good, or of most pernicious evil. And whilst we contemplate their infatuation, do we not, instinctively, extend our concern to their children, and families? Do we not look forward to the next generation, and anticipate them, like their fathers, absenting themselves from God's holy Ordinance? To prevent then, if it be in our power, a thoughtless parent from entailing upon his offspring a disregard of God's commands, let us, my Reverend Brethren, thus reason with ourselves -Hath the Lord ordained me to "preach the Gospel?

hath He given me a tongue that I should know how "to speak a word in season to him that is" disobedient? I will pour out my soul before Him, " to "help me" with his Grace; and, however I may be opposed by irreligion, derided by thoughtlessness, or sneered at by formality, "I know that I shall not," in such a cause, " be ashamed." Influenced by such reasoning, let it be our delight, as it is our duty, to demonstrate ourselves useful laborers, and skilful husbandmen ;

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bandmen; and let us, in consequence, address ourselves, not entirely, as is the case with some preachers, to the understanding; or, as is the practice of others, to the imagination, of our hearers--both which experience has shewn to be, equally, inefficacious-but let our application be to the heart, saying, in the persuasive language of the Prophet, "Obey, I beseech 66 you, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto 66 you: so shall it be well unto you, and your soul "shall live."

Whilst we are, justly, solicitous to prevail with the higher classes of the community to celebrate, worthily, the Holy Sacrament; it is, equally, our duty to direct our attention, and devote our thoughts, to those in the lowest sphere, who, usually, live in an entire neglect of it. Of them it may, unhappily, with certain limita tions, be said, that "when they hear they do not un

derstand;" their ignorance is, indeed, deplorable, their insensibility is, truly, alarming. That this order of men should, above all others, feel the consolations of Religion—that they should be entitled to forgivenesss of sins, should be supported by the assistance of God's Holy Spirit, and should, through the observance of the dying command of their Redeemer, have a wellgrounded hope in futurity-is an impression which, it might be supposed, cannot but be made upon the mind of every Clergyman-an impression which, it might, equally, be supposed, would stimulate him to convince them of the reasonableness, and likewise persuade them to the observance, of that holy Ordinance. These men constitute the great mass of the community: on the uprightness of their principles, and the regularity of their behavior, the comforts of society, in no small

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degree, depend: and it will, incontrovertibly, be allowed, that Religion is the only foundation on which we can erect a permanent superstructure of civil obedience, and moral duty. I must further assume that,

pure and undefiled Religion," that Religion that will asswage the horrors of death, and exempt us from the doom of Judgment, is derived from a devout participation of the Body and Blood of Christ. Our Church represents the commemoration of our Lord's death in the Sacramental Feast, "as, generally, necessary to Salvation" the Redeemer of the World, comprehending every description of people to whom the Gospel should be preached, says, " Except ye eat "the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, 66 ye have no life in you-whoso eateth my flesh, and "drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise "him up at the last day."

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It will not be thought improper to observe, that the dread which, so universally, prevails of approaching the Lord's Table, ought to be, entirely, removed. This can be done only by frequent, and easy, illustrations of the origin of that divine Rite, which is the distinguishing characteristic of the Gospel of Christ. May I be permitted, farther, to remark, that the custom of appropriating the week preceding the celebration of it, to what is termed preparation, defeats, in some measure, the very purpose it was designed to promote ? We all of us have seen, in many instances, this vaunted preparation generate moroseness, fretfulness, and spiritual pride, representing thereby the Ordinance itself to the minds of young people, instead of an heavenly feast to the soul, as a grievous burden, too heavy to be borne. The preparation we should inculcate by pre