God will fulfill the things appointed for us; but the depth of his counsels being unfathomable, it does not become us to judge of any thing before the time. In breaking the bread this thought occurred; that we ought to behold Christ with adoration and love, even though we had ourselves no concern in the redemption he wrought out. Had God seen fit to redeem the fallen angels by this means, and Adam in innocency had learnt the history of it, such a display of benevolence and grace to another order of beings would have impressed him deeply, and perhaps much more alas than our own redemption impresses us. In pouring out the wine, I remarked, His love is better than life; witness John xvii. 14; Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am,-Father, I know thou hearest Him always, therefore his will shall take effect; I shall be with him where he is. In the conclusion I said, do you believe that Christ would impose upon us ? and if you do not believe this, you need not doubt of his presence among us even now; for he has said, where two or three are met together in his name there will he be in the midst of them. You need not then say in your hearts, who shall go up to heaven for us? nor who shall carry up our petition to him? for God is ever nigh.

N. B. This was, through the divine goodness, as comfortable a sacramental opportunity as I ever enjoyed, although my preceding discourse did not impress me as it ought, but left me in too dull and indolent a frame; yet even there, I hope the sincerity of my heart was approved to God, though I had not a usual command, either of thought, or of words.

SOME MEMORANDUMS OF POOR CONNELL'S AFFAIR.

AT our assizes last month, one Bryan Connell, an Irish papist, was convicted of the murder of Richard Brymley of Weedon, which was committed about two years ago; and the evidence against him seemed at his trial very full and

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water of his innocence, that I was much impressed. And she desired to leave with me after his death a paper, in which he would give an account of the places where, and he persons with whom he was when the murder was commited, I was so struck with the affair, that I desired time ✯ the under-sheriff to make inquiry, and sent good Mr. Fawcett to Whitchurch, and to West Chester, to examine the evidence he appealed to; and to my great surprise I found every circumstance he had asserted proved; and that on the concurrent testimony of five credible persons, who all joined to prove, that it was impossible that he should have committed the murder. These facts I laid before Mr. Justice Parker, by whom he had been condemned, in the plainest and most solemn manner, and repeated my solicitations to him for the deliverance of what in my conscience I believed, and do still believe, to have been innocent blood. But I found him inconvincibly persuaded of Connell's guilt, and absolutely fixed on his execution; and accord

ingly the poor injured creature was, to my unspeakable surprise and grief, executed on Friday, April 3, which was the very day two years after the time of the murder, and concerning which such clear proofs of his being at Whitchurch were made out. I had laboured with unwearied pains and zeal, both for the deliverance of his life, and for the salvation of his soul. But I did not see the success that I had desired, and which I had sought of God with an importunity of prayer which he himself seemed to have put into my heart, and which I have seldom felt on any other such occasion. What made the case to me the more piercing was, that nothing could be more tender than the poor creature's expressions of gratitude, and nothing more cheerful than his hopes of deliverance had been. Among other things I remember he said, "Every drop of blood in my heart thanks you, for you have had compassion upon every drop of it:" and he wished that he might before he died have leave to kneel down at the threshold of my door to pray for me and mine; which indeed in the most earnest manner he did on his knees just before he was taken out to execution. "You," said he, " are my redeemer in one sense," (a poor, weak, impotent redeemer)" and you have a right to me if I live. I am your property, and I will be a faithful subject." The manner in which he talked of what he had promised himself from my friendship, if he had been spared, was also exceedingly natural and touching; and, upon the whole, I never passed through a more striking scene in my life; and it has left an impression upon my spirit I fear rather too deep. But I desire that it may teach me, 1. To adore the awful justice of God in causing this poor creature thus infamously to fall by her, with whom he had so scandalously sinned, having lived in adultery with her for two years, to the ruin of a very loving and virtuous wife. Thus hath God made his own law effectual, that the adulterer should die. 2. To acknowledge the depths of the

divine counsels, which, when I think on all the circumstances in this affair, are to me impenetrable. 3. To continue resolute in well doing, though I should be, as in this instance I have been, reviled and reproached for it. Some having said, that I am in heart an Irish papist, while others have used very contemptuous language, and thrown out base censures. 4. May I learn gratitude to Him who has redeemed and delivered me; in which, alas! how far do I fall short of this poor creature. 5. I would learn how little the most awful providences and tender addresses can do towards converting the heart if God does not by his Spirit work upon it.

BRIEF MEDITATIONS ON THE SACRAMENT OF APRIL 5, 1741. I HAD been preaching upon a melancholy subject, 2 Cor. xii. 20, 21, “ For I fear," &c. “ that my God will humble me among you," &c. And indeed there is great reason to fear it from the present circumstances. Oh, that I may be prepared for whatever lies before me. I read at the table of the Lord a letter from our elders and deacons to the church, setting forth the necessity of removing from among us those who are scandalous persons. And then I offered a few meditations on those words, " Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price." I observed the foundation of the claim, and the claim consequent on that foundation. You are not your own: to be sure we are not; we are God's creatures, continually supported, and continually blessed by him. But moreover, we are bought with a price. We were ruined and condemned; execution would soon have been done upon us; and God gave his own Son to purchase us, is not it reasonable that we should own the purchase, unless we think the price not great enough for us. What should be the consequence? To glorify God with our souls and bodies, by thinking, speaking, and acting for him; to make it our whole business to honour him

who has thus graciously been pleased to honour us. Admire this honour among the rest, that he has called us to his table. The case of poor Connell, as mentioned in the last article, furnished out many moving thoughts. How eagerly did he receive the news of a reprieve for a few days. How tenderly did he express his gratitude, that he should be mine, and that I might do what I pleased with him; I had bought him: how he spoke of the delight with which he would see me and serve me, and that he should be glad if he might never go out of my sight: that he "would come from one end of the kingdom to the other to see me, at least once a year." Oh, why do not our hearts overflow with such sentiments on an occasion infinitely greater? We were all as dead men; and he has redeemed us to God with his blood. We are not merely reprieved, but pardoned. Not merely pardoned, but adopted, heirs of eternal glory, and near the borders of it. The hints that were given at breaking the bread and pouring out the wine were nothing more than obvious, and such as frequently occur on all such blessed occasions.

RECOLLECTIONS OF SOME THINGS SAID AT A FORMER SACRAMENT. THE DATE FORGOTTEN.

I SPOKE from these words, "The Lord of hosts shall make unto all nations upon this holy mountain, a feast." Consider whose feast it is, and for whom it was made; it exceeds that of Ahasuerus, though that was made by an Emperor. It is God's feast, and indeed none but he could make it. The entertainments are satisfying, delicious, and refined; fat things, therefore full of marrow; wine upon the lees well refined. Is it not so? Must not you, who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, own that it is? Do you not now taste them, and is the taste transient like that which affects the palate? Is it not enjoyed by reflection like Plato's banquet, which left an agreeable relish the next morning? It is made for all nations; for the heathens,