being purged from an evil conscience by the blood of Jesus, you may, with humble confidence, compass God's altar.

4. There are servants ready to attend you, and those are the ministers, whose work it is to direct you to the table, and," to give every one their portion of meat in due season, rightly dividing the word of truth." They are not masters of the feast, but only stewards, and "your servants for Christ's sake."

5. There is much company already come; many have accepted the invitation, and have found a hearty welcome : why then should your place be empty? Let the communion of saints invite you into communion with Christ.

6. A blessing is ready to be craved. He is ready to bless the sacrifice. The great High Priest of our profession, ever living to intercede for us, and attending continually to this very thing, is ready to command a blessing upon our spiritual food.

7. The master of the feast is ready to bid you welcome; as ready as the father of the prodigal was to receive his repenting returning son, whom he saw, when "he was yet a great way off." God's ear is open to hear, and his hand open to give.

8. The provision is ready for your entertainment.

First, All things are ready, 1. For our justification; divine justice is satisfied, an everlasting righteousness is brought in, an act of indemnity hath passed the royal assent, and a throne of grace is erected, at which all that can make it appear that they are interested in the general act, may sue out their particular charter of pardon. There is a plea ready, an advocate ready: "Behold, he is near that justifieth us." 2. For our sanctification; there is a fulness of grace in Christ, from which we may all receive; the word of grace is ready as the means, the Spirit of grace is ready as the author; every thing ready for the mortification of sin, the confirming of faith, and our furtherance in holiness. 3. For our consolation; a well of living water is ready, if we can but see it; peace is left us for a legacy, which we may claim if we will; promises are given us for our support, of which, if we have not the benefit, it is our own fault. There is something in the new covenant, to obviate every grief, every challenge, every fear, if we will

use it. 4. For our salvation ready to be revealed; angels upon the wing, are ready to convey us; Jesus, standing at the Father's right hand, is ready to receive us; the many mansions are ready prepared for us: "All things are ready." Second, All things are now ready, just now, for " Behold now is the accepted time."

1. All things are now readier than they were under the law. Grace then lay more hid than it doth now, when life and immortality are brought to so clear a light by the gospel. Christ in a sacrament is much readier than Christ in a sacrifice.

2. All things are now readier than they will be shortly, if we trifle away the present season. Now the door of mercy stands open, and we are invited to come and enter; but it will shortly be shut. Now the golden sceptre is held out, and we are called to come and touch the top of it; but it will be otherwise, when the days of our probation are numbered and finished, and he that now saith, "Come for a blessing," will say, "Depart with a curse."

SECOND. We must call you to come: this is now the call, Come, come; "the Spirit saith, Come, and the bride saith, Come." Come to Christ in the first place, and then come to this ordinance. All things are ready, be not you unready.

This exhortation must be directed to three sorts of persons: First, Those who are utterly unmeet for this ordinance, must be exhorted to qualify themselves, and then come. Second, Those who, through grace, are in some measure meet for this ordinance, must be exhorted speedily to enter themselves. Third, Those who have entered themselves, must be exhorted to be constant in their attendance upon it.

First, I must apply myself to those that by their ignorance, profaneness, irreligion, or reigning worldliness, put a bar in their own way, and may not be admitted to this ordinance. If these lines should fall under the eye of any such, let them know I have a message to them from God, and I must deliver it, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Dost thou live a carnal wicked life, in the service of sin and Satan, without fear, and without God in the world?

Light is come into the world, and dost thou love darkness rather, not knowing nor desiring to know, the way of the Lord, and the judgment of thy God? Art thou a drunkard, a swearer, a sabbath-breaker? Art thou an adulterer, fornicator, or unclean person? Art thou a liar, a deceiver, a railer, or a contentious person? Art thou a mere drudge to the world, or a slave to any base lust? Doth thy own conscience tell thee thou art the man, or would it not tell thee so, if thou wouldst suffer it to deal faithfully with thee?

1. Know then, that thou hast no part nor lot in this matter; whilst thou continuest thus, thou art not an invited guest to this feast; the servants dare not bid thee welcome, for they know the master will not, but will ask thee," Friend, how camest thou in thither? What hast thou to do to take God's covenant and the seal of it into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction?" Read that scripture, and hear God speaking to thee in it: "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs." Thou art forbidden

to touch these sacred things with thine unhallowed hands; for "what communion hath Christ with Belial?" If thou thrust thyself upon this ordinance, whilst thou continuest under such a character, instead of doing honour to the Lord Jesus, thou puttest a daring affront upon him, as if he were altogether such a one as thyself; instead of deriving any true comfort to thy own soul, thou dost but aggravate thy guilt and condemnation; thy heart will be more hardened, thy conscience more seared, Satan's strong holds more fortified, and thou eatest and drinkest judgment to thyself, not discerning the Lord's body; nor puttest a difference between this bread and other bread; but trampling under foot the blood of the covenant, as a profane and common thing.

2. Know also that thy condition is very miserable whilst thou debarrest thyself from this ordinance, and art, as polluted, put from this priesthood. How light soever thou mayest make of it, this is not a small portion of thy miseries, that thou shuttest thyself out of covenant and communion with the God that made thee; and, in effect, disclaimest any interest in the Christ that sought thee, as if thou hadst taken the devils' words out of their mouths, "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?" And, if

thou persist in it, so shall thy doom be; thou thyself hast decided it. If now it be as nothing to thee, to be separated from the sheep of Christ, and excluded from their green pastures, yet it will be something shortly, when thou shalt accordingly have thy place among the goats, and thy lot with them for ever. Thou thinkest it no loss now, to want the cup of blessing, because thou preferrest the cup of drunkenness before it; but what dost thou think of the cup of trembling, that will ere long be put into thy hand, if thou repent not? Thou hast no desire to the wine of the love of God, but rather choosest the puddle water of sensual pleasures; but canst thou "drink of the wine of the wrath of God," which shall be poured out without mixture in the presence of the Lamb? Thou thinkest thyself easy and happy, that thou art not under the bonds and checks of this ordinance; but dost thou not see thyself extremely miserable, whilst thou hast no right to the blessings and comforts of this ordinance? If there were not another life after this, thou mightest have some colour for blessing thyself thus in thine own wicked way; (and yet, if so, I should see no cause to envy thee;) but, wretched soul, "what wilt thou do in the day of visitation?" Thou that joinest thyself with the sinners in Zion, and choosest them for thy people, "Canst thou dwell with devouring fire? Canst thou inhabit everlasting burnings?" May God by his grace open thine eyes, and give thee to see thy misery and danger before it be too late!

3. Yet know, that though thy condition is very sad, it is not desperate. Thou hast space yet given thee to repent, and grace offered thee. O refuse not that grace, slip not that opportunity! Leave thy sins, and turn unto God in Christ; cast away from thee all thy transgressions, make thee a new heart, begin a new life, forsake the foolish, and live to some purpose, and go in the way of understanding and then in wisdom's name, I am to tell thee, that notwithstanding all thy former follies, thou art welcome to her house, welcome to her table, freely welcome to "eat of her bread, and to drink of the wine which she hath mingled." "Now at least, now at last, in this thy day, know the things that belong to thy peace;" be wise for thyself, be

wise for thine own soul, and cheat not thyself into thine own ruin.

Poor sinner! I pity thee, I would gladly help thee; the Lord pity thee and help thee! He will, if thou wilt pity thyself, and help thyself. Wilt thou be persuaded by one that wishes thee well, to exchange the service of sin, which is perfect slavery, for the service of God, which is perfect liberty? to exchange the base and sordid pleasures of a sensual life which level thee with the beasts, for the pure and refined pleasures of a spiritual and divine life, which will raise thee to a communion with the holy angels? I am confident thou wilt quickly find it a blessed change. "Awake, shake thyself from the dust, loose thyself from the bands of thy neck." Give up thyself in sincerity to Jesus Christ, and then come and feast with him; thou shalt then have in this ordinance the pledges of his favour, assurances of thy reconciliation to him, and acceptance with him, and all shall be well, for it shall end everlastingly well.

Second, I must next apply myself to those, who, having a competent knowledge in the things of God, and making a justifiable profession of Christ's holy religion, cannot be denied admission to this ordinance, and yet deny themselves the benefit and comfort of it. Such are hereby exhorted, without further delay, solemnly to give up their nam to the Lord Jesus, in and by this sacrament. Hear Hezekiah's summons to the passover: "Yield yourselves unto the Lord, give the hand unto the Lord;" so the Hebrew phrase is: join yourselves to him in the bond of the covenant, and then exchange the ratifications, enter into the sanctuary. First give your own selves unto the Lord, and then confirm the surrender by the solemnity of this ordinance.

Let me direct this exhortation to young people that were in their infancy baptized into the Christian faith, and have been well educated in the knowledge of God, and of his holy, ways, and are now grown up to years of discretion, are capable of understanding what they do, of discerning between their right hand and their left in spiritual things, and of choosing and refusing for themselves accordingly; and that have had some good impressions made upon their