to satisfy or approve ourselves that we love Christ for the benefits procured to us by his death: hence, as love towards any person induces us to try all ways to please such person, love to Christ will induce us to try all ways to please him: we must therefore satisfy ourselves, as far as we are able, that we do so; and one important way of pleasing Christ is

5. "To be in charity with all men:" that is, to love our neighbour as ourselves, and" do unto others that which we would they should do unto us." That we do this we must satisfy ourselves by comparing our actions with the law of Christian charity, which is explained in the latter part of the Exposition of the Commandments, contained in this treatise.

The summary of the whole is, that we are to satisfy ourselves, as far as imperfect beings can, whether we live in the practice of sincerely striving against sin, and are determined to exert all our endeavour to do so in future; whether we believe in

Christ with that faith which makes us pray perpetually to him and worship him, and strive to do that which he has commanded; whether we feel that gratitude for the benefits we receive by his death which makes us love him beyond every thing else—which we shall discover by observing whether we are more grieved at offending him than we are at any other affliction-and whether we really feel that love, or good-will towards all others which inclines us to benefit them to the utmost of our power. This is the sum and substance of the whole, which might be compressed into a much smaller compass, viz. whether we take more delight in virtue than in vice; and it requires but little instruction to direct us how to make that enquiry, for, if we be serious and unprejudiced in our enquiry, conscience will prove a very prompt monitor.

In this there is no severity; unless the severity consist in the necessity for forsaking sin and practising virtue, which

belongs to the whole system of Christianity and not peculiarly to this or any other of its ordinances.

This species of examination requires, of necessity, no very long time; and I notice this, because many people, biassed by the publications I have mentioned, imagine if they do not pass a whole week in examining themselves they cannot take the Sacrament worthily; whereas, the primitive Christians took it very frequently; for any thing we know to the contrary every day, as the apostles and their believing brethren (according to Acts, c. ii. v. 46,)" continued daily with one accord in the Temple; and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat in gladness of heart;" which words have been considered to allude as well to the Eucharist as to the love feasts of the early churches and the term "breaking bread" breaking bread" appears to be more appropriate to the manner of administering the Lord's Supper than to the participation in a feast: notwithstanding it

may be considered as possessing the cha racter of an idiomatic phrase then in use and expressive of people taking their meals together; as the words "eat their meat, &c." are subsequently placed :-But, it is most probable, if not certain, that the primitive Christians celebrated this rite much more frequently than we do, because the first promoters of any new institution are more zealous and indefatigable for its success, and more tenacious of its ordinances, than the members of it are when it becomes firmly established. This circumstance assumed, then, and I know not who can rebut it from any scriptural or bistorical authority-it would have been impossible for the early Christians to have gone through a week's preparation between every celebration of the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper. It may be answered, that it was not necessary for them, because their whole lives-i. e. the every day life was one continued preparation; and this is exactly the point to which I would bring

it; for this is the very kind of preparation we should adopt; since taking the Sacrament is but one Christian duty, and the practice of all the Christian duties should be the business of our lives, and the preparations for hereafter.

As it is the universal custom, whenever men are about to engage in any important civil act, previously to consider, it is necessary to consider before we engage in this solemn act; but it requires consideration also for every act of our reli gion: a week's preparation for going to church is a very significant thing; the true preparation for which is passing the week in the practice of Christian duties; and, if we do that we are equally prepared for the Sacrament. To say our morning, noon, and evening prayers, without striving against sin and endeavouring to practice Christian virtues, is to pray in such a manner and in such a disposition of mind as will not entitle us to be heard; therefore, to pray to God continually