drink, which invifibly and unforeseen are lurking in the dith, like fo many unwholesome and venomous animals?"

We meet with an elegant and exprefs atteftation to the truth of our fubject in Tertullian's noble apology, c. 39. "Non prius difcumbitur, quam oratio ad Deum præguftetur:'

as

We do not allow ourselves to tafte a morfel, until God has had the first fruit of our prayers.' And surely it will not be unacceptable to our religious readers, to refresh their minds with the fpiritual entertainment given by this venerable father, in his beautiful and affecting defcription of the method which the primitive Chriftians obferved at ordinary meals; "editur quantum efurientes capiunt, &c." "They eat as much juft foffices the prefent occafion; they drink as much as is exactly commenfurate to the rules and reftrictions of modefty and chastity. They take no more either of meat or drink than men fhould venture to do, who know themselves to lie under an obligation to worship God, even at midnight; and their converfation very ftrictly fuits itfelf to a perpetual and firm perfuafion, that God hears all that they fay. After washing their hands, when the candles or tapers are brought in, every one in order is defired to fing a fong of praise and honour to God, either out of the Holy Scriptures, or of his own compofing. And this is a teft, whether he has been drinking more than he thould do, o or not. Laitly follows prayer or grace after meat; and fo they feparate."

In that glorious character, which the hiftorian Sozomen gives us, of

the

great and good emperor Theodofius, there is this remarkable paffage:

I am told, plain and fimple diet is what your majefty always chufes; and that, conftantly, with fending up bleffings to the Lord and giver of all things." It feems the perfons of the highest quality, in thofe happier days, did not use at any time to for

get their obligation to, and depen→ dence upon, his providence, for every particle of meat, which came to their tables.

Having thus fully traced the antiquity of this cuftom, and fhewn how widely it had diffufed itself in the world: it now remains to improve the difquifition, by a few natural ob fervations.

And firft we remark, that the dif charge of this duty puts us in mind of the fall of our first parents, and the unhappy confequences of it entailed upon us; and in particular of our common unworthiness of the bee nefits fo graciously conferred upon them, and in their perfons defigned to, and defcended upon us all. If we attend, we fhall find there is a manifeft antithefis in this particular: between the firft and the fecond Adam. The first, by eating, loft God's bles-ci fing upon the fruits of the ground :: in oppofition to whom, the fecond takes the loaves in his hand, blesses, and breaks, and commands his dif ciples to distribute the pieces amongst the multitude. See Matt. xiv. 19.0

2dly, Our folemn invocation of a bleffing from heaven on the meat fet before us, may very naturally put us in remembrance of the hope and expectation we indulge of eating the fpiritual bread in the kingdom of heaven. Luke xiv. John vi.

3dly, Forms of devotions, before and after meat, when the family, or neighbours are met together at the fame table, do not a little conduce to the duties and interests of charity and friendship; for then we pray for a bleffing in common upon the whole company; which implies a good. will in them one to another; a concord and harmony, as Chriftiane. joined together in the fame faith and

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cipate. Piety communicates a rich relish to every repaft. The immediate confcioufnefs of it doubles the comfort and hilarity of an entertainment, and keep us at the fame time within due bounds.

5thly, And to conclude; though very far from giving credit to legendary tales respecting miraculous benedictions or punishments; yet reafon and revelation warrant the remark, that as we are to believe that prayer in general will bring down bleffings upon us from the hand of the Almighty; fo thefe acts of devotion, before and after our bodily refreshment, are most likely to derive a fpecial wholfomenefs and nutritive quality upon our meat and drink. Pulfe and water, under the bleffing of God, may prove as falutary and fuftentatious as the most regal and luxurious dainties; and better, affuredly, is a dinner of herbs to the body, where the fincere love of God reigns in the heart, than a ftalled ox, or any the most voluptuous fare, while unfan&tified by gratitude, devotion, and praife, to the beneficent donor of all we enjoy. Dan, i. 14— 17. Prov. xv. 17.

SACERDOS.

ON SINCERITY.

HIS virtue may be confidered in Ta three-fold light, viz. religious, focial, and moral. It is neceffary that in all our moral duties, we fhould be actuated by fincerity, it gives us an air of honesty and truth; it is neceffary that the lover fhould be actuated by it, but I call not that lover fincere, who has only difhonourable -ends in view. Many there are, who, after drawing the affection of females, first feduce, and then leave them for ever to lament and bemoan the day they first conceived themfelves to be in love. If a perfon be actuated by confident integrity, and he talks on religious fubjects, his hearers believe he feels what he expreffes; if love be his topic the female muft at least give

him an hearing, and a tender an fwer; if he commend the merits of a perfon, he may be believed because he will not flatter. But how different is it with those who never pay ~ any regard to fincerity or truth. They are dangerous beings! and are not fit to be converfed or confulted with in any ferious matter: They may do well enough for thofe to converfe with who love paftime and fport!

How many thousands have been deceived by a flatterer! fome of this defcription may wear a face of truth for a fhort time but cannot long; deceit and diffimulation will foon fhew itself in their conversation, their countenances, or their actions. Der ceit and diffimulation are. fallen angels that affume the habit of an angel of light; but fincerity is a real angel, whofe garb is bright as the morning ftar, and whofe commiflion is from heaven.

"There are fentiments of approbation and admiration, of which compliment is a faint refemblance in comparison with fincerity." Thus fome perfons will affect to admire and approve of the actions of another, but let all remember, that mankind in general are never fo ready to praise as to take from and diminish the merits of each other; and often have people been deceived by the flattering commendations of a speaker who really means no more than to fix a ftronger cenfure upon them. It would be much more acceptable to our divine Creator, if we always acted the fincere, honeft part, when we pay our adoration to him; but to addrefs him with our lips, whilft our hearts are wandering in folly's, paths, is furely the strongest marks of all of our hypocrify and diffimulation.

To conclude, in all our actions through life, we should adhere to fin. cerity and truth, if we would gain the favour of the Almighty, and live in the esteem and friendship of our fellow creatures.

MEDITATION VIII.

T

O what a miferable ftate have my fin fins reduced me? O! whither fhall I turn, to whom fhall I fly, for fhelter from the wrath to come? What rocks, what mountains, what unfrequented fhades can conceal me from an omnipresent God? If not fit to die, I cannot be fit to go to judgment. O! how fhall 1 appear before God, the heart fearching God! Lord, what will become of me in that day, when thou fhalt call me to an account for my deeds done in the body! I am arrived at the brink of eternal mifery, at the very borders of hell : there is but one step between me and everlasting perdition: and who will refcue me? Who will ftand as a mediator between me and everlafting burnings? What reasons have I to urge, why I fhould not be caft into the bottomlefs pit, that region of the fhadow of death, where there is only weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth? Tell me, ye holy angels, ye faints who are continually before the throne of God; ye departed fpirits of pious relatives, tell me, what fhall I do to be faved?

Shall apply to the antient records of the old difpenfation? There I find God is merciful, long fuffering, not willing that any fhould perish; and by his prophets he has declared, let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon him. These are great encouragements, very precious promises: but how can I tell whether they extend to me? How can I be affured, that the imperfect repentance of a finner, unstable in all his ways, will fully fatisfy the demands of infinite juftice? When my paft fins

have been fo many, and aggravated, what can I do hereafter which will conciliate thy favour, O! thou great incomprehenfible Jehovah ?

See! Who is he who cometh from Fdom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? It is the Lord my righteoufnefs; mighty to fave; able to fave to the uttermoft all who come unto God by him. He was wounded for my tranfgreffions, and by his ftripes I am healed; for the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of all finners. Neither is there falvation in any orther; for there is none other name under heaven, whereby we can be faved. At the appointed, in due time, Chrift died for the ungodly; to put away fin by the facrifice of himself. He bare my fins in his own body (I am not afhamed to own it) on the accurfed tree. In this was manifeft the love of God, becaufe that God fent his only begotten Son into the world, to tafte death for every man, that we might live through him. So that now, under the new difpenfation, if any man fin, we have an advocate, a fpecial pleader with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, who is the propitiation for the fins of the whole world.

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Hark! what pleafing, what enchanting founds are thofe? Methinks I hear a voice; it is the voice of the immaculate lamb of God, faying--I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. am he who was dead; who am alive, who liveth for evermore; and have the keys of death and hell. Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, beleive alfo in me. Come unto me all ye who are heavy laden and I will give you reft." Lord Jefus! I believe, help thou my unbelief. I afk for the afliftance of the promifed comforter, let me receive it. I knock at the door of redeeming mercy, let it be opened unto me. Fear not, in return, faith my dear Redeemer, I am the promifed Meffiah, the ftar of Ja

cob,

cob, and the glory of the Gentiles. I came into the world with no other intent but to fave the chiefelt of finners. I am that merciful, that faithful high-prieft, who gave my life a raniom for many, and have made reconciliation for my people. I am the way, the truth, and the life. He who cometh to God by me fhall not be caft out.

Infinite grace, wonderous benignity, unfearchable riches of redeeming love! Great, inexpreffibly great is the mytery of godlinefs, (a myftery angels defired only to look into) God' manifeft in the Reth, juftified in the fpirit, preached unto the angels, believed on in the world, received up into glory. This is that new, that living way, which God hath confecrated. This is the undeferved priviledge of a Chriftian. This is the new covenant, the blood of fprinkling, even the righteoufnefs of God, by Faith in Jefus Chrift, whom he hath set forth to be a propitiation for the remiffion of fins that are paft. Bleffed, a thousand times bleffed, be that happy day, when the day-ftar from on high vifited our globe, and heavenly meffengers brought the glad tidings of peace, of joy, of falvation. When the Son of righteoufnefs arofe with healing in his wings. When the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, the

prince of the kings of the earth, loved us, and wafhed us from our fins in his own blood.

Be not cast down, O!. my foul; be not difquieted within thee.` There is now no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus. You are one among the number included in the eternal decree which determined man's redemption. It is the free grace of God that juftifieth, who is he that condemneth? I know I am a finner; perhaps the vileft of finners; but the fcripture hath included all under fin, that the promife might be extended to all thofe who believe. And where fin hath abounded, grace doth much more abound; for as fin hath reigned unto death, even fo doth grace now reign, through righte oufnefs, unto eternal life, by Jefus Christ our Lord. I will then go boldly unto the throne of grace; peradventure I may find grace to help in time of need. But why this peradventure? Why this lurk ing fpark of infidelity? Go, my foul, to the throne of grace; no matter how numerous, how black your offences: You will be accepted in the beloved; by whom alone we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of fins, through the riches of his grace.

B. RIDLEY.

and relative blifs; these are all particular effects of that most impartial, unconfined, and invariable goodnefs of God, who is benevolent to all, and whofe tender mercies are over all his works."-When in the chearful light of the day we view the ample creation around us, does not its very countenance befpeak the goodness, as well as the power and grandeur of the Creator? It is his goodness which makes heaven and earth to fmile upon us; glows in the fun, refreshes in the breeze, diftils in the fruitful rain, and afcends in the copious harvest. His bounty continually gives food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, health to the fick, and reft to the weary. He fupplies the vital current of life, and pours the tide of joy into the human heart. His wifdom formed and balanced the elements of the world, and made them fubfervient to the production and prefervation of human life. His providence planned the conftitution of human fociety, made man allied to man, and implanted in the human breast the pleafing affection of friends and kindred. The most engaging ties of nature, the tendereft and strongest emotions of parental affection, are an effect and image of his fupreme and eternal goodness. And as this life, and whatever administers to the comfort and happiness of it, are the fruits of his beneficence; fo all our hopes. of another life, and of happiness in a world to come, are wholly founded in his original love and mercy to mankind. The fame power, wisdom, and goodness which formed the earth and the whole heavens, and which made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the whole face of the earth, eftablished alfo that conftitution which the Chriftian revelation difclofeth to us, according to which all mankind are raifed from the dead by the power of the Saviour of the world, and endless life and

happiness allotted to all good men. If our knowledge of the gospel ferved to no other happy end, than to rescue us from the flavish fuperftition of Popery, or the ftupid idolatry and the impure the impure and barbarous rites of Heathenifm, how much reafon fhould we have to congratulate ourfelves, and acknowledge the favour of divine Providence on that account! How much more, when it difpels the gloomy fhades of death, and opens to us a profpect into a future ftate! When, inftead of the perplexing uncertainty or dark defpair which oppreffed the human mind, it raifeth us to fo great and joyful hopes of the event of things after death, and of a glorious renova. tion of the state of mankind! when justice and clemency shall be adminiftered in perfection, all the evils in this world abolished, and virtue and happiness forever eftablished! What returns of praife and grati tude are due to the eternal giver of all life and happiness, who hath added to the provifion which his indulgent Providence hath made for our infant-ftate in this world, the inestimable affurances of a world to come, and the inheritance of eternal life.

Such are the benefits derived to us from the divine goodnefs. The proper return for thefe benefits is doubtless fincere and fervent gratitude. And furely nothing can be more becoming us, or conduce more to our advantage and happinefs, than to cultivate a grateful affection towards the best of Beings, in return for the numberless and various inftances of his goodness to us; and as a qualification for receiving more and larger effects of his favour. To this we are excited, not only by a fenfe of duty, but by the ties of nature, the motives of ingenuity, the pleasures of a grateful mind, and the hopes of happiness.

B. WILKINS,

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