fighted, to fee and take hold of all advantages to ftrengthen itself, and finds encouragement even in that which is difcouraging. That which feemed to cut off this believing woman's hope, fhe improves it as a ground of hope, and an argument in prayer, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat, &c. q. d. Even the worthlefs dogs belong to the family, and though they may not feast with children at the table, they may creep under it and gather crumbs, thefe off-fallings that would be fwept to the door; this will not wrong the children. Let me ftand in relation to Chrift, though in the meaneft station, even that of his dog; I'll be thankful for it, or for any thing, if he do not turn me out of the house.

6thly, When our difcouragements are greatest, we fhould learn, from this woman, never to give over the exercise of faith and prayer: but to look on all our difappointments in the fuccefs of prayer, as excitements. to greater earneftnefs in prayer. Faith will not fet limits to the Holy One; though speedy anfwers be not given to our prayer, it becomes us to wait God's time, who is the best judge of the fitteft feafon: He that believeth will not make hafte; Why? he knows his extremity is God's fit opportunity.

7thly, A refolute adhering to Chrift by faith under trials, is moft pleafing and acceptable to him; as when we perfevere in the use of means when fuccefs is small, when we depend upon his promise, and look to his power; when under the darkeft difpenfations we watch over our hearts and steps, that they do not decline from his ways, as these in Pfal. xliv. 17. 18. And glory to him that gives us fuch encouragement for this refolute adherence to him, as the mercifulnefs of his nature, and his faithfulness, which affure us there is more good-will in his heart, than is vifible in his dealings; and that his providence will never give his word the lie. He gives fecret ftrength to his people to adhere to him, when he feems moft oppofite to them, as he did to this woman. He loves to bring about his people's mercies by means improbable and

contrary, to glorify his wifdom. He delights to bring light out of darkness.

8thly, Great will the reward at laft be of the belieever's faith, humility, and perfeverance in prayer; for, faith Chrift at length, v. 28. O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

MEDITATION X.
From i Cor. ii. 24.

This do in Remembrance of me.

My foul, here is a folemn ordinance inftituted for keeping up the remembrance of a crucified Jefus; and behold it was appointed by himself, when he was just a-going to do more for us than all the angels in heaven could have done, even to make atonement for our fins by his death and sufferings; and he twice repeats his dying charge to us, v. 24. and 25. This do, this do ye. Men ufe to regard the commands of their dying friends, and perform their wills religiously; and fhall not I with pleasure obey the will and command of a dying Redeemer, when the thing is fo eafy and agreeable, to eat and drink at his table in remembrance of him? If I forget thee, O friend of finners, let my right hand forget its cunning, &c.

Our loving Redeemer well knew the treachery of our memories, the worldlinefs of our hearts, and inconftancy of our affections, that we would be ready to let his death and love flip out of our thoughts, and therefore he would have the figns of his fuffering frequently prefented to our eyes. Alas! for the curfed ingratitude of my heart, that is fo apt to forget him that remembered me when there was none to pity me; but glory to him that takes fuch pains to cure my forgetfulness, by setting forth Chrift crucified fo evidently before my eyes in the broken bread and poured out wine in the facrament.-I look upon this ordinance as a vifible representation and commemoration of my Saviour's death and fufferings for his people, which he will have continued till he come again to judgment. It

is like a marble pillar fet up upon his grave with an infcription bearing account of his glorious atchievements and mighty deeds, his glorious fufferings, conflicts, and victories, for his people. Wherefore, as oft as he calls me, I will go thither, and put all the honour and respect I can upon my kind benefactor: I will remember his love, proclaim his worth, and publish his praise. I'll hereby own myself before the world to be one of his difciples, and a follower of the Lamb. I'll declare my abhorrence of fin that pierced him, and my gartitude to the Lamb for the atoning facrifice he offered up for me upon the crofs. I'll triumph in this as the only ground of my hope. I'll put the crown upon his head, and cast all my crowns down at his feet, and cry, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, and has redeemed me from my fins by his blood; worthy is he to receive all Honour, Porver, Glory and Dominion, for ever and ever.

Glory to my dear Saviour, that feeks no greater return for all his labour of love, than a thankful remembrance of it at his Table. Oh, fhall I grudge to give fuch a small return to him that fuffered the pains of death and hell for me! Had he bid me facrifice my first born, and give all I have to the poor, or go in pilgrimage to the Holy Land to vifit his fepulchre, or go to the top of Mount Calvary where the crofs stood, as a token of thankfulness for his love, could I have refused it? But he puts me to no fuch hard task.Lord, thou bids me not go to a bloody scaffold to remember thee, but to a well covered Table to do it. Thou bids me not go there to bleed or burn for thee, but to eat and drink; not the bread of affliction, or water of adverfity, but bread that ftrengthens the heart, and wine that cheers the drooping fpirit, bread and wine which thou haft fanctified and bleffed for me.Surely, O dear Saviour, I owe my life to thee, nay a thousand lives if I had them; but it is not my life, but my memory and thoughts thou art calling for; it is not to die for thee, but to remember thee. Didft thou drink the cup of wrath on the cross for me, and will

not I drink a cup of bleffing at the table for thee, nay for myself, and for my eternal falvation?

Let me go then to this holy table, with faith, love, and thankfulness, to remember Chrift and his dying love, as he commands me. And while I remember him, let me alfo receive and embrace him, as my bleeding High Prieft, in the arms of my faith, and at the fame time throw my guilty foul into his wounded arms, for faving me from wrath.-Let me go and remember the woundings and piercings of my Redeemer, with a pierced and wounded heart for these curfed fins which nailed and killed the Prince of Life. Let me henceforth be the death of fin, which was the death of my dear Saviour. Oh, fhall I fuffer fin to live any longer in me, that would not fuffer my Redeemer to live in the world?

But let me confider my High Prieft before-hand, and what of his sufferings I should remember at his table.I'll remember how the glorious heir of all things denuded himself of his riches and glory, how he left his throne of Majefty to lodge in a virgin's womb; yea, to be born among beafts, and cradled in a manger, for such a worm as me! I'll remember how he was attacked by the devil, contradicted by finners, and reproached by the world for my fake!-I'll remember how forrowful his foul was in the garden, when the bitter cup was put in his hand; and how he fwate, how he prayed, how he fell to the ground, till he was quite overwhelmed with wrath, and covered with his own blood for my fake!-I'll remember how he was fold for a small price, and bafely betrayed by Judas; how he was taken by the foldiers, tied as a malefactor with cords, denied by Peter, forfaken by all his difciples, and left alone among his cruel and infulting enemies.- I'll remember how he was blindfolded, mocked, fpit upon, buffeted and affronted by ruffians a whole night, and patiently fuffered all for my fake.-I'll remember how his lovely countenance was disfigured with blows, and the plucking the hair off his cheeks; and how the fweeteft face ever the fun faw, was all befmeared with blood and

fpitting for my fake.-I'll remember how he that clothes the lilies of the field, was himself ftripped naked, bound to a pillar, and cruelly fcourged, till the pavement of Pilate's judgment-hall was all bedewed with his precious blood. I'll remember how the crown of thorns was plaited with the sharp points turned inward, put upon his head, and driven into his temples with a reed, till they pierced his fkull in many places, and a new fhower of blood run down his bleffed neck.—I'll remember how the heavy cross-tree was laid upon his fcourged and bleeding fhoulders, and he made to carry it through the ftreets of Jerufalem, forth of the gates, and up mount Calvary, to the place of execution, until his ftrength was fpent, and he foundered under the burden. I'll remember how the cross-tree was laid down and my Saviour ftripped naked and stretched out upon it as a rack; and how he was fastened to it with four big iron nails through his hands and feet, and the crofs lifted up and let fall into a deep hole digged for the foot of it, to the violent rending and widening of his facred wounds, by which he hang, until all his blood streamed forth at them, and he expired amidst the most exquifite tortures.

I'll remember also the sufferings of his foul at that time, when the Lord ran upon him as a giant, and made his foul the butt of his envenomed arrows, the poifon whereof drank up his fpirits, until his ftrength was dried up like a potfherd.-I'll remember how his foul was troubled and nonpluffed at the diftant profpect of this cup; and how fore amazed he was foon after, when it was put into his hand.-I'll remember how the tafting of it caft him into a bloody fweat and agony, which dyed his garments red, and bedewed the ground where he lay.-I'll remember how he was broken with breach upon breach, till all the fea billows of divine vengeance went over him, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah was made to roar under the ftrokes and bruises of the flaming (word, Pfal. xxii. 1.-I'll remember the dreadful hidings of God's face he lay under, until he was made to cry, My God, my God, why haft