And, with regard to the time and circumstances of our departure hence, we most humbly pray, in submission to thy will, O Lord, that it may be when we shall be best prepared, and in the most holy and heavenly state of mind, when we shall be entirely resigned to thee, when we shall have clear acts of faith in God by Jesus Christ, high and reverential thoughts of thee in our minds, and enlarged affections towards thee! And, at that awful period, when called to enter the conflict with the king of terrors, grant us, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy protection and cheering presence; that we may be delivered from all consternation, all doubt and uncertainty as to our everlasting state; and, that at length, we may depart in the well-grounded assurance, that when we shall be absent from the body, we shall be present with the Lord. Amen.

MEDITATION

For Thursday Morning.

THE BREAD OF LIFE.

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: If any man eat of this bread he shall live

for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John vi. 51.

It is evident, that by the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, repeatedly mentioned in this chapter, we are to understand the Redeemer incarnate and dying: it is Christ and him crucified, and redemption wrought out by him, with all the precious benefits of pardon, acceptance with God, the adoption of sons, access to a throne of grace, the promises of the covenant, and eternal life. These are called the flesh and the blood of Christ; because they are purchased by the breaking of his body, and the shedding of his blood. The eating and drinking of this spiritual food begins with hungering and thirsting after Christ, with earnest and importunate desires after him; an unwillingness to take up with any thing short of an interest in him; and an application of his sufferings and merits to ourselves; a delight in Jesus, and salvation by him; and a dependance upon him for the support and comfort of our spiritual life, and the increase of its strength and vigour. It is a fatal sign that we have no spiritual life in us, if we have no desire towards Christ, nor delight in him. If the

soul doth not hunger and thirst, it certainly doth not live. Faith in Christ is

the first living principle of grace by faith we have a close and intimate union with Christ; he is in us, and we in him. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, as set forth in the Gospel to be the food of souls, he hath eternal life; he hath it now; he has the foretaste of it, and the hope of it, and the assurance of it: "because I live ye shall live also!" Amen.

HYMN

For Thursday Morning.

O happy Christian! who can boast
The Son of God is mine;
Happy, though humble in the dust;
Rich in this gift divine.

He lives the life of heav'n below;
And shall for ever live ;

This heavenly bread shall life bestow,
And endless vigour give.

That life we ask with bended knees;
Nor will the Lord deny:
Celestial mercy will not see
Its humble suppliants die.

That life Thou gav'st for praise alone;
O grant continued breath;
Taught by experience may we own
That praise can live in death.

PRAYER

For Thursday Morning.

TO KNOW MORE OF CHRIST.

O thou Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and God of all glory, who hast so loved the world, as to give thine only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life we beseech thee to have mercy upon us, miserable sinners. Prepare our hearts to seek thee, and answer us according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. We

mourn over our ingratitude, and the hardness and impenitency of our hearts; but, above all, we bewail our unbelief of the blessed record thou hast given us of thy beloved Son.

Though we have read of his glory, how little does it affect us! though he has a name which is above every name, in heaven or earth, how little do we love him

for all that he has done and suffered on our behalf! Have compassion upon us, O Lord, and help us. Give us according to thine own most gracious promise, the Spirit of truth to open our understanding, that we may understand the things which the Scriptures reveal concerning thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. O give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: of his person and offices; of his love and power towards all that hear his voice and follow him; that so we may abound in clear, enlarged, and endearing thoughts of him that he may be precious to us, as he was to the glorious company of the Apostles, and the noble army of martyrs. Thou, O God, hast declared, that thy Son shall be exalted and extolled, and shall be very high help us, we earnestly pray thee, to give him more and more perfectly the honour due unto his name. Enable us to comprehend with all saints the immeasurable extent of his love, in its breadth and length, its height and depth.

Grant, O Lord, that the Saviour's love to us may be the pattern of ours to all that are round about us: may we make him our pattern as he is our hope. May we put on the Lord Jesus Christ; and be