-wine is squeezed with much force from the grapes, when trodden in the wine-prefs; so in like manner the Lord Jesus was ftraitened, Luke xii. 50. and oppreffed with much anguish, that the blood might flow to us from his bleffed body, and his fpiritual grace with his blood.

;

XXXVII. When the difpenfer of the mysteries of God, takes the bread and the cup of bleffing into his hands, before the eyes of the faithful, that feems to intimate, that Chrift was thus constituted and taken to be Mediator, and fet forth to believers, "to be a propitiation through faith in his blood," Rom. iii. 25. The bleffing and thanksgiving pronounced over the bread and wine, teach us, that Chrift is that bleffed feed of Abraham," in whom God hath bleffed us with all spiritual bleffings in heavenly places," Eph. i. 3. and the greatest gift of divine bounty, for which to all eternity we fhall not be able to render fuitable thanks: nor are we to fet about this facred feaft, otherwise than by devout prayers, and a grateful acknowledgement of that infinite mercy, which the Lord vouchfafes. to us, who are fo unworthy. The breaking of the bread reprefents the breaking of Chrift's body, especially that by death for, the foul is the band, by which all the parts of the body are preferved united. But on its departure, the carcafe is nothing but a heap of dufty particles, which are foon to be feparated upon its putrefaction. Which would also have been the cafe with the dead body of Chrift, had not a speedy refurrection prevented that holy One of the Lord from feeing corruption. The pouring out of the wine reprefents the fhedding of Chrift's blood, that especially, which was done on the cross, for the confirmation of the New Teftament. And thus in the holy fupper, there is a commemoration of the death of Chrift, not in words only, but alfo by those mystical rites. The dif tribution of these facred pledges is a figure or emblem of that gratuitous offer, by which the Lord Jefus, with all his faving benefits, is prefented to the elect, with the most alluring invitations to accept of him: nor offered only, but actually reached out, and freely given to believers for their eternal falvation. In the preaching of the gofpel, there is alfo a certain, but a more general offer of Chrift made to all, who seriously long. after his grace. But in the diftribution of the facrament, a much more particular offer and communication of spiritual grace is given to every believing communicant.

XXXVIII. But when believers receive the bread and wine, they declare by that action, that they receive by a true faith. Chrift himself, and all he is, that they may have a right to become the fons of God, John i. 12. But the eating the bread and drinking the wine fignify fomething more.

And first, they

really

it

really set forth the devote and lively employment of the foul, engaged in holy meditations on Chrift, who is all its defire that may derive from him every thing, it knows to be needful for its fpiritual life. For, what feeding is to the body, that meditation is to the foul: whereby, from the things, the thoughts are employed about, it sucks a suitable aliment, as the body is nourished by eating. Again, these actions also fignify that intimate union, which fubfifts between Chrift and believers: as meat and drink, when put into the mouth, are not only received into the ftomach, but also converted into the very fubstance of the perfon. This union the fcripture calls an abode, John xiv. 23. a joining, 1 Cor. vi. 17. the fame body, Eph. iii. 6. Laftly, They reprefent that fweetest delight, which the hungry and thirsty foul enjoys from the fruition of Christ and his grace: not only believing, but seeing and tasting, that the Lord is good, Pfal. xxxiv. 9. 1 Pet. ii. 3. And as all are partakers of one bread and of one wine, this is a figure of that amicable unity, whereby they, who partake of the fame facred feast, are united together, as domeftics of the fame Lord: " for we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread, 1 Cor. x. 17.

XXXIX. But in the holy fupper, we have fomething more than an instructing fign. It is likewise a feal ratifying to us the promifes and grace of God. And first it really feals all the promises of the covenant of grace, which was formerly sealed to believers by the paflover, and all those other facrifical feasts, to which they were admitted. Again, more efpecially, the promises of the New Teftament, better than thofe of the Old, which the fathers were obliged to be fatisfied with. And in this refpect the fupper of the Chriftians greatly excels the paffover. "This is my blood of the New Teftament, which is shed for many for the remiffion of fins, Mat. xxvi. 28. in order to a real and not a typical expiation of fin, blotting out the hand-writing, quenching our thirst, and enjoying a fulness of delight in a perfect liberty. In fine, it most especially feals fome faving bleffings, both of this life and of that to come.

XL. The bleffings of this life, which are fealed to us by the fupper, are principally three. 1ft, Intimate union and communion with Christ, as made perfect by sufferings. Had it pleased our Lord, to give to his disciples a piece cut off from his body for them to eat, or fome drops of his blood to drink; even that of itself would not be fufficient to falvation, nor have accomplished a faving communion with Chrift, which is not a carnal, but a fpiritual thing: yet the difciples would thereby have had a very effectual fign of the myftical union. But now he, fubftitutes bread in place of his body, wine in place of his blood,

blood, when he fays this is my body; this is my blood: and bids us be no less affured, by that pledge, of his myftical communion, than if we took his very body and blood into our hands and mouth. 2dly, The confervation, and nourishment, the ftrength and increase of spiritual life, which flow from communion with Chrift. As by the use of bread and wine, he who communicates, experiences his bodily ftrength renewed; fo at the fame time it is intimated to the believing foul, that he fhall not want that grace of Chrift, which "giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might increaseth strength,” Isa, xl. 27. 3dly, A fatisfying fulness of every defirable good, which neither the world could bestow upon any, nor the beggarly elements of the world, feparated from Chrift, furnish the ancient Jews with: while the Lord Jefus, presenting these fymbols, calls out to believers; " Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat: yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which fatisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good,`and let your foul delight itself in fatnefs, Ifa. Iv. 1, 2.

XLI. The bleffing of the life to come, an earnest of which Christ gives us in the fupper, is that most abundant fatisfactory fulness of glory, both in foul and body, which the Pfalmift has described, Pfal. xvi. 11. and Pfal. xvii. 15. and which is frequently reprefented under the fimilitude of a marriage-feaft.

XLII. Laft of all, with refpect to us, the holy fupper is a kind of folemn engagement, strongly binding us to every duty of piety and love, both to Christ and to our neighbour. It binds us to Chrift in feveral refpects. 1. In general, on receiving this earnest of the covenant of grace, in which Chrift joins himfelf to us in a marriage-covenant, we, by that very thing, promife and openly declare and avow, by an oath, that we shall fulfil every duty of a chafte faithful and loving fpoufe towards him. Every one of the communicants, by this public and folemn feaft, which is appointed for confirming this myftical marriage, makes an open profeffion of that before God, angels and the whole church. Whoever partakes of the bread broken, and wine poured out, fays to Chrift, if not in plain words, and an explicit meditation on the thing, yet in the implicit meaning of his act; as "I defire, Lord, to be a "partaker of thy body broken, and blood fhed for my falvation, "fo I declare, that I deferve to have my body, no less than "this bread, broken or torn in pieces, to have my blood, no "lefs than this wine, poured out, if, in the renewal of thist "covenant, I fhall, with an evil and perfidious heart, break "my word to thee." 2dly, Befides, as in the communion of

the

the holy fupper, the greateft, and an almoft incredible inftance of the love of the Lord Jefus, towards us, is held forth not only before our eyes, but exhibited to our tafte; in like manner it is proper, that the flames of our love towards him, be, in the participation of that feaft, kindled up, and the love of him beyond all other love kept inviolate, and become the object of our admiring thoughts. In the fame breath, that the spouse was setting forth the love of her beloved to be better than wine; and infinitely preferring the kiffes of his mouth to all other things, the moft defirable in other refpects; fhe alfo adds, Cant. i. 2, 3. "therefore do the virigins love him." 3dly, As the holy fupper is especially instituted in remembrance of our Lord, and in commemoration of his death, believers, in the use of it, are bound to have always fresh in their memory the Lord Chrift, and the dreadful fufferings he underwent, which are the most folid foundation of our hope, and the only matter of our confolation; and to eftcem Chrift crucified, as " a bundle of myrrh lying all night betwixt our breafts," Canticl. i. 13. 4thly and lafely, As a greater mark of familiarity, our Lord defires a mutual fupper, "I will fup with him and he with me," Rev. iii. 20. It is therefore proper, that they, who are entertained by our Lord, with fo magnificent a feaft, fhould be careful to give him a becoming entertainment in return: invite him to "come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits," Canticl. iv. 16, and give him to "drink of spiced wine, and of the juice of their pomegranate," Canticl. viii. 2. That is, they fhould give him delight by the fincere practice of internal Christianity; than which neither fpices, nor the honey-comb, nor milk, nor wine, can be fweeter to him.

XLIII. To conclude, by the ufe of the fupper we are alfo bound to the practice of brotherly concord, and the fincereft love towards our brethren and fifters, partakers with us of the fame table: that in the hearing, and with the applaud of angels, may be fung in the church of God, with one mouth and one heart, "behold! how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity," Pí. cxxxiii. 1. Thus the apoftolic church both fet us an example for our imitation; " and they continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from houfe to houfe, did eat their meat with gladness and fingleness of heart," Acts ii. 46. To this purpose was the holy kits, by which they, on all occafions, kept up a mutual peace; of which frequent mention is made in fcripture, and of which, efpecially in thefe rites of the fupper, the innocent ufe was for fome time continued among Chriftians. God grant we may in fuch a manner folemnize this myftical fupper on earth, that we may eternally feaft with Chrift in heaven. Amen.

FINIS.