The suffering of our Saviour, which is the most wonderful act of goodness and charity that ever was performed in the world, and which produceth effects of the highest confequence to our benefit, fhould very frequently be prefent to our thoughts and affections. And that it may be fo with advantage, fuch a folemn and fenfible reprefentation of it is very conducible; wherein we behold him crucified afresh (as it were), his body broken, and his blood poured out for us: It being, in some refpect, putting us into the circumstances of thofe, who did behold our Saviour hanging upon the cross for our fins.

Our Lord, being abfent in body from us, fitting in heaven at God's right hand, in order to fupply that abfence, left we fhould become eftranged from him, is pleafed to order this occafion of being prefent with us in the facrament, and of converfing with us in fuch a manner, as may retain in our memories his gracious performances for us, such as may impress in our hearts a kindly fenfe of them, and raise us up in mind and affection to him.

Again; The use and importance of this facrament appears further from this confideration: That hereby we receive spiritual comfort and refreshment for our souls. The Lord's fupper is a holy feast, a fpiritual repaft, a divine entertainment, to which God in kindness invites us; to which if we come with well-difpofed minds, he there feeds us with moft heavenly fuftenance, with the most holy and delicious nourishment. Bread is justly accounted the fupport of life, the moft wholesome and most neceffary food: Wine is accounted alfo the moft whalefome; moft pleasant and cordial drink: By them therefore our Lord chofe to represent that body and blood, by the offering of which a state of life and happiness was procured to mankind; the receiving of which with a right apprehenfion, the tafting of them with a lively faith, digesting them with careful attention and meditation, converting them into our fubftance by devout, grateful, and holy affections, joined with ferious and fteady refolutions of living anfwerably there unto, will certainly fupport and main

tain our fpiritual life, in a vigorous health, and happy growth of grace, refreshing our hearts with comfort and fatisfaction unfpeakable. He that thus eateth our Sa viour's flesh, and drinketh his blood, (as St. John expreffeth it), bath eternal life abiding in him. Which benefits therefore, in the due performance of this duty, are conveyed unto us.

Another inftance, wherein the use and importance of the facrament of the Lord's fupper doth appear, is, That hereby we become united unto Chrift; we are one with Christ, and Chrift with us. We become myftically united unto him, by a close dependance upon him for fpiritual life, mercy, grace, and falvation; by a constant adherence to him through faith and obedience, and a near conformity to him in mind and affection; by an infeparable conjunction with him, by the ftrictest bands of fidelity, and by the most endearing relations.

Which things could not be more fitly represented to us, than by the partaking of A a 4

ОЦЕ

our best and most neceffary food: Which being taken in, foon becomes united to us, and converted into our substance; thereby renewing our strength, and repairing the decays of our nature,

Wherefore (faith our Saviour), He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. And, The cup of bleffing (faith St. Paul) which we blefs, Is it not the COMMUNION of the blood of Chrift? The bread which we break, Is it not the COMMUNION of the body of Chrift?

In the outward action, we partake of the fymbols reprefenting our Saviour's body and blood; but in the inward and spiritual intention of it, we do as it were commu-. nicate of his very perfon, being (in that. manner I have mentioned) intimately units ed to him.

A further inftance which fhews the importance and ufe of this holy facrament, is, That we are hereby alfo intimately united one with another. We are hereby united together in one confent of mind, and unity of faith; in mutual good-will and affection; in hope, and tendency to the same

bleffed

bleffed end; in fpiritual brotherhood and fociety, especially upon account of our common union with Chrift, which most clofely binds us one to another, Partaking alike of this one individual food, we be come tranflated (as it were) into one body and fubftance; according to that of St. Paul, where he fays, that we being many, are one bread, and one body; for that all of us do partake of one bread.

In the representing, producing, and promoting of these things, the use and importance of this holy facrament doth confift. It was defigned as a proper and efficacious inftrument, to raise in us pious affections towards our good God and gra cious Redeemer; to difpofe us to all holy practice; to confirm our faith, to nourish our hope, to quicken our refolutions of walking carefully in the ways of our duty; to unite us more firmly to our Saviour, and, to combine us in charity one towards another. The accomplishing of which intentions implies our faithful and diligent concurrence in the use of them. And from. hence do arife feveral duties incumbent on

us