are always driving him out of felf to Chrift, teaching him the neceffity of the fupplies of the Spirit, making him more diligent, and keeping him more humble in the ufe of the means: And thus he learns to live more by faith upon Christ, and to feek more clofe communion with him, and his fulnefs, efpecially at his table. He does not abfent himself from it, because he has not the fellowfhip there, fo close, intimate, and abiding, as he could with, or because the laft time he was there he was not fo lively as he used to be, or because he was unworthy, and full of complaints. He has tafted that the Lord is gracious: And this tafte has increased his hunger and thirft, the food which he wants, he does not carry, with him, but he goes to receive it. L 2 When

When he hears his Lord's command-Take, eat this breaddrink this cup-Do ye this in remembrance of me-He obeys believing the promise: This is my body given for you: This is my blood fhed for you. The more faith in the promise, there will be the more appetite, and the more nourishment received from the fpiritual food; for then the Holy Spirit puts his influence into the elements, and the communicant eats the flesh of Chrift indeed, and drinks his blood indeed, having by faith communion with him in the bread and wine. believer is fed,

At this table the

nourished, and feafted with the bread that cometh down from heaven, even angels' food for he that eateth of this bread fhall live for ever: Accord

ing to the Lord's own promife, "Whofo

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"Whofo eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the laft day." The believer has this in his eye, both in what the banquet is now, and in what it is the pledge and earnest of, when it fhall be realized. Faith gives a fubftance to the things promifed and hoped for. It has the earnest and the pledge of them: As certainly as we have the one, fo certainly fhall we have the other. A faithful God gives us this fecurity -Whofo is one by faith with Jefus fhall fit down at the marriage fupper of the Lamb: Whofo eateth and drinketh at his table here in faith, fhall infallibly eat and drink with him at his table in his kingdom of glory. The fure and certain hope of this makes our prefent feast at the Lord's fupper an happy

L 3

happy foretaste of that eternal banquet, when he will vouchfafe to admit us to the honours of his table, and of his kingdom. O bleffed, most blessed time! The profpect is animating, it brightens the darkest day of affliction, refreshes the fpirits under the heavieft trials, and is a rich cordial under the deepest feeling of indwelling fin. Where Chrift is, all is bleffed. Union with him is heaven begun, and this the believer is called to enjoy even to enjoy communion with him in all he is and has. Chrift is one with him. Chrift will not leave him nor forfake him: nothing is able to feparate the members from the Head. He who has begun the good work has given the fulleft fecurity that he will not leave it unfinished. He will carry it on

unto

unto the end: For he is faithful

who hath promifed. And the apoftle applies the words spoken to Jofhua, and fays that they were fpoken alfo to us, that we might truft and not be afraid : "This book of the law fhall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou fhalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayeft observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then thou fhalt make thy way profperous, and then thou shalt have good fuccefs. Have not I commanded thee? Be ftrong and of a good courage: Be not afraid, neither be thou difmayed: For the Lord thy God is with thee, whitherfoever thou goeft." And he went out ftrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. He fought the Lord's battles, and profpered, until

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.