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now before us, with that extraordinary manifestation on the day of Pentecoft, which is related in the 2d chapter of the Acts of the Apoftles. There we are told, that when the

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Apoftles were all with one accord in one

place, fuddenly there came a found from "heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it "filled all the houfe where they were fitting." Every one will be fenfible, that there is a very ftriking resemblance between these two illuftrious events; and I cannot help thinking, that the oneness and harmony of the worshippers, on both thefe occafions, is mentioned with peculiar emphafis, as a diftinguifhing characteristic of those religious affemblies. which God delights to honour with his prefence.

We are told, in the cxxxiii. Pfalm, that where brethren dwell together in unity, there God commandeth the bleffing; and our bleffed Lord lays fuch stress upon unity of affection among his difciples, that he makes it an effential qualification of an acceptable worshipper; nay, he tells us that where this is wanting, the perfon is difqualified for performing any fervice that is pleafing to God.

Matth.

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Matth. v. 23, 24. • If thou bring thy gift to “the altar, and there remembereft that thy "brother hath ought against thee, leave there "thy gift before the altar, and go thy way,. "first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." If this doctrine of brotherly love has not an obvious foundation in the text, yet I can hardly think I need make any apology for mentioning it, seeing it has a broad foundation in other paffages of Scripture, and is strictly connected, with the great ordinance before us. The facrament of the fupper is not only a folemn commemoration of our Saviour's death, and of his wonderful love to finners of mankind, but was likewise intended to be a badge of love and union among his difciples. Of old, they who feasted upon the fame facrifice laid afide all enmity, and profeffed to be knit together in love and friendship. In like manner, all who partake of the great gospel facrifice in the holy facrament, are fuppofed to be members of one body, united under one head, our Lord Jesus Christ. "The cup of bleffings which we

blefs," fays the Apostle, " is it not the com"munion of the blood of Chrift; the bread " which

"which we break, is it not the communion "of the body of Chrift; for we being many are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread." It would be monftrous to fee one member of the natural body hurting and deftroying another, the mouth devouring the hand, or the hand plucking out the eye; it is no less monftrous and unnatural, for one member of Christ's mystical body to be at variance with another-to fee those who partake of the Table of the Lord, at the fame time partaking of the table of devils, by entertaining hatred and malice. in their hearts, by doing, or purposing to do, or even by wishing any hurt to their brethren in Chrift. Would we then obtain the divine prefence and bleffing on this folemn occasion ; do we expect or defire that the King should fit at his own table this day, and impart to us the fruits of his favour and love, let us be one among ourselves; let every bitter paffion be put away; and let us put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy,, kindness humbleness of mind, meeknefs and long-suffering, forbearing one another, even as we look for forgivenness through

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the merits of Jefus, remitting to others their hundred pence, whilft we plead with God for the discharge of our ten thousand talents.

But the oneness here spoken of seems more immediately to respect their harmonious agreement in the great fubject of their praise. They made one found to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, saying, “For he is good, "and his mercy endureth for ever." And, when they thus concurred with heart and voice in extolling the goodness and mercy of God, "it came even to pass," fays the facred hiftorian," that the house was filled with a "cloud, even the house of the Lord; fo that "the priests could not ftand to minifter by "reafon of the cloud; for the glory of the "Lord had filled the houfe of God." That agreement in prayer has a mighty efficacy appears from that gracious promife of the Lord, Mat, xviii. 19. "Again, I fay unto you, that if two of you fhall agree on earth, as touching

any thing they fhall afk, it fhall be done for "them of my Father which is in heaven." And my text affords a convincing proof, that agreement in praise has an equal efficacy to bring the glory of God into the affemblies of

his people. We may at least take encouragement from it to make the experiment. We have been asking the Divine prefence by prayer; let us now go a little farther, and feek it in praise and thanksgiving. The EUCHARIST was the ancient name of the Sacrament, which tells us that the facramental devotions of the primitive church chiefly confifted in thofe laudable exercises I am now recommending; and certainly their example should have confiderable weight with us.

Let none fay I am a guilty, depraved creature, and therefore groans, and tears, and forrowful lamentations, become me better than the voice of praife; for, if you are penitent believing finners, if, defpairing of relief from any other quarter, you have fled to Chrift, as your city of refuge, and taken fanctuary in his atoning blood and facrifice,-praife is not only lawful, but highly becoming, nay a neceffary part of your present duty;—the defign of your redemption, the tenor of the Goipel Covenant, the glorious privileges to which you ftand entitled, loudly demand this grateful return. "We are built up," fays Peter,

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a fpiritual house, an holy priesthood, to of

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