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body is purer than the heavens in holiness, and higher than the heavens in glory, in which dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead. It is the pavilion of the Sun of Righteousness, the sacrifice of which, in union with the person of "the only begotten Son of God," hath removed the sins of God's elect out of his sight, and by faith in the everlasting efficacy of that one sacrifice, believers draw nigh unto God.

It should be spiritually considered how clearly Christ is presented to our spiritual senses in this ordinance. By the gospel he is preached to our ears, by the Holy Ghost working in us, and upon us; through the gospel he is formed in us. And in the ordinance of the Supper here we see, discern, and are led to perceive and apprehend, as the Holy Spirit is pleased to exercise our spiritual faculties, Christ in the most gracious, mys terious, and wonderful ends which he had in view, in bearing our sins, sustaining our curse, triumphing in and upon the cross in his own person, over all his and our enemies; entering into heaven itself,

in our nature, as our great High Priest, appearing in the presence of God for us.

I conclude with saying, the whole of Christ is set before us in the Supper. We see him as crowned with thorns, and also with glory and honour. And when by faith, through the Holy Spirit's light, teaching, and testimony, we discern Christ as here set forth; we, taking in by faith's enlightened eye, views of his ancient love from eternity, his covenant engagements with his divine Father on our behalf, his solemn consecration to the whole office of mediation, his entrance upon it under the testimony of the divine Father, and the unction of the Holy Ghost, performing every part of it under the commission and broad seal of Heaven: these views must render him to us our heaven of delight, our all in all; whose worth, value, and preciousness is above, and far exceeds the heaven of heavens. I would wish for no greater blessing at the Lord's table than to be thus employed. For faith thus exercised upon Christ will be accompanied with real communion with him.

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The Lord bless what hath been delivered as far as agreeable to his truth, and be with us at his own table, making it a season of refreshing from his own gracious presence. Even so, Lord Jesus. Amen.

94

SERMON VI.

DELIVERED PREVIOUS TO THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPper.

BRETHREN and beloved, I shall close our past and present exercises with some remarks and observations on the 30th, 31st, and 32d verses of the eleventh chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians :

"FOR THIS CAUSE MANY ARE WEAK AND SICKLY AMONG YOU, AND MANY SLEEP. FOR IF WE WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES WE SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED.

BUT

WHEN WE ARE JUDGED, WE ARE CHASTENED OF THE LORD, THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD."

In the preceding verses our apostle IN gives the Corinthians a particular account of the institution, use, end, significancy and design of the Lord's Supper, as he had it from Christ himself; informing them of the continuance of it until the second coming of the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ; and then proceeds to shew the evil of an unworthy

partaking of this ordinance; how such are guilty of, vilify and reproach the body and blood of Christ.

To the avoiding of which heinous sin and guilt, he exhorts them to self-examination, using this as an argument for it, that such as are unworthy communicants, bring guilt and condemnation on themselves, for want of spiritual judgment to discern the Lord's body; i. e. not distinguishing between the bread, which in this ordinance is the sign and symbol of it, and Christ's body, which is represented by it.

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The punishment for which sin he expressed unto them by this figurative expression, "eating and drinking judgment, guilt, condemnation, or damnation" to themselves, for want of spiritual wisdom and perception to discern by faith the Lord's body.

The end and design of the Holy Ghost in this word, here rendered damnation, or judgment, being to rouse, alarm, and threaten the profaners of this sacred ordinance, giving them warning what they might expect, and how they would be

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