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thoughts, and affections, and deserves most worthily to have the chiefest place in our hearts and minds; for his glory "is above the earth and heavens," his love "passeth knowledge," his mercy is from

everlasting to everlasting," his redemption is "eternal," and his fulness of grace and glory is inexhaustible.

When we contemplate Christ's life of essential blessedness and felicity which he lived as the Son of the living God," as co-equal, co-eternal, and con-substantial with the Father; being by essential union one in the incomprehensible Essence or Godhead, with the Father and the Spirit, who, as such, hath infinite, immutable blessedness in himself, arising from the boundless perfections of the divine nature, and the ineffable, mutual love of the blessed persons in the Holy Trinity, in and towards each other: we may well stand surprised, overwhelmed, and amazed, at the infinite love of Christ towards his church, who from everlasting purposed and engaged to become incarnate; and in his incarnate state, to manifest the heights, depths, lengths,

and breadths of his love to his chosen

and beloved ones.

Under proper views of it, we may well fall down before him, crying, "Salvation, honour, glory, power, and blessing unto the Lord our God."

Upon a former occasion of this kind, I aimed, according to my slender ability, to set before you the account which Paul gives us of the Lord's supper; in which I observed the author of it, the Lord Jesus, the time when, and the manner in which it was instituted and administered. by him, the significancy of its several parts, its use and end. I shall now select from the eleventh chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians, the 26th verse, as containing proper matter for our faith to be engaged upon at this time. The words are these:

FOR AS OFT AS YE EAT THIS BREAD, AND DRINK THIS CUP, YE DO SHEW THE LORD'S DEATH till HE COME."

As these words stand closely connected with the former, which we have already explained, and are addressed to those persons to whom this epistle is

directed; so they were designed to remind them of what is contained in this sacred institution, that they might know what they did when they celebrated it. You may know and remember, that many of them slighted this sacred ordinance, made use of it in vain, and "discerned not the Lord's body," the excellency and usefulness of Christ's body, as broken and offered for us, in which he bore our sins on the tree, and made satisfaction for them a commemoration of which is made in this ordinance.

The apostle, therefore, in the words before us, would have them know, consider, and understand, that the constant, uniform, unvarying end and intent of it was, to shew forth the Lord's death, and gives them an exhortation, command, and direction, saying, "Shew ye the Lord's death:" which words declare what the great end to be answered by the observance of this institution is. It is to declare, that Christ died for the sins of his people, to represent him as crucified, to set forth the manner of his sufferings and death, by having his body wounded,

bruised, and broken, and his blood shed. Also to express the blessings and benefits which come by his death, and his people's faith of interest in them; to shew their sense of gratitude, and declare their thankfulness to him for them.

I will cast the words of my text into the following particulars: by observing,

First, that the Lord's supper was instituted, and is observed, for the remembering and shewing forth the death of Christ.

Secondly, that it ought frequently to be celebrated.

And lastly, that it is a perpetual and lasting institution, which is to be continued until the Lord come.

I am, in the first place, to observe, that the Lord's supper was instituted, and is observed," for the remembering and shewing forth the death of Christ."

This appears from the words of the institution, “This is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. This cup is the New Testament in my blood, this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

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The actions of minister and people, in taking, blessing, breaking, giving, eating, and drinking, are commemorative signs of Christ, and memorials of his passion..

One observes, that the name of this ordinance doth plainly exalt Christ's person, when it is called THE LORD's Supper. That Christ's death is exalted, when it is called "the New Testament in his blood:" that his sorrows, blood, and the everlasting efficacy of his sacrifice, are exalted in the scripture-names given to this institution by the Holy Ghost, and by which it is called in the Word, which are, "the Lord's supper, breaking of bread, Lord's table, feast, the communion of the body of Christ, and the New Testament in Christ's blood;" for which, see 1. Cor. xi. 20; 1 Cor. x. 21; 1 Cor. v. 8; 1 Cor. x. 16; Acts ii. 42; 1 Cor. xi. 25. But to proceed the bread, which in this or-: dinance is broken to represent Christ to our faith, as broken in body, and bruised in his soul for us, and for our transgressions; so we hereby do solemnly call to mind and recognize, how his sacred body was broken, when buffeted, scourged,

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