to be reconciled to our brethren? for our trespasses against God are unspeakably greater than the worst of our brethren's trespasses against us. O that each would apply this caution to themselves! You have a neighbour, that, upon some disgust conceived, you cannot find in your hearts to speak to, nor to speak well of; some one that you have entertained a prejudice against, and would willingly do an ill turn to, if it lay in your power; some one, of whom it may be you are ready to say, you cannot endure the sight. And dare you retain such a spirit when you come to this ordinance? Can you conceal it from God; or do you think you can justify it at his bar, and make it out that you do well to be angry? Let the fear of God's wrath, and the hope of Christ's love, reduce you to a better temper; and when you celebrate the memorial of the dying of the Lord Jesus, be sure you remember this, that he is our peace, and that he died to slay all enmities.

2. We must bear good-will to all, with a particular affection to all good Christians. Christian charity doth not only forbid that which is any way injurious, but it requires that which is kind and friendly.

The desire of our hearts must be towards the welfare of all. If we be indeed solicitous about the salvation of our own souls, we cannot but have a tender concern for the souls of others, and be hearty wellwishers to their salvation likewise; "for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved." True grace hates monopolies. We must thus love those whose wickedness we are bound to hate; and earnestly desire their happiness, even while we industriously decline their fellowship.

But the "delight of our souls must be in the saints that are on the earth, those excellent ones," as David's was. They are precious in God's sight, and honourable, and they should be so in ours; they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: and therefore, by a sincere and affectionate love to them, we also should have fellowship

with them. Our hearts will then be comforted, when they are "knit together in love." This love must not be confined to those of our own communion, our own way and denomination: then we love them for our own sakes, because they credit us; not for Christ's sake, because they honour him: but, since God is no respecter of persons, we must not be such. "In every nation, he that fears God, and works righteousness, is accepted of him," and should be so of us. Doubtless, there may be a diversity of apprehensions in the less weighty matters of the law, such as the distinction of meats and days, and diversity of practice accordingly, and yet a sincerity of mutual love, according to the law of Christ. Those who think it is not possible, should be content to speak for themselves only, and must believe there are those who have much satisfaction in being able to say, that they love the image of Christ wherever they see it, and highly value a good man, though not in every thing of their mind. He that casteth out devils in Christ's name must be dear to us, though he follow not us. The differences that are among Christians, though fomented by the malice of Satan for the ruin of love, are permitted by the wisdom of God for the trial of love, that they which are perfect therein may be made manifest. Herein a Christian commendeth his love, when he loves those who differ from him, and joins in affection to those with whom he cannot concur in opinion: this is thankworthy. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; they that have tasted of the bread of life, and the water of life, know it is not; but it is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: he, therefore, that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God;" and therefore, though he esteem not our days, though he relish not our meats, he should be acceptable and dear

to us.

Let us then, in our approach to this sacrament, stir up ourselves to holy love, love without dissimulation; let us bear those on our hearts, whom the great High Priest of our profession bears on his; and, as

we are "taught of God to love one another, let us increase therein more and more." Christ's having loved us, is a good reason why we should love him: Christ's having loved our brethren also, is a good reason why we should love them. "Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Christians to be kindly affectioned one towards another," of one heart, and of one soul! there the Lord commands the blessing, and gives earnest of the joys of that world, where love is perfected and reigns eternally.

CHAPTER VIII.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AFFECTING SIGHTS THAT ARE TO BE SEEN BY FAITH IN THIS ORDINANCE.

I. In general: Come and see the Lamb that had been slain, opening the seals. II. In particular:-(1.) See the evil of sin. (11.) See the justice of God; in two things. (III.) See the love of Christ; opened in six properties of that love. (IV.) See the conquest of Satan; how Christ conquered Satan in two things. (v.) See the worth of souls; two inferences from that sight. (v1.) See the purchase of the blessings of the new covenant; opened in two things.

CARE being taken, by the grace of God, to compose ourselves into a serious frame of spirit agreeable to the ordinance, we must next apply ourselves to that which is the proper business of it. And the first thing to be done is, to contemplate that which is represented and set before us there. This David aimed at when he coveted to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, that he might behold the beauty of the Lord; might see his power and his glory. To the natural man, who receives not the things of the Spirit of God, there appears in it nothing surprising, nothing affecting, no form nor comeliness; but to that faith, which is the "substance and evidence of things not seen," there ap

pears a great sight, which, like Moses, it will, with a holy reverence, turn aside now to see. As, therefore, in our preparation for this ordinance, we should pray, with David, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wondrous things of thy law" and gospel; so we should, with Abraham, "lift up our eyes now and look."

When the Lamb that had been slain had taken the book, and was going to open the seals, St. John, who had the honour to be a witness in vision of the solemnity, was loudly called, by one of the four living creatures, to come and see. The same is the call given to us when, in this sacrament, there is a door opened in heaven, and we are bidden to come up hither.

I. In general, we are here called to see the Lamb that had been slain, opening the seals. This is the general idea we are to have of the ordinance. We would have thought ourselves highly favoured indeed, and beloved disciples, if we had seen it in vision, as John did; behold we are all invited to see it in a sacramental representation.

In this ordinance is showed us the Lamb as it had been slain. John the Baptist pointed to him as the Lamb of God, and called upon his followers to behold him;-a Lamb designed for sacrifice, in order to the taking away of the sins of the world, a harmless, spotless Lamb. But John the Divine goes further, and sees him a Lamb slain, now sacrificed for us in the outer court; and not only so, but appearing "in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and of the elders," as if he were newly slain, bleeding afresh, and yet alive, and "lives for evermore,' constantly presenting his sacrifice within the veil;the blood of the Lamb always flowing, that it may still be sprinkled on our consciences, to purify and pacify them, and may still speak in heaven for us, in that prevailing intercession which the Lord Jesus ever lives to make there, in virtue of his satisfaction.

In this ordinance, the Lord's death is shown forth; it is shown forth to us, that it may be shown forth

by us. Jesus Christ is here "evidently set forth crucified among us," that we may "all with open face behold, as in a glass, the glory of God in the face of Christ." Thus, as Christ" was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," in the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, and the application of his merits to the saints that lived then; so he will be the Lamb slain to the end of the world, in the word and sacraments of the New Testament, and the application of his merits to the saints that are now, and shall be in every age. Still he is seen as a Lamb that had been slain; for this sacrifice does not, like the Old Testament sacrifices, decay and wax old.

This is the sight, the great sight: we are here to see the bush burning, and yet not consumed; for the Lord is in it, his people's God and Saviour. The wounds of this Lamb are here open before us. Come, see in Christ's hands the very print of the nails, see in his side the very mark of the spear. Behold him in his agony, sweating as if it had been "great drops of blood falling to the ground;" then accommodating himself to the work he had undertaken, couching between two burdens, and bowing his shoulder to bear them. Behold him "in his bonds, when the breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits," and he was bound that we might go out free. Behold him at the bar prosecuted and condemned as a criminal, because he was made sin for and had undertaken to answer for our guilt. Behold him upon the cross, enduring the pain, and despising the shame of the cursed tree. Here is his body broken, his blood shed, his soul poured out unto death; all his sufferings, with all their aggravations, are here, in such a manner as the divine wisdom saw fit, by an instituted ordinance, represented to us, and set before us.

us,

In this ordinance is shown us the Lamb that was slain, opening the seals of the everlasting gospel: not only discovering to us the glories of the divine light, but dispensing to us the graces of divine love; opening the seals of the fountain of life, which had been