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fin, and the love of Jefus in delivering from

forcible motives

it, and to perceive the many and engagements to all holiness of converfation that are here fet before him, fo as to be more in love with his duty, to have his pious refolutions more established, the tenderness of his confcience more encreased, and to be brought more under the influence of the doctrines and precepts of the gofpel in all his actions; this is he who may be faid to receive moft worthily, and to grow in grace, whether he has or has not the happiness of warm and melting affections. I fervently pray, that each of you, my fellow communicants, may have this comfortable and fatisfactory evidence, that you have not attended his table in vain.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance all them that are fanctified. AMEN.

among

1

THE LORD'S SUPPER.

EXHORTATIONS TO COMMUNICANTS.

EXHORTATION II.

By the good hand of our God upon us, we have been carried through the most solemn part of the service of a communion Sabbath. We have profeffed to receive Chrift Jefus the Lord, as he is offered in the gospel. Let it be our care and endeavour from henceforth to walk in him, to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, to live as becomes the redeemed of the Lord, and the expectants of glory, honour and immortality. We read in the hiftory of Hezekiah (2 Chron. xxxi. I. 1.) that when the Ifraelites had finished the celebration of the paffover, they all went out to the cities of Judah, and threw down the images, high places and idolatrous altars, till

they had utterly deftroyed them all. We, my christian brethren, may derive a hint of ufeful inftructions from hence. When the religious exercises of a Lord's day, and especially of the Lord's Supper, our christian pasfover, are finished, we must not think that our work is then ended. No: then the most difficult part begins; which is, to fubdue and destroy every thing in our temper and conduct that is offenfive to God; to renounce all our idols, and manifeft a holy zeal against fin in ourselves and others. The comforts we have enjoyed at the Lord's Table and the folemn engagements we have renewed, fhould increase this zeal in our breafts. Let us, with this view, confider that Jefus hath again been. fet forth crucified among us; not merely to excite fome present good affections to him, and give us a tranfient pleasure; but to be remembered and felt as an abiding principle and source of obedience, an engagement to demolish every idol and luft in our hearts. Remember what

an apostle faith (Heb. iii. 14.) "Now are we

partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning

"of our confidence ftedfaft unto the end." The true christian maintains an uniform and confiftent character. His religion is not merely the work of a Sabbath day or of a communion day, but hath an habitual influence upon his behaviour, in fubduing his paffions, fpiritualizing his affections, and regulating his conduct in the feveral relations of life. He can say with the apoftle, "I am crucified with "Chrift, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but "Chrift liveth in me, and the life which "I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of "the Son of God, who loved me, and gave "himself for me.'

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When temptation affaults, you must remember the folemn furrender you have made this day of yourselves to your God and Saviour. When afflictions difcourage you, and the world frowns upon you, remember the profeffion you have made at the Lord's Table. O my foul, thou haft faid unto the Lord, thou art my portion; therefore," although the fig tree fhall not bloffom, neither fhall fruit be in the

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vine, the labour of the olive fhall fail, and

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