the Fountain of Grace. "We dwell in "him and he in us, because he hath "given us of his Spirit *."

What then remains, but that wretched mortals, instead of difputing about words, thankfully avail themselves of the inestimable privilege, allowed them by their Redeemer, and fpiritually eat. Christ's flesh and drink his blood, and thus become incorporated with him in the myftical union, by which, as St.John fays, "We dwell in Chrift and Chrift in "us t."

From this union, unless it should be destroyed by fubfequent infidelity or guilt, muft arife all the other great bleffings of Christianity, remiffion of fins, and eternal felicity. For it cannot be, as already ob ferved, that God fhould be in union with one who continues an object of his difplea fure, and, at the time of union, is doomed to perdition. The favour of God thus confirmed, and never forfeited by voluntary and prefumptuous disobedience, must fecure every bleffing which Christianity

'

* 1 John, iv. 13.

E 6

↑ John, vi. 56.

was

was intended to bestow on human ha

ture.

Moral virtue cannot but diftinguish the Christian, while this union continues ; for moral virtue is certainly neceffary to the union. "He that keepeth his com"mands dwelleth in Chrift and Chrift in "him, and hereby we know that he abid"eth in us, by the Spirit which he has « given us*."-"But he that hath not the "Spirit of Chrift is none of his †." Now the Spirit of Chrift is a Spirit of GOODNESS. The politician therefore need not fear but that Chriftians, who are truly what they profefs, will be the beft members of fociety; for they cannot but follow every thing that is approved by the Great Governor of the universe; every thing conducive to the real happiness of a community. The doctrine of union can never encourage licentiousness of manners; for licentiousness would deftroy an union with a Being "who is of purer eyes than to "behold iniquity."

1 John, iii. 2.4. + Romans, viii. 9.

It is of infinite confequence that we feek union with God by every mode, and the Eucharift offers the moft effectual. "If

a man abide not in me" fays our Lord, "he is caft forth as a branch, and is "withered, and men gather them and "caft them into the fire, and they are "burned *."-" He that hath not the Son "of God, hath not life †." Let us beware of fophiftical cavils. These words are very emphatic. They must mean fomething of the highest moment to a Chriftian; and the meaning is very fairly interpreted, as fuggesting the nece fity of feeking fpiritual food, or union with Chrift's glorified body, by a worthy participation of the Lord's Supper.

⚫ John, xv. 6.

1 John, V. 12.

SECTION XII.

The Remiffion of Sins more particularly confidered as a prefent Benefit, annexed to the Eucharift.

INFER that pardon of fins is the confequence, or rather the concomitant of grace, given in and by the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; because we cannot be in a state of acceptance and non-acceptance with God, at the fame time; because we cannot be objects of Divine favour while we remain exposed to Divine vengeance.

But I will here confider the remiffion of fins by itself as a particular benefit, beftowed on the worthy Communicant by the Spirit of God in and by the Eucharist.

There is an allowed and very evident analogy between the two Sacraments, Baptifm and the Lord's Supper.

Baptifm

There can

Baptism implied ablution of impurity; and even the baptifm of St. John feems: to have conveyed remiffion of fins. John baptifed in the Wilderness, and preached the baptifm of repentance " for the remiffion of fins *." be no doubt but that the baptifm of Christ was, in every refpect, more efficacious than the baptifm of his harbinger. Chrift himself declares, " Except a man "be born of water and of the Spirit, he "cannot enter into the kingdom of "God +" and St. Peter faid, "Repent "and be baptifed every one of you, in "the name of Jefus Chrift, for the re"miffion of fins, and ye fhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ."

Baptifm conferred pardon of fins com mitted before admiffion into the church of Chrift; and the Eucharift confers pardon of fins committed afterwards; renewing our firft engagements, from time to time, during life.

It was mercifully ordered, that the de cays of virtue, which, from the corrup

Mark, i. 4. + John, iii. 5. ‡ Acts, ii. 38.