III.

force to the death and refurrection of DISC. Chrift, was Sacrifice. A victim was brought to the altar, and being flain as a substitute for the offerer, first saved him from death, and then became food to fupport his life. And as Providence hath been ever careful to furnish us with continual memento's of the truths most important and interesting to us, it seems to be a circumstance worthy notice, that fince the ufe of animals for food, and those chiefly which were made choice of in facrifice, the world fubfifteth by fhedding of blood, and the death of the innocent is daily the life of the guilty. This is an additional reason why every meal fhould be "fanctified," according to the apoftolical direction, by the word of

"God, and by prayer "," while the meat that perisheth reminds us, in fo lively and ftriking a manner, of that which endureth unto eternal life. The hiftory of the Paschal Lamb, with the prefervation of Ifrael from the hand of the Deftroyer, in that. night to be remembered through all their

III.

DISC. generations, the night of their leaving Egypt, is a very particular, full, and beautiful exemplification of the nature and defign of facrifice. "Chrift, our Paffover, "is facrificed for us ;" and therefore we too "keep the feaft "."

That miraculous fupply of food, vouchfafed by God, to sustain his people, during their journey through the wilderness, till they came to the borders of Canaan, was another fign or fymbol of immortal life, and it's fupport derived from above. This new and extraordinary viand fprung not out of the earth, but came down, in rain, or dew, from heaven; white to the eye, sweet to the taste, and agreeable to every palate; given freely to all; proportioned to the neceffities of each; and renewed day by day, till the fojournings of Ifrael were over, and the promised rest attained. St. Paul, having occafion to speak of thofe events, which, as he expreffes it, " happened unto Ifrael "for enfamples," as figures or shadows

PI Cor. v. 7.

4 Τύποι συνεβαινον.

of

III.

of things fpiritual and divine, mentions this DISC. miracle, with that of the water brought out of the rock, in the following terms.

They did all eat the fame spiritual meat;

they did all drink the fame spiritual "drink; for they drank of that fpiritual "rock, which followed them; and that "rock was Chrift"." Our Lord, in the fixth chapter of St. John's Gospel, difcourfing with the Jews upon this subject, fays to them" Mofes gave you not that "bread from heaven; but my father giv"eth you the TRUE bread from heaven. "For the bread of God is he that cometh "down from heaven, and giveth life unto "the world." Christ here styleth himself the TRUE bread, plainly in oppofition to that which was fhadowy and figurative. He is the TRUE bread, which cometh down from heaven, and is given, day by day, to nourish and support the Ifrael of God, the camp of the faints, the church militant, during her pilgrimage in the world, till she shall come to the promised

I Cor. x. 3, &c.

$ John vi. 32.

inheri

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DISC. inheritance, the land of that everlasting reft, which remaineth for the people of God. There we shall find, and enjoy for ever, the truth and substance of this facred figure. "He that hath an ear, let him "hear what the Spirit faith to the churches. "To him that overcometh will I give to "eat of the HIDDEN MANNA'," that is, to partake of that "life," which is "hid "with Chrift in God;" as the golden veffel of Manna was laid up, for a memorial, in" the holy places made with hands ".'

2

To the fame purpose served that bread, called the Shew Bread, or Bread of the Prefence, fet forth new, every morning, in the tabernacle and temple, and denoting the fuftenance to be communicated to the fouls of men from the body of the Meffiah; to prefigure which body, it is well known, that both tabernacle and temple were conftructed, under the direction of God himfelf.

t Rev. ii. 17.

" Exod. xvi. 33. Heb. ix. 4

לחם פנים w

Laftly

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Lastly-What the Tree of Life was to DISC. Adam in Paradife; what Sacrifice in general was to the faithful, after the fall, from Abel downward; what the Pafchal Lamb was to Ifrael quitting Egypt; what Manna was to that people in the wilderness; what the Shew Bread was in the tabernacle and temple; all this, and if there be any other fymbol of like import, it is now briefly comprehended, during the continuance of the Christian church upon earth, in the holy Eucharift. The former were prefigurative facraments, this is a commemorative one. They fhewed forth the Meffiah, and the life which is by him, until his first coming; this fhews forth the fame Meffiah, and the fame life, "until his coming

again." Excluded from the Tree of Life in Paradife, we are admitted to partake of the Bread of Life in the church. Loft by the covenant of Works, we are faved by that of Grace. A cheering voice calls to us from the fanctuary, "Draw near “ with faith, and take this holy facrament ff to your comfort." The elements are

honoured