into condemnation, we are saved from coming into execution.

Christ, by dying, sealed the gospel of grace, and purchased the Spirit of grace; and so conquered Satan. The Spirit acting by the gospel as the instrument, and the gospel animated by the Spirit as the principal, are become "mighty to the pulling down of Satan's strong holds." Thus a foundation is laid for a believer's victory over the temptations and terrors of the wicked one. Christ's victory over Satan is our victory, and we overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb." Thus kings of armies did flee apace, and even they that tarried at home, and did themselves contribute nothing to the victory, yet "divided the spoil." Christ, having thus trodden Satan under our feet, calls to us, as Joshua to the captains of Israel, "Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings." "Resist the devil and he will flee from you," for he is a conquered enemy.

(VI.) Come and see the worth of souls. We judge of the value of a thing, by the price which a wise man that understands it gives for it. He that made souls, and had reason to know them, provided for their redemption, not "corruptible things as silver and gold, but the precious blood of his own Son." It was not a purchase made hastily, for it was the contrivance of infinite wisdom from eternity; it was not made for necessity, for he neither needed us nor could he be benefited by us; but thus he was pleased to teach us what account we should make of our own souls, and their salvation and happiness. The incarnation of Christ put a great honour upon the human nature: never was it so dignified, as when it was taken into union with the divine nature in the person of Immanuel. But the death and sufferings of Christ add much more to its value, for he laid down his own life to be a ransom of ours, when nothing else was sufficient to answer the price. Lord, what is man that he should be thus visited, thus regarded! -that the Son of God should not only dwell among us, but die for us!

Now, let us see this, and learn how to put a value upon our own souls. Not so as to advance our conceit of ourselves,-nothing can be more humbling and abasing, than to see our lives sold by our own folly, and redeemed by the merit of another; but so as to increase our concern for ourselves, and our own spiritual interests. Shall the souls, the precious souls, upon which Christ put such a value, and paid such a price for, debase and undervalue themselves so far as to become slaves to Satan, and drudges to the world and the flesh? We are bought with a price; and therefore we not only injure the purchaser's right to us, if we alienate ourselves to another, but we reproach his wisdom in paying such a price, if we alienate ourselves for a thing of nought. It is the apostle's argument against uncleanness, and against making ourselves the servants of men. Christ having purchased our souls at such a rate, we disparage them if we stake them to the trifles of the world, or pawn them for the base and sordid pleasures of sin. Shall that birthright be sold for a mess of pottage, which Christ bought with his own blood? No; while we live, let our souls be our darlings, (Ps. xxii. 20,) for his sake to whom they were so dear. If Christ died and suffered so much to save our souls, let us not hazard the losing of them, though it be to gain the whole world.

Let us see this, and learn how to put a value upon the souls of others. This forbids us to do any thing that may turn to the prejudice of the souls of others, by drawing them to sin, or discouraging them in that which is good. The apostle lays a great stress upon this argument, against the abuse of our Christian liberty, to the offence of others-" Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died." Shall not we deny ourselves and our own satisfaction, rather than occasion guilt or grief to them for whom Christ humbled himself, even to the death of the cross? Shall we slight those upon whom Christ put such a value? Shall we set those with the dogs of our flock, whom

Christ purchased with his own blood, and set among the lambs of his flock? God forbid.

This also commands us to do all we can for the spiritual welfare and salvation of the souls of others. Did Christ think them worth his blood? and shall not we think them worth our care and pains? Shall not we willingly do our utmost to save a soul from death, and thereby hide a multitude of sins, when Christ did so much, and suffered so much, to make it possible? Shall not we pour out our prayers for them for whom Christ poured out his soul unto death, and bear them upon our hearts whom Christ laid so near his? Blessed Paul, in consideration hereof, not only made himself the servant of all, to please them for their edification, but was willing to be offered upon the sacrifice and service of their faith," and so to fill up what was behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake. And if we be at any time called upon even to lay down our lives for the brethren, we must remember that in that, as well as in washing their feet, Christ has left us an example.

(VII.) Come and see the purchase of the blessings of the new covenant.-The blood of Christ was not only the ransom of our forfeited lives, and the redemption of our souls from everlasting misery; but it was the valuable consideration upon which the grant of eternal life and happiness is grounded. Christ's death is our life; that is, it is not only our salvation from death, but it is the fountain of all our joys, and the foundation of all our hopes. All the comforts we have in possession, and all we have in prospect; all the privileges of our way, and all those of our home, are the blessed fruits of that accursed tree on which our Redeemer died.

See the blood of Christ, the spring from whence all the blessings of the covenant flow. That is the price of all our pardons, "we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" without the shedding of blood, that precious blood, there had been no remission. That is the purchase

of the divine favour, which is our life; we are made accepted only in the beloved. Peace is made, a covenant of peace settled, and peace secured to all the sons of peace, by the blood of his cross, and not otherwise. That is the price paid for the "purchased possession, that they which are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Christ was

made a curse for us, not only to redeem us from the curse of the law, but that we through him might inherit the blessing. Thus, "out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness." Behold, he shows us a mystery.

See the blood of Christ, the stream in which all the blessings of the covenant flow to us. The blood of Christ, as it is exhibited to us in this ordinance, is the vehicle, the channel of conveyance by which all graces and comforts descend from heaven to earth. "This cup is the new testament in the blood of Christ," and so it becomes a cup of blessing, a cup of consolation, a cup of salvation. All the hidden manna comes to us in this dew. It is the blood of Christ speaking for us, that pacifies an offended God: it is the blood of Christ sprinkled on us, that purifies a defiled conscience. As it was the "blood of Jesus that consecrated for us the new and living way," and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers; so it is by that blood that we have boldness "to enter into the holiest."

(VIII.) Come and see how much we owe to the death of Christ, the rich purchases he made for us, that he might cause us to inherit substance, and might fill our treasures.—Let this increase our esteem of the love of Christ, which was not only so very expensive to himself, but so very advantageous to us. Let this also enhance the value of covenant blessings in our eyes. The blessings of this life we owe to the bounty of God's providence, but spiritual blessings in heavenly things we owe to the blood of his Son. Let these, therefore, be to us more precious than rubies, -let these always have a preference, let us be willing to part with any thing, rather than hazard the

favour of God, the comforts of the Spirit, and life eternal, remembering what these cost,-let us never make light of wisdom's preparations, when we see at what rate they were bought in. To them who believe they are precious, for they know they were purchased by the precious blood of Christ, which we undervalue as a common thing, if we prefer farms and merchandize before heaven and the present earnests of it.

CHAPTER IX.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE PRECIOUS BENEFITS WHICH ARE TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH IN THIS ORDINANCE.

I. The pardon and forgiveness of our sins; a renewed pardon of daily trespasses, and a confirmed pardon of all trespasses. II. The adoption of sons; the privileges of adoption, and the Spirit of adoption. III. Peace and satisfaction to our minds; opened in two things. IV. Supplies of grace, confirming gracious habits, quickening gracious acts; instances of both. V. The earnests of eternal bliss and joy, the assurances of it, and the foretastes of it.

IN the Lord's Supper, we are not only to "show the Lord's death," and see what is to be seen in it, as many who, when he was upon the cross, stood afar off beholding;-no; we must there be more than spectators-we must eat of the sacrifice, and "so partake of the altar." The bread which came down from heaven was not designed merely for showbread, bread to be looked upon; but for household bread, bread to be fed upon, bread to strengthen our hearts, and wine to make them glad; and wisdom's invitation is, "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine that I have mingled." Christ's feeding great multitudes miraculously, more than once, when he was here upon earth, was (as his other miracles) significant of the spiritual provision he makes in the