above all, from the intimation he gives, that the belief of his divine miffion, or, which is the fame thing, the progrefs of his religion among men, was to have an effential dependence on it. His first request for the apostles is, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name thofe whom thou haft given me, that "they may be one, as we are ; and his firft request for other believers is, "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, " and I in thee; that they alfo may be one in "us: that the world may believe that thou "haft fent me."

Who is there then, brethren, among us, affembled as we are this day *, with a profeffed defign to honour the memory of Jefus Chrift, and to "fhew his death till he come;" who is there of us, or who is he that bears the Chriftian name, and does not, from the bottom of his foul, join in this prayer of the Son of God, with a firm refolution to exert his utmost endeavours that it may be anfwered and fulfilled, fo far as his influence can extend? Affuredly every one will do fo who has any fentiments of fincere love and refpect for the Lord Jefus remaining in his breaft, or any fuitable concern to promote his intereft in the world.

What I propofe, through divine affistance, in difcourfing farther on this interefting fubject, is only,

• Preached at the celebration of the Lord's fupper.

1. To explain the union which Jefus Chrift here prays for in behalf of his followers; or, To inquire in what refpects he defires that they may be one; and then,

2. To fhew the importance and neceffity of this union among the profeffed followers of Chrift, for bringing the world to the faith of his divine miffion and doctrine.

THAT We may be in a better condition to join our prayers and labours in this cafe, to those of our bleffed Lord, I would endeavour, in the I. First place, To explain the union which he here afks of his Father in our behalf; or, To inquire in what refpects he defires that we may be one.

Men may be one, no doubt, and often are so, in a very different fenfe from what is here intended. They may be one in nature, in blood, or affinity; they may be one in their love and attachment to this prefent world, in their defire of riches, power, or pleasure; they may be united in their political or party fchemes; they may be affociates in vice. It is another fort of union which Jefus Chrift defires for his difciples; a higher and more holy union; an union resembling that which fubfifts between himself and his Father; nay, an union which may connect them, in the ftricteft manner, with his Father and him; and finally, an union, the effect of which would be, to convert the world to the Chriftian religion. Thefe characters of it, which are plainly fuggefted in the text, will affift us to difcover VOL. III.

L

what

what the nature of it is. Now this bleffed union, I apprehend, doth principally respect three things, of the utmost importance to the followers of Jefus, and, through them, to all mankind; namely, an union in the participation of the fame Divine Spirit; an union in the faith and obedience of the fame gofpel; and, laftly, an union of love and concord among themselves. I do not mean, that thefe are fo many diftinct parts or ingredients of the union which the Saviour of the world here prays for; for each one of them perhaps may be fo taken as to include all the reft; but I mention them as fo many different views under which this facred union may be confidered, and which will enable us more fully to underftand it. Let us refume them in order; and,

I.

1. Let us confider this union, which is the fubject of our Saviour's interceffion in behalf of his followers, as it refpects their partaking in common of the fame Divine Spirit. For if the Holy Spirit of God, which dwelt without meafure in Jefus Chrift his Son, was, through him, communicated, in due proportion, to thofe alfo who fhould believe on his name, it is plain, that thefe believers would be united at once to him and his Father, and likewife to one another, by one and the fame Spirit poffefiing and infpiring them.

Our Lord often argues, and proves the u nion between himfelf and his Father, from thofe mighty works which he wrought "through the Spirit of God," or "which "God did by him." "If I do not the works "" of

"of my Father," fays he, " believe me not; "but if I do, though ye believe not me, be"lieve the works; that ye may know I be"lieve that the Father is in me, and I in "him." And again, "The words that I "fpeak unto you, I speak not of myself; but "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth "the works. Believe me, that I am in the "Father, and the Father in me; or elfe be"lieve me for the very works fake." And to the fame purpofe in other paffages: the plain import of which is, that men might and ought to know, and be perfuaded, that the Father, or the Spirit of the Father, was in him, by the words which he fpake, and the works which he did; both of them evident demonstrations of divine illumination and authority. The truth is, Jefus delivered all his inftructions, and performed all his works, by the Spirit of God, which was not given by measure unto him. Hence it was manifeft to all candid and unprejudiced minds, that the Father's power, wifdom, holinefs, and benignity, refided in him; that he was "the brightness of the "Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his "perfon;" or "God manifeft in the flesh.” And hence he could truly fay, that "who

ever had seen him, had feen the Father;" and that "he that hated him, hated his Father "alfo."

Accordingly the union of Chriftians, by their partaking all of the fame fpirit, the Spirit of the Father and the Son, is often infist

"Ye

ed on throughout the New Teftament. "are builded together," fays the Apoftle Paul, For an habitation of God through "the Spirit.""There is one body and one "fpirit," adds he, "even as ye are called in "one hope of your calling."-" Endeavour to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of " peace." "For by one Spirit we are all "baptized into one body, whether we be Jews "or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; "and have been all made to drink into one "Spirit;" or rather at one Spirit, as a well, or copious fountain.

Now this communication of the Divine Spirit to the members of Chrift's body, includes, as I conceive it, both thofe miraculous gifts and powers that were peculiar to the firft Chriftians, and likewife thofe moral endow. ments, thofe faving influences from above, which have been in fome meafure imparted to good men in all ages, especially under the gofpel, and which are common to the first Chriftians, and to us at this day. Of the former I fhall fay nothing at prefent; because, however proper or neceffary they might be, at the beginning of the gofpel, for vindicating the caufe of Chrift, and convincing the world of his divine miffion, they were not intended for all ages of the church; and I would speak of this prayer of our Lord only as it concerns Chriftians of every age. In fact, my brethren, the fupernatural powers and gifts that were imparted to the early Christian converts,