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SERM.
XII.

fail of obtaining whatsoever He shall re-
queft for us;
who being alfo the Son of
Man, is most ready to do what in Him
lies for us his Brethren. Of his benign
and merciful Difpofition, and of his ten-
der Concern for Mankind in particular,
He gave abundant Proof, when He took
on him, not the Nature of Angels, but
the Seed of Abraham. And we may be
fure that his Compaffions are not abated,
by the Experience He hath had of the
Sorrows and Uneafineffes incident to our
Condition. He hath not forgotten, it is
impoffible He fhould forget the Agonies
which pierced him through in the Days
of his Flesh, and from which He prayed
again and again to be delivered with
ftrong Crying and Tears. Having there.
fore himfelf deeply tafted of Mifery, He
is ftrongly inclined to pity and to fuc-
cour the Miferable.

Furthermore, THE Confideration that we are Sons of God, may be of fpecial Use to support and comfort us under all Troubles and Calamities. The Bitterness of Afflictions will be very much allay'd,

when

when we can look upon them as the Chaftisements or Trials of a loving Father. God is never kinder to us than when He exercifes us with Adverfity, either for the Amendment of our Faults, or for the Improvement and Manifeftation of our Virtues. It has ever been ufual with Him to train up his dearest Sons to Glory by the Discipline of the Crofs. Even Jefus Chrift his only Begotten, in whom He was always pleased, and in whom was no Sin, learned Obedience by the Things which he suffered. He was long a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Grief, before He was advanced above all Principality and Power. And were we truly wife, we should not defire to be entirely exempted from thofe Allotments of Providence, which are indeed the Evidences of our Sonship, and Tokens of the Almighty's Love to us. We should be rather apt to be uneafy, and to fufpect the Worst of our Condition, if God did not fometimes deal with us, as he is wont to do with thofe whom He acknowledges for his Children.

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SERM.

XII.

Well may we bear not only with Patience, but with Thankfulness those Corrections, which are intended for our Benefit; and we may even glory in those Perfecutions and Tribulations, which fpeak us the Darlings of the Almighty, and by which we are conformed to the Image of his best beloved Son.

Laftly. SINCE we are all of us Sons of one and the fame God, let us love like Brethren. Since we all pretend to be guided and govern'd by the fame Spirit, the Spirit of Adoption, let us shew that we are fo, by being like-minded, by mutual Kindness, Charity and Forbearance. Since we all make up but one great Family, let us ftudy to promote the Peace and Union of that Family to which we belong. Nothing can be more prejudicial to the Interests of the Houfhold of God, than the dividing it against itself. Since we are all entitled to the fame glorious Promifes, and are Co-heirs of the Heavenly Inheritance, let us converfe together in this World,

as

as Perfons who hope to meet in another, and to be happy in the Society of each other to all Eternity.

WHICH God grant that we may all be, for the Sake of Jefus Chrift; To whom, &c.

SERM.

XII.

SERM

346

SERM.
XIII.

SERMON XIII

A Communion of the Body and Blood of Chrift in the Holy Sacrament.

I COR. X. 16,

The Cup of Bleffing which we blefs, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Chrift? The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chrift?

TH

HESE Words do unquestionably relate to the Celebration of the Chriftian Eucharift. And tho' they are in the Form of an Interrogation, yet are they in effect a strong Affirmation, that

the

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