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

They did all eat the fame fpiritual meat;

they did all drink the fame fpiritual "drink; for they drank of that spiritual "rock, which followed them; and that "rock was Chrift." Our Lord, in the fixth chapter of St. John's Gofpel, 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'." Chrift here ftyleth 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 fupport the Ifrael of God, the camp of the faints, the church militant, during her pilgrimage in the world, till fhe fhall come to the promised

* 1 Cor. x. 3, &c.

John vi. 32.

inheri

DIS C.

III.

III.

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 fubftance 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 ".

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"

Laftly

III.

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 to your comfort." The elements are

honoured

III.

DISC. honoured with the names of the Body and Blood of Chrift, because appointed to fignify and convey, to the worthy communicant, the blessings purchased by his Body broken, and his Blood fhed, upon the cross; bleffings to the foul, like the benefits conferred upon the body by bread and wine; life, health, ftrength, comfort, and joy.

Such have been the different symbols and facraments vouchfafed to mankind under different difpenfations, all representing and shadowing out a glorious immortality in another and better world, where we shall fit down with the author and giver of it, at his table, to eat Bread, and drink of the fruit of the Vine, new in his kingdom; where we shall give glory to the Lamb that was flain; where we shall partake of the hidden Manna, and eat the fruit of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradife of God.

From the paffages of Scripture thus laid together, the nature and defign of the Tree

of

of Life in Eden feem fufficiently clear. And, upon a review of what hath been faid, it is impoffible not to admire the confiftency and uniformity running through both Teftaments, from the fecond chapter of the Genefis of Mofes, to the twentyfecond of St. John's Revelation, which fo mutually illuftrate and explain each other. The analogy of faith, in this inftance, proclaims aloud the wisdom and harmony of the divine difpenfations, from the creation to the confummation of all things.

At fundry times, in divers manners, and by various inftruments, hath heaven conveyed inftruction to man. But the inftruction conveyed, with the terms and figures employed to convey it, befpeak, at all times, the hand of the fame omniscient and beneficent author. They must be conftrued and expounded upon the fame plan; and, when rightly conftrued and expounded, will be found to terminate in the fame awful and interesting objects, eternal life, and the means of it's attainment. To these great

DIS C.

III.