*» Phil. iii. 7, 8. » 2 Cor. iii. 18. ° Eph. iii. 18, 19.
1 Tim. i. 11. The glorious Gospel of the blessed God.
1 Cor. x. 3, 4. They did all eat the same spiritual meat ; and did all drink the same spiritual drink : for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them : and that Rock was Christ.
ON entering upon my present course, I proposed to take a comprehensive view of the Gospel ; and to set it before you in its nature and office, its riches and fulness, its suitableness and sufficiency, its excel- lency and glory. — The first two parts have been sub- mitted to your consideration : the third part, the suitableness and sufficiency of the Gospel, comes now to be considered by us ; and the words which I have read will afford me a very fit occasion for bringing the subject before you. They refer to the sustenance afforded to the whole Jewish nation in the wilderness ; and they distinctly mark the parallel that is to be drawn between the food given to them, and that on which our souls are to live under the Gospel dispensation. To all the people of Israel there was but one bread, and one stream of water that followed them. The oldest and the youngest were alike sustained by that food ; and all found it equally sufficient for them : nor could any one have desired any other food, without sinning against God, and against his own soul. Had any one refused that food, he of necessity must perish : and so it is under the Gospel dispensation. Christ is that Bread that came down from heaven ; and that Rock also from whence the living water proceeds : and, if we make light of that provision, and refuse to partake of it, we die. So our blessed Lord assures us : " Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you : but whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life : for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed4;" that is, the provision made for sinners in my Gospel, whilst it is necessary for all, is also suited to all, what- ever be their states; and sufficient for all, whatever be their necessities.
Let us consider, then, I. The suitableness of the Gospel.
There are three points of view in which it com- mends itself to us as suitable ; namely, as offering to
a John vi. 53 — 55.