reverence, and delight; wonder, excited by the greatness of the things which are done; reverence for the exalted character, displayed in doing them; and delight in the manifestations, which they contain of mercy and goodness, and in the benefits, flowing from them to the innumerable multitude of the Firstborn. At the sacramental table, the whole character of Christ is brought before our eyes. We behold him here in the act of giving his life a ransom for many. Again his Body is broken; again his Blood is poured out; for the sins of men. His compassion for this ruined world is presented to us in living colours. We cannot fail to remember who it was, that thus loved us, and gave himself for us. We cannot fail to remember, that He, who was the Brightness of the Father's Glory, and upheld all things by the word of his power, by himself purged our sins; and then sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. We cannot but call to mind, that by Him, whom we here follow to the Cross, all things were created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; that all things were created by him, and for him; that he is before all things; and that by him all things consist. We cannot fail to recollect, that He is now head over all things unto the Church; having a name, above every name, which is named in this world, or in the world to come ; reigning in a Kingdom, which is an Everlasting Kingdom; and ruling with a dominion which shall know no end. We cannot fail to realize, that the day is approaching, in which He will come in the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory, with the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God; will summon the dead from their graves; will sit on the Throne of Judgment, and pronounce the final doom of angels and of men while from his face the Heavens and the Earth will flee away; and no place be found for them any more. This is the wonderful Person, whose sacrifice of himself is symbolized on the altar of Christians; whom we there behold bleeding, broken, dying, and consigned to the grave. This condescension was exercised, this humiliation was undergone, from the love, wherewith he loved the Church, and gave himself for it. Who, that has any share of the heavenly spirit, can fail to exclaim, in unison with the heavenly host, Wor

thy is the Lamb, that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing: for He hath redeemed us to God, by his Blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hath made us Kings, and Priests, unto God, even his Father. To Him be Glory, and Dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

2. We are to remember Christ in this ordinance, with GRATI

TUDE.

That Gratitude is to be exercised towards every Benefactor, is a doctrine, readily acknowledged by all men. Hence, in every age, and in every land, where civilization has made even a moderate progress, testimonies of this emotion of the mind have been publicly given to those, who were esteemed public Benefactors. To Heroes and Statesmen; to those who have founded beneficent Institutions, or otherwise enlarged the means of relief, or enjoyment; nay, to such, as have merely increased the reputation of a people by efforts of ingenuity; to Philosophers, and Poets; statues have been set up; pillars raised; magnificent sepulchral monuments erected; days set apart to their honour; and festivals instituted in commemoration of what they had done. Yet how few of all these have been real Benefactors to mankind! How few of them have done that, which a wise man can approve, or a good man be willing to imitate! How few of them have been such, as a person of sobriety would cheerfully acknowledge as his own sons! How imperfectly do the best of them resemble HIM, who came to seek, and to save, that which was lost! How dimly, how interruptedly, does their Benevolence shine, in comparison with the effulgence of the Redeemer: a rush-light trembling, and failing, in the beams of the Sun! At the same time, the Benevolence, which they really possessed, He gave them. The Beneficence, which they wrought, He enabled them to accomplish. But neither the things, which they have spoken, done, or suffered, nor the motives, which gave them birth, nor the consequences, which they produced, are to be thought of, when placed at the side of those, which are here presented to our view. All the writings of Philosophers, Poets, and Orators, are inestimably inferior in wisdom, and efficacy, to the single sermon of Christ on the Mount. A great part of the

F

efforts of Statesmen, Heroes, and Patriots, have been nuisances to the world; and merely means of raising them to distinction and applause. The best of these efforts have been mingled with much folly, and much sin; and have terminated only in little and temporary good. In all, that Christ said, supreme wisdom shone; in all, that he did and suffered, supreme excellence. His efforts have accomplished the salvation of a world, and produced boundless good, to unnumbered millions of rational beings. Disinterestedness, immensely glorious, illumined his whole life; and encircled him on the Cross with intense and eternal splendour. Nothing so beautiful, so lovely, was ever before seen by the universe, or will be seen hereafter. With what emotions, with what praise, with what solemnities, ought he then to be commemorated by the race of Adam!

The solemnities, with which He is pleased to be commemorated, He himself has instituted in this ordinance; simple; obvious; easily comprehensible by the humblest intelligence; coming directly to the heart with a powerful, and undiminishing impression. When we assemble to celebrate these solemnities, all the great things, which I have specified, are set in full view before our eyes. They are all exhibited, also, as done for us. Our souls were sinful, condemned, and lost, equally with those of others. We stood on the brink of perdition; and infinitely needed the cleansing of the Great sacrifice. There was not an eye to pity, nor an arm to save. We did not even wish, much less did we ask, for deliverance. At that terrible period, unsolicited, undesired, unwelcomed, this immensely glorious Benefactor stationed himself in the gap between us and ruin; and voluntarily became the Substitute for sinners. Then God said concerning the soul, Deliver it from going down to the pit ; for I have found a Ransom. The guilt of our sins, this Divine Person washed away in his own Blood. The impurity of our character, the root of bitterness, by which we were defiled, he destroyed for ever. The gates of hell, to all his sincere followers, he finally shut. The doors of Heaven, he opened with his own hand; destroyed the sting of death, and the victory of the grave; and disclosed the path from that dark and desolate mansion to the world of immortal glory. From this desolate mansion, He himself

first trode that path;

and went before to prepare a place for them in his Father's house. There, on a throne of glory high and lifted up, he intercedes for their protection from enemies, their de liverance from sin, and their perseverance in holiness unto the end. To them he calls from that happy world with the unceas ing voice of boundless mercy, Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden; and I will give you rest. There he watches all their goings; and preserves their feet from falling, their eyes from tears, and their souls from death. There he marks all their weaknesses, temptations, dangers, and enemies; and says to each, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further. Thence he stretches out his arm, takes them by the hand, and leads them onward in the path of Life. Their sighs he hears; their tears he numbers. Their frail, feeble attempts to serve him he records in the book of his remembrance. The bruised reed he suffers not to break, the flame that feebly trembles on the smoking flax, he suffers not to expire. Over every enemy he enables them finally to triumph, and from every danger to escape. Through the valley of the shadow of death he conducts them with safety and hope; and, supported by his rod and staff, brings them to the land of light and peace, which rises beyond it. There, purified from every stain, error, and imperfection, he admits them to his own presence, where is fulness of joy, and surrounds them with pleasures for evermore.

To provide this train of blessings for them, both here and hereafter, he became man; a humble, suffering, dying man; agonized in the garden; expired on the Cross; and descended into the grave. Had it been possible, that these blessings could be procured at less expense, this cup would certainly have passed from him. In this ordinance, then, we see the real means of all the good, for which Christians hope in this world, and in that to come. Here they behold their suffering Saviour in the very act of purchasing for them eternal glory by his tears and blood. What Christian's heart will not distend; what Christian's bosom will not heave with inexpressible emotions; in the full sight of this amazing object! Who among them will not anticipate the exultation of Heaven; and begin the new song on this side of the grave! Who, with a mixture of gratitude and transport, will

not exclaim, Blessing, and glory, and honour, and power, be unto Him that sitteth on the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever?

3. We are to appear at the table of Christ, with the deepest Hu

MILITY.

When we remember the things, which Christ has done; we are bound to remember, also, the character of those, for whom they were done. God commendeth his love to us, in that, while we were yet sinners, He gave his Son to die for us. Christ commendeth his love to us, in that, while we were yet sinners, He gave Himself to die for us. We are bound never to forget, that we are of the humblest class of intelligent creatures; born of the earth, and kindred to worms; of yesterday; comparatively knowing nothing: our strength weakness; and our life a vapour. At the same time, we are sinners; apostates; rebels against the Government of JEHOVAH; condemned by his Law; outcasts from his Kingdom; and destined to an endless banishment from his presence in the regions of woe.

Son.

In this miserable situation of guilt and danger, He was pleased to publish to us the glad tidings of salvation by his beloved But we turned a deaf ear, a hard heart, and a blind mind, to the benevolent proclamation. We said, when Christ appeared, This is the Heir; come let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. We had, before, with bold impiety violated his Law. With a corresponding ingratitude we now abused his grace. In the mean time, we were of no importance to Him. Of the stones of the street, he could have raised up unto himself innumerable children, all wiser and better than we, perfectly obedient, excellent, and lovely, instruments of his glory, and objects of his delight, throughout the ages of eternity.

But notwithstanding our insignificance, notwithstanding our provocations, He still had mercy on us; and sent his holy and good Spirit, to enlighten our minds, renew our hearts, and purify our lives. He commissioned his Apostles to preach the Gospel; established his Church; founded the ministry; appointed the ordinances of that worship, which he was pleased to accept; and thus disclosed to us the hopes, and the means, of salvation.. All these things, also, he published, and perpetuated, in that voVol. V.

47