of me," says he, not to walk upon the wa- | passed upon all men. Nevertheless, Goa ter, or rebuke the wind, not to open the eyes who is rich in mercy pitied and spared, and of the blind or quicken the dead, but "Learn said, “Deliver him from going down to the of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and pit; I have found a ransom. To guilty ye shall find rest unto your souls." man, driven out from paradise, a door of grace opened, a dawn of hope arose. That dawning light, that day-spring from on high, through thy favour, waxed brighter and brighter, till it reached meridian splendour. The fulness of time came, when "God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets," was pleased to speak "unto us by his Son, the heir of all things," who "made the worlds, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power." But he "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:" He was 'despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief:" and “ being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," and "when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." "Which things the angels desire to look into;" let our souls rejoice and adore.

"Jesus rejoiced in spirit," as he contemplated the rise, the progress, the consummation of his kingdom, and the correspondent downfal of the empire of sin and Satan. He is the same who wept over the grave of Lazarus, "who groaned in the spirit and was troubled," in sympathy with the wo of others; the same who beheld the devoted city, "and wept over it;" the same who in the agony of Gethsemane, exclaimed, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Let our sorrows and joys flow from the same sources with his. Are the ravages of time and death presented to our view, or the still more dreadful ravages, which issue in death committed by "the carnal mind which is enmity against God," and hatred to man? Are we the spectators of the progress of moral corruption from evil to worse, till all is lost? Can we behold it unmoved? "Fools make a mock at sin," but every serious spirit is very differently affected." "I beheld the transgressors," says the Psalmist, "and was grieved because they kept not thy word. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes; because they keep not thy law." On the other hand, how delightful is it, to mark the progress of goodness; "the path of the just as the shining light, that shineth more and more. unto the perfect day;" to behold "a brand plucked out of the fire," a soul saved from death, an heir born into the kingdom of God! This causes "joy in heaven, in the presence of the angels of God." This is that "travail of his soul," which the Redeemer "shall see, and shall be satisfied." This is the dawning of that eternal day when "the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." That we all may be found in that company, partake of that joy, assist in raising those songs, may God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer in consecrating the Elements. WE thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for all thy inexpressible, all thy inconceivable goodness to the children of men. Thou didst form the first human body of "dust of the ground," and thou didst breathe into man the breath of life, and he became a living soul, capable of knowing, of admiring, of loving, and of enjoying the glorious excellencies of the Divine Nature. Under thy creative benediction he increased, and multiplied, and replenished the earth. But man that was in honour continued not. Sin entered into the world, and death by sin has

66

To thee, voluntarily humbled, to thee, highly exalted Saviour, our knees shall bow: that name which is above every name our tongue shall confess: "the love of Christ constraineth us:" "we love him: because he first loved us." And what proof, blessed Lord, what proof of love art thou this day demanding of thine infinitely indebted creatures? Not to suffer the loss of all things, not to go to prison and to death for thee, not to give our body to be burnt, not to give but to receive: "Take and eat, Take and drink, Do this in remembrance of Me." Of a truth thy commandments are not grievous; thy yoke is easy, and thy burden is light. Draw us, we will run after thee; these are cords of a man, these are bands of love. We hear the command and we obey. We present our bodies a living sacrifice, which is our reasonable service. We devote the superior powers of our immortal spirits to the contemplation of the great mystery of godliness, that we "may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, and that we may be filled with all the fulness of God.”

We employ, risen and exalted Redeemer, we employ these elements of bread and wine as a memorial of thy dying love, because, in the near prospect of death, thou wert pleased, by giving thanks over them, to set them apart to this sacred purpose. would, after thy example, look up to our Father in heaven, and give thanks for all the blessings which they commemorate, for re

We

tial and transient: but by the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, to contemplate a kingdom which cannot be moved, a kingdom prepared for you from the founda

demption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of free sovereign grace; for the abolishing of death, and for all the exceedingly great and precious promises, and the glorious pros-tion of the world. You survey an inheritpects of life and immortality brought to light by the gospel.

ance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away; not with the feelings of a Balaam, who beheld from the high places of Baal, the goodly tents of Jacob, and the tabernacles of Israel, in which he had neither part nor lot; nor with the emotions of a Moses, who from Pisgah viewed the land flowing with milk and

In thy name we solemnly separate, from a common to a hallowed use, so much of this bread and of this wine as we are now to employ in commemorating the death of Christ, his body broken, and his blood shed as a propitiation for the sin of the world.-honey, into which he must not enter; but with And over these sacred symbols we again so- the confidence and composure of an Abraham, lemnly dedicate ourselves unto thee, to be to whom God said "Lift up now thine eyes, and disposed of by thy providence, to be govern- look from the place where thou art, northward, ed by thy laws, to be guided by thy spirit, to and southward, and eastward, and westward: be accepted through thy intercession. Thee arise, walk through the land, in the length having not seen we love; in thee, though of it, and in the breadth of it: for I will give now we see thee not, yet believing, we re- it unto thee;" but with the rapture of a Stejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory; phen, who expiring exclaimed, “Behold, I receiving the end of our faith, even the sal-see the heavens opened, and the Son of man vation of our souls. In thy presence we be-standing on the right hand of God." That come witnesses to each other, and we call ye Christians, may through grace be made angels and men to witness that we subscribe | partakers of the same divine consolation, with our hand unto the Lord, in trembling we administer unto you, and partake with hope that our names are written in the you, the commanded memorial of the sufferLamb's book of life, among the living in the ings and death of the Redeemer of manheavenly Jerusalem. And in this blessed kind. hope we would, with one heart and voice, "The Lord in the same night in which he ascribe to God in Christ the kingdom, and was betrayed, took bread: and, when he had the power and the glory, now, and for ever-given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, more. Amen.

Address to Communicants at the Sacramental Table.

To sit down at one table, to partake of the same fare, is the happiest view of domestic comfort and of friendly intercourse. The body and the mind are refreshed at once.The bond of union is strengthened and sweetened between the father and mother, between the parents and their children, among brothers and sisters, among kindred and friends. To the enjoyment of that pure and exalted felicity, my brethren, we are now invited; and with the prospects of immortality blend the endearing charities of human life. The great Master of our Gospel repast is not now indeed the object of sense, but he is assuredly with us, he contemplates with complacency our common faith and hope, our mutual affection. He rejoices in spirit while he beholds those for whom he died remembering his death, obeying his commandments, living under the influence of his spirit, advancing in his strength toward the kingdom of heaven. Him not having seen ye love, and ye look forward to the day when ye shall be like him, for ye shall see him as he is.

Communicants, ye are elevated to the summit of an exceeding high mountain, but not by the spirit of delusion, to survey airy or earthly kingdoms, and a glory unsubstan3 Z

eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me."

How powerfully emphatical every word is! the bread of nature, in order to become the aliment of the body, is bruised, and broken, and passes through the fire: "The bread of life, which came down from heaven," says Christ in his doctrine, "is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." "It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:" behold him buffeted of wicked men, scourged, his head crowned with thorns, his hands and his feet pierced, his soul poured out unto death. And for what end? His body, my sinful fellowcreature, was "broken for you." "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." And what does he demand in return? Do this in remembrance of me. Blessed Jesus! if thou hadst bidden us do some great thing, would we not have cheerfully complied? How much rather then, when the yoke of love is imposed! We come at thy call: "We will remember the name of the Lord our God;" "0 Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name." 46*

66

"After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. 99

all colours and of all languages, to cast in their lot among us, and to take shelter with us under the shadow of this "great rock in a weary land," to repose with us amidst "the trees of life," whose "leaves are for the healing of the nations."

But is not "our fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ?" Is it not, then, with them who are drinking new wine in our Father's kingdom; with the spirits of just men made perfect; with those whom on earth we loved; with those who have often eaten and drank with us at this table, and with whom we hope to eat and to drink at the table that is above, sitting down with them, and "with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven?" Delightful reflection! The employments of earth and heaven are the same; the animating principle, the spirit of love is the same; the subject of their praise and the source of their joy are the same. Unto Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

In drinking together, my Christian friends, from this cup, we joyfully acquiesce in the new, and better, and well-ordered covenant, "ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator," and "established upon letter promises;" a covenant which makes provision not only for human infirmity, but for the deepest and most malignant guilt, and which affords not merely a temporary relief, but confers an unchangeable and everlasting security. "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." And what is the seal of this better covenant? It is before you. "This The solemnity concludes with an intimacup," says the Saviour, "is the new Testa- tion of Christ's second appearance. “As ment in my blood:" the wine in the cup often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, is a symbolical representation of my blood ye do show the Lord's death till he come." shed for the remission of sin. "Ye know" Why trouble ye the woman?" said Christ that ye were not redeemed with corruptible to the indignant disciples, who grudged the things, as silver and gold: but with the pre- waste of the ointment which she poured on his cious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without feet, for she hath wrought a good work blemish and without spot;" "slain from the upon me; for in that she hath poured this foundation of the world," and which "cleans- ointment on my body, she did it for my burieth us from all sin." al." Her pious act embalmed the body for the grave ours contemplates Jesus, and the resurrection; ours looks forward to the day when "the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." "Yet a little while and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry."

66

In celebrating this holy ordinance, we are not only more closely cementing the ties of nature and the bands of friendship among ourselves, but we are extending our communion to the church of Christ universal, in the east and west, in the south and north; we are stretching out the right hand of fel-"He which testifieth these things saith, lowship over continents, over oceans, to give -the salutation of brotherly-love to all who love our Lord Jesus; and to invite men of

surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

HISTORY OF JESUS CHRIST.

LECTURE CXXIII.

:

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six water-pots of stone, after the manner of the