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"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

"Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."-Luke xxii. 19, 20.

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ferings he endured, in the course of his ministry; especially, call to mind the ignominy, the reproaches, the agonies, he endured when he hung upon the cross, and purchased for thee eternal mercy. Think upon these affecting subjects, till thine heart is filled with sorrow for thine iniquities; till thy faith becomes lively, active, and fruitful; till thy gratitude and love are elevated to the highest pitch: till thy obedience is rendered uniform, steady, and complete. Hast thou, O my God, the parent of universal nature!-hast thou so illustriously manifested thy compassion for sinners, as not to spare thine own Son: hast thou sent the Saviour into the lower world, in order to raise the children of men to immortality, perfection, and glory and am I now in thy presence on purpose to celebrate this institution, which requireth me to commemorate the death of the great Messiah; to declare my public acceptance of his excellent revelation, and my regard to my Christian brethren? May then the remembrance of his beneficence dwell upon my mind, and upon my tongue, for ever and ever! May I consider and comply with the intention of his Gospel; and may the sentiments of kindness and charity towards all my fellow mortals, and fellow disciples, reign in my breast, with increasing purity, with increasing zeal."

Such are the views that should possess our souls, when we partake of this sacred ordinance; but it will signify little to entertain these views, at that time, unless the effects of them are apparent in our future conduct and conversation: for a transient flow of affections, or sallies of immediate delight, were not principally intended in this institution.

The blessed Jesus did not ordain it as a ceremony or charm, but as a proper method of establishing our hearts in the fear and love of God, who gave his only beloved Son to die for wretched sinners. Though ye have, therefore, O Christians; obeyed the Redeemer's command in this appointment, and found your passions greatly moved, yet this is not the whole required at your hands; it will justly be expected that ye should live to the honor of your divine Master. As you have solemnly professed your faith in him, and your love towards him, the reality of your faith and love should be demonstrated by walking more strictly in the way of his precepts, and by abounding in that heavenly character and temper which his spotless example so engagingly recommends. Thus only will the sacrament become subservient to the most beneficial purposes. Thus only will it be instrumental in qualifying us for sharing in the dignity and felicity possessed by our exalted Saviour.

May therefore all the followers of the immaculate Jesus, by uniting together at his sacred table, advance from holiness to holiness, till they arrive at the regions of eternal felicity!

Our blessed Saviour, after delivering the sacramental eup, and telling them that his blood was shed for them, mentioned the treachery of Judas a second time: "Behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." Matt. xxvi. 46. This second declaration was made very properly after the institution of the sacrament, which exhibits the highest instance of our great Redeemer's love to mankind, his dying to obtain the remission of their sins; for it abundantly proves that the person who could be deliberately guilty of such an injury to so kind a friend, must have been a monster, the foulness of whose ingratitude cannot be described by the force of language.

Some of the disciples, particularly struck with horror at the thought of Judas' treachery, rebuked him, by asking him, with surprise, how he could betray his Master? This accusation Judas no doubt repelled, by impudently denying the fact: but consciousness of guilt giving edge to the reproaches of his brethren, and to every circumstance of the affair, he immediately left the company, exceedingly displeased at thinking himself insulted and affronted.

The important, the awful scene now approached, when the great work was to be finished. The traitor, Judas, was gone to the chief priests and elders, for a band of soldiers to apprehend him; but this did not discompose the Redeemer of mankind he took occasion to meditate on the glory that would accrue, both to himself and the Almighty, from those sufferings, and spake of it to his disciples. "Now," said he, "is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him." He told them that, having already done honor to his Father by the past actions of his life, and being about to honor him yet farther by his sufferings and death, which would display his perfections, par ticularly his infinite love to the human race, in the most astonishing and amiable light, he was in his turn to receive honor from his Father; intimating that his human nature was to be exalted to the right hand of Omnipotence; and that his mission from God was to be supported by irrefragable attestations. But his disciples, imagining that he spake of the glory of a temporal kingdom, their ambition was again revived, and they began to dispute with as much keenness as ever, which of them should be the greatest in that kingdom. This contention Jesus suppressed by the arguments he had formerly used for the same purpose. Among the Gentiles, said he, they are reckoned the greatest who have the greatest power, and have exercised it in the most absolute manner: but your greatness shall be very different from theirs; it shall not consist in being unlimited with regard to tyrannical power, even though it should be joined with an affectation of titles, which denote qualities truly honorable; but whosoever desires to be great, or chief among you,

let him be so by his humility, and the service he renders to the rest, in imitation of me, your Master, whose greatness consists in this, that I am become the servant of you all. Adding, as they had continued with him in this temptation, he would bestow upon them such a kingdom as his Father had appointed for him. At the same time, to check their ambition, and lead them to form a just notion of his kingdom, he told them, that he was soon to leave them, and that whither he was going, they could not at that time follow him; for which reason, instead of contending with one another which of them should be the greatest, they would do well to be united among themselves, in the happy bond of love. For by loving one another sincerely and fervently, they would prove themselves his disciples, to the conviction of mankind, who could not be ignorant that love was a distinguishing part of his character.

This is termed a new commandment, not because mutual love had never been enjoined on mankind before, but because it was a precept of peculiar excellency; for the word, translated new, in the Hebrew language denotes excellency and truth; he also called this a new commandment, because they were to exercise it under a new relation, according to a new measure, and from new motives. They were to love one another, in the relation of his disciples, and in that degree of love which he had showed to them; for they were to lay down their lives for their brethren.

This excellent doctrine, however, did not make such an impression on Peter, as the words which Jesus had spoken concerning a place whither his disciples could not He therefore replied by asking where he was going. To which Jesus answered. "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now: but thou shalt follow me afterward."

In order to make his disciples farther humble, watchful, and kindly affectionate one towards another, he assured them that Satan was seeking to ruin them all by his temptations: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Peter was greatly offended that his Master should have singled him out as the weakest; for so he interpreted his praying for him particularly; and supposing that he mentioned Satan's seeking to sift him, as the thing which would hinder him from following his Master, replied, Why cannot I follow thee now? Is there any road more terrible than the dark valley of the shadow of death? Yet through these black and gloomy shades, I am willing this moment to accompany thee.

Jesus knowing his weak, though sincere, resolution, answered, Art thou so very confident of thine own strength? I tell thee,

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