"I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread : And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. 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 shew the Lord's death till he come."--1 Cor. xi. 23 to 26.

In this chapter, from which I have selected the subject of our present meditation, the Apostle exhibits to our view the nature and design of that holy ordinance, to which our attention is particularly called at this time. To correct the erroneous opinions which the Corinthians held respecting it, and to reprove them for that levity and inconsideration which marked their conduct in the observance of it, appears to have formed his chief object.

In the course of his observations upon the important subject, he discovers to us the reasonableness and propriety of the institution; he shows us how admirably it is cal culated to preserve in the human mind a sense of our obligations for the mercies of redemption; to awaken the sensibilities of our hearts to the tender recollections connected with it; and to excite our gratitude to that Saviour who died for the salvation of a lost and ruined world.

By a careful perusal of the whole chapter, the attentive Christian will discover that the condemnatory clause which it contains, can have no possible bearing upon any individual whose intentions are sincere; who, from motives of gratitude to heaven, commemorates the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, and whose desire it is to conform his life to the divine precepts.

The Corinthians, instead of observing the institution as an ordinance purely spiritual, as a mean by which their virtues might be invigorated, their hearts softened into contrition, and their minds renewed by divine grace, had made it a scene of revelry and confusion; employed it to feed their lusts; changed a feast of charity into a debauch; converted a religious rite into a common feast; and thus evidenced their gratitude to God, as men too often do on days of public rejoicing, by a violation of moral duty in acts of riot and intemperance. To correct this glaring evil, and to bring to their view the heinous nature of their offence, the Apostle thus addressed them :-" What! have ye not houses to eat or to drink in, or despise ye the Church of God? When ye come together into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for, in eating, every one taketh before other his own supper, and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not." After these remarks, he enters into an explanation and statement of the origin and intent of the ordinance, reminding them of the time in which it was instituted, and the solemnity with which it was ordained. "I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of 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 rememberance of me, for as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew forth the Lord's death till he come."

me.

This institution, though it commenced with the apostolic family, is to be observed until the second coming of the Lord Jesus. It is not a temporary, but a standing and perpetual ordinance. It is to be celebrated by the people of God through the revolving ages of the world, till the Lord shall come. It is to be observed until the final consummation of all things, when the Saviour shall come in his own glory, with all his holy angels. The observance of it is to be frequent," as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come.”

In order to guard them against the recurrence of that irreverent behaviour of which he had spoken, he then directs their attention, in a verse subsequent to the text, to the solemn duty of self-examination. "Let a man exam

ine himself!" Let him consider the nature and intent of the ordinance. Let him remember that the bread and wine, the sacred elements thus appropriated, are set apart for the most solemn and important purposes; that they represent the body and blood of the Redeemer, and that they are to be used with devotion; and when you receive them you are to reflect upon the agony and bloody sweat of the precious Lamb of God; his cross and passion are to be present in your minds, and your prayers are to be offered up to heaven for an interest in the atonement offered upon Calvary. Examine yourselves, in order to ascertain the state of your minds; be sure that your intentions are sincere; and be sure that you love your Saviour, that you respect his precepts, and entertain an affection for all your fellow beings, forgiving those who have injured you, as you expect forgiveness at the hands of the Almighty.

In the consideration of this serious and affecting subject, I shall explain to you, in the first place, the object contemplated in this holy ordinance. Secondly, show you the necessity of an attendance upon it, and the ingratitude connected with the neglect of this duty; and then conclude with some practical remarks.

First, I am to explain to you the object contemplated in this holy ordinance.

It can require no argument to convince us, that we are too unmindful of the mercies we receive; and that every means which is calculated to keep alive in our minds the debt of gratitude we owe the Almighty, cannot be too highly esteemed and valued. The favours we receive at the hands of Jehovah, should be faithfully recorded and indelibly impressed upon our hearts; but, instead of perceiving this to be the fact, his mercies, like letters written upon the sand, are soon obliterated from our recollection and forgotten. Although we are surrounded by his goodness, snstained by his care, fed by his bounty and redeemed by his blood, we are too insensible of our obligations, and forgetful of that source from which all our comforts emanate. To call home our wandering thoughts, and to excite in our minds a spirit of gratitude and reflection, the Lord Jesus instituted his last supper; in which solemnity he leads the religious worshipper to Calvary; discovers himself to his view upon the cross; informs him of the cause of his sufferings; recognizes him as a member of his mystical body; addresses him as his child and disciple; entreats him to summon to his aid the grateful feelings of devotion; to confess him before men; and to do this in remembrance of him.

Similar to the ordinance under consideration, was the institution of the Passover, a ceremony observed by the Jews, as a memorial of their deliverance from the sword of the destroying angel. The gratitude which animated their bosoms at the recollection of that event, hath not been extinguished to the present day, and we find them still in the observance of the solemn rite.

In addition to the duty enjoined upon the Israelites of mature age, they were instructed to inform their descendants of the interest which Jehovah had taken in their welfare, and to impress upon the minds of their offspring their obligations to the Almighty. "When your children shall say, what mean you by this service? ye shall say, it is the Lord's Passover." It is commemorative of that mercy which spared our fathers when a thousand of the idola

trous Egyptians fell at their side, and ten thousand at their right hand. It is commemorative of our deliverance when the destroying angel went through the Egyptian dwellings, slaying their first born, and covering our nation with the wings of his protection. Such mercies are not to be forgotten, but had in everlasting remembrance. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men."

If, brethren, a temporal deliverance was thus commanded to be recognized and observed, how much more should that deliverance be remembered of which we have partaken, and which was purchased by the sacrifice of the Redeemer! If the gratitude of the Jews was thus excited by an escape from temporal death and bondage, how much more should the gratitude of believers be excited, who have been rescued from eternal ruin by the blood of the cross, and whose salvation has been procured by the only begotten son of God!

The redemption of man, remember, was effected by the death of Christ. So inexorable is the attribute of divine justice, so tenacious is Jehovah of his veracity, that unless a ransom had been found equal to the demands of God's violated law, the sentence pronounced against sin would have been carried into effect, and man would have been consigned to remediless woe. To intercept that blow, which would have crushed a universe, the Son of God took upon him our nature; vacated his throne; died in the stead of the guilty offender; became our surety; cancelled the debt we had contracted; unbarred the prison doors, and set the captives free. "He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities ;"" he was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

To perpetuate in our minds this instance of divine love we are enjoined to meet around his table, to eat the bread and drink the cup in remembrance of him! Yes, when we behold the sacramental bread broken at his altar, we are to call to view the scourgings of the Lord Jesus; to