which phrase is to be understood in a figurative sense; that it was a sign and symbol of his body, "which is given for you; " it being broken to pieces, and as broken, represented his wounds, bruises, sufferings, and death, which was in their room and stead. "This do (says Christ unto them) in remembrance of me;" or, for a remembrance of me. Which, as it declares the nature and design of the ordinance, so it also contains our Lord's dying command, which we do well to observe and obey in faith, from love to him, and to his praise and glory. "After the same manner also he took the cup after supper." The disciples and himself, having both eaten the Paschal Supper, and said, "This cup is the New Testament in my blood." From which we observe as follows:

First, that the wine is appointed by Christ in this ordinance to be a symbol of his most precious blood; wine, the blood of the grape, which makes glad the heart of man, is pressed from the grapes that it may be refreshing liquor to us, and is the fruit of the vine.

Our Lord says of himself, "I am the true vine." To which he may be compared, for the following reasons: the vine being a fruitful tree, brings forth and bears fruit in abundance, even in clusters; so Christ, as man and Mediator, is "full of grace and truth," of all spiritual blessings, and exceeding great and precious promises. From him comes the wine of divine love, the various blessings of grace, and the joys of heaven; that best wine reserved by him till last.

Christ is the most excellent; to him agree all the properties of a real vine; he really and truly communicates life, sap, juice, and nourishment, to the several branches which are in him.

As the cluster of grapes must be squeezed and pressed, that the juice may be obtained; so Christ's body was wounded, his soul bruised, his veins pressed, his hands and feet bored, that his most precious blood might flow forth, to cleanse, heal, justify, sanctify, and comfort us.

As wine is of a cheering and refreshing nature, so is a crucified Christ to a poor sinner; and the love of Christ

warms the heart, and revives the hope of his people, who confess to his praise, "Thy love is better than wine."

Jacob, in his patriarchal blessing, speaking of Judah, from whom Christ the Shiloh was to come, saith of him, "He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of the grapes: his eyes shall be red with wine;" which may, says the truly excellent Dr. Gill, be applied to Christ, to the garment of his human nature, which through his sufferings and death, was like a vesture dipped in blood, and he became red in his apparel; and his eyes red with wine may denote the joy and pleasure that sparkled in his eyes, when he shed his blood upon the cross, enduring that, and despising the shame of it, for the joy of the salvation of his people.

Secondly, we observe, as Christ took the cup, and ordained it to be a sacred, commemorative sign, symbol, and memorial of his blood, saying, "This cup is the New Testament in my blood;" so he also gave thanks, or blessed it, as he did before, when he took the bread,

Hence the cup in the Lord's supper is styled, "the cup of blessing which we bless," (1. Cor. x. 16.) alluding to the act of the Administrator, in which the whole church present joins with him in the blesssing and praise offered up to the Eternal Three, for all that love, mercy, and grace, expressed in the gift of Christ's person, and salvation by him.

What were the express words our Lord used we know not. But we are like most rightly to conceive, that the subject matter of his blessing and thanksgiving to his divine Father, was, for all the glo rious fruits, blessings, and benefits, of his most precious blood-shedding.

That it was a distinct act from that of blessing the bread, is clear, from Mat, thew's account of it, who says, "As they were eating, Jesus took bread and bless ed it (or gave thanks) and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat, this is my body; and he took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it them." See Matt. xxvi. 27, 28.

Thirdly, we observe that he having took the cup, gave thanks, blessed it,

appointing it to be a figure and memorial of his blood, he gave it to his disciples, saying, according to Matthew, "Drink ye all of it," and Mark adds, "And they all drank of it," Mark xiv. 28. "This cup is the New Testament in my blood," an emblem and representation of my blood, through the shedding of which, all the blessings of the everlasting covenant, such as peace, pardon, righteousness and eternal life flow forth to the people of God: "This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of

me."

As they received the bread, and were commanded by Christ to eat it, as expressive of their faith in him, the bread of life; so they were commanded to drink the wine in remembrance of Christ's blood which was about to be shed in the garden, and his soul to be poured out with his strong cries and tears on the cross for the remission of their sins.

Having considered and set before you the institution, I come lastly to observe the use, end, and design of it; which we may easily understand from our Lord's