them the efficacy of his death, and the certainty of his rising from the grave to a state of immortal glory, in which they and all true believers should to a certainty participate. His words penetrated but did not convince their hearts. They mourned as those who had no hope: nor would any thing short of sensible demonstration have been sufficient to render faith and hope triumphant over death and the grave.

He

God did not require of human nature a faith beyond its powers. who in all preceding revelations condescended to give such sure pledges of the truth of his promise, as destroyed the possibility of doubt, gave, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a glorious and satisfactory testimony to the truth of the promise of salvation. The sacrament of the supper was henceforth to be considered as a

pledge

"

pledge of immortality. It seals the promise of a joyful resurrection to all who zealously endeavour to render themselves the objects of that promise, and who prove their acceptance of it by the necessary qualifications. What the dispositions are which we must of necessity cultivate, we learn from the precepts of our Lord; and, lest these should not have sufficient efficacy, they are enforced by his example.

The first circumstance taken notice of by the Apostle Paul, in his account of this ordinance, is exceedingly striking. He dwells particularly upon the period chosen by our Saviour for instituting this perpetual memorial of his dying love"On the night "on which he was betrayed!"

What a humiliating memento of the depravity of human nature! what a glorious proof of the benevolence of the K 6 Divine!

Divine! There is no injury that any human being can inflict upon another, which so completely unhinges the mind as an act of treachery. The spontaneous fury of the passions may be viewed with pity by one who is superior to their influence; but the calm premeditated villainy of a traitor is so abhorrent to the generous heart, that but for the example of our Saviour, it would appear to us as a crime which we might safely except from the system of forgiveness. We here perceive the contrary; and that the heart filled with the spirit of Divine love, will bear even this, the worst of injuries, without being moved to re

1

sentment.

We here likewise perceive the inefficacy of knowledge without principle. The traitor Judas had listened with the other apostles to our Sa

viour's instructions, and had been a

witness

witness of the miracles, which he wrought in proof of his Divine mission; nor do we learn that he had any doubt concerning the Divine nature of his blessed master, nor of the truth of the promises he came to unfold. Yet, in the mind of Judas the strength of one strong passion rendered all this knowledge of no effect. By the power of avarice it was prevented from becoming in his mind a principle of action. His heart was given to the world while he was the companion of the Son of God! What can afford us a stronger inducement to self-examination and selfdistrust, than the recollection of this first circumstance in the institution of this holy sacrament?

Bread and wine are the representatives of all that God has given for the support of animal life; of all that is necessary and essential to the

pro

malice, vain-glory, and every modification of hatred and resentment, must appear to us in their proper lights, as passions which it behoves us to sacrifice on that altar which is purified by the perpetual incense of peace and love. And what do we thus sacrifice, but those corrupt passions which are the sources of our greatest misery? "Come unto me," said our compassionate Lord, “ come "unto me all ye that labour and are "heavy laden, and I will give you "rest!"

Another essential advantage results from the institution now under consideration, as by giving a salutary interruption to those trains of thought which are perpetually excited by objects of sense, it breaks the spell which binds us to the world. A constant intercourse with society, all must acknowledge to be inimical to

reflection.