of the nature of a covenant transaction between God and his spiritual worshippers. It is one in which they have a real communion with Christ and with one another. It is one in which, as they then make the most solemn and public profession of faith in him, so they, by this faith, in a peculiar manner realize and appropriate all those exalted privileges and blessings which are made over to them in that covenant which has been ratified by his blood. While this, however, is the true -the peculiarly high and holy character of the Lord's Supper, it does not cease to be really, though not merely, a commemorative and symbolical ordinance; and it is interesting for us to observe and to consider, how admirably it is adapted to serve the important purposes for which, in this point of view, it was intended.

The language of our Lord, at the time of instituting the supper, distinctly intimates, that it was intended to be a commemorative and symbolical ordinance. "This do," said he, " in remembrance of me." And being thus intended to afford to his disciples a special opportunity for calling him to their remembrance, and proclaiming before the world their obligations to him and their reliance on him, it is natural for us to expect that, if carefully examined, it will be found to be peculiarly fitted to serve these interesting and important purposes. Its commemorative character is no less obvious from the language of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, when he says, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." It is worthy of remark, that the word here translated show, is the same that the apostle uses when he tells the Roman converts "that their faith is spoken of throughout the whole world;" that is to say, it was universally celebrated. In all the other places where the word occurs in the New Testament, it is used in reference to the preaching or public proclaiming of Christ to mankind-in reference to the preaching of the gospel, or of some one or other of its fundamental and

peculiar doctrines. As here used, therefore, by the Apostle, in regard to the celebration of the Lord's Supper, it serves to convey to us the idea, not only that those who, in obedience to the Saviour's dying injunction, engage in this solemn ordinance, in this manner celebrate the event of his death, as that in which they themselves rejoice and glory to put their trust; but also that they thus publicly proclaim it and set it forth before the eyes of the world, as an event the most amazing and the most momentous that the world ever beheld; and one which claims from every sinner of the human race, whenever it is announced to him, the most solemn and profound attention.

This, then, is the comprehensive idea which is implied in " showing the Lord's death." From the words of his own injunction, however, which we have already quoted, it is obvious that, while his death was the principal thing which the ordinance was intended to celebrate and proclaim, and the principal, though not the only thing which it was intended to represent-yet that was to be celebrated and proclaimed in connexion with its causes, its consequences, and all the displays which it had thus served to give of the divine attributes, and, in particular, of the love of God towards fallen

man.

To judge, therefore, of the peculiar suitableness and significance of the Lord's Supper, as a commemorative and symbolical ordinance, it seems to be requisite that we should attend, in the first place, to the things which were meant to be directly represented in it; and, in the second place, to the things which it is naturally fitted to bring to our remembrance.

I. The things which are directly represented in the Lord's Supper.

The principal thing, as has already been observed, which the Lord's Supper was intended to represent was -his death. It is to this ordinance, we doubt not, that

the Apostle especially refers, when he says to the Galatians, (chap. iii. 1,) " O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you." Not that there is any such thing as an actual sacrifice for sin made whenever this ordinance is celebrated,-for this idea is manifestly inconsistent with the whole tenor of Scripture on the subject; but the language, both of the text now quoted, and of that in which the inspired author speaks of our showing the Lord's death, affords us a sufficient warrant for saying that in this ordinance Christ is set forth as symbolically crucified before our eyes. Now let us,

while carefully guarding against all fanciful and strained resemblances, examine, with devout attention, the number and exactness of those particulars which we have either the express authority, or the clear analogy of Scripture, for regarding as so many representations of things connected with his death.

1. We have then, at the outset, his own authority for regarding the bread used in the Supper as an emblem or representation of his body, and the wine as a representation of his blood. We cannot, therefore, even for a moment, behold these sacred elements on a communion table, without calling to remembrance the amazing fact, that our adorable Redeemer, although in the highest sense the Son of God, condescended to become a partaker of flesh and blood.

2. As these elements, however, thus represent his body and blood, we are naturally led to infer, that every use which is made of them, and every action which is performed in regard to them, in this significant ordinance, is intended to represent something correspondent in regard to his body and his blood. Nor is this inference unsupported by explicit statement. From the language of our Lord himself, we

See Chapter VI.

learn that the breaking of the bread was intended to represent the breaking, or the piercing and wounding of his body-in other words, his being crucified and slain; and the wine in the cup, that is, the wine when poured out, was intended to represent the shedding of his blood. "This," said he, after having broken the bread, "this is my body which is broken for you," (1 Cor. xi. 24.) "This cup," said he, in like manner, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you"-" shed for many, for the remission of sins," (Luke xxii. 10, and Matt. xxvi. 28.) And to the same effect his Apostle also said, " For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us," (1 Cor. v. 7.)

3. But if the breaking of the bread was thus manifestly intended to represent his death, then the circumstance of his breaking it with his own hand was not less manifestly intended to represent the voluntary nature of his sacrifice; which accords with his express and memorable declaration-" No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again," (John x. 18.) The same grand truth is still exhibited when the bread is broken by his ministering servants, in his name, by his authority, and after his example.

4. And while these actions in regard to the sacramental elements thus beautifully represent his death as a sacrifice for sin, and the voluntary nature of that sacrifice; so his giving the bread when thus broken, and the wine when thus poured out, to all the disciples who were with him at the time when he instituted the supper, cannot but be regarded as a representation of his offering himself to them and others as a crucified Saviour. The previous part of the ordinance, as a representation of his death, represents, of course, his " offering himself without spot to God." It represents that "one offering," in which he has "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." But the giving of the bread and wine to the

ye

communicants represents his offering himself to them as "a propitiation through faith in his blood," and as the source of spiritual life, and the means of spiritual nourishment. "Jesus," says the Evangelist," took bread, and blessed 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 to them, saying, Drink all of it." "Take this, and divide it among yourselves." This last action of dispensing the bread and wine, especially when taken in connexion with the words which he at the moment addressed to the disciples, represents not the sacrificing of the Lamb, but the furnishing of that feast of which the Lamb slain is the substance. It represents, not his death, but the manifold blessings which have been purchased for, and sealed to, believers, by his blood. It exhibits him in the same point of view as does the figurative language which he has employed, when he says, (John vi. 48, 51, 53,)" I am that bread of life." "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 66 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."

5. It may here be added, in concluding this part of the representation, that our Lord's addressing himself to all the disciples, when he offered them the sacramental elements, bidding them all take, eat, and drink, and divide it among themselves, plainly implies and was meant to signify, first, that they are all alike dear to him, all alike dependent on him, and all alike provided for; and secondly, that, especially when thus assembled together and treated as his friends and guests at his table, they are significantly taught to regard each other as brethren, and to bear in remembrance that their high and holy communion with himself was par