ticularly intended, as it is eminently calculated to make them duly prize and cultivate the privilege of having fellowship one with another.

The various particulars which have now been noticed, seem to be all, so far as the actions and directions of our Lord himself on this occasion were concerned, that were intended to bear a strictly representative character. It is worthy of observation, however, that the whole of his proceedings, from the moment when he took up the bread, were connected with, and, if we may so speak, consecrated by, an act of devotion. The evangelists Matthew and Mark state, that "having pronounced a blessing, he broke the bread and gave it" to the disciples; and that, "having taken the cup and given thanks, he gave it to them." Now, although a different word was here used in giving the bread, from that which was used in giving the cup, it cannot be supposed that any blessing was bestowed on the former, which was not also bestowed on the latter; or that thanks were given to God in connexion with the presenting of the one, which were not also given to him in connexion with the presenting of the other. are quite aware that the first of these words, which is commonly used to signify praising or blessing God, signifies also the bestowing of a blessing on man, or on something belonging to man; but, in reference to the solemnity which we are now considering, it seems to be used as just equivalent in meaning to the other word which is here rendered, "having given thanks." It is in this way that they are used by Mark, (viii. 6, 7,) in describing our Lord's miraculously feeding the four thousand-the latter word having been employed by him in distributing to them the loaves, and the former in distributing to them the fishes. The evangelist Luke, indeed, and after him the Apostle Paul, when speaking of the holy ordinance of the Supper, makes mention of only one of these words, namely, that which is translated, "having given thanks," and evidently leaves us

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to understand, that it was applicable alike to the giving of the bread and to the giving of the cup.

From all this, then, we learn, that our Lord, both in offering himself up to God as a sacrifice for sin, and in presenting himself to the acceptance of sinners, intended that he should be regarded as engaged in a solemn religious act; and that he made both the one thing and the other the subject of praise and thanksgiving to that heavenly Father by whom he was "set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." He is thus exhibited as "the Lamb of God"—the Lamb which God had required-which he had appointed-which he had provided-and the only Lamb which he would accept. To die the death of which the Supper was to afford an affecting representation, the Son of God had been sent into the world, and him had the Father sealed. In him were fulfilled the words of the prophecy—" Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God," (Psal. xl. 7.) This was the deep and sublime consciousness which he felt when he addressed himself to God at the institution of this solemn ordinance; and it was the anticipation of what he felt when about to expire on the cross, he exclaimed-" Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

As the language of our blessed Lord, at the institution of the Supper, was in this manner expressive of praise and thanksgiving to God on account of that sacrifice for sin which he was soon to offer up on the cross, and which he had the fullest and the most glorious conviction that God would accept, it was not less expressive of similar praise and thanksgiving that he had thus an opportunity of offering himself to the acceptance of sinners, and of making them partakers through faith of that redemption which he was to purchase, and which he has purchased with his blood. There" he saw," by anticipation, "of the travail of his soul, and was satisfied." Knowing that his sacrifice

would be accepted by God as a sufficient atonement for sin, his soul was filled with praise and thankfulness at the thought that, in offering himself to those whom God had given him to redeem, he should draw many of "all nations to himself"-that he should be "believed on in the world," and " bring many sons and daughters unto glory."

Having thus considered all the circumstances which are of a strictly representative character, so far as relates to the actions and language employed in this solemnity by our Lord himself, we have now very briefly to consider the significance of the actions which are performed by those who engage in its celebration.

On the part of those who are admitted to partake of this solemnity, the actions performed are few and simple. They consist in their accepting-in then eating the bread and drinking the wine-and in sharing them with one another, as presented to them for this purpose, according to the injunction and directions of Him whose sacrifice these elements symbolically repre

sent.

1. In accepting, or taking into their hands, the consecrated emblems and memorials of his broken body and shed blood, they significantly declare their acceptance of Him who suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." They declare that they renounce every other, and accept of him as their only and all-sufficient Saviour; that they accept of him in all his offices, as a prophet, a priest, and a king; that they accept of the salvation which he offers to them, simply and exclusively as a free gift. They declare that they are indebted to him not only for the expiation of their sins, but also for the spiritual nourishment of their souls,—not only for their deliverance from guilt and punishment, but also for their redemption from all iniquity, and their final admittance into glory.

2. The latter part of the declaration, however, is

more explicitly made by their actually eating of the bread and drinking of the wine which they, for this purpose, receive into their hands. In this part of the proceeding, they feast, as if they were, on the sacrifice which has been offered up. They eat the Lord's Passover. They declare that Christ's flesh is meat indeed, and that his blood is drink indeed. They declare that he is their life-that from him alone they derive their spiritual life, and all the means by which it is nourished and perfected within them—that he supplies to them the bread of life and the water of life. They say, in effect, that they appropriate Christ-that they take him to be their own; that they not only believe in him, but that, by their faith, they feed on him; and that, as he became a partaker of flesh and blood, in order that he might lay down his life for their sakes, so they desire to be united to him by a living faith, and thus to be made partakers of that eternal life which he has the right to bestow on as many as the Father hath given him. They say, in effect, "We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones," (Eph. v. 30.) The language of every true believer and enlightened partaker of this holy ordinance, at least if he had attained to any comfortable or satisfying evidence that this is his character, corresponds with the language of the apostle when he said, "I a am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," (Gal. ii. 20.)

3. But while communicants, by partaking of the outward elements in the Lord's Supper, significantly declare their cordial acceptance of him as their only Saviour, and their entire dependence on him as the author and upholder of their spiritual life, there is another point of significance in the manner in which they share these outward elements with each other. They all symbolically declare that they receive Him,

and that from him they all derive their spiritual nourishment; but they all symbolically declare, at the same time, that they have fellowship one with another. They are not only his guests, but guests at the same table. They not only all partake of the bread which he has supplied, and of the wine which he has mingled, but they partake of them in common. In compliance with his express injunction, "Take this and divide it among yourselves," they jointly participate in the bounties of the table which he has spread.

One is their Master, even Christ, and they are all brethren. He has drawn them around him by the invitations of his love; and each is expressively intimating his love to his fellow communicants, for various reasons, but especially for this-the love which they declare that they cherish towards the Master whom he loves.

Such are the things which are represented in the Lord's Supper, by the proceedings of those who are permitted to engage in its celebration. The language of these proceedings, though addressed, not to the ear but to the eye of the intelligent observer, is language on which as solemn and explicit a declaration is made as could be embodied in articulate speech, of their acceptance of Christ as their only Saviour of their entire dependence on him for their acceptance with God, and for the supply of all those blessings that are necessary to prepare them for the heavenly inheritance which he has purchased-and of their deliberate engagement that, through the aids of his Holy Spirit, they will "henceforth live not unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again." Although the officiating servant of the Lord, addressing them in his Master's name, were to interrogate them individually on each of these points—although he were to call on them to stand up, in succession, at the table of communion around which they had taken their places, and give a distinct and special reply to the question, Do you, without reserve, accept of the terms of the gospel?