infinite worth; and the seal affixed to them secures their eternal duration. Though hills and vales, cities and palaces, should vibrate with the proclamation of the preacher' Vanity of vanities; all is vanity,' very different accents are audible here. These emblems have a cheerful voice, and the ear of faith hears them saying-Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.'* 'The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.'†

*Isa. xlv. 17.

† Isa. liv. 10.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE LORD'S SUPPER IN RELATION TO FUTURITY.

SECT. I.-IT WILL REMAIN IN FORCE TILL THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST.

THIS sacrament, in some of its aspects which we have already considered, has prospective references; and the observations now to be made may be considered supplementary. In asserting its claims on observance to be lasting as time, we come into collision with the Society of Friends. Mr Barclay says, 'The breaking of bread by Christ with his disciples was a figure which even they who had received the substance used in the church for a time, for the sake of the weak yet seeing they (such rites) are but shadows of better things, they cease in such as have obtained the substance." * This writer thinks that the commemorative Supper was at best a ceremony, and not an ordinance, and that though, for a season, it was observed by the weak, and even by the strong, in forbearance with the weak, yet in these days of mature discipleship, it is better discontinued. In opposition to this theory, we maintain the permanent * Apology, propos. xiii. p. 388.

obligation of the Lord's Supper, and consider ourselves justified in doing so on these grounds :

I. Its permanency is favoured by the language of scripture.

*

I have already acknowledged that the account in the gospels, if the subject had not been more fully treated of in the epistles, might have left us doubtful whether the service in question had been constituted a determinate part of gospel worship. Still the evangelical narrative, especially when viewed in connexion with Paul's writings, furnishes no mean argument on which to rest our conclusion. Our Lord said, as we learn from Luke, This do in remembrance of me.' He could not mean that they should do it in remembrance of him on that occasion, for he was then present with them, and they did not need to be reminded of him. The meaning, therefore, could only be, that after his departure they should, in this manner, recall him to their recollection. Mr Barclay admits this to be the sense of the words, but he thinks that they referred to meals in general, and that our Lord desired his disciples, That, in their eating and drinking, they might have regard to him.'† Such a vague interpretation does not consist with the very specific language of Christ; nor does Mr Barclay deny that the primitive church, in commemorating the death of Christ, kept a particular feast for that particular purpose. Mr J. J. Gurney thinks it probable that our Lord, so far from speaking of meals in † Page 407.

*Luke xxii. 19.

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general, referred exclusively to the Passover. He thus expresses his views:

'What, then, may be deemed a fair and reasonable interpretation of our Lord's very simple precept? and in what signification would the twelve apostles, to whom these words were addressed, naturally understand them? In order to give a satisfactory answer to this enquiry, we may, in the first instance observe, that those twelve apostles, to whom our Lord addressed himself, were all Jews or Galileans; that they had long been accustomed to observe the rites of the supper of the Passover, and that among those rites were numbered (as has already been stated) the breaking of the bread, and the handing of the cup, with the blessing, and giving of thanks. As they had already been habituated to these customs, so was the Lord Jesus well aware that they would still maintain them; for, as it has been already remarked, the apostles continued in the practice of parts of the Jewish ritual, long after the crucifixion of our Lord; and although that ritual was in fact abolished by his death, the sudden disuse of it does not appear to have been enjoined upon them by their divine Master. Having these facts in our view, we may reasonably interpret the words of Jesus as commanding nothing more, than that his apostles should call him to their recollection, when they met together to celebrate the supper of the Passover.' *

It is sufficiently plain that our Lord, in directing a certain custom to be observed in connexion with the

* Gurney's Observations, pp. 116, 117.

Passover, would have virtually sanctioned or enjoined a continued observance of the Passover itself; and can we suppose him to confer any such mark of regard on a ceremonial confessedly abrogated? The more obstinate the Jews were in clinging to Mosaic rites, there was the more cause to leave them no pretext for their obstinacy.

We have found Paul saying, 'As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.' These words have the same significance, whether we suppose them to have been spoken by Christ, or to be a comment by the apostle. Both Mr Barclay and Mr Gurney urge that they simply declare, and do not require. 'Those that understand the difference,' says Mr Barclay, 'betwixt a narration of a thing and a command, cannot but see, if they will, that there is no command in this place, but only an account of matter of fact.' This distinction is a quibble unworthy of these able writers. For what purpose did Paul give a true narrative of the appointment but to prevent a disorderly, and inculcate a proper observance of the Supper? If the whole service was unauthorised, and even at variance with evangelical worship, why did he not say so? why did he not give a hint to that effect? To forbid the use would have been the shortest way to put down all abuses.

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The language of Paul, whether declaratory or imperative, supposes Christians to continue in the observance of the Lord's Supper till he come.' The * Page 416.