Christ. We see, in the institution of the Supper, that on the same night that Judas betrayed him, he favoured the apostolic circle with a new and special testimony of his love; and, to this day, whatever may be the number of hypocrites, and whatever the scandals which their detected hypocrisy brings on the Christian name, he is still good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon him.'* When we contemplate all the wickedness perpetrated in his name-when we see this institution itself perverted into idolatry by some, abandoned in contempt by others, and observed with reckless indifference by thousands more, we are apt to feel as if no hope were left that he would come to the feast. But he will not forsake the faithful because of prevailing unfaithfulness. The secret of the Lord will still be with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant.' If there should be but one at his table mourning for sin, loving his salvation, and unfeignedly desirous to promote his praise, he will appreciate such sincerity amid abounding dissimulation, and be known to that communicant in the breaking of bread. I shall only add

VI. That the time of instituting the Lord's Supper may present it to us as admirably fitted to prepare the mind for trying dispensations. We saw formerly that our Lord earnestly desired to eat the Passover with his disciples before he suffered, that he might be strengthened by it for his sufferings; and there can *Ps. lxxxvi. 5. + Ps. xxv. 14.

If

be no doubt that a like encouragement, yet more full and lucid, was presented both to him and to his followers in this New Testament festival. It prepares, by its own significance and God's blessing, for every species of duty; but, in a very especial manner, for patience in affliction. Here, if anywhere, the ejaculation is prompted in a troubled soul-'I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.'* actual adversities do not press upon us, perhaps they are approaching-perhaps they are in part, and not indistinctly descried; and precious will this ordinance be if it smooth the ruggedness and illumine the darkness of such passages in our pilgrimage. But trouble may be near when we dream not of it. Against terrible and yet unthought of griefs may this benignant ordinance replenish us with its consolations: and how good will it be if the swiftest judgments are anticipated by its succours-if the midnight thief shall find us in consequence warned and armed-abounding in resources and impregnable in defences, of which death and hell are incompetent to despoil us! There are no wounds so acute, so deadly, but they will find an antidote in a believing view of Christ as exhibited in this ordinance! What tribulation is not light when sustained by the conviction-' He loved me, and gave himself for me!' From the abasement of Christ, faith rises to his exaltation. The eye that looks up to the cross looks up to the heavens, and sees, in these heavens, the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the

* Isa. xii. 2.

right hand of God. As the temple, though resting upon the earth, pointed its pinnacles on high, and while, in respect of its base, it had fellowship with men, in respect of its summit held communion with the skies, so the New Testament Supper, if properly observed, associates to the view existing and celestial privilege, surmounting the aids of grace with the hope of glory.

SECT. II.-REASONS CONNECTED WITH THE PASSOVER.

ALL the foregoing reasons for instituting the Lord's Supper at the time of observing the Passover, are independent of the Passover itself, or have no direct dependance on its ceremonial. It is reasonable, however, to suppose, that when the observance of one ordinance and the institution of another were associated and intermingled, they had a mutual relation. In confirmation of this view, I remark—

application it had to the Such a victim had been sprinkled upon the door

I. That they were emblematic, to a large extent, of the same grand truths. The lamb was the principal constituent of the Passover, and its significance could not be exhausted by any deliverance from Egypt. slain indeed, and its blood posts and lintels, as the instrumental condition of escaping from the destroying angel; but the question remains, why was this ritual appointed for such a purpose? What resemblance had the lamb to a

yoke of bondage, or to any weapons of war by which such yokes are broken? We see no analogy, no explanation in such reference, and we are shut up to the conclusion, that the lamb represented then, as the bread and wine do now, the only true sacrifice,' the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.' But

*

II. These ordinances are related, as the one has been appointed in the room of the other. We have no direct allegation to this effect in the holy scriptures, but the conclusion seems deducible from the facts of the case. We have seen that the same essential truths are exhibited in both; and if the one supply the other's place in effect, surely it does so by design. Then, why should our Lord, in appointing his Supper, have used the bread and wine pertaining to the Passover, if not to show that he repealed one institution, and compensated for it by another? It seemed as if he would declare, 'Old things are passing away: this is the last lawful celebration of the paschal supper; but there shall be no permanent loss, no suspension even of privilege; and all the ends which this decaying ritual served, you will find amply fulfilled by this other, now instituted.' The language of the New Testament favours, in different instances, this interpretation. Paul says, 'Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.' Here he speaks of the Lord's Supper † 1 Cor. v. 8.

* John i. 29.

in paschal phraseology; and, surely, a transference of the language bespeaks an exchange or succession of the sacraments. Indeed, the very name 'Supper' is derived from the Passover, which was killed, in Jewish phrase, between the two evenings, and eaten in the night.*

The career of the church, however, is one of progress; and we may be assured that where our Lord has made any change in divine worship, that change is for the better. The Lord's Supper has not a few advantages over the Passover which it supersedes.

(1.) It has greater facilities for observance. The attendance of all males at Jerusalem, when the Passover was there observed, was imperatively enjoined, under pain of excommunication, or, as some think, of death. This annual presence in the capital was demanded in the same way at the feasts of Tabernacles and Pentecost. Now, it is easy to perceive that to the Jews of the remoter tribes, this periodical emigration from their homes must have been generally inconvenient, and often exceedingly burdensome. Families, in whatever circumstances, had to be left; business, at whatever stage, to be interrupted; and a

* Witsius suggests, as an additional reason for this feast being so named, that 'the most sumptuous entertainments among the ancients especially in the Jewish nation, at least their nuptial feasts, were generally in the evening, as appears from the parable of the ten virgins; and, therefore, it was proper that that feast which represents the unspeakable dainties of heaven, and is an earnest of the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. xix. 9), should be held forth to us under the name and emblem of a supper.'-On the Covenants, b. iv. c. 17.