communications, and the heralds of his grace to mankind-himself now hunted down by that world which he came to save -encompaffed by malignant enemies thirfting for his blood-furrounded by profpects as gloomy as the fhades of that dreadful night, under the cover of which they were convened-juft preparing for a cruel death, and about to be separated from his difconfolate followers, he took with them his last fupper.-Here every idea that could excite an affectionate remembrance of him, would rufh upon their minds, and awaken in them the warmest and the tendereft emotions towards their divine Mafter while he was celebrating with them the mystery of his own death. And, that the scene might not be effaced from their hearts by the power of time, which impairs every impreffion, he gave them thefe precious memorials that they might continually repeat, after his decease, a tranfaction fo full of holy endearment and tenderness.

On fuch an occafion they would naturally call to mind his perfonal qualities which were the foundations of their fleem-the innumerable proofs of his love of which they

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had been both the witneffes and the objects -and, laftly, the facred relations that connected him with them.-Such are the ends intended to be answered by tokens given to recall the memory of deceased or abfent friends. By reviewing each of these topics we may illuftrate the import of this ordinance confidered as a memorial of Chrift.

I. In the first place, it ferves to call to mind his glorious character and perfections as our Redeemer. For, although its principal intention is to be a memorial of his fufferings, yet we take a deeper interest in the pains which he endured when we remember the perfection and glory of his character; and our fympathy, on fuch an occafion, naturally inclines us to recollect all thofe excellent and divine qualities the remembrance of which will ferve the more deeply to touch the heart with his unparalled affliction.

Let us then furvey this aftonishing victim in his human, and his divine nature-ideas which comprife the whole of what we shall fay on this fubject.

As a man he was the chief among ten thoufand and altogether lovely. His benevolence was limited by no bounds-he went about doing good. His employment and delight were to relieve the poor, to comfort the diflreffed, to inftru&t the ignorant, to fave the perifhing. By this amiable character was he peculiarly endeared to his difciples as the kindeft of mafters, and the most affectionate of friends-as their guide in every doubt, their fupport in every trial, the object of their confidence, and the fource of all their confolations and their hopes. The most mcek of men, he bore the contumely and violence of the Jews with that equanimity and fweetnefs of temper which exhibited the human character in the most amiable and interefting light. Equally confpicuous for a prudence that never courted danger, and a magnanimity that never feared it, we find him always refigned to the will of God, and manifefting, in the feverest trials, the moft unruffled tranquility, and the moft fublime patience.

Thefe characters of our bleffed Lord are called to mind in this ordinance, not only as an example for our initation, but as

forming the most perfect and interefting object of our truft. The virtues of the man being more within the comprehenfion of the mind than the infinite pertections of the Deity, which often aflonifi and confound it, they offer a more definite ground of confidence in the divine promile to the humble and penitent believer, and one that comes more home to the human heart.

"Let us therefore, faith the apoftle, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need: for, we have not an high-prieft who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities; for he was, in all points, tempted like as we are, yet without fin."

Another confideration of the highest moment is his divine nature. "In him dwelt all the fullness of the God-head bodily." This fublime view of the perfon and chara cr of the fuffering Redeemer fhould never be overlooked by his difciples in contemplating the fcenes of his death. It is this that invefls him with the highest glory, that reprefents in the most astonishing light, the condefcenfions of his love, and our infinite obligations to his mercy, that renders

hit, at once, the object of our worship and our truft,—and it is this that imprefies upon all that he has fuffered in our room its propitiatory and faving efficacy. It is the true, and the only foundation of our hope, for eternal life. In this holy tranfaction, my brethren, you contemplate our bleffed Lord both as Cod, and as man. Behold in him, therefore, the moit perfect of the fons of men, and the only he gotten fon of God! Behold in him the moft interefting and lovely of human virtues, and adore the divine, luftre that is fhed upon them by the glories of the Deity that dwelt in the midft of them! Behold a high priest who fympathizes with our infirmities by partaking of the fame nature! Behold a God who has all power to fave!

II. This feftival is a memorial, in the next place, of the love of the Redeemer, and of its moft affecting expreflions to the world. His whole life was one continued proof and illuftration of that infinite love which, from eternity, had conceived and prepared the whole fyflem of grace. To reprefent it truly would require the lan