Lord himself had said it. The words of the apostle must be as sacred to us as the words of the Lord himself.

First of all he is mentioned, toward whom our whole soul should be directed in the supper. The Lord Jesus was the founder. He is the chief object and aim of this action. He, the Lord, there sat at the table, on which stood the bread and wine. Disciples, worshippers and servants of this Lord, men who had learnt of him, who were well known and confided in by him, who adhered to him, followed him, and obeyed him, were the company at the table. To all these life was Lord. one there was against him.

But

Thus for the first time, he with his friends, held that festival which thenceforward should be celebrated to his memory. Yes, to him, to Jesus you draw near! To him you draw near as to your Lord, when you come to his supper. You profess yourself his worshipper and servant, you declare him to be your Lord by partaking in this repast. This repast is for Christians alone; by Christians has it been

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held from the beginning. But there are many things in Jesus the Lord, on which you might fix the eye and heart, and of which you might gladly and gratefully remind yourself, if the evening meal in general should be a meal for commemorating Jesus, your Lord. The time on which this repast was first held by him with his friends calls your attention to that point which should here be more important to you than all others. It was on the evening of the last day before his death,-on that night when he was betrayed to his enemies, who had desired and determined his death; and ah! by one of his confidential friends, who had eaten bread with him, and now also partook in this most confidential repast. There sat he once more, all love, in the midst of his beloved. He knew that it was the last time; he knew the terrors that so nearly awaited him. But love here too forgat itself in the welfare of others. To them who lay so near his soul, to them with whom he ate and drank for the last time before his death,-to them he wished to leave this festival a delightful and salutary memorial of his love. Ah! full of wisdom

and grace, he averted his glance from the terror, and dismay, and violence of his death, and turned it toward the joyful effects of his death, effects so desirable, so salutary, and so adapted to the wants of men.

The festival

The paschal lamb was eaten. was held which reminded the Israelites to be grateful for a deliverance wrought by God, from great misery and public danger. You know how that in the last night, which ended the sufferings of God's chosen Israel in Egypt, all were spared and preserved, who distinguished themselves by the blood of the slaughtered lamb, as sundered from the multitude of those who would know and hear nothing of God, and would not submit themselves to his will, and so brought upon themselves destruction and death. On this account that supper of a lamb was called passover,-the feast of exemption or salvation. This confidential meal which Jesus made to succeed that earlier one, and which we still call supper or evening-meal, because it was held at evening, at the coming of night, should remind his grateful followers of a salvation planned by

God, and wrought through Jesus, of a salvation from far greater misery, and from the danger of losing a far higher and better life. This new festival was meant as the sign and seal of a new covenant between God and man, which was to be far more important than that earlier covenant between God and Israel, which was abolished in this.

Jesus had usually spoken of his kingdom under emblems or parables, which brought to mind enjoyment and pleasure. We are all acquainted with the parable of the great festive repast to which a wealthy householder gave out invitations; of the sumptuous marriage-feast which a king prepared for his son; of the bride-groom who was expected to the nuptial banquet. And here also by a festival, he reminds his worshippers of enjoyment and pleasure in his kingdom; and he connects. with a festival, the remembrance of the highest proof of love, of a proof which he alone could give. From what stood before them on the table for enjoyment, nourishment and refreshment, he took what he consecrated as

symbols and pledges of the life and blessedness which those who should adhere to him, would surely attain to through his death.

He took in his hand the unleavened cake; raised his eyes and heart to the Father in heaven, and thanked him for his gift, the bread; and gave to each one a portion of it, with the words: This is my body, which is broken for you; eat this in remembrance of me. In like manner, after the eating, he took the cup, which, filled with red wine, the father of the family, after the eating of the paschal lamb, passed around the circle with joyful thanksgiving; whereupon the feast was concluded with joyful songs of praise.* Giving thanks, he gave the cup, that they all might drink of it. This cup, said he at the time, is the New Testament in my blood. Drink ye of it, and as oft as ye so drink it, do it in remembrance of me.

Thus we learn clearly enough, what should

* The songs of praise and thanksgiving which were sung by the Jews at this high festival, were Psalms cxiii, cxiv, cxv, cxvi, cxvii, cxviii.