salvation, he ordains this memorial, and gives this pledge of his everlasting love to his church, by appointing this ordinance as a proof of it. "The same night in which he was betrayed," before he entered the garden of Gethsemane, where he might truly say, "Now is my soul troubled," and where he did say, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" where he began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;" where "the sorrows of death compassed him about, and the pains of hell got hold upon him, when he found trouble and heaviness:" and being in an agony, he prayed, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground;" when he might say, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels."

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Though he clearly saw and knew the whole he was that night to encounter with, yet, as though he loved his church more than himself, and as if his thoughts were more employed and engaged about his people than upon his own personal

sufferings; he instituted this feast for a commemoration of his love. Stupendous, unutterable, ineffable grace! teach us, holy Jesus, to admire, praise, and esteem thee for it! fill our hearts with a real sense and enjoyment of it! let us have spiritual views, and high-raised apprehensions of it. The institution of this ordinance by the Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which he was betrayed," may be looked upon by us as a sacred item, to assure us that his heart is immutably and eternally fixed upon us, and that he will remember us with everlasting kindness.

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I pass on, thirdly, to consider the institution itself, which is expressed thus: "He took bread, and when he had given thanks he brake it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me; after the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

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In which we have the signs, actions,

and command of Christ, and from which words of institution we will observe the following things:

First, that our Lord took bread from off the table, out of the dish, as a commemorative, significant, instructive sign and emblem of his body.

Bread, which is commonly said to be the staff of life, as we consider it in its original, and also in its various forms of preparation through which it passes to become suitable and nourishing food for us, may serve to express Christ, his sufferings and death, by which he becomes fit food for our faith.

Bread, considered as in its original, is wheat, or corn; and Christ compares and styles himself "a corn of wheat." (John xii. 24.) As corn must be threshed, winnowed, ground, kneaded, and baked to be our food; so Christ our Lord underwent a variety of temptations, sorrows, conflicts, and sufferings, that he might be our prepared food, on whose expiatory death we may feed to the strengthening, refreshing, and comfort of our souls.

As corn grows out of the earth, so Christ, as it respects his human nature, is "the fruit of the earth, excellent and comely." And as bread is a main part of human sustenance, as it nourishes and strengthens nature, and is a means of supporting and maintaining life; so Christ is to the souls of believers, the "true bread of life," who nourisheth up their souls, as they feed by faith on him, "to life everlasting."

Secondly, we observe, that our Lord having took bread, which he in his infinite wisdom thought fit to set apart in this institution, to be a figure and symbol of his body, he blessed it; either by asking a blessing of his Father upon it, that whilst his disciples were eating it, their faith might be led to him, the "true bread of life;" and to his broken body, that they might spiritually feed and live on him, and by faith receive spiritual nourishment from him: or else giving thanks to his Father for what was signified by it, for the true bread he gave unto his people, even himself; and for the great love his Father had shewed in the gift

and mission of him for the great work of redemption, and all the blessings and benefits of it, which he sent him into the world to procure, and which were just on finishing. Also for all the might, strength, and assistance he gave to him as man and Mediator, in completing the business. of salvation for his people.

Thirdly, we observe, that our Lord brake the bread as a symbol of his body being wounded, bruised and broken, through buffetings, scourgings, platting a crown of thorns, which was put upon his head, and piercing his hands and feet with nails, and his side with a spear.

Christ took the bread and brake it, denoting his willingness to lay down his life, to suffer and die in the room of his people. Which done, he gave the broken bread to his disciples, bidding them to take it, receive it into their own hands, as an emblem of their receiving him, and the blessings of his grace in a spiritual sense by the hand of faith, and eat it as a symbol of their receiving, eating, and living by faith on Christ crucified; saying, "This is my body;"