SERMON V.

ST. LUKE Xxii. 19.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.

WE are told by the blessed apostle St. John,

that "when JESUS knew that his hour was

come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." The evening before his death was spent with his chosen friends, in a manner which it seems impossible they should ever forget. He confirms their faith, he instructs them in their duty, he promises them another comforter to abide with them for ever. He strengthens them to meet the

trials and persecutions to which they must soon be exposed; and he bids them be of good cheer, for he had overcome the world. He exhorts them to love one another, as he had loved them ; and he commends them to the care and protection of his heavenly Father, in the admirable prayer which you may read in the seventeenth chapter of St. John's gospel. It was at that interesting moment, when he was offering himself as a sacrifice on the cross for the sin of the world, when he was immediately to suffer a most painful and cruel death, it was at that awful period, that our Saviour instituted the Holy Communion. "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins." This was the last command of our dying Master; and if no benefit to ourselves were to be expected from the performance of this duty, still it might have been supposed impossible that any Christian could neglect to give this proof of obedience to his Saviour, his Redeemer, and his GoD. Is

there one amongst us who, having received such a command from a dying parent or friend, could possibly forget to perform it? And yet I fear there are many who call themselves Christians, and who yet live and die without ever offering to their crucified Master this appointed testimony of gratitude and love. The reason of this strange and shameful neglect of such an easy command, in those from whom better things might be hoped, is commonly some mistaken notion of this holy sacrament; and in order to remove such mistakes, I will lay before you what I believe to be the doctrine of scripture, and of our church on this subject. That I may be the better understood, I will endeavour,

1st, to explain the nature of this sacrament. 2dly, to answer some objections which have been made on this subject.

3dly, to show the advantage to be expected from frequent communion.

And, lastly, to point out the proper manner of performing this sacred duty.

In order to understand the nature and meaning of this holy sacrament, we should consider, that sacrifices of some kind or other have always been appointed to be offered up to GOD, as a testimony

We

of our obedience and gratitude to Him, as a representation of the great sacrifice of CHRIST upon the cross, and as the means of conveying to the true believer the benefits of that sacrifice which was offered for the sin of the whole world. Such were the sacrifices offered by Abel, by Noah, by Abraham, and by all the faithful from the beginning of the world; and such were the sacrifices which GOD ordained in the law of Moses. every where find that something is required on our part, in order to our receiving the benefits which God is graciously pleased to bestow upon us. When our blessed Saviour had fulfilled the law, and introduced a new and more perfect dispensation, the ceremonies which Moses had appointed were set aside; and instead of all the different sacrifices which had been required of the children of Israel, our LORD was pleased to ordain this testimony of our love and obedience; and we are told by St. Paul that as often as we eat this bread, and drink this cup, we do show the LORD's death till he come. This sacrament is appointed not only to keep up the remembrance of CHRIST in our minds, but that by it we may plead before God the merits of his death as the foundation of all our hopes of pardon and accept