ply to him for the blessings that you need. Ap ply with earnestness. Apply in the appointed 'way. And he will receive you graciously, and love you freely; and by the influences of his Spirit he will dispose and qualify you to sit down. at his table upon earth, and finally bring you to his presence in heaven. I trust that such of you as have already, from faith in Christ, and love to him, and respect to his authority and honour, and a desire to promote your own highest interests, formed the resolution to keep this feast, may be encouraged to carry it into effect by the considerations that have been set before you. And I cherish the hope that while you give all diligence to have on the wedding garment,-to be clothed in the Redeemer's righteousness, and adorned with the graces of the Spirit, the God of ordinances will hear your prayers for his guidance and blessing-that he 'will bring you to his banqueting house-that his banner over you will be love-and that, in your personal experience, you shall find it to be a good thing for you to draw near to your Saviour and your God, in the ordinance of communion. ༄ I must by all means keep this feast that cometh: THIS declaration of the Apostle Paul, as we formerly stated, refers to the Jewish passover: And along with the circumstances in which it was uttered, intimates most emphatically the weight of obligation under which he felt himself to observe that great solemnity. As it formed a part of the Mosaic institutions, and had no place in the church of Christ, of which he was a member and a minister, the Apostle was not bound to observe it. But still the observance of it was lawful; and, situated as he was, it afforded him the means and the opportunity of promoting that cause which lay nearest his heart, to a much wider extent than he could otherwise have done it. On this account he formed and executed the purpose so strongly expressed in the words of my text. And if from this consid eration he was so eager to keep the Jewish passover, how much more incumbent is it on us to keep our Christian passover! It was in this way that we proposed to apply the subject: We proposed to consider the obligations to partake of the Lord's Supper, first, as it respects Christ; secondly, as it respects ourselves; and thirdly, as it respects the interests of Christianity in the world. The first and second of these particulars we have already endeavoured to illustrate; and we shall now proceed to discuss the remaining one. -- III. We observe then, in the third place, that we ought by all means to keep this feast that cometh, from a regard to the interests of Christianity in the world. The preservation and prosperity of the Gospel must at all times be an object of the very deepest concern to real Christians. Every aspect in which it can possibly be viewed goes directly to awaken our anxiety, and to prompt our endea yours, for its continuance and its progress. Believing, as we profess to do, that it has come from God, we cannot, consistently with that belief, be in any degree indifferent to its success, Even without having any particular knowledge of its tendency, its value, or its necessity, the very circumstance of its Divine original should make us not only respect and acquiesce in it our selves, but also feel desirous to secure for it, the respect and acquiescence of others. This is dictated by all that we owe to the wisdom and authority of him who has revealed it. But when we look to its intrinsic nature, and to its ultimate purpose when we contemplate the demonstra tion which it affords of the character and the government of the Supreme Being-when we see it glowing with the warmest affection, teeming with the richest benevolence to our fallen race-when we recollect how essential it is to the temporal comfort, and above all, to the everlasting salvation of man-then must we be urged on to the most strenuous exertions for maintaining and pro pagating it, by every feeling of compassion towards our fellow-men, and by every feeling of devotedness to the glory of God. Indeed, though it be not a conclusive proof, of our having experienced the power of religion in our own hearts, it is at least indispensable to the completeness of that proof-it is indispensable for showing deci sively that we have obtained enlightened views of the doctrine, and really imbibed the spirit, and become sensible of the paramount impor tance of the Gospel of Christ-it is indispensa ble, I say, for showing this, that we be zealous and active in defending it against the assaults of its adversaries, and in recommending it to the belief and obedience of our brethren. Now one method of accomplishing this is our faithful and devout observance of the Lord's Supper. There are various other methods more or less calculated to produce the same effect, and all of them it is our duty to employ só far as circumstances may warrant or require us thus to act; but of the one more immediately under discussion, we are entitled to say that it admits of no doubt as to its propriety and obligation. For while it is characterized by simplicity, and within the reach of every disciple of the Saviour, however poor and however humble, it is at the same time expressly appointed by our Lord, and enforced upon us by all the tenderness of a dying commandment. And our motives for having recourse to it as a means of upholding Christianity are completed, when we consider how admirably it is fitted to attain that end. The general tendency of such institutions to uphold the system which they are attached to, has been universally acknowledged. And if we needed such support, we might have recourse to the opinions and the practice of men of the world. They have their commemoration of eminent individuals-not merely for showing respect to the memory of the departed, but for perpetuating the recollection of their measures and the influence of their principles. And, alas! in thus endeavouring to immortalize men even of doubtful character, and to preserve the authority of opinions and systems which might have been safely |