THE LORD'S SUPPER.

COMMUNION SERVICE

TABLE II.

WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatnefs of his ftrength? I that fpeak in righteousness, (replies the great Redeemer) mighty to fave. Wherefore, O Almighty Saviour! art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? I have trodden the wine-prefs alone, (faith he) and of the people there was none with me. I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold! therefore mine own arm brought falvation. Yea, my brethren, our adorable Redeemer trode the wine-prefs of the father's wrath, and

triumphed over principalities and powers in his own perfon alone; of the people there was none with him: for when he encountered the powers of darkness, they all forfook him and fled. But his heart was fo fully fet upon accomplishing the falvation of his church, that no difficulty which he met with could difcourhim from perfevering in it. Neither the rage and fury of his enemies, nor the treachery and timidity of his friends, could prevail to make him defift from his arduous undertaking, until he could say, "It is finished;" then he bowed his head and gave up the ghoft. Lift up your heads then, O ye gates, and

age

be

ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, that the king of glory may come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord, ftrong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; conqueror of sin, of fatan and of death. He fought, he bled, he died; but in dying he conquered. The strength of fin is the law; this ftrength he fubdued, by obeying the precepts of the law, and fuftaining the penalty due to our tranfgreffions. He deftroyed death, and difarmed it of its sting,

He alfo deftroyed him that hath the power of death, even fatan. He fhook, yea, he overturned the foundations of his kingdom, broke open his prifon doors, released his prifoners, delivered the prey out of the hand of the mighty, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a fhew of them, openly triumphing over them on his crofs. By this victory and triumph of our adorable Redeemer, his name is rendered famous forever: as the pious Pfalmift obferves, "his name for<< ever fhall endure, laft like the fun it fhall." Time, we know, has buried in oblivion many famous names and great events: and victories that have been celebrated with the utmost pomp that human invention could contrive, are now entirely forgotten. The marble pillars, the ftatues and monuments by which the great ones of the world hoped to perpetuate their names upon earth, are now gone to ruin and crumbled into duft, as well as their founders; but behold here a conqueror and a conqueft, the remembrance of which has been kept up in the world for many ages, and will

be kept, not only to the end of time, but even when time shall be no more, through the endlefs ages of eternity. It was to preferve the memory of this victory of our Redeemer, that the holy ordinance was inftituted which we are now met to celebrate. And I fervently pray, that this great and memorable event may be remembered by you with the most lively gratitude, while I deliver to you the facred fymbols, according to Chrift's appointment. "The Lord Jefus, the fame night in which " he was betrayed, took bread &c."

Lo I come, (faith the bleffed Redeemer) a body haft thou prepared for me. I delight to

do thy will, O my God. Behold here the unparalleled love of Jefus. He not only offered himself a facrifice of a fweet smelling favour unto God, his heavenly Father; but he rejoices that a body was given him to make him capable of fuffering in thy ftead, O penitent finner. He gave this very body to be broken, torn and wounded on thy account: Behold now by faith his broken body, and his blood fhed for the remiffion of your fins.

"After fupper, Jefus alfo took the

cup, &c."

Behold now, the goodness and the severity of God displayed at once in the cleareft point of view:-His goodnefs and mercy in fparing the guilty, and providing a facrifice in their room and ftead: Behold, on the other hand, the inflexible justice of God, and the infinite evil of fin, for which no lefs a facrifice would be accepted than the fhedding of Emanuel's blood. O Lord our God, how unfearchable are thy judgments, and thy ways past finding out! without controversy, great is the mystery of godlinefs, God manifeft in the flesh. Even angels are loft in wonder, while they pry into the mystery of redeeming love. Let us, therefore, turn away our eyes from beholding vanity. Let us turn afide and fee this great fight. Behold in the perfon of our Redeemer, the Godhead! the fullness of the Godhead united to all the infirmities of human nature, fin only excepted. Behold the eternal Word, who was in the beginning with God, and who was God, made flesh, dwelling upon earth in poverty and

in the death of your Redeemer,

P