by the assurance-My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' We, too, have been imploring him to spare and prolong your life; and he has answered, not according to our hopes, but by the rich bestowals of his grace, and by strengthening you with might, by his Spirit, in the inner man.' "O yes," she replied, "there it is! It is might in the inner man. Blessed be his name, he has given it me! I find from my increased weakness in getting up this afternoon, that I shall never walk down stairs again; and if my weakness continue thus to increase, I shall not be able to get up much longer; but then I shall exchange earth for heaven-yes, for heaven! Oh! the word itself is sweet-but Jesus and his atoning blood are sweeter still! I love to hear even the name of him who died to redeem unworthy me. Her expression of sentiments thus alternately lofty and abasing, was in strict accordance with their characters; and the scenes presented on these and some other occasions, will never be forgotten by those who witnessed them. Scarcely, indeed, was it possible to witness, without sentiments of adoring gratitude, the kindlings of her spirit as it rose from its lowly acknowledgments of unworthiness to rapturous admiration of the mercy, exultant joy in the favour, and the merging of its will and wishes in the will of God. Nor was it less interesting to mark the manifestations of those kindlings in the eye, now letting drop the penitential tear, and then beaming with delight-in the features, passing rapidly from the enervation of godly sorrow to the smile of peace, and the energy of unflinching determination and extatic joy-and in the voice, expressing in softest, sweetest accents, though at first broken by her cough and the weakness of the organs of respiration, her feelings of contrition; then rising in strength, and rapidity, and emphatic force, till, as though bursting through and defying the physical weaknesses with which it had been struggling, it presented all the characteristics of the most fervid eloquence. Seldom is the all-sustaining power of the grace of God so strikingly evinced. Her soul, filled to overflowing with the water of life, poured forth the living streams with a copiousness and constancy which at once astonished and refreshed all around her. Former reserve was thrown off. The entranced spirit, basking in the unclouded light of God's reconciled countenance-wrapped up in the visions of heavengazing by faith on the eternal throne, and feeling itself under the floods of radiance gushing therefrom, reflected the glory, and made every heart a partaker of its joy. Even those to whom she was most dear, and whose trembling anxieties were directed to the preservation of her life—a life rendered still more precious to them by these developments of Christian principles, found themselves irresistibly borne up with her to the summit of the mount she had gained; while the conviction that they were soon to lose a treasure so justly prized, forced from the bosom the sigh of grief, and from the eye the gushing tear, they were constrained to feel the genial warmth of that love which glowed so intensely in her heart, to participate the joy that inspired her spirit, and to pour out their souls with hers in thanksgivings to that God who had so highly honoured, and so richly blessed her. (To be concluded in our next.) THE TWO THRONES.-God has two thrones; one in the highest heavens, the other in the hearts of his believing people. ORIGINAL ESSAYS, COMMUNICATIONS, &c. A DISCOURSE ON THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. BY THE REV. B. EARNSHAW. THE chapter in which the evangelist Matthew records the institution of this holy ordinance, contains some of the most awfully interesting facts that can possibly engage the attention of mankind. The Jews plotting the destruction of the Saviour-Judas betraying him into the hands of his enemies—the defection of Peter-the agony of the garden, and its attendant circumstances, and the consequences which followed, are certainly most affecting and impressive. The sword of justice now smote the Shepherd of Israel. The cup of Divine wrath did not pass from him; he drank it to the very dregs, nobly sustaining the appalling catastrophe. As the terrific scene deepened and thickened around him, he rejoiced in spirit, and in strains of exultation and triumph cried, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me." The effects of the travail of his soul now rose to view. He saw a lost world emerging from the ruins of the fall-the defeated hosts of darkness receding from the combat in confusion and dismay-all the high attributes of the Godhead mingling their beams, and shedding benign influence on the forlorn condition of man. Satan, our wily adversary, had doubtless calculated at this crisis on the utter destruction of Jesus-the annihilation of his cause the establishment of his own empire with uncontrolled dominion: but his schemes, which had hitherto been so wonderfully successful, now began to fail. He had been unconsciously executing the high purposes of infinite wisdom, and eternal mercy. When these were accomplished, the pillars of his throne gave way; an invisible power convulsed his empire, and caused it to heave and tremble as with an earthquake. The point at which he expected all would be gained, all was lost. The climax of the Redeemer's sufferings, was the climax of confusion to Satan; of deliverance and salvation to man. It was in reference to the gracious empire he was about to establish, that Jesus instituted the memorials of his love—an empire which is to stretch over the vast extent of seas, and islands, and continents, and fill the world with righteousness, and freedom, and holiness, and peace. Jesus loved, and still loves his genuine disciples. He deeply sympathizes with them in all their weaknesses, privations, and afflictions, remembering their frame, that they are but dust. He knew that in this world of sin and sorrow, there would be a proneness in them to forget his name; that, surrounded with allurements, temptations, difficulties, dangers, and enemies, the impressions of his kindness might not only be impaired, but even erased from their minds. To counteract this tendency, and enliven their expectation of his return in glory, he appointed the frequent commemoration of his sufferings and death. In strains of tenderness and endearment peculiar to himself, he said, "Do this, in re membrance of me." Dr. Watts, in one of his sacramental hyms, caught the meaning of those tender expressions so vividly in the following lines, that we think they cannot be repeated without producing in the believer's soul a corresponding emotion, "Do this, he cries, till time shall end, In memory of your dying Friend; At We In this ordinance we pledge our fidelity to Christ and his cause. the communion-table the vows of the Lord our God are upon us. are engaged in a most interesting exercise. While our love is ascending to God in supreme adoration, in fervent gratitude, in songs of praise, his love is descending upon us, in choicest influence, in rich blessings, in reviving joys, filling our souls with holy and heavenly delight. The scene exhibited on these occasions is most sublime. Angels admire it. The God of heaven sheds over it his approving smile. "They are my people," says he, "and I will be their God." Here the august Sovereign of the universe makes over himself, and all that he hath, to those who believe in his Son. "They are children, and if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." We see, therefore, how necessary simplicity, godly sincerity, faith and love, are on these occasions. "As Let us consider this ordinance in the time of its institution. they were eating," that is, as the disciples were eating the last passover supper with their divine Master, at the close of which, Jesus in his own name, and with supreme authority, took bread and wine, and constituted them the sacred emblems of his sacrificial death, and which are to continue so, in the Christian church, to the end of time. The Jewish passover was primarily appointed for the purpose of commemorating the kindness of heaven in sparing the Israelites, when the destroying angel passed through the land of Egypt. Various plagues had been sent by the Lord for the purpose of subduing the heart of that proud and haughty monarch, and of effecting the deliverance of his people. But instead of softening his heart, they hardened it, and he became more impious, despotic, and cruel. This rendered necessary a clearer, a more alarming demonstration of the existence, majesty, and supremacy of Israel's God. For this purpose an awful decree went forth. The angel of death sustained its execution. He entered the habitations of the rebellious, and by one sweeping act of vengeance, cut off the firstborn, both of man and of beast. The flower of their population, the glory of their strength, perished in a moment. But mark the security of God's people. They had sprinkled blood-the blood of the paschallamb-on the door-posts of their houses, according to Divine appointment, and as the destroying angel passed, when he saw the sacred sign, he could not enter those hallowed doors. Thus in the midst of general devastation and death, we see the servants of the God of Israel in safety and in peace. So extraordinary an interposition ought to be commemorated. The mercy and the vengeance, the deliverance and the overthrow, are equally signal and illustrative, and should be perpetuated through all the successive ages of time. The right hand of the Lord is exalted, and the fame of his mighty acts shall be spread through all lands. The Jewish passover strikingly typified the mediation of Christ. It shadowed forth a spiritual deliverance-the deliverance of the soul from the thraldom of sin, and Satan, and the world. This is an emancipation of immense value, and has connected with it the richest enjoyments of the Divine favour-the most signal achievements in the Christian warfare-the transformation of the soul into the image of God-its final advancement to glory, and honour, immortality, and eternal life. The Paschal Lamb was taken from the flock of the first year, without blemish, roasted with fire, its blood was sprinkled, and it was eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. All these typical circumstances are beautifully illustrated in the person and work of the Redeemer. He was taken from among his brethren, and cut off in the prime of life, in the meridian of his strength. He was without blemish, without taint, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. The fire of Divine wrath descended upon him in all its power and fierceness; under the pressure of which his soul was in an agony, and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. His blood is sprinkled on the consciences of those that believe, purging them from dead works that they may serve the living God. When we approach the table of the Lord in penitence and faith, with devout affection and holy joy, we enter into the very essence of the Christian passover. We then feel that we are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. In this way we keep the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, not with the old leaven of malice and hypocrisy, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, and know by joyous experience, that Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. 2. Let us consider the Lord's Supper in the manner of its institution. "He took bread and blessed it," or asked a blessing over it, and upon it, praying that the disciples whilst eating it might be led to him the bread of life-feast on the riches of his love in this world, and finally share in the joys and triumphs of the world to come. He also took the cup and gave thanks to the Father, who is the bountiful donor of all the blessings we enjoy both temporal and spiritual, and to whom devout acknowledgments must be presented, for he is entitled to all blessing and all praise. As bread is the most salutary and universal of all viands, and as wine is the most valuable and refreshing of all cordials, they necessarily formed the most familiar and suitable elements for this purpose that could possibly be selected. By prayer and thanksgiving our Lord consecrated the bread and the wine, that is, he set them apart to this sacred use. We cannot suppose* that on this occasion any change took place in the natural properties either of the bread and the wine. In this respect they remained the same, with a single exception; they were now devoted to the service and worship of God, and constituted the sacred emblems of the broken body and shed blood of our divine Lord; outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace; sensible means of spiritual communion with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. In this point of light exclusively, the Redeemer intended them to be considered in the church to the end of the world. The manner in which the Redeemer instituted this ordinance, clearly prescribes the manner in which we ought to receive it. When we approach the table of the Lord, it should always be with prayer and thanksgiving. *Such a supposition would be replete with confusion and absurdity, and would identify us with the gross superstitions, the disgusting and idolatrous practices, of the Roman church. And what are the blessings for which we are more especially to pray on these occasions? For light, that we may discern the body of the Lord Jesus; for feeling, that we may enter deeply, tenderly, piously into this sacred scene; for faith, that we may lay hold on the atoning sacrifice, and appropriate its blessings to our souls; for strength, that we may vanquish our spiritual adversaries, and shout victory through the blood of the Lamb; for purity, that we may experience the efficacy of that blood which cleanseth from all sin; be sanctified wholly, body, soul, and spirit, and be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we pray to the Lord, with the spirit and with the understanding, in fervour and faith, our prayers will effectually draw down upon us the riches of the Divine favour, and we shall comprehend with all saints the great dimensions of a dying Saviour's love, and be filled with the fulness of God. When we approach the table of the Lord, it should be with thanksgiving and praise. And in this ordinance we have enough to excite us to the performance of this interesting and most delightful duty. That heart must be hard indeed that experiences no enlivening, heavenly emotion on these occasions. The humiliation of the manger, the conflict of the wilderness, the agony of the garden, the melting scenes of Calvary, the Saviour rising from the dead for our justification, ascending in triumph to heaven, shedding forth the life-giving influences of the Divine Spirit, and appearing in the presence of God for us, are acts of love which can neither lose their sweetness nor their efficacy on the devout mind. When these acts are exhibited in their native simplicity and grandeur, and rightly understood, they send forth a delighted wave of sensibility and joy through the assemblies of the saints, purifying, expanding, enriching their souls, making them fruitful in every good word and work. So striking a development of the ancient counsels of wisdom and grace; the effulgence of a Godhead beaming forth on a fallen world; the world itself conquered, and the god of the world taken captive and led in chains; death disarmed, and the grave converted into a peaceful resting place; heaven in rapture, and hell in confusion, are things which touch every chord in the pious soul, and cause them to vibrate in sweet and holy harmony, singing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody to God in their hearts. These things are designed, and wonderfully calculated to excite in our souls the liveliest emotions of penitence and self-abasement—the warmest gratitude to God-the strongest attachment to Christ and his cause-the most zealous endeavours to promote his interest and glory in the world—the most delightful anticipations of immortal bliss. Such are some of the scenes which pass in review at the table of the Lord. (To be concluded in our next.) PRACTICAL EFFECT OF CHRISTIANITY. LORD BARRINGTON once asked Collins the infidel writer, how it was that, though he seemed to have very little religion himself, he took so much care that his servants should attend regularly at church? He replied, "To prevent their robbing or murdering me." To such a character how applicable are these words, "Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee." |