we can admit that this should be the case with respect to the other sacramental ordinance of Baptism. If the gospel had but lately been conveyed to any individual, and if, after being fully instructed in its doctrines, promises, and obligations, he had solemnly professed to be thoroughly convinced of its truth, and to believe in Christ, as "the power of God, and the wisdom of God," for salvation, would it be consistent with such a profession, or with the duty which the Scriptures themselves distinctly intimate that he owes to Christ, for him to neglect, or even needlessly to postpone, that public announcement of his faith, for which, in the ordinance of Baptism, a special provision has been made? In all such cases, is not the language of the New Testament, "Arise, and be baptized"-" Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ?" Should it not be the enquiry of such convert, "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" and should not the answer to him be, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest? (Acts ii. 38; viii. 36, 37; and xxii. 16.) Both of these ordinances rest on the same authority; the commandment requiring the observance of the one, is as express as that requiring the observance of the other; and if there exists in the case of any individual that faith which would justify his reception of Baptism, there exists that faith which makes it incumbent on him, when he has an opportunity, to join in the celebration of the Lord's Supper.

And while the obligation of observing the Lord's Supper, is thus manifestly one which lies on all who may warrantably be regarded as his disciples, it must evidently appear, from what has been already stated, that this obligation rests entirely on the express command of Him by whom the ordinance was instituted. "The word of God is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him." He, and he only, has the right to prescribe the religious worship which we ought to render to him, and the ordinances which we

ought to observe. It is our duty to keep them pure and entire, without any unhallowed admixture or unauthorized addition, and without any careless omission or impious curtailment. But although, on this principle, the obligation to observe the ordinance of the Supper, arises entirely out of the express command of Him by whom it was instituted, and of whom it was intended to keep up the devout and grateful remembrance, there are various considerations by which obedience to this command is very specially and powerfully recommended. To these, in their order, let us briefly direct our attention.

1. The observance of the Lord's Supper is recommended by the consideration, that it is, in the highest sense, a reasonable service. Christ is infinitely worthy to be had in remembrance, and he must appear to be so to all who have been enlightened and enabled to believe in him. Not only is he a person of the most transcendent dignity, but he came into the world for the accomplishment of an object of the most unparalleled magnitude and glory; for the accomplishment of this object he stooped to the utmost depths of an unheard-of humiliation, and underwent the most overwhelming accumulation of mental anguish and bodily suffering; and in all this he was actuated by a feeling of such ineffable compassion and loving-kindness to the souls of men, as was equalled only by his profound and manifest concern for the glory of the Father-of that God with whom he thought it not robbery to be equal. His success was as complete as his undertaking was benevolent and glorious; and as the best proof of his being entitled to receive glory of men, and especially to be remembered and admired by all them that believe, it is declared and demonstrated, that "God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." The ordinance, too, in which his disciples are required to celebrate and remember him, is one which, with all its beautiful simplicity, is admirably fitted for its purpose. By its

beautiful and significant symbols, it sets before them almost all the leading and peculiar doctrines of the gospel; the most amazing circumstances connected with his personal dignity, as being at once the eternal Son of God and yet a partaker of the nature of man; and, in particular, the nature, the cause, the importance, the efficacy, and the glorious consequences of his death. And while all these, circumstances unite in illustrating the reasonableness of this holy ordinance, it is not undeserving of attention, that it is one which imposes no hardship that it implies no costly sacrifice of time or of substance that it requires no distant or toilsome journey, no serious interruption to the ordinary business of life, and no inconvenient separation from the society and superintendence of our own families. Although, therefore, the obedience which is due to the express command of Christ in regard to this ordinance, does not need to be enforced by these or any other considerations-although the divine authority of that command is, or ought to be, sufficient to enforce the obedience which it requires, yet it is impossible not to feel how much the consideration of its manifest and entire reasonableness must increase the guilt of failing to obey it.

2. Óbedience to the command of our Lord is recommended by a sense of the gratitude which is due to him. Men are accustomed to keep up the remembrance and celebrate the discoveries, inventions, achievements, or munificence of those who have, in any of these respects, conferred on them distinguished and lasting benefits. To express their gratitude, and perpetuate the remembrance of those gifts or performances which have called it forth, they are accustomed to record them in history, to erect monuments, and to hold anniversaries, in honour of their departed benefactors; or, when these latter forms of commemoration are not adopted, the public gratitude is perhaps still more affectingly expressed, by pointing from age to age to the visible and

imperishable results of their doings, and by imbuing the youthful minds of each successive generation with a mingled feeling of admiration and gratitude for all that was profound in their wisdom, noble in their benevolence, magnanimous in their conduct, heroic in their sufferings, devoted in their patriotism, or sublime in their religion. But what benefactor of mankind had ever such claims on their gratitude and admiration as the Lord Jesus Christ? The benefits and effects of his undertaking have not been confined to any age or country. That undertaking has not been limited to temporal or terrestrial objects. He has brought redemption to his people, and that the redemption of their immortal souls a redemption, too, not obtained by "corruptible things, as silver and gold," but by his own 66 precious blood." He has redeemed them from the curse of the divine law, being made a curse for them; and not only so, but he has brought in everlasting righteousness, through faith, in which the chief of sinners may be justified. Nay, he has, at the same time, obtained for them the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, so that they shall be sanctified wholly, and finally made partakers of glory, and honour, and immortality. If, then, even "the righteous" among men "shall be in everlasting remembrance," with what peculiar fervour of gratitude ought "JESUS CHRist the RIGHTEOUS" to be remembered! And how ready ought his professing disciples to be, to remember him in the sacred, sublime, and endearing ordinance which he has instituted for this very purpose, and which thus becomes, by itself, an additional ground for their gratitude and love!

3. Obedience to Christ's express command regarding the observance of the Supper, is further recommended by a regard to his honour and interests in the world. In the case of mere human benefactors, there is no way in which we can promote their interests after they are removed from the scene of their earthly labours. We may

cherish toward them the sincerest gratitude, and load their memories with the highest honours; but they have ceased to have any further connexion with the world in which they lived, "neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." We may honour them by prosecuting and seeking to advance those objects which were peculiarly dear to them while they sojourned on earth, but they have no longer personally any interest here that we are capable of promoting. The case is very different with respect to Him who was "the Saviour and the Friend of man.' Though no longer tabernacling with men upon the earth, he is so far from having been entirely separated from its concerns, that he is ruling and superintending the whole of them, in subordination to the display of his glory and the spread of his gospel. He is still "touched with the feeling of our infirmities," and by the very fact that he commands us to observe a special ordinance in remembrance of him, distinctly shows that he has not ceased, and never will cease, to feel the deepest interest in that great and glorious undertaking, of which only one part was accomplished before he reascended into heaven. His kingdom on earth has not yet attained to any thing like its appointed magnitude or prosperity. The gospel has not yet been preached to every creature. His saving health has not yet been made known to all nations. Multitudes are yet to be converted to the belief and obedience of the truth, who, though not unaccustomed to the sound of it, are still entire strangers to its power. He is still engaged in an enterprise which he is pleased to prosecute through the instrumentality of those who have already avowed themselves as his disciples. He is pleased to honour them by making them, in this respect, workers together with himself; and it is partly by the conspicuous testimony which they bear to the world around them, in the celebration of this holy ordinance, that they contribute to the furtherance of this illustrious and most