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vine, until the kingdom of God fhall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, faying, + This is my body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewife alfo the cup after fupper, faying, This cup is the new teftament in my blood, which is fhed for you. is fhed for you. But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me, is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined; but wo unto that man by whom he is betrayed. And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was alfo a ftrife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, § The kings of the Gentiles exercife lordship over them, and they that exercife authority upon them, are called benefactors. But ye fhall not be fo; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth ferve. For whether is greater, he that fitteth at meat, or he that ferveth? is not he that fitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that ferveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and fit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael. And the Lord faid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath defired to have you, that he may fift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, ftrengthen thy brethren. And he

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↑ This is my Budy which is given for you. As if he had Ibis faid This is he reprefentation of my Body, which is given to Death, for you. Do it no longer in conmemoration of the Deliverance from Egypt, but in Remembrance of me, who, by dying for you, will bring you out of the fpiritual Bondage of Sin, (a Bondage far worse than the Egyptian) into the glorious liberty of the Children of God, Do it in a thankful Remembrance of me, who, by laying down my life, will ran fom you from Death and Hell; and fet open the Gates of Heaven, that you may enter Immortality in Triumph. The Kings of the Gentiles exercife, &c. From the manner in which Jefus compofed this contention of his Difciples it appears, that they are not to be accounted

the greatest Men who have the greatest and most abfolute power, or who pompously affume the Title of Benefactors (as fome of the Kings of Egypt and Affyriadid,) but that he is moft truly to be ftiled great who, with a condefcending Humility, is moft ferviceable to his Fellow Creatures, after the example of our Saviour.

And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, &c The Kingdom he e meant by Jefus was his mediational Kingdom over Mankind, by the Difpenfation of the Gofpel; in the propogation of which he hereby affures his Difciple, that they, as his Minifters fhould be next to him in Dignity and Office; thus giving Laws to the converted Tribes of the Ifrael of God throughout the World.

faid unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prifon and to death. And he faid, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. And he said unto them, When I fent you without purse, and fcrip, and fhoes, lacked ye any thing? And they faid, Nothing. Then said he unto them, *But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewife his fcrip: and he that hath no fword, let him fell his garment, and buy one. For I fay unto you, that this that is written, must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the tranfgreffors; for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives, and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he faid unto them, Pray, that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stones caft, and kneeled down and prayed, faying, + Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, ftrengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his fweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his difciples, he found them fleeping for forrow, and said unto them, Why fleep ye? rife and pray, left ye enter into temptation. And while he yet

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But now, be that hath a purfe, &c. When our Lord fent out his Difciples at firft to Preach the Gofpel, he ordered them to make no particular provifion for the purpose, but to rely wholly upon God, who would difpofe the Hearts of their Hearers to befriend and fupport them. But now, he tells them hat he was going to be treated as a Malefactor, they too must expect a different ufage from Mankind: and that it would be therefore wife to provide themfelves by Faith and Patience against the Trials and Afl Ctions that might befall them

★ Father, if thou be willing, &c. What a glorious pattern have we here fet before us of Patience and sa

tional Submiffion to the Will of God! Our Lord does not affect here a Stoical infenfibility of his approaching fufferings. On the contrary, He, in the lan guage of nature, pray'd to be delivered from them: yet because he knew the End and Neceflity of thore Sufferings, he meekly refigned himself to the Will of his heavenly Father. So likewife, as Chriftians, it is not expected of us, that we fhould be infenfible of the afflictions that befall us, or that we should not desire to be relieved from them: but that we hould always pray for deliverance, with an hum le fubmiflion to God's Will; accounting that to be the best which he is pleafed to do for us.

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fpake, behold, a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jefus to kifs. him. But Jefus faid unto him, Judas, betrayeft thou the Son of man with a kiss? When they who were about him, faw what would follow, they faid unto him, Lord,' fhall we fmite with the word? And one of them fmote the fervant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jefus anfwered and faid, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Then Jefus faid unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders who were come to him, Be ye come out as against a thief, with fwords and ftaves: When I was daily with you in the temple, ye ftretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour,. and the power of darkness. Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priests house, and Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the halk, and were fet down together, Peter fat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him, as he fat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and faid, This man was also with him. And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. And after a little while, another faw him, and faid, Thou art alfo of them. And Peter faid, Man, I am not. And about the space of one hour af ter, another confidently affirmed, faying, Of a truth this fellow alfo was with him; for he is a Galilean. And Peter faid, Man, I know not what thou fayeft. And immediately, while he yet fpake, the cock crew. ‡ And the Lord turned, and looked upon Pe

Judas, betrayef thou the Son of Man, &c. There is fomething remarkably affecting in almost every word of this Reproach. Judas! betrayeft thou?-cant tbou be guilty of fuch a malicious design against my life? Again, Judas, betrayeft thou ?-Canft thou, my Servant and Difciple act fuch a perfidious part?―Judas! betrayeft thou the Son of Man Canft thou be fo ungrateful to him who has always fhewn himself fo gracious a Master to thee -Judas, betrayeft thou the Son of Man with a Kifs ?-Canft thou act fuch an bypocritical part, as to make the fymbol of Love, the fignal of Treafon? Let us take heed that the Ma Lice, Perfidioufnefs, Ingratitude, and Hypocrify which

thus aggravated the crime of Judas, be not chargeable upon us.

This is your Hour, &c. i. e. This is the time in which it is permitted you to exercife your malice, and effect your bloody defigns against me.

↑ And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, &e. With fuch a Look what heart muft not have been pierced that had been in Peter's fituation! For however mild our Saviour's look might be on this occafion yet to be fixed upon that frail Apoftle at a time when he who had pr feffed fuch zeal for his Master's fervice was denying him with loud Oaths and Imprecations; and when that Matter was fuffering the bitter taunts and feoffs and

ter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had faid unto him, Before the cock crow, thou fhalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. And the men that held Jefus mocked him, and fmote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they ftruck him on the face, and asked him, faying, Prophefy, who is it that fmote thee? And many other things blafphemously spake they against him. And as foon as it was day, the elders of the people, and the chief priests, and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, faying, Art thou the Chrift? Tell us. And he faid unto them, If I tell you, you will not believe. § And if I also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter fhall the Son of man fit on the right hand of the power of God. Then faid they all, art thou then the Son of God? And he faid unto them, Ye say that I am. And they faid, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

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Thursday before Eafter.

The Epiftle. I Cor. 11. 17.

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this that I declare unto you, I praise you not; not that come together, not for the better, but for the worse. For firft of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divi fions among you, and I partly believe it. For there must be alfo herefies among you, that they who are approved, may be made manifeft among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, * this is not to eat the Lords fupper: for in eating, every one

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infults of an ungrateful people.-Surely it must fill him with the fharpelt compunction and remorfe; and we need not wonder to find that he went out and wept bitterly. Such are the reflections which naturally arise in our Minds upon this Event. And yet how many can go on impenitently, and with ut concern, in a courfe of iniquity, though the Eye of God is continu ally upon them, who feeth the very fecrets of their hearts; and from which no darkness nor, fhadow of death can conceal them.

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§ And if I also afk you, you will not answer me, &c. That is, if I ask your opinion of the proofs which I

have given of my being fent from God, you will not give me an anfwer, nor let me go, even though I should offer the strongest arguments in my favour.

*This is not to eat the Lord's Supper. It may be ob ferved here that in the primitive Church it was cuf tomary to bring to their religious Affemblies, every one as he was able or difpofed, Bread and Wine for a common Entertainment; which was called a Feoft of Love. The defign of which was to exprefs and main tain Friendship and Concord, andChriftian Unity Out of the provifions which were brought for this occafion, a part was referved, and confecrated for the Holy Sa

taketh before other his own fupper: and one is hungry, and another. is drunken. What, have ye not houfes to eat and to drink in? or defpife ye the church of God, and fhame them that have not ?. What shall I fay to you? fhall I praife you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which alfo I delivered. unto you, that the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner alfo he took the cup when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the New Teftament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it in remem brance of me, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this. cup, ye do fhew the Lords death till he come. Wherefore, * whofoever fhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unwor thily, fhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. + But let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not difcerning the Lords body. For this caufe many are weak, and fickly among you, and many fleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we fhould not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

foever by the irregular indecent practice, beforementioned, thall profane this Holy Sacrament, they treat Chrift with a contempt like his Murtherers.

rament; which was generally administered after the Love Feat. But this cuftom became at length abufed. For instead of eating in common (according to the first inftitution,) feveral took upon them to eat their portions feparately, whereby they that were poor, and could bring little, were hungry; and they that were rich, and had brought much ate and drank to a riotous excefs: making no diftinction between the Lord's Sup per, and a common diforderly feaft, and turning what For be that eateth and drinketh unworthily, &e. That was intended to promote religion, into an occafion of is, He that eateth and drinketh in the indecent and difintemperance and profanenefs. Thereby forgetting the orderly manner in which the Corinthians did, (whom end of the inftitution of the Sacrament, which was, St. Paul reproves) provoke God to inflict his Judg "the eating Bread, and drinking Wine in a thank-ments upon them; as he did upon the Corinthians. ful remembrance, of what Chrift Jefus has done and Concerning whom we are told, that for this cause ** fuffered for us." fame were weak and fickly, and many died.

+ But let a Man examine himself, &c. That is, before every approach to this Sacrament, it is proper, that a man examine into the difpofition of his mind, that he come with due reverence to fo holy an Ordinance and with Charity to those for whom Christ died.

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• Whofoever all eat this Bread, &c. That is, who

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