ment and of the salvation of the gospel, will always lead us to exclaim intelligently with Paul; "But God forbid that I should glory, save in THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

An atonement has actually been made for sin, "that God might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus:" and it is important that the fact with all its instructive accompaniments should be universally remembered. Christ has accordingly instituted that significant festival of faith, called "the Lord's Supper," saying; "Do this in remembrance of me." The commemoration of the love of Christ in the atonement is the commemoration of the sum total of religion. Not a duty, a privilege, a relation, but connects itself with that glorious affair; and derives from it light, consolation, and encouragement. Can any man degrade or doubt the symbol, who duly estimates the reality? Friends often demand why we do not practise the papal pediluvium or feet-washing, since this is equally enjoined by Christ? I answer, because it is not equally enjoined, nor enjoined at all as a positive observance; because it was merely a symbolical or exemplary action of Christ, enjoining, as its whole moral force, kindness and service toward each other among all his disciples; and enjoining this in the most affecting circumstances. John, 13: 13-16. What then is the wisdom of that man, Barclay or any other, who can liken the atonement to the pediluvium, and calmly ask, if one is to be commemorated, why not the other? I adduce this as a proof

that none of them see the infinite worthiness of the atonement, that none of them properly understand or appreciate the vicarious death of the Son of God! Or, if any of them do see its glory, their vision is fitful and faint. Their atmosphere is so misty and hazy that the very sun looks like the moon eclipsed through such a medium. I scarce ever saw or heard or read a man or woman of them, whose knowledge of the matter was not shallow and puerile; even when comparatively most sound. How could it be otherwise? Those who never learn, can never teach and their inspiration does not vacate the sentiment. The orthodox of them, so called, as to the real science of the subject, the intellection of the things, the knowledge of the atonement with its relations and implications and glorious excellencies, are weak as water, shallow as the surface, almost as empty as mere verbiage can make them. Just so long as their preachers refuse to study theology, count it as a sin, get no knowledge but what they steal from better sources and then credit it to the honor of the light within; so long will their spiritual pedantry and religious quackery and doctrinal sottishness continue!

If Friends had obeyed Christ in this observance ; if they had "often" and every where commemorated his dying love, at the communion-table; if they had followed the wisdom of scripture, instead of their own illusory light; if this ordinance had been duly observed, explained, estimated among them from the beginning, they would not now

have preachers who denounce the doctrine of atonement, the only foundation of hope, and so "deny the Lord that bought them!" It may be safely affirmed that to slight the distinguishing truths contained in that observance, is a uniform and certain symptom of fatal degeneracy; and that it can no where be duly understood and honored where those truths are not ascendant and believed. It preaches the gospel to the very senses of men. In the bread that is broken, representing his mangled body, and the wine that is poured, representing his blood shed for our sins, are contained the hieroglyphics of redemptiou. It signifies the very vitals of evangelical religion. It has the same revelation to the scripture doctrine of justification which baptism sustains to that of sanctification; and both these united are the religion of the Bible in epitome. "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" Gal. 3: 1. It could have been manifested to their "eyes," only symbolically, in the ordinance of the Lord's Supper.

2. The manifest tendency of commemorating the death of Christ at the communion-table, is an argument for its divine authority.

If its tendency is good and not evil, then certainly nothing contrary to goodness is contained in it. But if that good is positive, great, favorable to the purest celebration of divine worship, this is of itself no mean argument in vindication of its divine

origin; and, in connection with other and greater evidence, it is most veritable proof. things; hold fast that which is good."

"Prove all

The actual tendency of a divine enactment is answerable to the design of God in its legislation. What then was the design of the communion service? I answer-to diffuse and perpetuate the devout knowledge of Jesus Christ to the end of time. "THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." 1 Cor. 11: 24-26. "O foolish Galatians," &c. Gal: 3:1. 1 Cor. 10: 16-21. The tendency of this service then is seen in its nature and design. It tends to define, establish, and promulgate christianity. It tends to the vindication of true religion in the earth. It tends in the same precise ratio to save the souls of men; to promote all their real temporal interests; to console the hopes and edify the faith of christians; to designate the church; to instruct all beholders in the cardinal things of the gospel; to maintain gratitude in the bosoms of men for the love of Christ; to aid the just interpretation of the scriptures; to symbolize salvation; to impress the mind with the very essentials of revelation; to preserve the distinguishing features of EVANGELICAL Worship; to show the nature of that one hope (founded on the only medium of salvation) which alone the truth of God authenticates; to rebuke all heretical innovations in doctrine, experience, or practice; to strengthen the trust of the believer; to bind in one the body of the faithful; to afford a most affecting,

appropriate, sanctioned way of professing, and reprofessing, the faith of Christ; to afford a visible, a universal, and a frequent discrimination between the church and the world, between "the sacramental host of God's elect" and the bewildered tribes of the ungodly; to induce humility, self-examination, prayer, praise, and joy in God; to habituate christians to remember Christ and their infinite obliga tions to his love; to remind them continually, "as often" as they so commune, of all their spiritual relations and prospects; constantly to revive in their feelings the grand object of apostolic toils and cares, "Jesus Christ and him crucified;" to make them think of others, imitate the love of Christ, and communicate the gospel to the destitute; to deepen all their devout impressions; to affect them with the expectation of their own death; to mature them for the heavenly state; to deaden them to the world and its evanescent glory; to perpetuate all the moral lessons of the cross; to testify the glorious fact of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead; to endear his name to his people; and to promote the conversion of sinners.

In short, what good end does religion sanction that the ordinance we are considering does not tend to produce? It symbolizes the atonement of our crucified Lord: and what the atonement was in fact, such symbolically is the Lord's Supper. To this view I will anticipate two objections, which however have been often urged. How, it is said, if the atonement was such in itself, such toward God, does