afflictions, our religion does not exert its full influence on our hearts and lives. We can all acquire such a degree of christian goodness in this life as to secure almost uninterrupted enjoyment. All we need is habitual reflection, constant self-discipline, persevering self-cultivation. Some of us will indeed have much more to accomplish for ourselves than others, owing to our different constitutional temperaments; our different educations, trials, employments, situations and conditions; our different states of character, health, habits and opinions. All of us will have something to do; and whether our work be easy or difficult, we can succeed only by persevering exertion.

No.

In what I have said I would not be misunderstood. I am not saying that there are no evils in human life, or that they are unattended with pain and sorrow. All the afflictions of our mortal pilgrimage I take into consideration, and cheerfully admit their depressing tendency. But I contend that our Father created us for ever-increasing and never-ending felicity. I contend that he has endowed us with the capacities, and furnished us with the means for continual enjoyment. I contend that he has given us the gospel to raise us above the necessary evils of our condition, and to save us from the misery which ever attends or follows disobedience, and to qualify us for spiritual happiness in life and death and eternity. And I further contend, that it is as much a christian duty to be always joyful, as to obey any other injunction of the Scriptures; and that there can be no better evidence of our discipleship than our compliance with this requisition. Will you then conform to the requisitions of Jesus and secure this invaluable blessing?

SERMON XIV.

BY REV. MOSES G. THOMAS,

OF CONCORD, N. H.

A 380 CIATIONS AWAKENED BY THE LORD'S TABLE.

1 CORINTHIANS X. 16.

THE CUP OF BLESSING WHICH WE BLESS, IS IT NOT THE COMMUNION OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST? THE BREAD WHICH WE BREAK, IS IT NOT THE COMMUNION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST?

The following was one among the ceremonies of the Jewish Passover. A cup having been filled with wine, thanks were given and a blessing invoked, after which it was drunk in grateful remembrance of God's goodness in delivering the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage, and in sparing their first born while those of their oppressors were destroyed. It was called the 'cup of blessing.' In allusion to this circumstance in the observance of the Passover, the Apostle calls the wine drunk in remembrance of Christ's death the cup of blessing.' He proceeds in an interrogatory form to show, that partaking of this cup and of bread in remembrance of Jesus is indicative of such a union with him as would be inconsistent with idolatry; against which it was his design particularly to guard the Corinthians.

It is not intended to follow the Apostle in dissuading from idolatry, but rather in relation to the union of Christ and his disciples, which is strengthened as well

as indicated by the commemorative supper and the associations it awakens.

It is common on entering our churches to see at the altar bread and wine placed before the congregation. These memorials, which for nearly two thousand years have been before the Christian Church, awaken the most solemn and interesting associations in a few minds, while there are doubtless many who regard them without emotion and without any definite views. Some perhaps see no meaning in them; and others think nothing about them. A little reflection will teach us that they are far from unmeaning, and when properly viewed are fraught with affectionate and serious interest, giving additional solemnity to the place of worship.

The first thoughts that are awakened in view of the Lord's table, are those which relate to the last hours of his life and his crucifixion. As soon as we behold it, the mind reverts to the evening which he spent with his disciples in an upper room at Jerusalem, and to the hill of Calvary. We are reminded of the affectionate manner in which he prepared the twelve for the event of his death, and of the consolation he afforded them by the assurances he gave and the truths he revealed. In this respect the elements are like other memorials. When we enter the halls of legislation and see them adorned with the portraits of great and good men, we are at no loss as to the meaning of these memorials. When we see a monument erected where blood has been shed or the slain buried, the transactions of the place are recalled with lively interest. And when we book on some memorial which a departed friend has left us, how readily are we reminded of that friend, and of

his virtues and his love; how freely gush the tears of affectionate remembrance! Why may not all see the same meaning in these memorials of Jesus? He is indeed a friend, who hath gone to the world of spirits. He is the unwearied, the universal friend of man, and these memorials hath he left us of a love stronger than death. Who then that will weep over the tokens of buried love, can regard without emotion these tokens of the love of Jesus? Who that preserves with a carefulness bordering on superstition the relics of kindred, to remind him of their virtues and their love, can behold these sacred relics of Jesus without being reminded of his virtues and his love? We cannot gather around them and not remember him, any more than a child can sit by a parent's grave forgetful of the character of one beloved and gone. And as the dutiful and affectionate child there recalls what that parent hath done for him and the instruction he hath given, so does the Christian with emotions equally strong and tender recall what Christ hath done for him and the instruction he hath given, when beholding the memorials of his sufferings and death. It is impossible for him to forget these things so long as he frequents the communion-table. Jesus bade us partake of these emblems with a view to this remembrance. And as we break the bread, are we not reminded of his hands and feet broken by the nails of the cross? As we pour the wine, are we not reminded of his blood shed for the remission of sins? The symbols are so striking, that the affectionate disciple may well be moved as he breaks the bread, and his heart be touched at so vivid an image of the flowing blood of Christ. When we add the reflec

tion so immediately suggested, that he endured these sufferings to assure us of an existence after death, that it was a price he willingly paid to bring life and immortality to light, we learn to prize more as we ought the truth he so painfully diclosed. How emphatically then may we say, that the that the cup which we partake is the communion of the blood of Christ,' and the bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ.'

The communion table is also a witness to us of some of the most stupendous miracles recorded in the Gospels. When spread in the presence of a congregation, it is a witness to all, of that scene over which the heavens were veiled in appalling gloom, and beneath which the earth trembled, the rocks were riven, and the graves gave up their dead. It is then a deep-meaning

memorial of Him before whom the heavens are bowed and the earth trembleth and is obedient. It vividly recalls the manifestations of God in power and glory to the children of men. It speaks to us of the Almighty, -of the majesty in which he bare witness to that death on Calvary. If ever the house of worship is sacred to God, it is so when the disciples of his Son have there spread mementos of his most glorious manifestations to the world. If ever the faint-hearted disciple is rebuked with unfaithfulness in the day of trial, it is at the table of him who was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

But other associations than those immediately connected with the last hours of the Saviour's life, and the manifestations of Divine power and glory,are awakened by this rite. It addresses itself to every class and condition of men. Are there those who rejoice in prospe