" After the same manner also the cup when He had supped." That is, I suppose, in the same way as He had taken the bread:with the same expression of thanks to God. And here again what a lovely scene of beauty these words would spread out before us if we had but hearts in some measure awake to such scenes,-quick to catch, and rejoice in such beauties. He-Jesus-who tells us that the bread is to remind us of His own sufferings under bruising- that the cup is to bring before the eyes of our hearts, His own life poured out in blood-He, as He takes these very emblems, gives thanks. Is it not passing wonderful, that, so to speak, the very victim should join in the praise that ascends at the altar where it suffers and is slain ? Meet and right it is, surely, that guilty rebels who see here another suffering in their stead-hear the bruising blows as they descend on His body, interposed to shield them-see the resulting life-blood forth flowing-meet and right it is that they should be thankful for the love for them that spared not even so infinitely precious a treasure -for the love that was in Him stronger than death, which many waters could not quench. But that He, already entering into the dark shadow of that scene that was to press the exceeding bitter cry from His lips – that He should "give thanks"! Wondrous thought, ponder it, O my soul, first for thyself ! Jesus was thankful that He was going to suffer for thee ! Yes, now I remember too, He hastened as one bound for the joys of love and home, to that bitter cross. Back to the memory come those words
spoken long ages before "I delight to do Thy will, O, my God !" And these again are caught up and echoed by a more recent utterance of the same beloved Person, after the same sort,'' I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." Now this baptism is in full view. The betrayer has gone forth on that errand which is the beginning of the end of these things – yea, in figure it is passed, the body is bruised in the bread, the blood is already poured forth in the cup, and His tender gracious heart rejoices at the fact and He gives thanks ! Listen, my soul; Oh, listen, my beloved brethren, to these words of joyful praise from His lips. There was "a joy set before Him " through all these sufferings, and He takes you and me into company with His heart in that joy. A sevenfold joy, surely, if we, again I say, had eyes to see, hearts to apprehend it.

First, God in a very solemn, official way, is glorified because His throne is now so firmly established, that whereas its foundations would have trembled at the slightest mercy shown to guilt, the whole moral universe would have been thrown into irredeemable chaos if He had forgiven a sinner, now such sinner may be embraced and kissed without a tremor anywhere. The "posts of the door" of God's house may rock at His awful presence before, but not after, the "live coal" has uttered its voice, done its work. Jesus for this gives thanks.

Second, God's own character is glorified; His justice satisfied; His holy nature rests; He is propitiated, and our Lord gives thanks.

Third, God His Father is in a more personal way honored; yea, more than He was dishonored by all
the overwhelming guilt of all of Adam's seed. Jesus hath added the "fifth part" to the trespass-offering. (Lev. 5:16.) God is richer, as we may speak, than before the first man robbed Him of His honor. Jesus the Second Man joys as He knows this, and gives thanks for bread and wine.

Fourth, God is thus fully displayed to a created universe in His unapproachable wisdom in thus making '' righteousness and peace to kiss each other, mercy and truth" to embrace. "Oh, the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! " Surely it is in itself a "Light that no man can approach unto." But it is a source of joy to Him who has made it manifest.

Fifth, our Lord Himself shall not now "abide alone." Precious corn of wheat as He is, dying,- fruitful shall He be, and shall have His place from henceforth "in the midst" of His brethren; a place He dearly loves, and this forms a large part of His joy.

Sixth, Love now may have its own way unchallenged. Straitened and shut up, poor Love has been behind the barriers of righteousness. Those barriers are down, the veil is rent, and Love escapes, not only to welcome, but to "seek the lost" no longer straitened. It is the joy of the Lord Jesus.

Seventh, eternity is secure. Songs of spontaneous fresh delight shall resound through the lengthened arches of that dwelling that God shall make with men, in which He may enjoy that most congenial work of Divine Love, of wiping away the tears from the eyes still brimming with earth's sorrows, and listening to the music of overfilled hearts forever.

Sevenfold joy this, shining with rainbow beauties in the very storm cloud of the scene here shown forth.

"After He had supped." Words introduced here doubtless to show in a picture that the Passover had now come to an end. The cup of the Lord's supper was no part of the paschal supper. This was over before the cup was taken. The Passover that He had so earnestly desired to eat with His own, before He suffered, was finished. It closed the long series of Passovers that began on that memorable night in Egypt. Much needed had that Passover been to keep His people in memory of an earthly deliverance, and to figure to spiritual intelligence the true Lamb of God, who should be "the propitiation for the sins of the world." For many centuries it had served, thus awakening, year by year, dormant memories, and kindling faith. No limit had been given to it at its inception:no "till He come" had indicated its cessation, but now it ceases, and a cup expressive of joy, that the Passover knew not, in a sense, takes its place.

For now we have a double thought in this cup that we drink. If "bread is to strengthen man's heart," the wine is to "make glad "that same heart (Ps. 104:), and well adapted indeed shall we find this cup if we truly drink it in the appropriation of faith. For mark, first the correspondence and yet difference between "the bread" and "the wine:" bruising is connected with each, both grain and grape are crushed, but in the former, we have actually the thing bruised. We eat what the millstone has crushed for us. In the latter we drink that which is the result of the bruising; and not without its beauties and significance is this. The former as we have seen, speaks of judgment being borne. The latter, then, tells us of judgment passed, and death accomplished. These two things complete man's appointment as a sinner; "it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment." Now

" As we behold the wondrous cross,
On which the Lord of glory died,"

it is as solemn as it is precious to see these two awful appointments fully borne; but, as the order of the bread and wine shows us, in the reverse order. First judgment and after this death. The blood flows forth with its clear and touching evidence of every thing finished, and we take the cup and find that blood is figured by "wine that maketh glad the heart of man " indeed. Beautifully adapted is wine to symbolize that death that told out all the measure of His love. Blood it speaks of, but blood as the token and measure of a love that could not stop till its object of saving was attained, and many waters could not quench, and which alone could make glad man's heart. For it is divine love for which the human heart (indeed, but too often unconsciously) thirsts. From God our spirits come, nor can they rest satisfied till they again reach that source-God. All the world is quite insufficient to fill the thirst of one human heart, as the experiences of "the King," pathetically told out in the book of Ecclesiastes, evidence. This cup, then, is the love of God, witnessed by the life of His chief Treasure given up for us. Oh, let us drink ! let us take it in ! Hear Him, the divine Host at our supper, speak:"Drink, O friends, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved ! " We shall not exhaust the fountain by all our thirsty drafts upon it ; our cup always and ever "runneth over." Here, then, we see the beauty of the wine being our symbol. It is an evidence of the bruising in judgment, sin, having been fully looked upon, and righteously dealt with, love may flow forth in all its breadth and length and depth and height, unchallenged and unhindered. Never would it do for the cup to precede the bread, it must follow it.

"This do in remembrance of Me." Mark the touching simplicity and condescending grace of these words. It is a command, but such a command as incarnate love alone could give. Not '' This do, and live for Me;" not "This do and devote thy all to My service;" not "This do and," even, "give thanks;" nothing that could, by any possibility, occupy us with ourselves, and make us distressed and sorry at our inability to come up to what He desires. Nothing but "remember." "In remembrance of Me." Affecting in its simplicity ! Oh, that rough human hands had ever been kept from it, and His people had been allowed to enjoy their feast as He desires, simply leaving memory free; as when we go sometimes to a drawer and take therefrom some simple object connected with one dearly loved in days gone by

"With easy force it opens all the cells where memory slept."

Memory alone does all the work needed. A worthless object in itself it may be; an old garment or what-not, but it brings back to the heart the person, and it does its work. Thus He puts into our hands "bread and wine," His body thus in death for us, and if the memory alone be free all shall be well. Tender thoughts, joy, and praise shall all follow in due course. F. C. J.

(To be continued.)