resulting from his meritorious death and passion. They were, henceforth, no longer Jews, under the Mosaic Covenant, with its secular blessings, and temporal rewards; but Christians, under the New Covenant, with its spiritual privileges, and everlasting sanctions. They were no longer to be considered, merely, as possessors of an earthly Canaan; but, through Christ, they had become inheritors of a better country, that is, a heavenly. The crown of their rejoicing was no longer to be, that they had Abraham for their father; but, that they had Jesus for their Redeemer,.. their Prophet, Priest, and King. Now, therefore, at this very time, the Lord Jesus had gathered the first-fruits of that rich harvest, which he was about to reap. Life and immortality had been brought to light; and he had a foretaste of those blessings, which were soon to be achieved for all men: first, by his sacrifice; and then, by his intercession.

Now, to procure these good gifts for men, was the very object for which the Son of God became incarnate. In the accomplishment, therefore, of this object, his glory, as the Son of man, consisted. Hence, Jesus was, at this very time, glorified, and God was glorified in him; glorified, if not before men, yet, at least, in the presence of those ministering spirits, who have ever been

interested in the welfare of our race, and desirous of looking into the mysteries of our salvation.

Our Lord now proceeded to address the assembled Apostles, on that new principle, according to which, as subjects of His kingdom, they were henceforth to act.

Little children, said he, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this, shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.*

The new commandment, is so clearly connected with the new sacrament, that, to be in charity with all men, has ever been enjoined by the Church, as a primary essential for the worthy reception of the eucharist. I cannot, therefore, conclude this lecture, more profitably, than by offering to your consideration a few plain remarks upon that law, the observance of which ever has been, and ever must be, the characteristic distinction of the true disciples of Jesus, and the real members of his spiritual kingdom.

The first question that arises, is, How is this a

* John, xiii. 33. 35.

new commandment? Even before the advent of our Saviour, philosophers had discovered, how much the welfare of society depends upon the cultivation of the social affections; and, consequently, they had recommended benevolence, as a virtue of the first importance, and the highest value. Many and beautiful are the passages, in which they attempt to prove, that benevolence, like virtue, is its own reward; and, by the idle hope of posthumous fame, the enthusiast has been allured to peril his body, and sacrifice his life, for his country's good. But it was a new thing, to command, as a positive, binding, and unalterable duty, that which had been hitherto considered, as rare, distinguishing, and immortalizing virtue. You observe the difference: philosophy regarded it as a virtue, reflecting the highest honour on the few who professed it; Christianity represents it as a necessary and essential duty, without the performance of which, faith being dead, we cannot really and in truth be the disciples of HIM, in whom alone we can hope for salvation.

But yet further. Our Lord holds up himself, as the pattern and example of what our benevolence ought to be: As I have loved you, that

And what manner of love is this, which Christ Jesus has thus evinced towards us? If we regard

him merely as the Son of man, then he is an example of the extent to which our love to mankind is to be carried. Because, as his beloved disciple observes, he laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.* And, even as the Author and Finisher of our faith endured the cross, despising the shame, on account of the joy which was set before him, the joy of exalting his human nature to the right hand of the throne of God; so, the hope that is laid up for us in heaven‡, the crown of righteousness, which awaits us from the righteous Judge, should cheer us, in the discharge of our duty to an ungrateful world; should strengthen us, when striving against sin, to resist even unto blood.

But, when we take a higher view; when we consider Jesus as the Son of GOD, one with the Fathers; by whom all things were created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; and when we remember, that this glorious Being, (who was from all eternity with God, that is, God the Father; and was God, that is, God the Son,) yet, made himself of no reputation, and appeared on earth in the

* 1 John, iii. 16. § John, x. 30.

+ Heb. xii. 2.
|| Col. i. 16.

Col. i. 5.
John, i. 1.

likeness of men; and, being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross*,.. when we view our Lord in this light, then, we observe another, and a more sublime feature, in his benevolence; namely, its disinterestedness. Surely, He must have been influenced, purely, by loving-kindness, compassion, and tender mercy, as disinterested, as they were incomprehensible,.. by lovingkindness, compassion, and tender mercy, for the apostate sons of a fallen race, who never can recompense him for his sufferings, and who, too often, requite his compassion with indifference, ingratitude, or even contempt. Herein, indeed, it is, that the love of God is pre-eminently commended to us; in that, while we were yet sinners, and, consequently, his enemies, enemies of the cross of Christ, Christ died for us.†

Not only is the commandment, new in this respect, but we may trace in it the grand distinction, also, between the divine ethics of the Gospel, and the various codes of philosophy, framed by mere worldly philosophers. By the latter, whether in ancient, or in modern times, an appeal is continually made, to the selfish feelings of our nature; while the whole tendency of

* Phil. ii. 7, 8.

+ Rom. v. 8.