the words before us, which form a part of that short piece of most sacred, solemn, and pathetic history, relative to our Lord's institution of his last supper with his disciples, before his crucifixion. This account is providentially similar to that in the 19th of Luke, concerning two disciples being sent to unloose a colt for the Lord to ride upon into Jerusalem, to which I can only refer you now, and proceed to explain the text, in the five following propositions, viz.

FIRST.--What is represented by a room, as here mentioned. SECONDLY. -- It was a large room. THIRDLY.--It was an upper room. FOURTHLY.--It was furnished and prepared. And, FIFTHLY.--The Lord says there make ready for us.

FIRST, then, a room is here and elsewhere mentioned,--because, places represent states, as what is natural or external, represents. what is spiritual or internal; and all things in the universe represent. man. A room, therefore, as it is a place of reception and abode, so also it signifies a spiritual state of reception. Hence it is said, there was no room for the Lord in the inn, at his nativity; because, he came

to his own and his own received him not, and he was despised and rejected of men. Hence also it is said, that "the son of man hath not where to lay his head." Some, however, did receive him, and make way for his coming, presence, and abode, as is evident from the text and other passages, both in an external and an internal sense.

Again: In the parable of the great supper; when the servant had obeyed his master's commands, in going into the streets and lanes, and bringing in the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind; the servant said, "Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." By room, therefore, is signified, the same as by house, viz. a place, or state of reception; and consequently heaven and the mind of man, which is the room wherein the Lord delights to dwell. Hence it is said, "the kingdom of God is within

you;

" and it is also said expressly, in several places, that the Lord dwelleth in us.' To represent and confirm this residence, all rooms, houses, and tabernacles, were made, The Lord dwells in every man, otherwise man could not exist; but unless man affection.

ately consents, welcomes the heavenly guest, removes impediments, and thus reciprocally verifies the acknowledgement of the Psalmist, "Lord thou hast been our dwel ling place in all generations," we cannot be said to be consecrated temples and holy habitations for the Divine Spirit.

The Lord is omnipresent, and not confined to place; and when his universal presence in space, and in the mind of man, is acknowledged and adored by us, then we find "a particular and acceptable place for the mighty God of Jacob.”

The reason why the mind of man is compared to a room, is, because the Lord alone is life in himself. We are only receivers. Our will-principle receives his divine love, our understanding his divine wisdom; and as no other subject, place, or being can do this, therefore man is the highest object of divine care, and the Lord continually applies himself to his reception; as it is written, "thus saith the Lord, heaven is my throne and the earth

is

my footstool: Where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine

hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: But to this man will I look, even to him, that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me." But,

SECONDLY, A large room is mentioned in my text; for the room I have been speaking of is large indeed! The infinite God hath planned and constructed it; it is adapted to the noblest, exalted, and most extensive purposes, as already mentioned. Surely it must be a large room to contain the King of Glory, with all his divine attributes, qualities, and perfections; and, behold, such is the mind of every human being he hath "created in his image and likeness." Hence, we are endowed with the most capacious desires, faculties, and inclinations; they are boundless and immeasurable; the extent of human genius, thought, and volition, is of an endless, increasing nature. No other termination, no other inferiority, no other limitation can be prescribed, but what the difference of infinite and finite

hath assigned: thus immortal man was created, and hath not long existed. But nothing but the fullness of the infinite Creator can satisfy his desires and continue with his existence. This perhaps is the best, as well as the shortest account we can give; all other comparisons between infinite and finite are presumptuous and ineffectual. But still the recipient must be capable of receiving what he is created to receive; viz. the divine love and wisdom of his God. And these are most extensive, because they comprehend and include every perfection, beauty, beatitude, and delight. All power, glory, and excellence is inseparably attached to these two universals of the divine existence and communications. What attainments in science, what acquisitions in spiritual wisdom, what improvements in virtue and holiness, is the soul of man capable of realizing; and therefore the volume of nature, of revelation, and of divine wisdom, is exceeding large. "The commandment of God is exceeding broad;" heaven is most extensive; and the Psalmist prays to have his heart enlarged, or purified from the narrowness of self-love, and

B