bread and drinking that cup worthily. From this position there is no escape.

Our duty and interest, therefore, lie in the same course-let us examine ourselves.

And having done this, and designing thoroughly in our hearts to amend for the future, even though we should feel persuaded that we may not at all times be able to live up to the knowledge of our duties, yet, if we mean to try to do so, and have a proper sense of the solemnity of our Lord's institution, we may approach, I hope, with confidence his holy table.

And, indeed, much spiritual benefit may then be expected from communicating; for we are applying ourselves to those especial means, which God has appointed by his Son, of purifying our affections, and strengthening our endeavours after a religious life.

I have dwelt at some length on this point, in order that the exhortation of our service, in which also damnation is threatened against the unworthy recipient of the Lord's Supper, may be perfectly understood; and that conscientious persons may

not be unnecessarily frightened by it, and so deterred from fulfilling their obligation.

The words are these :-"For, as the benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive that holy sacrament, (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood; then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we are one with Christ, and Christ with us), so is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily. For, then we are guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation, not considering the Lord's body; we kindle God's wrath against us; we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death. Judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord."

Now, by comparing this passage with that of the Epistle, we must see that the one is founded upon the other, almost word for word. It must, therefore, be received in the same sense.

The damnation, therefore, of this exhor

tation must be the damnation of the Epistle -the temporary judgment of God in this world, that we may not be condemned with the world hereafter.

And you will observe, that, in the exhortation, this damnation is not positively denounced, and fixed upon unworthy recipients, but only held out as a warning to them. We are told, not that it is the inevitable consequence, but that the danger is great.

We are told, also, in what that danger consists: "Kindling God's wrath, and provoking him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death,"-precisely the punishment which overtook the Corinthians.

And we are further told what our Church means by our receiving the sacrament unworthily, the not receiving it with "a true penitent heart, and lively faith."

In these particulars, therefore, we are enjoined to judge ourselves, that we may not be in any way judged of the Lord. We must regard our penitence and faith.

If we so do, we shall "spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood; we shall dwell in Christ, and Christ in us; we shall be one with Christ, and Christ with us ;" but, if we so do not, it follows of necessity, that in lightly esteeming that holy sacrament, we lightly esteem the thing signified; as we transgress against the sign, so against the grace; as against the bread, so against the body; as against the wine, so against the blood, and thus are guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour. But this transgression no man who really reverences the holy communion can commit. The very fear which he has of not sufficiently regarding it is a testimony of his conscientious regard of it; and in that conscientious regard he must discern the Lord's body. Let him approach, therefore, in that fear, with penitence and faith.

The last inference to be drawn from this

chapter is, that we are under a positive command to receive this sacrament. No words can be more positive, more intelligible, or more imperative. They are as much

so as the ten commandments of the two tables. "Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day," said God. "Honour thy father and thy mother," said God. "This do ye," said Christ. If no other reason, therefore, than this positive command were to be adduced, that alone were abundantly sufficient for our observance of it.

But others, also, are annexed; first, that we may shew to our Saviour our gratitude for his redemption of us-" this do in remembrance of me."

And secondly, that we may show to the world that we are Christians indeed; that we believe in the efficacy of our Saviour's death, and expect he will come again to be our judge. "As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."

Do

you then see, my friends, how many sins those persons incur who uniformly neglect this holy communion?

First, they disobey their Saviour.

Secondly, they do not prove to him their gratitude for his salvation.