dient to abstain for that season from the Lord's Supper; but this abstinence must be with the express intention of more humbly confessing our sins before God," that we may with sincere penitence and faith hereafter receive.

It may appear wonderful, even allowing the general darkness and corruption of the human heart, that there should be such a prevailing tendency in professing Christians to negligence, in a case where there are so many strong and tender motives for obedience. Some of these fears, possibly, may have originated from the once generally diffused papal doctrine of transubstantiation, and from a general misconception of the Apostle's reproof of the Corinthians, for their irregularities. This part of the subject will be considered hereafter.

Perhaps, however, at the root of all these excuses, there is an unsuspected, secret unwillingness of heart. Men have often a feeling of this kind: it would disturb their quiet, make them uneasy in their mind, and hinder them from enjoying the pleasure that they are wont to take in their sins. Let every one who neglects the Lord's Supper, examine this point well!

From the whole, we may conclude that there is nothing to discourage the PENITENT BELIEVER from a constant and invariable attendance at this table. The duty is manifest, and the advantage great and evident.

And on the other hand, those LIVING in the love and practice of SIN, may here see the grievous state to which their conduct reduces them. You are afraid of going to the Lord's table lest you should eat and drink damnation; but have you no reason to be

afraid of the consequences of disobeying a plain command, by staying away? Your sins reduce you to a sad dilemma of danger. Nothing can deliver you from it but speedy repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no safety to any living soul, but in fleeing to him who is able to save! Let me then earnestly and affectionately entreat all such readers to examine their own hearts, to ascertain without delay their true state before God, heartily to repent of their sins, and seek the salvation of the gospel. Then, when they have experienced a real change of heart, when they are born again of God's Spirit, and have a good hope through grace, they will come and receive the Lord's Supper, not only without danger and reluctance, but with the greatest comfort and advantage.

We will conclude this chapter in the animating words of Bishop Patrick.

"Let no man therefore plead this or that, in excuse for his not coming to the Lord's table; but resolve hereafter carefully to perform so necessary a duty. Let the sinner quit his state of sin and death, and so come and eat of the bread of life. Let the ignorant come into the school of Christ, and proceed till they come to the highest form, to the upper room, where this feast is celebrated. Let those that are at enmity with their neighbours also come; let them only first go and be reconciled to their brethren, and so let them offer their gift. Let those that have a multitude of worldly employments come: only let them leave them, as Abraham did his ass, at the bottom of the mound, and so let them ascend to heaven in their thoughts, and converse with God. Let the weak come, that they may grow in strength; and let the

strong come, that they may not grow weak. Let them who have fears come, that their hearts may be settled by the acts of a more lively faith; and let them come who have hopes, that they may rise to greater degrees of humble confidence. Let those who have leisure accept of this invitation, because they have no excuse; and let those who have but little leisure entertain it also, that they may the more sanctify their business and their employments. Let the sad and sorrowful approach, that their hearts may be filled with the joys of the Lord; and let those that rejoice in the Lord always approach, that their joy may be full,”

CHAPTER VIII.

ON RECEIVING UNWORTHILY.

THIS part of our subject, from its importance, calls for distinct consideration. The timid and the fearful are either deterred from a most valuable means of grace, by needless fears and scruples, or come with suspicions, anxiety and distress. The careless and worldly approach without hesitation the most solemn rite of our holy religion, and make that service which only hardens their hearts, and fills them with pride and self-righteousness, a sort of passport to heaven; while a large body of professing Christians think the danger of receiving unworthily a sufficient reason for not coming at all.

The passage of Scripture on which the fears of men are principally founded, occurs in the 1st of Corinthians, xi. 27-29. Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.-He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

The sin of the Corinthians had been before particularly specified. In eating, every one taketh before

other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise I praise you not.

you in this?

You may here see what grievous and open disorders had crept into the Corinthian church, and need not wonder at the strong expressions of the Apostle, describing the danger of their sin. They slighted the sacred rite which represented the Saviour's death made no difference between it and a common meal; and were guilty of excesses, even at the very time of its celebration. The way in which the Lord's Supper is now administered among us, renders such a glaring abuse of it impracticable, though it be still possible, in our temper and spirit, to fall into a measure of the same guilt.

It may be first expedient to show, WHAT IS NOT RECEIVING UNWORTHILY. He does not necessarily receive unworthily, who strongly feels his unworthiness; nor does it follow that he must have received unworthily, whose faith is weak. There may be many doubts and fears, much trepidation and anxiety, and yet the heart be in the main right with God; and those distressing feelings may only arise from not fully understanding the riches of Christ, and the liberty of his gospel. Nor yet does it shew this, if we feel the power of indwelling sin? St. Paul could say, In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. This feast is not for angels, but for men encompassed with infirmities. A coldness and dulness in our duties, which we lament, does not of itself shew that we receive unworthily. Some are naturally dull and heavy; but, if there be first a willing mind, it is ac