which is the doctrine of our Reformed Church, is very different from that of Transubstantiation, which was unknown in the earliest ages, and which is now the unscriptural doctrine of the Church of Rome.

This view which was introduced in the 9th century is, "that the whole substance of the bread is converted or turned into the body of Christ, and the whole substance of the wine is converted into the blood of Christ." Even in that dark age a celebrated divine named Bertram wrote against this doctrine; and the following extract from his writings shows his views on the subject: "As to the elements, what they were before consecration they remain after it; bread and wine they were before, and after consecration we see they continue beings of the same kind and nature." "It is the body of Christ, yet not corporal but spiritual; it is the blood of Christ, yet not corporal but spiritual." When our Saviour said, "This is My body," He was speaking figuratively,

i.e., not literally. Just as He had before said, "I am the true Vine," "I am the Door," meaning by those expressions that they were figures of Him.

So the bread is an emblem or token of our Saviour's body, and the wine of His blood. Archbishop Cranmer, whose opinions on the Lord's Supper were much formed from the writings of Bertram, says, "There is no kind of meat that is comfortable to the soul but only the death of Christ's blessed body, nor any kind of drink that can quench its thirst but only the bloodshedding of our Saviour Christ."

From the Scriptural statements we have received of this holy Sacrament, nothing can be clearer than our obligation to receive it, and our sin if we neglect to do so. It is a most awful thing to see so many persons who call themselves Christians disobeying our Lord's express command, "Do this in remembrance of Me," and seemingly feeling no

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uneasiness in such a course. We know that we are hurrying on through life to the hour of death and the day of Judgment. And can that command have no influence with us? can we justify our living in habitual neglect of Christ ? especially when we reflect upon the circumstances under which this holy ordinance was instituted; when we call to mind that it was a Friend, and a dying Friend, and more than that, a Friend who was dying for us; who bequeathed to us a token of His love, and urged us to receive it for His sake. Could we refuse the last desire of any earthly friend or benefactor who was about to depart from this world? and if we did, should we not at some time in our lives be conscience-stricken at the thought of our ingratitude and want of love? And do we not experience feelings somewhat of this sort when we refuse the last request of our dying Saviour? When we absent ourselves from His Table, do we not deny Him? Do we not act as if we had no sins to be

forgiven, no souls to be saved, no spiritual enemies to be resisted? When you have gone out of the church on a day of the celebration of the Holy Communion has your conscience never smitten you? have you never heard a voice in your ears, saying, "Will ye also go away?"

There are many persons who acknowledge their obligation to partake of the Holy Sacrament, but justify their refusal on the ground of their own unworthiness. Now, oftentimes this is a mere idle excuse and a feigned spirit of humility; but where the feeling is real with any one, we can only say that he is of all most fitted to draw near with faith and partake of those sacred mysteries. If we are to wait until we are absolutely perfect we shall have to wait for ever. The Lord's Table in that case would ever be a deserted place the very best and holiest of men and women, even the Apostles and the Virgin Mary herself, would never have been able to approach; and we must remember that if we

were perfect there would be no need of that Atonement which this Holy Sacrament commemorates,

Our turning away from the Lord's Table does not prove our humility but our forgetfulness of our Saviour's command. It does not arise generally from a tender conscience, but from a careless heart.

"The reverence which our Saviour expects from us is a reverence of obedience; and it has been well remarked, that "some who usually object to receive on the ground of unworthiness, do venture at some great solemnities, as Easter, to approach this Table, which makes it wonderful how they can reconcile their notion of unworthiness with their practice of receiving at such seasons, or else they must have at those seasons a better opinion of themselves than is consistent with Christian humility."

The Lord's Supper was never designed to be a snare to us, but a comfort and support. And let us remember that we are not come