to Mount Sinai "burning with fire and with bounds fixed to keep off the people" but rather "to Mount Zion," "to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things."

And there is another class of persons who also excuse their absence on the plea of their unworthiness. People who are living in some open and notorious sin, and who are, therefore, conscious that in such a state they are not fit to receive hallowed mysteries. Such persons judge rightly, they have light enough to see that their spiritual state does not agree with so high a solemnity, but they have not grace enough to break off their evil habits, and then come. As long as they continue in so sad a condition, they are, indeed, most unfit to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ; and I ask for what are such people fit? Are they fit to participate in any of the ordinances of religion? Are they fit to pray? Are they fit to hear the Word of God? Are

they fit to join in the praises and thanksgivings of the Church? No, indeed! all their services of whatever nature they may be are only an abomination in the sight of God. If the excuse of any one who reads these words proceeds from such a cause as this, I would urge him to consider at once how perilous his condition is. I would call upon him no longer to stifle "the still small voice" of conscience, but to repent truly of his sins past, with the steady determination under God's grace of living a better life for the future, and then he shall be a fitter guest at the Holy Table; but if he presumes to come while living in such a state of sin, he can only be classed among those, “who eat and drink unworthily" and who are guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ, who eat and drink their own damnation.

That passage of the 11th chapter of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians has frightened many, and deterred many timid the principal means of grace.

persons from Of course, if

we are giving ourselves up to a sinful life, and to the dominion of wicked lusts and passions, if we approach without " a true and lively faith" and without sincere repentance, we shall be guilty of eating and drinking unworthily, and so will bring ourselves nearer to hell than to heaven.

But people generally misunderstand the meaning of the words, which St. Paul addressed to the members of the Church at Corinth.

After reproving them for the irreverent manner in which some of them partook of the Lord's Supper, making it a matter of gluttony and drunkenness, and no better than a common meal, he says, "Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself (i.e., judgment, not

necessarily eternal punishment, because by God's grace the sin may be repented of and forgiven) not discerning (adds the Apostle) i.e., not paying a proper respect to the Lord's Body."

While the Corinthians were here reproved for their mockery of God's most Holy Sacrament, and for making it a common feast, the humble Christian need not suppose that he is in any danger of eating and drinking his own condemnation. This can only be the case with the careless, self-righteous, and unrepentant sinner.

And as those who continue such may try to satisfy themselves with saying, "I have not time now to think of these things, or I have disagreed with my neighbour, or family quarrels or the disobedience of children irritate and disturb my mind; or a habit of swearing, or drinking, or passion, or impurity, renders me sensible that I am not now in a fit state to go to the Holy Communion; some day or other I hope to be better, but

at present it is quite out of my power." Dares any one seriously to declare that it is not in his power to put away the grosser sins? Cannot you check the profane oath ? Have you not a tongue to refuse, and a hand to put away the proffered cup of drunkenness? Cannot you forgive your offending neighbour?

O recollect, that "if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father, who is in heaven, forgive you." We have all a certain amount of moral power given us, and we must, as the Prophet tells us, 66 cease to do evil before we can learn to do well." We cannot arrive at the higher spiritual state of our own power or will. That can only be effected by God's Holy Spirit, which is freely offered to all who pray for it. "We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of His good pleasure."

"Let no man," says Bishop Patrick, "plead