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 go first 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 mount, 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." It is, nevertheless, very important for us not to enter on so solemn a service in a careless frame of mind; and so we have to speak of the preparation which is required of them that come to the Lord's Supper.

The words of our Scriptural Catechism best explain their duty in this respect. They are there told "to examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins, stedfastly purposing to lead a new life, have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, with a thankful remem

brance of His death, and be in charity with all men."

Here, then, we see the necessity of repentance, reformation, faith, thankfulness, and charity, i.e., sorrow for sins past, a steady purpose of a new life, faith in Jesus Christ, gratitude to God, and charity towards men. The preparation necessary before partaking of the sacred elements is a preparation of the heart, a constant system of self-examination, a duty, which is not only urged in the Catechism, but by St. Paul himself in 1 Cor. xi. 28. "Let a man," says he "examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup." Self-examination is to the Holy Communion what John the Baptist was to the Saviour. The forerunner of Messiah cried aloud, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." And so says St. Paul, "Examine yourselves, examine every one of you the ground of your own heart. See that your ways are not rough and crooked, but straight."

In order to do this, we must consider the requirements spoken of in the passage quoted from the Catechism. No man can come profitably to the Table of the Lord without repentance.

"No wicked person," said an ancient Father of the Church, "can eat the Body of the Lord."

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He cannot eat spiritually Christ's Body who is not of Christ's Body. There was a custom in the Early Church, at the end of Divine Service, before the distribution of the sacred elements, for the deacon to address the congregation in these words:- Holy things are for holy persons. All that are unfit depart the congregation." Are we not disposed to answer to this-Who is really fit to partake of these high and solemn mysteries? Are not all men sinners? How, then, can anyone approach the Table of the Lord ?

It is indeed most true that all are polluted with sin; but, at the same time, if we are

truly sorry for our sins, come we may, come we must; for Jesus Christ Himself calls us, and without a doubt we are guilty of disobedience if we refuse His gracious invitation.

If we are truly penitent God absolves us from all our sins. We have the assurance of this in the example of king David; who, when reproved by Nathan the prophet for his adultery and murder, exclaimed, “I have sinned," and no sooner were the words out of his mouth, than the prophet said, “The Lord hath put away thy sin."

A sincere repentance will be proved by “a stedfast purpose to lead a new life." And this is a great part of repentance itself, and without it repentance cannot truly exist. No one can be said to loathe and detest sin if he does not forsake it. We must ever bear this in mind, and cry in the words of Job, "If I have done wickedly, I will do so no more."

And next we may be sure, that without faith, repentance is of no avail. Witness the examples of the apostate Judas, and of the