festival and the common repast which they had been used to celebrate in their heathen feasts, they wish to introduce into the devout, simple, and spiritual solemnization of the former, all the intemperance, revelry, and pride of the latter. St. Paul tells them that such conduct is an audacious mockery; that it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, but to profane and outrage it; that to come together, in such a way, is to come together for the worse, not for the better; that it is taking the bread and wine, not worthily, but unworthily; not reverently, but irreverently; and that, by so doing, they will incur the punishment of irreverence and profaneness.

But what parallel is there between their case and the case of any Christian, who, conscious of many imperfections and many sins, comes humbly and devoutly to seek strength against those imperfections, and to wash away those sins by the body and blood of his Redeemer? Who, in the present day, ever thinks of coming to the Lord's table for the purpose of indulging in gluttony and drunkenness? who ever comes intending to dishonour the ordinance, and to eat and drink irreverently?

Whatever parallel could exist between these cases, must be found in that of a man who will not, to the best of his powers and ability, examine himself, as the Apostle directs, and so eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. That man would take the sacrament unworthily, in an unworthy or irreverent manner; he would be despising the caution given

by the Apostle, and neglecting to obey the word of God. If such there be, I exhort him to hear St. Paul. Let him examine himself, and prepare himself without losing a moment. Having done this, he has no excuse in saying that he is unworthy. We know that he is unworthy; we are all unworthy. If he were worthy he would not need the benefits of the Lord's Supper; he would not be one of those corrupt and sinful beings for whom Christ's body was broken and His blood shed; he would not be one of those whom Jesus came to seek and to save. We acknowledge in one of the prayers which the Church has appointed, that we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under His table. But we remember that it is His property always to have mercy, and we beseech Him therefore to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences through Christ Jesus. What a mistake then, what a presumption is it, to talk of our personal worthiness, as though that could be the ground, on which we should dare to present ourselves at the Lord's table!

The Apostle contemplates no such thing in this passage; he distinguishes simply between a worthy and unworthy, a reverent and irreverent MANNER of receiving the Lord's Supper.

His argument applies no less to every other ordinance and means of grace than to the Lord's Supper. If prayer itself be offered unworthily, in an irreve

rent manner, or with improper dispositions, it is offered to our damnation, or condemnation to punishment. Nay this very means which is given in this sermon, or in any sermon read or preached, may be abused to your own condemnation. If ye take not heed how ye hear, it may turn to your condemnation. If the truth be laid before you, and you obey it not, might we not justly apply to it the reasoning of St. Paul, and say that ye hear unworthily or improperly, to your own damnation or condemnation ? But would this be any excuse for your not praying and hearing at all? No. For might we not add, that if opportunities of prayer and hearing the will of God be presented and neglected, that neglect also will assuredly turn to your damnation or condemnation? So with the Lord's Supper the Apostle says that to eat and drink irreverently will turn to our damnation or condemnation. But are you justified in concluding from this caution, that not to receive it at all will not likewise turn to your damnation? All the means of grace themselves may serve to our destruction, and they may serve to it, we must remember, in more ways than one. They may serve to it, not only by being abused, but also by being witnesses against us, that they have not been used at all; have been, not indeed taken irreverently, but altogether treated with a contempt and neglect not less sinful. Remember the fate of the unprofitable servant, who buried his talent. Let not this, my brethren, bè our case. Use, and use thankfully and

diligently, all the advantages which God in mercy offers. Come together, not for the worse, but for the better. May the grace of God, poured upon us all, assisting my feeble efforts, and preparing your hearts, enable us to give respectively a good account of this matter before Him, whose judgment is of more importance to us than the whole world. Finally, may the words which you have just heard produce their desired effect, and present as the fruits of our labours many brethren at the holy communion, who may not before have considered this subject, but who shall now come " with a quiet conscience, and avoiding all scruple and doubtfulness'," partake of that ordinance which, St. Paul particularly tells the Corinthians, he himself received of the Lord, and has faithfully delivered to us.

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1 Exhortation to the Communion.

SERMON XXV.

DUTIES OF CHILDREN TO PARENTS.

THE PRAYER.

ALMIGHTY and Everlasting God, who makest us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy divine majesty; we make our humble supplications unto Thee. Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech Thee, ever be over us; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with us; and so lead us in the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that in the end we may obtain everlasting life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

EPHES. vi. 1, 2.

CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN THE LORD: FOR THIS IS RIGHT. HONOUR THY FATHER AND MOTHER; WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH PROMISE.

THERE is in the text a very remarkable circumstance, to which I would direct the attention of every young person, who loves God, and desires to keep His commandments. St. Paul here reminds us, that the duty which he enjoins is sanctioned, not only by direct precept, but also by being placed among those commandments, which, even before