hate sin, and love holiness? Am I conscious that I build my hope of acceptance with God upon the merits of the Redeemer, to the exclusion of every other ground of hope? Is my faith active and lively? Does it incite me to universal and cheerful obedience? Is it fruitful in good works? In a word, can I perceive so great a difference between my present and former state, as to afford ample ground for the inference, that I am "a new creature in Christ Jesus?”

Those who can, through grace, give an affirmative reply to these inquiries, do, beyond a doubt or peradventure, possess that "precious faith" which is the root and source of all the graces of Christianity, and of all those elevated virtues which adorn and dignify the human character. And having within them this bond of union to the blessed Saviour-this living fountain of Christian holiness, they must, of necessity, possess the other requisites to a profitable reception of the holy sacrament; namely, gratitude for redeeming love, and charity for all mankind.

SECTION IV.

Gratitude for redeeming love.

THE next inquiry for the communicant who would acceptably approach the table of the Lord, is, have I "a thankful remembrance of the death of Christ?"

How can they refuse to be thankful whom the Lord hath redeemed? If we verily believe, that, in ourselves, we are guilty and condemned-deserving nothing but God's wrath and indignation: that the Son of God shed his most precious blood to redeem us from sin and consequent perdition: that through faith in the infinite sacrifice of the cross, we are now reconciled to Jehovah, and objects of his favour: shall we not love him who hath thus loved us and given himself for us? Yes! the Christian feels the constraining influence of redeeming grace; and when he surrounds the heavenly board, it is difficult to determine by which he is most affected and humbled a sense of his own unworthiness, or of God's infinite mercy through Jesus Christ. Surely he will raise a grateful song to his Deliverer, while receiving the sacramental pledge of his deliverance, and say, with all the fervour of a sincere and devoted heart, "thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!"

Nor will true gratitude expend its energies in verbal protestations, or exhaust its resources in the cheap offering of "the calves of the lips." No! it will display itself "not only" through our "lips, but in our lives;" and, under its influence, we shall habitually endeavour, through the medium of righteous action and holy conversation, to "shew forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light." A lively sense of the mercies of redemption cannot fail to produce a grateful heart and an obedient life. Those who possess it, will cheerfully adopt the language of St. Paul, as expressive of their feelings and purposes: "the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

If it is "the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning us," that we should "in every thing give thanks;" surely the spirit of holy thanksgiving must be required, as an indispensable qualification for a profitable attendance upon the Eucharist. Cold and insensible must that heart be, which can behold the affecting memorial of the dying love of Jesus, who "was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities," without any ardent emotions of gratitude. Such a deficiency indicates not merely the chilling influence of unbelief, but a subjection to the dominion of

spiritual death. That communicant does indeed mock God with a false profession, and insult him by a profane disregard of his most precious gifts, who receives the emblems of the Redeemer's body and blood, without offering "humble and hearty thanks for the redemption of the world by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; for the means of grace and the hope of glory."

Let all, therefore, who would avoid the guilt of "eating and drinking unworthily," seriously examine themselves, to ascertain whether they esteem the death of Christ for the sins of men, as the greatest benefit which God could bestow, or man receive? Whether their hearts fervently join in the eucharistical offering? And whether, after making the dedication of themselves prescribed in the sacramental service-"Here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, living, and holy sacrifice unto thee," they can say, with unfeigned lips, "Although we are unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice; yet we earnestly desire thy Fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, which is our bounden duty and service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord."*

* Communion Service.

SECTION V.

Charity for all mankind.

THE last point we have to notice, on which those who come to the Lord's table should examine themselves, is, "whether they be in charity with all men."

As this sacrament is emphatically a feast of charity, designed to commemorate the most amazing exhibition of God's love to men, as well as to be an important means of increasing and perpetuating the love of Christ's disciples towards each other, and towards all men; it would manifestly be a profanation of it, which could not fail to provoke the displeasure of its Divine Author, to approach it while cherishing feelings of malice and revenge towards any of our fellow creatures. Indeed, such feelings are not only plainly condemned by the precepts and example of our Saviour, but utterly inconsistent with the genius of our holy religion, which breathes nothing but "peace on earth, good will towards men." The malicious, revengeful, unforgiving man, therefore, has no claim to the Christian character and privileges: he cannot even acceptably use that short prayer which Jesus prescribed; much less can he, without the grossest impiety, partake of the sacrament of peace between God and his people.