tunities enable him to take it. For it is not merely a sign of union, but a means for the strengthening and refreshing of our souls, (so speaks the Church Catechism,) even as our bodies are by the bread and wine.' As bread and wine are the great means of bodily nourishment," Wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and bread that strengtheneth man's heart," (Psalm civ. 15,) so is Christ the food and nourishment of the soul, and thus hath he given his flesh to be meat indeed; to be,' in the language of the Church Service, our spiritual food and sustenance in this holy Sacrament.' Planted into Christ by baptism, we are nourished from time to time in the Lord's Supper our souls are strengthened in every grace by renewed communion with him from whom all our strength comes our spirits are enlivened to the performance of every duty, as he, present by his Spirit, fills our hearts with thankfulness at the remembrance of his blood shed for us for the remission of our sins, and for all other benefits of his passion.

It is a pledge of our interest in all those privileges and blessings which we have in Christ. We are taught by our Church heartily to thank God that he doth vouchsafe to feed us, &c. And dost assure us thereby of his favour and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of his Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of his everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of his dear Son.' Often then as we duly receive these mysteries, do they become a blessed means of assuring our faith and hope that we have a share in these rich blessings which

they represent to us. Who then that desires to have his assurance rise high of his personal interest in the favour of God, but will anxiously embrace the opportunity of waiting upon God in this his appointed means for receiving that blessing.

Again, another end of the Lord's Supper is this, A bond of communion between the disciples of one common Lord; "For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread." For here, if anywhere, we shew that we, as one spiritual body, look for common blessings from one common Head,—feeding on one bread, and drinking of one cup, we profess our unity in Christ,— sitting as guests around one board, spread for us by the common love of one great Master of the feast. Shall we fall out at such a table? Shall malice, enmity, an unforgiving spirit be found amongst those who profess so strict an union?

It is a memorial of Christ's death. Of both the bread and wine Christ saith, "Do this in remembrance of me;" so that in figure and representation the sufferings of Christ are acted over again: and we see Jesus Christ evidently set forth as crucified before our eyes. So that here we have affectionately to call to mind, every time we partake, the occasion, the cause, the manner, and the end of those sufferings.

The occasion-our fallen and ruined state by sin; bringing guilt and misery, from which there is no relief but in the death of Christ.

The cause the infinite love of God, who would find out, execute, and apply such a remedy.

The manner of those sufferings-agony and bloody

sweat, cross and passion." He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

The end of those sufferings-that he might be the propitiation for our sins, being "made a curse for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Here then are thoughts of sin to humble our proud hearts-thoughts of suffering to make us content to suffer for his sake-thoughts of love to bind us to him and his will for ever; to quicken that remembrance of Christ which we are ever ready to complain of as being dull and cold, yet backward to take this grand means of refreshing it.

The last end I shall mention is, that the Lord's Supper is a pledge of heaven-of that state which is spoken of in the Revelations as the "Supper of the Lamb, for which the bride hath made herself ready." This seems referred to in the last verse of our text, "Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more," &c. that is, till I drink it after a new manner; that is, feast with you in the full enjoyment of that blessedness which now in this feast you only taste of by faith, so Matthew viii. 11, Luke xxii. 30. This is our refreshing in the house of our pilgrimage. As Israel had manna in the wilderness until they came into the land of Canaan, so till we come to the feast of fat things-to the marriage Supper of the Lamb in glory, this is still our feast by the way, the means of quickening our desires after that blessed state; of increasing the joys begun below in the soul in anticipation of its fulness above; the support of faith till it stand us in the regions of light; the ripener of the buds of grace till they be formed into the flowers of glory. Are these the ends of the Lord's Supper? Call you

him a Christian who stands aloof from them? Where does his faith, his love, his obedience dwell who trusts not the promise, who obeys not the command, who feels not the constraining power of a dying Saviour's love? Think on these things; think ye who know the value of this ordinance till your minds are fully made up to pass by no opportunity that may lie in your way of receiving it. Think ye who have thus far stood aloof till your minds are made up to signify to your Minister your desire to come.

To be Continued.

NOTES.

The Pool of Bethesda.

We must wait in patience for the Lord, even though it be thirty-seven years, till Jesus washes us in the precious fountain of his blood.

In times of spiritual comfort we are ready to say with Peter "It is good for us to be here;" but soon some cloud overshadows the glory, and we are reminded of our earthly tenement.

Jesus is the continual Sabbath of the believing soul; because they that have believed are entered into rest.

Jesus ever lives, and ever liveth to make intercession for his people. The Father heareth him always, and his people through him.

"As many as I love I rebuke and chasten." Sufferers in this state of being, whose sufferings have been sanctified, will not be complainers hereafter.

The stream of religion runs either deep or shallow as the banks of the Sabbath are kept up or neglected.

The world must either be the Christian's cross or his curse.

Is

WHAT! I imagine some one is ready to say, are afflictions to be reckoned among our blessings? that to be accounted a blessing, which tears the heart with anguish, which racks the body with pain, which casts our hopes down to the ground, or blights our earthly happiness and prosperity? Yes, my friend, it is even so in multitudes of instances. It is very true indeed that God has visited many with trials in vain, and has called to them with the mighty voice of affliction to cease from the world and seek their