with Him."* But at length their spiritual signification was to be revealed. In the same night that He was betrayed, Jesus appointed the sacred emblems of His body to be broken, His blood to be poured forth for the sins of the whole world. And since that time, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ.”+

Need I remind any how the Church of England in her Communion Service adopts and applies the language of the Apostles Paul and John to this blessed mystery? Is it not indeed the support of the Christian in his weary journey through this world to an heavenly Canaan, even as the manna sustained the old Church in its march through the desert to an earthly one? The food of the spirit giving strength to the fainting heart? The bread of the soul renewing our communication with Him, in whom is our life, our hope, and our salvation?

Accordingly, dear were the epithets by which holy men of old were wont to express their apprehension of the blessedness of this Sacrament. "The medicine of immortality and sovereign pre† 1 Cor. x, 16.

* John vi, 66.

servative against death;" "a deifical communion;" "the pledge of eternal health, the defence of faith, and the hope of resurrection;" "the food of immortality;" "the healthful grace, and the conservatory to everlasting life." "All which expressions of godly men," says the Homilist, "truly attributed to this celestial banquet and feast, if we would but call to mind, oh! how would they inflame our hearts to desire the participation of these mysteries!"*

And yet, alas! at each celebration of the Lord's Supper, how few comparatively are they who approach His table! how many those who deny this heavenly refreshment to their fainting souls! Are they insensible to their wants? Then must we fear that they are nigh unto death within them. Are they sensible of the distance which is daily widening between them and their peace, and yet hold back in fear or the consciousness of sin? Oh! let them remember this, that the confession of unworthiness carries with it its own condemnation. He who is not ready to communicate is dead while he liveth, yet knoweth the while that he is * See Homily of the Sacraments, part 1.

H

not fit to die that death which practically ushers in the judgment to every human being.

These are awful thoughts; yet we must not put them from us. We must not pray for bread, and then when it is offered to our lips put it from us. We must not acknowledge Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life,"* and yet hope with impunity to follow another way, reject that truth, turn away from the means of life. Yet it is what too many are doing. And it is a fearful thing to stand before you week by week, Sabbath day by Sabbath day, offering the same invitations and uttering the same denunciations, and yet to know how few are really hearing, for they hear not the Lord Christ Himself who speaketh to them.

What then remaineth for us? What can we do further for those who pray only with their mouth, while their heart is far from God? But one thing more is in our power, and that is to pray for them ; and in that prayer we would entreat each one of you who hath thought on these things to join, praying not only singly for ourselves, but for all for whom Christ hath died, GIVE US DAY BY DAY THE BREAD OF LIFE."

66

* John xiv, 6.

Grant, oh! most blessed Lord and Father, all things which are needful both for our souls and bodies. Give us temporal necessaries, give us things eternal. Thou hast promised a kingdom, deny us not subsistence. Thou wilt give eternal glory, give us on this earth the support of time. But having given this, teach us to be therewith content. If Thou hast given more, teach us to yield of our abundance to them who have need. And above all things, give us the support of Thy truth, Thy word is truth;"* give us the sole means of life-union with Thy blessed Son; give us grace to seek that union "now in the accepted time, now in the day of salvation,"† now "while it is called to-day," now while Thou still dost call us to the marriage supper of the Lamb, now ere the door be shut, and it be too late to knock for entrance to Thy heavenly feast. Thus we pray, "GIVE US OUR DAILY BREAD," for the sake of the same Thy Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

66

Amen.

• John xvii, 17.

† 2 Cor. vi, 2.

Heb. iii, 13.

Sermons on the Lord's Prayer.

SERMON

MATT. vi, 12.

VI.

AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.

AVING prayed for our daily bread, and thus

practically acknowledged our dependence upon God;-for our spiritual bread, and thus confessed that He is the giver and supporter of everlasting as well as of natural life, and that our strength for the duties of His kingdom is only given of His grace,— our mind is naturally drawn to the consequences of weakness, the lamentable deficiencies of our service, and our manifold and grievous offences against His law. And with a sense of sin comes also a sense of danger, nor only a sense of future danger, but a bitter conviction of present alienation from God; a