'It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.'-St. John vi. 35, 47–58, 60, 63.

:

The Institution.

'And as they were eating, JESUS took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples; and said, Take, eat; this is My Body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Likewise, also He took the cup, after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; and they all drank of it. And He said unto them, This is My Blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many: This cup is the new Testament in My Blood, which is shed for you, . . . for many, for the remission of sins.'-St. Matthew xxvi. 26-30; St. Mark xiv. 22-26; St. Luke xxii. 19, 20.

So also St. Paul.

'I have received of the LORD that which I also delivered unto you, That the LORD JESUS, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat this is My Body which is broken for you; This do in remembrance of Me.

'After the same manner also He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new Testament in My Blood; This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.'-1 Cor. xi. 23–25. And the same Apostle says:

'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?'-1 Cor. x. 16.

And again :

'For as oft as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do shew the LORD's death till He come.'1 Cor. xi. 26.

Thoughts of a humble communicant after reading these words of Jesus Christ and his Apostle :

All glory be to Thee, my LORD and my SAVIOUR, who at Thy last Supper didst thus ordain this holy Sacrament; the Sacrament and Feast of Thy Love!

It was for the continual remembrance of Thy most precious Death, O blessed JESUS, and of the benefits which we receive thereby, that Thou wast pleased to ordain this holy Service. It was to quicken our dull memories, and to impress Thy Love deep on our souls, that Thou didst institute this blessed Sacrament, and didst also command us, 'Do this in remembrance of Me.'

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But not only to quicken our memories; for didst Thou not say of the Bread broken in this holy Sacrament, Take eat: this is My Body;' and of the wine poured into the cup, Drink ye all of this: This is My Blood'? Didst Thou not say, 'My Flesh is Meat indeed,' and 'My Blood is Drink indeed:' and 'he that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood

dwelleth in Me, and I in him'? Ah! blessed JESUS! this is indeed something more: for thus Thou hast commanded us, not only to quicken our memories, which may otherwise forget Thy Love in dying for us; but also to feed and nourish our souls with new supplies of Grace, new Life, new Love, new Strength, enabling us to dwell in Thee, and Thou in us,'-Thou from whom alone cometh all Grace, all Love, all Life, all Strength!

All Glory, therefore, be to Thee most Gracious LORD, Who under the outward and visible part, the Bread and Wine, things easily prepared, both which Thou hast commanded to be received, dost communicate to our souls the mystery of Divine Love, the inward and invisible Grace, Thy own most blessed Body and Blood, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in this holy Feast.

But how the Bread and Wine became Thy Body and Thy Blood: How Thou canst give us Thy Flesh to eat and Thy Blood to drink: How Thy Flesh is meat indeed and Thy Blood is drink indeed: How he that eateth Thy Flesh and drinketh Thy Blood, dwelleth in Thee, and Thou in him: How he shall live by Thee, and be raised up by Thee to life Eternal— (St. John vi. 54), I cannot understand; but I firmly believe all that Thou hast said; and I

firmly rely on Thy Almighty Love to make good Thy word. I believe, O LORD, that the Bread which we break in this holy Sacrament is the Communion (or Communication) of Thy Body; and the Cup of Blessing which we bless is the Communion (or Communication) of Thy Blood (1 Cor. x. 16), and that Thou dost as really convey Thy Body and Blood to our souls by the Bread and Wine, as Thou didst Thy Holy Spirit by Thy breath to Thy disciples. -(St. John xx. 22); and therefore,

Most merciful LORD, help me, I humbly beseech Thee, duly to consider what I do in coming to Thy holy Table. Help me to see in this holy Sacrament the remembrance of my crucified SAVIOUR; in the Bread which is broken, His Body, scourged and bruised, wounded, and nailed to the Cross; and in the Wine poured out, His precious Blood shed for my sins; and though I am not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under Thy Table, yet grant me, gracious LORD, so to eat the Flesh of Thy dear Son JESUS CHRIST, and to drink His Blood, that my sinful body may be made clean by His Body, and my soul washed through His most precious Blood, and that I may evermore dwell in Him and He in me. Amen. Amen.

II.

THE NECESSITY, AND THE MEANS OF PREPARING OURSELVES FOR IT.

1.—The words of JESUS CHRIST and of His Apostle clearly show that the receiving of the Blessed Sacrament is the most divine and solemn act of our religion; and every true Christian should earnestly endeavour to prepare his soul with the greatest pains he possibly can, before he approaches it. You should, therefore, consider what you are to do before receiving; what at the time of receiving; and what after receiving.

The Church is very plain in teaching us the great importance of this; she sets forth the great blessing and gain of a right receiving, and also the great danger and loss of a wrong receiving. For the encouragement and comfort of a right receiving she says:

The benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart and lively faith we receive that holy Sacrament, for then we spiritually eat the flesh of CHRIST, and drink His blood; then we dwell in CHRIST, and CHRIST in us.'

And when she calls her communicants up to the holy Table, it is in these words:

'Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of GOD, and walk