This sudden disappearance of their beloved Lord, and at such a moment, stamped with the seal of Heaven itself the Divine lesson, which the disciples had now received. It fully confirmed the Divinity of him, who could thus command their senses, as well as enlighten their minds, and while it unanswerably demonstrated the truth of his resurrection, and all the important consequences to mankind, depending on that truth, it banished every vain and delusive hope of a temporal Messiah, and fixed the spiritual but solid basis of the Redeemer's kingdom. They could never more entertain a doubt of his power to protect them, or of the truth of his promise, to be ever present with those that rightly call upon his name. He had already

convinced them that his blood was shed for the salvation of the world-that this was the copious, the precious, the inexhaustible source of pardon for the sins of mankind, and he closed the whole by that gracious and expressive action, in which he reminded them of the blessed sacramental institution which was evermore to be a special means of grace and spiritual life to all true penitents, all sincere believers in his Word, his Cross, his Resurrection and his Glory. Not satisfied with giving them the light of truth, he administered

the food of life. He blessed bread, and brake, and gave it to them-and it was then he vanished from before them; as if to impress indelibly on their hearts, that they were thenceforth to live on him, not by sight, but by faith, and to derive spiritual growth and comfort from his blessed sacraments as the vehicles of his grace and

power.

If you then hope to derive from the Holy Communion of his body and blood, those advantages which it was designed to communicate, you must approach it with feelings and convictions similar to those of the two disciples when Jesus vanished from their sight; and there can be no question, that if you do, Christ will be known of you also in breaking of bread. Your hearts must abandon all worldly compromise between sin and duty, between the lusts of the flesh, and the pure and holy law of God. You must deeply repent of your past transgressions, and look to the Cross of Christ, and to that alone for pardon. You must utterly and unreservedly reject the pride and presumption of selfdependance, and seek by fervent and constant prayer, the cleansing and invigorating influence of the Holy Spirit. You must consider Christ, not only as a Prophet, but as your High Priest and King, the author and

finisher of your salvation. Approach his holy table, therefore, with sincere contrition for the past, and firm resolutions for the future. Be well grounded and stedfast in your faith, and let your consciences be free from all malice or ill will towards any of your fellow-creatures, and you may offer yourselves at that table where your Saviour has promised that he will be specially present. Examine, then, your lives, your favourite passions, your secret motives, your feelings towards all your neighbours; search them deeply and throughly, or presume not to approach that table where the searcher of hearts shall meet you, and when his inspired Apostle has warned you, that they who receive unworthily, eat and drink their own condemnation, or judgment, not discerning the Lord's body. If your self-examination be conducted as it ought, as becomes a sinner supplicating for pardon through the merits of a Saviour's Cross, the grace of God will enable you to feel the depths of your own sinfulness and infirmity, and the high and inestimable value of that Cross. You will discover the plague of your own hearts, the true source of every unhappy, unkind, ungenerous, and unchristian feeling, and you will be led with humility and contrition to that all-powerful Saviour, who is mighty to pardon, and

who has never yet cast off the faithful penitent; and is at this moment perhaps, secretly knocking at your hearts, for the admission of his gracious message of love and mercy.

O resist him not, my brethren, constrain him by fervent prayer, by frequent meditation on his Holy Word, to abide with you. Let not this sun go down on any evil purpose, or uncharitable thought, seek your God where he may be found, and you will surely find himwhether in the public service of the Church, or in the retirement of your homes; in the employments of industry, or in your journeys by the way, think on his law, his love, his promise, and you will find him the companion of your path, your guide in difficulties, your protector in danger, your sovereign comfort in the hour of death-and when you receive the symbols of his body and blood, you will feel that your Saviour is present, and has given you the fruit of that tree of life, which he alone can restore to the fallen and disinherited sons of Adam.