receiver, who is, in fact*, no receiver at all; and an unworthy receiver he must ever be, who comes to the Sacrament with a design to be pardoned what is past, that he may begin the same evil course with fresh alacrity." All men," says the judicious Hooker, "receive not the grace

of God who receive the Sacrament of his grace. A blind man cannot receive light when surrounded with it." A wicked man, still living in and retaining his known sins, cannot receive the Sacrament; he may receive the Bread and Wine, but to him they are not consecrated, they are no more than the common food at his daily meal.

The truth is, that men wicked enough to entertain such a notion never come to the Sacrament at all, unless from hypocrisy. Such men do not, and cannot

"Nam ANIMALIS HOMO, hoc est, qui sequitur cogitationes humanas et animales sive naturales, non est capax eorum, quæ sunt supra Naturam, et spiritualium; atque ita, et spiritualem Esum carnis Dominicæ non intelligit; cujus qui non sunt participes, non erunt participes æternæ vitæ.”

THEOPHYLACT. in Cap. Joan. 6.

believe

believe in their hearts, that remission of sins is annexed to it. They deride the idea. They commonly think not of any thing so serious and sacred as the Sacrament, except with an intention to degrade and ridicule it. If they did think of it, and really believed that they could obtain remission of sins by it, I have no doubt but that, in time, they would be completely reformed, and their sins would be forgiven them. They would be favoured by the grace of God; after which it is impossible that they could ever consider the Sacrament as a rite which was to ease them of the old burden of their sins, in order that they might have strength and spirits to load themselves once more with a a new one. They would loath their sins as the cause of their misery.

Repeated forgiveness upon repeated repentance, solemnly attested by an act, the most binding that can be devised, is perfectly consistent with the character of an all-merciful Deity, and not at all injurious to virtue, if the repentance, be sincere; and if it be not, it is, in fact, no repentance,

repentance, and will not be indulged with pardon, but punished as hypocrisy.

Repeated forgiveness upon repeated repentance appears to me so far from favouring vice, as to be a powerful incitement to virtue.

Does not the prospect of forgiveness on repentance naturally stimulate the mind to make an effort for the RECOVERY of the peace of innocence, and the credit and comfort of virtue, by examining itself carefully, and using effectually the appointed means of grace? Would not wicked men be apt to go on in their wickedness, stifling their consciences, drowning all thought, and adding to their enormities, if they saw no hope of pardon, but thought they could not be in a worse condition, though, already deep as they are in the mire, they should plunge still deeper into the gulph of perdition.

Nothing, I think, can contribute more to making repentance sincere in the man who purposes to communicate, than a full persuasion that, if his repentance is not sincere, the Eucharist, instead of conveying remission of sins, will aggra

vate all that is past, add to it the horrid crime of being "guilty of the body and blood of Jesus Christ;" and by that means increase the danger and the severity of future condemnation.

After such solemn acts as those which a due participation of the Sacrament requires, a man of the least feeling and reflection, instead of growing careless, in consequence of the remission of his past sins, will be particularly attentive to his conduct, lest, on a relapse, he should not have grace to repent and lest he should be cut off by death, before he can again become a worthy receiver. He will be watchful of his conduct, and take care not to deviate from the paths of virtue, a return to which he found attended with difficulty, re quiring very painful efforts, and much self-denying resolution. He must know in his conscience, that a formal participation of the Sacrament is, in fact, no participation; and that to be a true penitent, especially after presumptuous sins, requires a change of mind which no rite, hypocritically performed, can produce.

Ap

An absolution is indeed pronounced in the Sacramental Service, in the hearing of all Communicants, whether worthy or unworthy but this and all other absolutions in the Liturgy are, in their nature, CONDITIONAL. If there be no sincerity of faith and repentance in those who are thus absolved, there is no efficacy in the absolution. Forgiveness is only given to repentance; which is supposed in pronouncing the absolution.

But a man of an honest and good heart, who has received the Sacrament worthily, rises, like one who has had a burden taken from his shoulders, pursues his journey in the path of religious virtue, with fresh cheerfulness and vigour, and, remembering how painful he found the weight of his sins, determines never to be encumbered with the like again; and the grace which he has received strengthens and refreshes his soul, so as to enable him, for the most part, to keep his resolution.

The privileges of the Sacrament are to be enjoyed only so long as they are not forfeited by subsequent transgression.

Circumcision verily profiteth," says the

Apostle,