exercising repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. But, surely, you can see that a man who is anxious is not likely to approach the Lord's Table carelessly, or in a merely formal spirit; and, surely, you can see that to have a consciousness of personal unworthiness is not receiving unworthily, but is rather one of the best qualifications of a worthy recipient.

As to the word "damnation," you know, or ought to know, that it really means "condemnation." Of course, it is a serious thing enough to incur God's displeasure, and so to expose oneself to condemnation; but, after all, this terrible as it is—is very different from what we understand by the other expression. It is something not hopeless and irremediable. It is a state from which we may be delivered by true and sincere repentance. And we are not to understand, that those who commit even grievous sin, after partaking of the Lord's Supper, are condemned in consequence to the horrors of eternal perdition.

This we may be sure of,-it is a matter of mere common sense,-that if we receive in the spirit described in the invitation in the

Sixth excuse and its

answer.

Prayer-book, with repentance, with love, and with an earnest desire to lead a new life, we shall not, whatever may be our imperfections, receive "unworthily."

VI. But so many people who come to the Lord's Table are, to my knowledge, unfit to

come.

I am almost ashamed to allude to this excuse, and yet, I fear, it is a very common one. The answer is ready: "What is that to thee? follow thou Me." What have you to do with another man's faults? attend to your own duty. Two wrongs never yet made a right. Will you disobey Christ in one way, and feel justified in doing so, because your neighbours disobey Him in another? Why, this is the very paltriest and meanest of all

excuses.

Besides, what business have you to judge another man? You may be mistaken. And if not, if you really can detect inconsistencies in him, may not he detect inconsistencies in you? Yet again, if it be all true,-set him a good example, and try to help him out of his sin, by living yourself the life of a true communicant, not by absenting yourself from the

holy Table. And yet, once more, remember, whatever some people may say about a pure Church, that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has told us that there will be tares mingled with the wheat; false disciples with the true,-down to the very end of the present Dispensation.

VII. I have not given my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore I dare

come.

The only valid excuse,

not but one

And I dare not invite you to come. You have no right to come, under present circumstances. This is a valid excuse. But of course, no true Confirmation-candidate can urge it. And how anybody can remain for a moment, consciously, in a condition which necessitates absence from the Table of the Lord, is a mystery to me; or at least would be, if I did not know something of the perversity and self-deception of which the human heart is capable.

which true Confirmation

candidates cannot offer.

VIII.

GAINING A LOSS.

We must WE must not expect the road to heaven to

look for difficulties.

be always smooth. I doubt if any of God's people have ever found it so. Too difficult to travel in, of course, it is not: for, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." But, at the same time, we must look for trouble, at least now and then. Perhaps, however, I ought to say, "whilst we should not anticipate trouble, we should be prepared for it."

Now, trouble may arise from the difficulty we occasionally find in understanding God's word, or God's ways. Some persons never have any anxiety on this account. Their nature is such that doubts do not occur to them; or, if they occur, are soon disposed of; or their circumstances are such that they are shut out from the knowledge of what is

passing in other men's minds, and nothing comes in to ruffle the surface of their quiet belief.

But with others the case is different. These others get out into active life. They hear religion discussed, and very freely discussed. Objections are started in their hearing arguments are brought forward which they are required to answer; and even if they were to try to shut their eyes, and stop their ears, they cannot but be aware of the great variety of opinion on the most important of all subjects that is to be found in the world around them.

Some of these diffi

arise from the

of religion.

It may happen, then, to some of us to be troubled on account of what is mysterious culties may or perplexing in Christianity, especially if we very nature find our friends and companions influenced in the same way; and more especially still if we find them giving up religion altogether on account of the difficulties they encounter. Now, what is to be done in such a case? The best plan is to turn to Scripture, and try to find something there which may suit our purpose, and encourage our hearts.

Well, then, on a certain occasion, recorded in St. John's Gospel, I find our Lord