demnation, if, with a heart unsubdued and impenitent, with cold and unhallowed affections, I approach the altar where the Saviour is exhibited, sustaining the inflictions of his Father's wrath, and expiating my enormous and aggravated guilt.

Tremble, lukewarm and impenitent soul! lest the symbols of the body and blood of that Redeemer, to whose astonishing love thou art insensible, instead of proving the endearing pledges of divine favour, seal the sentence of eternal condemnation on thy ingratitude and contempt. Tremble, impenitent and unmortified soul! lest the sacred memorials of the Saviour's love, which convey pardon and peace to the penitent, invoke on thy guilt and presumption the avenging curse of heavenTremble, lest the body and blood of thy Redeemer designed to exalt thee to glory, should be made, through thy presumption and impenitence, the fatal seals of thy misery and condemnation. Yes! the altar displays only terror and wrath to the impenitent, But, to the contrite and humble spirit, who is oppressed by the anxious apprehension, that she does not yet possess that lively contrition, and fervent affection, which would render her worthy to partake of the Supper of the Lord-to her, the altar breathes the persuasive and consoling accents of mercy and love. The very fears that oppress thee, timid and doubting penitent, are the strongest proofs of an exquisite sensibility

to the claims of thy Saviour's love; they are the best evidence that thou dost possess that meek, humble, and contrite spirit, which it is the Saviour's office and delight to sooth and

comfort.

Behold then, my soul, in the sufferings and death of Christ commemorated on the altar, both an exhibition of the inflexible indignation of God against sin, and of the infinite compassion of the Son of God, in offering himself up an all-sufficient victim to turn from thee the wrath of heaven. Let this view enkindle a holy solicitude, to escape the penalties due to thy sins-a lively and ingenuous sorrow for their baseness and enormity. Humbled at the feet of the Saviour, confess, lament, and renounce the sins which occasioned his sufferings lay them on the altar of his love-they shall be blotted out for ever by his precious blood, which taketh away the sins of the "world.

Receive the symbols of the Saviour's suffering and death with lively gratitude.

This hallowed ordinance, by forcibly displaying the agonizing sufferings of the Saviour, serves to excite the most lively sense of his infinite love. Sufferings and agony inconceivable the Son of God resolutely and cheerfully encountered, to redeem the wretched race of man. From the manger at Bethlehem to the hill of Calvary, poverty, contumely, scorn, persecution, like indignant waves, pressed up

on him, till at length his soul sunk under the overwhelming floods of divine wrath. Ah ! we shall not wonder at the bitter agonies which overwhelmed him, when we consider the tremendous conflict which he sustained with the King of Terrors, who, dreading the near dissolution of his reign, exerted his most vigorous efforts to crush under his sceptre the Almighty conqueror, who threatened to bind him in chains. Oh what pangs convulsed the Saviour, when on the cross he bowed under the ponderous load of human guilt. Forsaken in this dark hour by the cheering smiles of his Father's love, which had hitherto supported him; sinking in the shades of despair, he vented the piercing cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" In this direful moment, dismay seized the bosom of nature, which heaved in dreadful agitation, as if in unison with the awful groan that terminated the agonies of the Lord of life. O my soul! for thee, the Redeemer sunk under these accumulated and rending agonies. Shall not the sacred symbols of his sufferings excite the ardent emotions of gratitude to him, who displayed for thee this unutterable love? By this compassionate Saviour, thou hast been redeemed from the degrading dominion of sin and death-from everlasting misery and wo. By the sacrifice of his death, thou art restored to the favour of God, and to the glorious hope of the bliss of heaven. The inestimable blès

sings which he purchased for thee, thou art called to acknowledge in the affecting rite which he instituted, when the painful death awaited him, that was to consummate his sufferings. Oh! let the tears of devout gratitude be shed over the tender emblems of thy Saviour's dying love.

Offer to thy blessed redeemer, at the altar, rows of ardent devotion to his service.

Redeeming thee, O my soul, by the sacrifice of his cross, from the ignominious bondage of sin and satan, from the curse of eternal death; and purchasing for thee the inestimable blessings of pardon, peace, and everlasting life, he establishes a supreme claim to thy homage, thy love, and obedience. He becomes thy rightful sovereign, lord, and master. He can claim thy sincere and holy obedience, as a right; thou art bound to render it to him as a just debt of gratitude and love. By ardent devotion to his service; by generous, tender, and active love to mankind, whom he died to redeem; thou must manifest thy sensibility to his infinite compassion, and discharge the obligations by which thou art bound to him.No period can be more proper to offer to the Saviour the ardent vows of love and duty, than the period when thou art commemorating the infinite sacrifice of his precious death, which was the price of thy redemption. Consider the state of guilt, of condemnation, and misery to which sin had reduced thee. Con

template the exalted blessings of that spiritual redemption which the Saviour wrought for thee. The agonizing pangs of guilt he hath exchanged for the soothing comforts of a good conscience; the fearful apprehensions of the wrath of God, for the exalted joys of the divine favour; the curse of a mortal and perishing body, for a body incorruptible and glorious; the overwhelming sorrows and trials of this mortal life, for the unutterable bliss and glories of an immortal existence. The Almighty grace and love which achieved this glorious redemption, and which still assure it to the humble and penitent, are set forth in the commemorative sacrifice of the Eucharist. Go then, my soul, to the sacred festival which celebrates this infinite love of the Saviour, adoring his infinite compassion; triumphing in the glorious victories of his Almighty grace; rendering to him who bought thee by his blood, the ardent vows of allegiance and duty. Let the precious symbols of the altar, the lively memorials of the victorious love of the Saviour, powerfully impress upon thee his claims. to thy sincere and holy obedience. Over the emblems of his body and blood, offered for thy redemption, seal the grateful vows of duty, which shall bind thee for ever to thy Lord. Almighty Redeemer! purchased by thy blood, to thee I wholly surrender myself. All the powers of my soul, all its desires and hopes shall be engaged in thy service, and centre in