manded the Church to do in remembrance and repeated rites; and Himself also does the same thing in heaven for us, making perpetual intercession for His Church, the body of His redeemed ones, by re-presenting to His Father His death and sacrifice. There He sits, a High Priest continually, and offers still the same one perfect sacrifice; that is, still re-presents it as having been once finished and consummate, in order to perpetual and never-failing events. And this also His ministers do on earth; they offer up the same sacrifice to God,-the sacrifice of the Cross-by prayers and a commemorating rite and re-presentment, according to His holy institution. As Christ is a priest in heaven for ever, and yet does not sacrifice Himself afresh, nor yet without a sacrifice could He be a Priest; but by a daily ministration and intercession, re-presents His sacrifice to God, and offers Himself as sacrificed: so does He upon earth by the ministry of His servants; He is offered to God, that is, He is by prayers and the Sacrament represented or offered up to God as sacrificed."

As, then, the Jewish Passover was an Eucharistical sacrifice, commemorative of that notable deliverance of God's people from captivity and death; so, brethren, is the Christian Passover, the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. In and by it we make an offering and re-presentation of the one great sacrifice and oblation finished on the Cross in the sight of God, as well as in the

face of the Christian Church; keeping up a perpetual succession of those sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, until His coming again: "We do shew forth the Lord's death until He come." As the Jews beheld in the Passover Lamb the most striking memorial of God's love and care for His people, so do we in the creatures of Bread and Wine, consecrated by the power of Christ to be unto us His Body and His Blood, behold the most touching memorial of His infinite love to the whole race of mankind, the very representation in act of that atoning sacrifice; the very instrument of conveying its merits to us and to all faithful receivers within His Church, throughout all generations upon earth. Verily, brethren, herein do we behold His love; herein do we recognise His tender solicitude for sinful men; herein do we see the cause of that ardent longing which so consumed His soul on the evening before His death, when He said, "with desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." On a former occasion He had looked onwards, and longed for the time when the great offering should be consummated in pain and suffering, and sinners set free from guilt. "I have a baptism to be baptized with," He cried, "and how am I straitened till it be accomplished."

But now, brethren, even when that fiery baptism was so near at hand, when the waters were ready to come over His head, and overwhelm His sacred Person in an agony of suffering and sorrow, even

then His thoughts are with sinners like ourselves; He reaches forward even then, and He longs to anticipate (for their sakes) the fruits of His Passion; He longs, brethren, not only to die for you, but to give Himself to you.

My brethren, are there any here whose consciences are burdened with the weight of sin, who are alive to its guilt, who long for forgiveness, who long for some assurance of pardon, some application of healing comfort to their souls. Let them behold in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar, the Lamb of God who taketh away-who is ever taking away-the sins of the world. In the very visible action that accompanies that holy rite, in the broken bread and outpoured wine, let them behold the most touching and vivid memorials of the atoning sacrifice for sin. Let them remember to their comfort, that it is the very pledge and token to them of their Saviour's redeeming love, and of His continual, earnest desire to apply the merits of His Passion to their souls. Let them remember that it is the very assurance to them of the all-prevailing intercession of their Lord on their behalf; that it is a continual witness to the mediation of Christ, and, as such, to the very way by which they may be led back to their Father's house, from which they have strayed; the very channel through which they may receive remission and forgiveness of their sins, the very ground of hope, of pardon, and of peace.

But bear in mind, that repentance must be sincere,

faith must be undoubting and unquestioning, if you would draw forth such streams of hope and comfort from the Christian sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist. Who, brethren, does not shrink from the thought of joining with impure heart or unclean hands in that glorious service, wherein we plead the adorable sacrifice of Christ; who does not acknowledge the fearful danger of thus dishonouring the Lord who has died for Him; who does not feel that to join in making a memorial of the agonizing suffering of the crucified Lord with a heart averted from Him, with a will turned against Him, is a fearful mockery, that will be visited with the severest punishment! Let us then examine ourselves, trying our hearts, and testing our repentance; that so we may come clean to the heavenly Feast. Let us reflect how many opportunities we have had of carrying out this searching enquiry during this holy season of Lent, and how many are yet in store for us, should it please God to spare us to the end of this great and holy week. How often have the strains of penitence gone up before the throne of grace in this Church; how often have we implored the Lord to have mercy upon us, to wash us throughly from our wickedness, and to cleanse us from our sin; how have we implored Him to make us a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within us! God grant that our hearts as well as our lips may have uttered them; that we may have found in them the genuine expression of our penitence, and been led by them to seek to

make that penitence deeper and more sincere. God grant that as the Easter festival draws near, we may become more and more sensible of our unworthiness, and more and more impressed with the love of Christ for all true penitents. May the contemplation of His sufferings kindle our gratitude to Him; and may the thought of His glorious resurrection make our hearts burn within us to enter through the veil of His holy flesh and blood, into the holiest, into the presence-chamber of God, amidst all the glorious company of heaven; and to be allowed, through these memorials of the Lord's death, to join in their never-ceasing chant of Eucharist and Hallelujah!