the object is to keep out, if possible, all such doubts.

Question 21.-What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby?

Answer. The strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the body and blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the bread and wine.

here.

OBSERVATIONS.

In itself, a puzzling one indeed is the question But-answers such as this-let these be received as answers, no question can be a puzzling one. Souls refreshed by a body and a quantity of blood?-Oh yes: if the body were but a metaphorical body, the blood but metaphorical blood, and the refreshment but metaphorical refreshment, in that case there would be no difficulty. By that which is metaphorical, any thing may be done: Yes, any thing; for that which is metaphorical is-any thing. But the body-is it then a metaphorical body?-Not it indeed. It is the real body: the blood is the real blood ;or how could they be "verily and indeed taken ?" the refreshment, which a true Church of England soul takes by the eating of this body, and the drinking of this blood, is either no refreshment at all, or it is the same refreshment, that the soul of a New Zealander takes when he has been fortunate in battle: when, as a clergyman of the New Zealand religion, whatever it be, would phrase it," the Lord has delivered the enemy into his hand."

Nay, but it is only by that part of the meal which is composed of the bread and the wine, that our bodies (says somebody), are here said to be refreshed."-True: but the body and the blood

are not the less said to be taken: i. e. taken, if into any thing, into our bodies: "verily, (lest any thing like doubt on the subject should be suffered to remain)-" verily and indeed taken." When thus taken, true indeed it is, that it is to the refreshing of our souls, that that part of the chyle, which is extracted from it, is applied. But, as to the verity, with which it must have been taken, the particular application thus made of it, makes not any difference: whatever part of man's person it goes to the refreshment of,-to produce this refreshment; whatever it is, taken it must be taken? yes, and digested likewise : -or how can any thing like refreshment be afforded by it?

To make all points not only plain and clear, but moreover smooth and easy,- -on this, as on so many other occasions, the word spiritual is at hand. In a carnal, temporal sense, not exactly true, conceditur: but besides the carnal, temporal source, for this, as for all other words for which it is wanted, there is a spiritual sense: and, if in this spiritual sense the thing be, as it is, true,--then, in this same spiritual sense, it is not only as well as if it were true in the carnal sense, but much better: better, viz. by the amount of the superiority—the undeniable superiority--of things spiritual over things temporal:-not to speak of persons.

So convenient is the use-so admirable the virtue of the word spiritual. By it whatsoever things are false may at pleasure be made true : false in a carnal-false in a temporal sense—yes, so let them be:-—still, in a spiritual sense, they are not the less capable of being true: whereupon,

in that purer and superior sense, if there be any convenience in their being true, true they are.

in

To perform this metamorphosis, you couple the word spiritual, as above, with the word sense. This done, take any proposition that you please, the more absurd the better:-a still more absurd one, than the above cannibal proposition, if— which it will hardly be found to do-the nature of things affords any where a more absurd one.— Proposed by itself, and without that support, which the adjunct in question has in store for every absurdity, the falsity of it is, in the mind of any man in his senses, too glaring to admit of its finding so much as a momentary acceptance. Thus it is with it in its natural sense. To the word sense, add the word spiritual, and now, stead of being absurd and false-false to a degree of palpable absurdity-it requires nothing but a simple assertion to render it true. Have you any such thing in hand as a mind, to subdue,-to soften, to weaken ?-a mind, which you want to convert into a species of wax, ready to be moulded at any time to your purpose, whatsoever that purpose be?-here then is your way to go to work upon it. Take in hand one of these absurd propositions-the more palpably absurd the bettertry it upon the man in the first place, without subterfuge: try it upon him in its natural sense. If in that sense you find him swallowing it, so much the better:-but, if you find him giving it back to you immediately, unable or refusing to swallow it, you then give it to him a second time, wrapped up in the words spiritual sense-a spiritual sense, (tell him) and no other, is the sense in which he is to understand it.

Alas!-the quantity of the good things of this wicked world, which, by men calling themselves spiritual, are every day consuming-would they but content themselves with the consuming of these same good things, in a spiritual sense,leaving to the growers, and makers, and buyers, the consuming of them in a carnal sense,—how much less would there be to be seen of that pauperism, which, under the covering of prosperity, that glitters at and about the head, is, in the heart of the population, so plainly seen, as well as so severely felt!

Generally speaking, this spiritual sense-alias nonsensical sense-seems to be the opposite or negative of the carnal sense. Thus, for example, in this cannibal case; viz. eating the body and blood of a man, or of a God, or of both together. -Carnal sense, eating it: spiritual sense, not eating it.

To this interpretation of the word spiritual, as applied to sense, give constancy and consistency, then, in so far as it is understood in this sense, there may be not much harm in it.-For, in that case, forasmuch as there is such a thing as eating the sort of food in question in a spiritual sense, so there will also be such a thing as believing in that same sense: and as, in a spiritual sense, eating is not eating, so, in a spiritual sense, believing will be not believing.

On this plan, unspeakable will be the benefit both to Faith and to Charity: to Faith, because, on this plan, there is nothing whatsoever but may be believed-believed by all men and without difficulty to Charity, because, on this plan, throughout the whole field of divinity, the whole

:

mass of any two men's opinions,-in a word, of all men's opinions,-may, on every imaginable point, be as opposite as possible, and brotherly love not in any the smallest degree lessened by it-take any proposition whatsoever, A believes it in a carnal or temporal sense, B, and every body else that differs from A, believes it in a spiritual sense. Here then, if, by and with this mode of unity, Faith is satisfied, so still more easily and heartily is Charity: Hope need never quit them, and thus every thing is as it should be.

Question 22.-What is required of them who come to the Lord's Supper?

Answer. To examine themselves, whether (1) they repent them truly of their former sins (2), stedfastly purposing to lead a new life (3), have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ (4), with a thankful remembrance of his death (5), and be in charity with all men.

OBSERVATIONS.

Five distinguishable alleged duties, forming so many subjects of examination, are here observable: five duties or obligations, concerning which every child is forced to affirm and declare, that he is persuaded of their having been imposed by the Almighty-imposed upon the child himself, together with all his fellow Christians.

Concerning all these supposed duties, the first question that presents itself as proper to be made, is-in any one of the histories we have of Jesus, what ground is there for any such supposition, as that, in the character of duties to be performed on the occasion of any such ceremony, as that which, having been instituted by the Church of Rome, and retained by the Church of England, is here spoken of, duties, to this effect, or to any other