If we were to admit that any passage found in the New Testament could be inapplicable to the condition of things now ruling, we should at first sight say that this i Cor. 11:18-22, was such an one.

In Corinth license apparently ran riot. All soberness ; all sense of what was becoming or proper seems to have been lost. The Lord's Supper had degenerated into a common meal, or rather each one took by himself his own supper with his own little company. It is true they had not yet separated from one another. They still came "together into one place," but being in that one place, the internal discord that was amongst them found expression, apparently, in little knots or cliques, partaking of their own supper together ; and some were filled to repletion, while others were hungry. This was not to eat the Lord's Supper at all. They must have lost all sense of what that most blessed feast really was, and needed indeed to be fed with "milk," and not with "meat," for still were they unable to bear it.

But how different it is with us. Where will you find one "drunken" at the Lord's table? Where will you find any who go there with the direct object of satisfying physical hunger ? Surely, most surely, such things do not exist at all. What can exceed the decency and order with which we partake of that Supper ? Admirably suited to the Corinthians,- with their so recent deliverance from the disorders of heathendom, which still, however, clung to them, it can surely have no bearing on ourselves, with our centuries of Christian training. Hence, have we not here one scripture which cannot directly apply to days so different ?

Emphatically no. Of no single word of God can this be spoken. The "man of God " in every age needs every letter ; and were but one jot or tittle lacking, he would be so distinctly the loser that he would fail of being perfect to just that extent (2 Tim. iii). Nay further, as one ponders this most precious portion, one comes to believe, far from not applying, that it is peculiarly applicable to the day in which our lot is cast. That we peculiarly need its "doctrine, its reproof, its correction, its instruction in righteousness."

For what was the root that produced this evil fruit of practical profanity? This shocking lack of reverence at that holy Supper ? This selfish indifference to one another ? These cliques and parties? Carnality. The Corinthians "walked as men." They looked at everything from a fleshly, carnal standpoint. Thus the supper had lost its character and confusion followed.

Now, is this root absolutely non-existent to-day ? Is there no carnality in the Church of God ? Have Christians ceased to walk as men ? Are there no evidences of it in parties, cliques, sects, divisions everywhere ? Or is it indeed a day of superabounding carnality and worldliness, with all their attendant train of consequent evils. To ask such questions is to answer them, and at once then this blessed scripture is found instinct with divine life in its appropriateness and its applicability to the present time. Our very "order," of which we boast, may be the cover for the disorder spoken of – our very "decency " a cloak for the selfish, cold indifference here rebuked.

Is it not true? Can not Christians gather together even "in one place," with no real sense of the sweet story the bread and the wine tell ? Deaf to the divine music of the words "for you?" Untouched by the infinite depth of affection that is brought so tenderly before the heart and mind in broken bread and poured-out wine? Oh, the miserable "decency" with which the bread is broken, without a tear or sigh;-the wretched "order" with which the cup is drunk, with no responsive burst of genuine affection, that finds its necessary vent in melody of praise ! Yes, order has itself indeed become disorder with us, if the whole being be not moved, the affections be not all awake, the emotions of the soul be not all astir. We have lapsed into Corinthian carnality, indifference, apathy, and need exactly the remedy they needed. Beloved, if we can sit here unmoved, we are as they, even though none are "hungry," none "drunken."

The remedy that the apostle applies is a very simple, but a very sweet one. A repetition of the primal institution of that blessed Supper, every detail of which is here given in direct view of the disease it is intended to heal.

So, as we full deeply need the healing, let us meditate on these details in dependence upon Him who alone can make such meditation effective-Him who is still Jehovah Ropheka, the Lord who healeth thee.

" For I have received of the Lord Jesus that which also I delivered unto you." A preface of immense importance for us. Direct from the eternal Fountain of love and light comes this sweet and refreshing rill of living water, uncontaminated and undiluted by the human channel through which it comes. Nothing has been added to it; no single syllable is the result of those human traditions which were then fast clustering round and obscuring the truth of the Gospel. Too reverend, too heartily under the clean and holy fear of the Lord is the apostle to attempt to embellish or improve upon the words He gives. That which he has received, and only that which he has received, does he deliver to us. Every syllable of it is absolutely divine. It is the voice-they are practically the words of "the Lord Jesus."

Nor, on the other hand, has aught been diminished from it. Nothing has been held back. All that he has received has he delivered unto us. He, dear needy saint as he was, doubtless partook of the comfort of the words he gave. Drank deeply in his own spirit of the spring he passed on to others, but without diminishing from it at all. As with the widow's cruse of oil no such drawing from it could lessen it one drop. Forth it flows to us with all the volume and strength of the true Source whence it conies. That which he delivers to us, is exactly that, and all that which he has received.

"That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread and when He had given thanks, He break it and said, take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me." The Lord Jesus-mark well the dignity of that holy Person who is the one actor in this touching scene. It is the Lord who of old was known as Jehovah, but now, as very near to vis, a man with the human name "Jesus." Precious combination; the Lord Jesus-Jehovah the Savior. So was He divinely named at His birth, "for He shall save His people from their sins."**But yet no prophecy had marked Him out by this name "Jesus." Quite the contrary, another name altogether had been provided for Him by the spirit of prophecy. Had it not been written, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name Emanuel," that is, "God with us," and yet when He comes He is not called Emanuel at all. Is it not strange that the historian should direct our attention to this very prophecy, in the same breath that he apparently nullifies that prophecy? A fine opportunity this for logical infidelity. The Virgin's Son was to be called Emanuel. Here is one not called Emanuel, but Jesus,- therefore He, at least, cannot be the Virgin's Son! But blessed be God, we have learned somewhat of the pitiful shallowness of infidelity, and to hail with delight the "inconsistencies " she points out to us in our treasure of God's word, knowing full well that they cover holy beauties, hidden only to her own blindness.

Four thousand long weary years had passed since that promise of, and to, the woman's Seed among the scenes of ruin and sorrow in Eden. Generation had followed generation, but no " Savior" had appeared. Not one son had been born but soon gave sorrowful proof of his needing, rather than being a Savior. That first disappointment of Eve in her first-born had been repeated a myriad times ; until " How can he be clean that is born of woman?" was a question to which there was no answer. A Savior there was none. Now then, if a babe can be truly divinely called " Savior," is it not evident that he must differ as light from darkness, from all others of all ages? Yea, whilst "with us" indeed, must He not be more and far other, than any of us – in a word-God? Most surely. Hence He that is, in very truth called Jesus, must be " God with us " or Emanuel! That is, in thus calling Him Jesus, the prophecy was most beautifully perfectly fulfilled in the truest, deepest way. " With us," born of a woman, but not of us, is Jesus. "Unclean! Unclean!" had been the cry for four thousand years over everything of woman born, but now the "due time " has come and here is one "a holy thing." A unique word applied to a unique object. For not merely innocent, mark, is that tender babe. Adam was that in Eden. He knew no evil there nor was there that, on the other hand, in him which rejected evil; thus he was not holy, but innocent. But here was Something to be born of woman, who by the intrinsic essence of His own spotless character, should reject and repel every touch of defilement in her of whom He should be born, hence rightly called "That holy thing." Emanuel! God with us! Jesus! Savior!

And how perfect a proof, how satisfactory an assurance to simple human reason-ordinary common sense as men speak- have we here to the divinity of the whole Gospel. The birth of Jesus was either natural or supernatural. If the former, then must there have been an awful conspiracy of lying and fraud, to make His birth fit in with the prophecy of old. The narrator, here in Matthew would give, in this case, full expression to that diabolical, vile conspiracy, in calling our attention to the prophecy, the fulfillment of which the conspirators purpose to claim; and yet again, mark it well, the simplest most direct part of that prophecy-that which would have caused no strain on the credulity of the world, the name of the child, is not even pretended to be fulfilled at all! Would not "fraud" have hastened to secure this easy proof at least, and calling him Emanuel, removed a stumbling block in the way of the acceptance of the story? Would "fraud" thus have given another name altogether ? To believe this,-to believe that conspiracy would naturally, carefully, intelligently call our attention to its own inconsistency, to a discrepancy on the very surface, is beyond the power of human reason to accept ! It would be a miracle in itself. Hence only the other alternative remains. The birth of Jesus must be supernatural; and His name, the very human name of Jesus, carries with it the perfect proof of His divinity, as does every breath, every thought, every act of this blessed Man. Faith thus ever puts her foot on the solid rock of reasonable truth, and leaves to the folly of unbelief and infidelity, the muddy quicksands of irrational and childish credulity.*
Such being the glorious Person, the time, the occasion is next brought before us. '' The same night on which he was betrayed." It was night,-

"When all around Him joined
To cast their darkest shadows
Across His holy mind; "-

the very night in which-not His enemies only vented all their bitterness upon Him, but he who had "eaten bread" with Him, now "lifted up his heel against" Him. It was then, when His heart was suffering most acutely from the treason of a disciple, that he gave the most pathetic, tender evidence of His unquenchable love, in seeking to keep the memory of Himself before disciples. He cares for our thoughts; and in that hour, when every evil was abroad in the darkness, when every form of awful suffering was gathering as clouds from every quarter, to break in concentrated tempests upon Him, not for Himself was His care, but (let each saint confess) for my thoughts, my memory, my heart! It was then He placed, in this Supper, that monument of His love that has remained ever since.

Of another night, long centuries before, it had been said, " It is a night much to be remembered." Then again the "east wind" was about to blow; a lamb was dying; judgment was abroad in the darkness, and soon a great and bitter cry, that spoke of the stricken first-born in every Egyptian house, was to ring through that darkness. Now, on this later night, no guilty child of man is stricken, but His solemn cry alone was soon to be heard, and to express the agony of a holy One enduring judgment infinite in fearful loneliness. This "night in which He was betrayed " precedes and ushers in that awful judgment scene ; and then, with all the mighty strength of such tender associations, before is heard the roar of the fast-coming storm that shall break upon Him,-in the one moment of peace ere the betrayer's work comes to issue,-then He says, "Oh, my beloved, remember Me ! " It is a night much to be remembered. Get these memories in the heart, and let carnality and all its attendant train of evils stand, if it can. F. C. J.