11. THE COMMUNICANTS. "Let 11s keep the feast." No alien or uncircumcised person might partake of the Paschal supper; but all the concrrecration of Israel was charged t_o observe this ordinance, for redemption was not th~ privilege of the few, but the Joy of the whole nation. And for the occasion, distinctions of rank and opulence within the nation were ignored. As all classes had shared the bondacre0 so were all classes to share the joy of redemption. Let all who have redemption th r~ugh the blood of Christ "keep the feast" of the Lord's Supper, and that in obedience to his command, not as and because they think proper, but as and because the Lord has appointed it in his Church. And let no difference of rank, wealth, or social positiorr be recognized. The eminent and the obscure, the rich and the poor, the master and the servant, are at this, if at no other table, to eat of the same bread and drink from the same cup. Such as are aliens from the faith, or wicircumcised in heart, are not entitled to communicate. Ill. THE DISPOSITIONS WHICH OUGHT TO CHARACTERIZE COMMUNICANTS. The Passover was the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Hence the apostle's charge, " Purge out the old 'leaven." We know that the Jews were extremely punctilious in this respect, and searched their houses minutely, lest in a dark corner some particle of leaven might lie unsuspected; for leaven was regarded as a symbol of corruption and of the self-propa- gating power of evil. With similar earnestuess should Christians examine themselves, and so eat and drink of the Lord's Supper. Away with the old leaven; the tendency to corruption which belongs to the old life is sin. Away with malice and wickedness; purge out even the smallest fragments of unholy disposition and temper, :md keep the feast with sincerity and truth. The, Corinthians were required to prove their sincerity by excluding from communion a certain "wicked person," whose conduct had brought reproach on the Christian name. So must we be ready at all times to prove our sincerity by renouncing fellowship with unrighteousness and concord with Beliat They were also required to have "truth in the inward parts," and so are we. We fall short of that strength of faith, fervour of love, and depth of humility which would well become communicants at the holy table of our Lord; but at all events we may bring, and ought to bring, to the feast hearts honest and true. "Lord, thou knowest all things." Thou knowest our shortcomings, perversities, stupidities, follies, prejudices, errors, and faults; but "thou knowest that we love thee." We are not at thy table playing a part or affecting devotion to thee in order to be seen of men. Far from us be such ghastly hypocrisy! Ours be the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.-F.
Vers. 2-5.-Right feeling towards erring brethren. There have been a great valiety of forms in which men have attempted to associate religion and immomlity. Multiplied explanations and excuses have been given, if so be the indulgence of the immoral may be maintained ; but it remains as searchingly true as ever it was, that into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour-here or yonder-nothing entereth that "defileth, or worketh .ibomination, or maketh a lie;" and that every Christian man should know how to- possess the vessel of his body in .sanctification and honour, not being "conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of his mind." He is to "come out from the world, and to be separate, and in no wise touch the unclean thing." There were special forms of sensuality characteristic of and encouraged by paganism; but the sin into, which the member of the Christian Church at Corinth had fallen was one which would be utterly repudiated and condemned by Gentile and Jew alike. It was one wholly oH. v. 1-13.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. 187