This, then, we are bound to regard as the accurate and literal meaning of the text; and, although there cannot be the slightest doubt that a man may, by the repeated abuse of holy things, and by approaching the Lord’s table in a worldly and carnal spirit, so sear and harden his conscience, that he may be truly said to eat and drink his own damnation in the most awful sense of the words, we venture to believe that such is not the meaning of this present passage, but that it describes the chastening of God’s children in this present life, not as the commencement of final ruin, but as a correction sent in mercy to prevent their falling into the irrecoverable condemnation of the wicked. But whatever be the character of the judgments, the awakened conscience must tremble at the thought of “eating and drinking unworthily.” To be “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord,” is a sin so grievous, that if there were no judgment of any kind connected with it, the broken heart must shudder at the possibility of its heinous guilt. If there be any love of Christ in our souls, we shall not require the fear of judgment to awaken grief and horror at the most distant thoughts of such a sin. Converted men think more of sins than punishments. We must inquire, therefore, IV. TO WHAT CHARACTERS THE WORDS APPLY? For the answer to this question we must again refer to the passage itself, and we shall find that, (1.) They apply to those who are living in _strife and schism_. As members of the Church of Christ, we are children in God’s family, and at the Lord’s communion we meet as brethren around the Father’s table. It is plain, therefore, that love should reign there. We should be knit to each other in holy love, as each one is knit to Christ by faith; and whoever breaks the bond of love dishonours Christ, and comes unworthily to the communion. Nor is this said on man’s authority, for this was one of the very sins committed and condemned at Corinth. “For first of all,” says St. Paul, v. 18, “when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.” Of these divisions it is important to remark that they were not such as led to any outward and visible separation, for they came together to the same church, and knelt together at the same table; but they did not love each other; there was strife and party temper amongst them; an inward spirit of unkindness combined with the outward act of love; and so they came together not for the better but for the worse. Here, therefore, we have a simple answer for inquirers. If they are living in strife or enmity, harbouring the spirit of revenge, unable to forgive some offending brother, or giving way to a party spirit, they will then eat and drink unworthily, and they had better refrain till they can obey their master’s precept—“First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”