of Thy wings will
I rejoice[16]."

The same wonderful feast is put before us in the book of Proverbs,
where Wisdom stands for Christ. "Wisdom hath builded her house," that
is, Christ has built His Church, "she hath hewn out her seven pillars,
she hath killed her beasts, she hath mingled her wine (that is, Christ
has prepared His Supper), she hath also furnished her table (that is,
the Lord's Table), she hath sent forth her maidens (that is, the
priests of the Lord), she crieth upon the highest places of the city.
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; as for him that wanteth
understanding, she saith to him. Come, eat of My Bread and drink of
the Wine which I have mingled[17],"--which is like saying, "Come unto
Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will refresh you."
Like which are the prophet Isaiah's words; "Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye
buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without
price[18]." And such too is the description in the book of Canticles:
"The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the
tender grapes give a good smell" . . . . "Until the day break and the
shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the
hill of frankincense" . . . "I have gathered My myrrh with My spice, I
have eaten My honeycomb with My honey, I have drunk My wine with My
milk; eat, O friends, drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved[19]!" In
connexion with such passages as these should be observed St. Paul's
words, which seem from the antithesis to be an allusion to the same
most sacred Ordinance: "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but
be filled with the Spirit," with that new wine which God the Holy
Spirit ministers in the Supper of the Great King.

God grant that we may be able ever to come to this Blessed Sacrament
with feelings suitable to the passages which I have read concerning it!
May we not regard it in a cold, heartless way, and keep at a distance
from fear, when we should rejoice! May the spirit of the unprofitable
servant never be ours, who looked at his lord as a hard master instead
of a gracious benefactor! May we not be in the number of those who go
on year after year, and never approach Him at all! May we not be of
those who went, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, when they
were called to the wedding! Nor let us be of those, who come in a
formal, mechanical way, a