Load More Button loads the same posts over again

I have a theme which includes a “load more” function – but when it’s click it loads the same posts a second time rather than the next posts.

my blog: https://braisedandconfused.com/

I’ve identified the load more function in “functions.php”

I can’t figure out which variable I have to play with to resolve this issue?

thanks!

function load_content_init($query) {
		$max_pages = $query->max_num_pages;
		$posts_count = $query->found_posts;
		$posts_per_page = $query->post_count;
		$page = ( get_query_var('paged') > 1 ) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;

		?>
		<script>
		jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
			var max_pages = parseInt('<?php echo $max_pages; ?>');
			var posts_count = parseInt('<?php echo $posts_count; ?>');
			var posts_per_page = parseInt('<?php echo $posts_per_page; ?>');
			var page = parseInt('<?php echo $page; ?>') + 1;
			var next_page_link = '<?php echo next_posts($max_pages, false)?>';

			var $button = $('#gentle-lm-button');
			var $container = $("#mpc-page-content");
			var $loaded = $('#gentle-lm-info');

			$loaded.text(posts_per_page + ' / ' + posts_count);

			if(posts_count <= posts_per_page)
				$button.hide();

			$button.click(function() {

				if (page <= max_pages) {
					$(this).text('Loading...');

					$('<div></div>').load(next_page_link + ' .post', function() {
						var $posts = $(this).children();

						page++;
						next_page_link = next_page_link.replace(/page\/[0-9]\//, 'page/' + page);

						if (page <= max_pages) {
							$button.text('Load More');
							$loaded.text((posts_per_page * (page - 1)) + ' / ' + posts_count);
						} else {
							$button.stop().animate({ 'top': '30px' }, 500, 'easeOutExpo', function() {
								$(this).hide();
							});
							$loaded.text(posts_count + ' / ' + posts_count);
						}

						$container.append($posts);
						$posts.addClass('no-transition');
						$posts.css( { 'opacity' : 0 });

						if ($.browser.msie && parseInt($.browser.version, 10) === 8) {
							$container.isotope('addItems', $posts, function() {
								$(window).trigger('resize');

								$posts.animate({ 'opacity' : 1}, 2000, 'easeOutExpo', function() {
									$posts.removeClass('no-transition');
								});
							});
						}
						else {
							$container.imagesLoaded(function() {
								$container.isotope('addItems', $posts, function() {
									$(window).trigger('resize');

									$posts.animate({ 'opacity' : 1}, 2000, 'easeOutExpo', function() {
										$posts.removeClass('no-transition');
									});
								});
							});
						}

						setTimeout(function(){
							$(window).trigger('resize');
						}, 200);

						$(window).trigger('resize');
					});
				}
			});
		});
		</script>
<?php }

add_action('mpc_post_loop', 'load_content_init');

[blockquote is not a code button – please use the correct button as your code may get corrupted otherwise ]