-but therewith went the sergeant with me out of the door.

And here would I gladly make a more perfect answer to all the former objections, as also a due proof of that which I had taken in hand: but at this present I was informed that I should to-morrow come to further answer. Wherefore I am compelled to leave out that which I would most gladly have done, desiring here the hearty and unfeigned help of the prayers of Christ's true members, the true sons of the unfeigned catholic church, that the Lord God of all consolation will now be my comfort, aid, strength, buckler, and shield: as also of all my brethren that are in the same case and distress, that I and they all may despise all manner of threats and cruelty, and even the bitter burning fire, and the dreadful dart of death, and stick like true soldiers to our dear and loving Captain Christ, our only Redeemer and Saviour, and also the true head of the Church, that doth all in us all, which is the very property of an head; (and is a thing that all the bishops of Rome cannot do ;) and that we do not traitorously run out of his tents, or rather out of the plain field from him, in the most jeopardy of the battle, but that we may persevere in the fight (if he will not otherwise deliver us,) till we be most cruelly slain of his enemies. For this I most heartily and, at this present with weeping tears, most instantly and earnestly desire and beseech you all to pray and also, if I die, to be good to my poor and most honest wife, being a poor stranger, and all my little souls, her's and my children: whom with all the whole faithful and true catholic congregation of Christ, the Lord of life and death, save,

keep, and defend in all the troubles and assaults of this vain world, and bring at the last to everlasting salvation, the true and sure inheritance of all crossed Christians. Amen. Amen. JOHN ROGERS.

The 27th day of January.

(To be Continued.)

THE EMBER DAYS.

Ir we believe that the prayer of faith is the appointed means of obtaining the blessing of God in our individual necessities, and that upon extraordinary occasions this prayer should be connected with fasting in order to greater fervency and devotion, we must acknowledge that the seasons set apart for the appointment of men to the Ministerial office peculiarly call for fasting and prayer.

God in the fulness of his eternal love has purchased to himself an universal Church by the precious blood of his dear Son, and in his divine providence appointed divers orders for its government:-" He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists. and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Eph. iv. 11—13. And it is evident to all men, diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been these orders of Ministers in

Christ's Church,-Bishops, Priests, and Deacons ; which offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation, that no man by his own private authority may presume to execute any of them except he were first called, tried, and examined, and known to have such qualities as were requisite for the same; and also by public prayers with supplication of hands approved and admitted thereto.'a

The dignity and awful responsibility of the Ministerial office is fully set forth in the Scriptures. They are called watchmen, Ministers of Christ, stewards of the mysteries of God, to whom he has committed the word of reconciliation,-the glory of Christ,-the ambassadors for Christ,-in Christ's stead,-workers with him, and angels of the Churches. He that despiseth them despiseth not man but God, as acting by commission from Christ,-as stewards to give the flock their portion of meat in due season ;—as unfolding the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world; -as God's vice-gerents and visible representatives here upon earth;-as the channels of communication between him and man;-as instrumental in advancing the gospel of the grace of God: and hereby Christ's name is glorified, the well being of the Church universal being intimately connected with the right discharge. of their sacred functions. A great treasure is committed to them ;-the sheep of Christ which he bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood ;they are to feed and provide for his family; to seek his sheep that are dispersed abroad, and his children. which are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever.'

a Preface to Form of Consecration.

A weighty work this is indeed! We cannot therefore be surprised at the solemn view entertained of it by Christ and his Apostles. We read in Luke vi., before he chose the twelve, that he "went into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." At the first appointment of Deacons, in Acts vi. 6, "When the Apostles had prayed they laid their hands on them." Paul and Barnabas were ordained with fasting and prayer," The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Paul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted, and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away," Acts xiii. 2, 3. The Elders or Priests in every Church were ordained with fasting and prayer, Acts xiv. 23,

"And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed."

In the Church that succeeded the Apostles this holy custom was retained; stated seasons were set apart for the ordination of Ministers, viz. Sundays immediately following the Ember Fasts, which were observed on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, after the first Sunday in Lent, after Whit-Sunday, after the fourteenth of September, and after the thirteenth of December; and called Ember Days probably because Ember signifies a circuit or course; so that these fasts being not occasional but returning every year in certain courses may properly be said to be Ember Days because Fasts in courses. The Church of England has retained the same primitive system: the thirty first Canon requires That Deacons or Ministers are to be ordained or made but only upon the Sundays immediately after these Ember fasts.'

She calls upon her members to unite in solemn fasting and prayers to God for his blessing upon his Church; that he would so guide and govern the minds of his servants, the Bishops and Pastors of his flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred Ministry; and to those who shall be ordained to any holy function, to give his grace and heavenly benediction, that both by their life and doctrine they may set forth his glory, and set forward the salvation of all men. It is a duty to pray for God's Ministers at all times, but especially at the important period of their ordination. In fasting and prayer address yourselves to Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, so to replenish them with the truth of his doctrine, and endue them with innocency of life, that they may faithfully serve before him to the glory of his great name, and the benefit of his holy Church, for Christ's sake. Amen.

DEAR SIR,

A LETTER.

On entering the humble abode of a poor aged saint who resides in an obscure Hamlet on the North Coast of Cornwall, I found him with the enclosed letter just written on the table, and conceiving it was calculated to meet the case of one or two exercised young Christians, I begged to copy it for them; but as its usefulness may be extended by insertion in your valuable Miscellany, I beg leave to forward it to you. It pleased God to awaken the writer by means of afflic