nounce thy sins, those enemies of his cross, those enemies of thy peace. Go, my soul, over these precious symbols of his love, vow eternal fidelity to the Lord-take up the cross and follow him, though the path lie through the vale of suffering and death.

THE PRAYER.

O God of everlasting mercy and salvation! infinite source of compassion and love! Worthy art thou to receive blessing, and honour, and adoration, and praise from all in heaven, and all in earth. For thou hast made all things; for thy good pleasure they are, and were created; and from thee, the everlasting fountain of perfection, flow the glory and excellence of all the works of thy hands. Worthy art thou, O God of eternal mercies, to receive the supreme homage and service of the children of men: For thou hast washed away their sins in the blood of thy Son; thou hast opened to them, through the merits of a Redeemer, the prospect of immortal blessedness beyond the grave. Penetrated with a sense of thy majesty and glory, with a lively view of thine infinite compassion and love, I acknowledge thy claims to my homage and obedience-I acknowledge that all the powers of my soul, with ardent affection and gratitude, should ever have adored thy power, and celebrated thy praise-I acknowledge that the sincere and constant service of my life should have proclaimed my devotion to thee, the profound sense of obligation to thy bounty and love. Author of my being! God of my salvation! I bow myself in the dust before thee, under the conviction

of the presumption and insensibility which have so long disclaimed thy authority, and resisted the displays of thy mercy. Awakened to a lively sense of the ingratitude and baseness of my sinful course, of the deplorable folly and guilt of that career of transgression by which I have rebelled against thee, I now desire to return unto thee, O my God, to cast myself at the foot of thy throne, imploring thy forgiveness-I now desire to relinquish those corrupting and disappointing pleasures, for which I have contemned thy authority and laws, and forfeited the joys of thy favour-I desire to be rescued from the dominion of my sinful passions, which are offensive to thee, most holy God, and which terminate in shame, remorse, and misery-fervently do I desire to devote myself to thy service, to obtain the satisfying joys of thy mercy and loving-kindness. most compassionate Father! hear and accept the sincere vows of duty which I offer at thy throne. Thee, O God, I desire to choose as my refuge and portion to thy glory and praise I resolve to devote all the powers of my soul-for that purity which will conform me to thine image, I ardently pant-resolutely do I engage to fulfil all thy commandscheerfully will I sustain all the sacrifices which thy service may require me to make-vigorously will I oppose the temptations and difficulties that would seduce or intimidate my allegiance to thee-to thy disposal I resign myself; patiently will I submit to all the chastenings of thy hand. Thou knowest the humble sincerity of my heart-thou knowest also, O God, its weakness and depravity. O save me from a presumptuous dependence on my own strength. Teach me evermore to rely on thee-to implore the succours of thy Holy Spirit. Excite me diligently to use all the means of illumination and grace. By

the exercises of meditation and prayer, may I seek to fortify myself for the conflict with sin and temptation. O God! on thy grace is my sole dependence-evermore refresh my soul by its succours and consolations. O grant that, by humble and earnest prayer, and by diligent attendance on the ordinances of thy Church, I may obtain the influences of thy Holy Spirit. By his almighty power may my corrupt nature be quickened, renovated, and redeemed. Encouraged by thy gracious invitations, and humbly relying on thy mercy, I go to the sacred supper, where thou hast provided for thy people heavenly and immortal food. O, when, at his holy table, over the symbols of his body and blood, I celebrate the love of my Saviour, and renew the vows of duty and obedience,-Spirit of God, impart to my soul thy holy unction-shed thy invigorating and consoling graces-seal me to the day of redemption-that finally advanced, by thy power, to the courts of the celestial temple of the living God, I may celebrate the love of my Saviour in unceasing and eternal strains-and join in the jubilee of adoration and praise to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

THURSDAY MORNING.

MEDITATION.

Faith in Christ.

As a creature and a sinner, man is dependent on the will of his Sovereign Maker and Judge. Whatever God prescribes or com

mands, that immediately becomes his duty and happiness. God, in infinite wisdom and goodness, has provided a plan of salvation for fallen man. By the inscrutable determination of the Almighty Father, the eternal Son, in the person of man, sustains the penalties of a violated law; and his obedience, sufferings, and death, are accepted as an all-sufficient atonement to offended justice. All the blessings of salvation are conveyed to us, through the meritorious atonement of Christ; and faith in him is made the indispensable condition of our enjoying these blessings. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."

Even then, if faith did not involve the exercise of the noblest powers of the understanding, and the most amiable virtues of the heart; if it were not the powerful principle which purifies the soul, and inspires every act of holy obedience-still, as the command of our Almighty Lawgiver and Judge, as the prescribed condition of our salvation, it must appear a necessary duty; and it would evidence the most criminal presumption, as well as the greatest folly, to disregard it. The holy sacrament of the supper presents the Saviour offered up an almighty victim for sin. His sufferings and death are represented as the meritorious cause of our redemption. The only fountain of pardoning mercy and redeeming grace is opened in his body and blood. While, therefore, we are ignorant of these truths, or insensible to

them, we cannot be prepared for approaching that ordinance which derives from them all its efficacy. Until we cordially believe that the eternal Son of God, in our nature, shed his blood to purchase our redemption; until we believe, that through his merits alone we can have access unto the throne of our offended Judge, and that by his grace we must be sanctified and restored to the favour of God; the holy sacrament of his supper, where he is set forth as crucified for our redemption, will appear an unmeaning rite; our participation of it would only be a mockery of God and the Saviour, and tend to the condemnation of our souls. Pardon, salvation, and grace, the blessings of this sacred ordinance, are conveyed only to the true believer. The penitent, who is awakened to a sense of his guilt and his subjection to sin, will never experience rest or peace until he heartily embraces the truths, that the blood of the Saviour is all-sufficient to cleanse from sin, and his grace all-powerful to redeem from its dominion.

Let, then, thy most earnest solicitude; O my soul, be directed to the examination, whether thou dost possess that lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, which will convey to thee holiness and peace, and make thee an acceptable guest at the table of the Lord.

Rest not satisfied in a faith which embraces the Gospel merely as a well authenticated record of facts. Thou mayest acknowledge the birth, life, and miracles of the Saviour. Thou may