350 HINTS FOR SERMONS ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. Consider-This woman was Mary. John xii. 2, 3. Jesus loved her. John xi. We love him because he first loved us. 1 John iv. 19. She came to anoint him for the burial-to do him honour in his atonement. Judas interfered, from outward motives. John xii. 4-6. Let her alone-approved her conduct. II. Duties of communicating always at hand-ready whensoever you will. The will to do this good a permanent impulse-always going out to objects: not almsgiving only, but every manifestation of Christian love. The Spirit of Christ not always equally present :—sometimes withdrawn for trial: but the objects always at hand. Hence not wait for impulses of religious feeling. But always improve religious feeling first, as the source from whence the desire to communicate springs. III. Christ is gone to heaven-He is not remaining visibly with his disciples-but he will come again. To be with Him the highest object. We may anticipate that time; and in the mean while shew forth his love in his Spirit. HINTS FOR SERMONS ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. No. II. Hallowed be thy name.-Matt. vi. 9. Luke xi. 2. "HALLOWED BE THY NAME." To hallow any thing means to consider it as quite distinct and separate from every thing else, to be used only for the most solemn purposes. A church is hallowed; that is, it is a house kept entirely for the purpose of worshipping God. Nobody would think of eating or drinking, or doing any common thing in a church, much less would they make it the place where they could get drunk in, or do any improper thing it is set apart for God's service-that is, it is hallowed. God's name does not only mean the word by which he is called, when we speak of Him, but it means also Himself; and the very thought of Him, and every thing belonging to Him. To say, therefore, to our Father in Heaven "hallowed be thy name," is as much as to ask that the thought of God, and every thing belonging to Him may be considered by every body in the world as it ought to be considered, as separate from every common purpose, and used and thought of in the most solemn manner. That Jesus Christ should have told us to pray for this, the first thing, shows how we ought to have the honour of God And that we should do as he as the first thing in our desires. tells us, and make daily our humble supplication to God, our Father in Heaven, that his name may be hallowed, in the first place, plainly means to say that we ourselves wish and intend (through his help, for which we ask), so to consider the things of God, and so to use them. Now let us examine ourselves, how have we hallowed God's name? What are our feelings about the things of God? When sin, which offends him, is spoken of with approbation, have we hallowed His name by showing that he disapproves of it? When the name of God is lightly and carelessly spoken of as a common thing, how have we behaved? Has it been so as to show that we desire His name to be hallowed? Remember what a dreadful threatening is written in the Commandments against those who take the name of the Lord God in vain; that is, without hallowing it. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Exod. xx. 7. Let the thought of this threatening bring us to call upon Christ in earnest humility, while we continue to pray, as he has taught us, Hallowed be Thy Name." 66 LITANY HYMN. To be sung in that part of the Morning Service where it is appointed, "In Choirs and places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem." 1 Now to our Advocate on high, Sinners who know their need draw nigh, His In earnest Litany. agony and bloody sweat—— His passion pay the sinners' debt, His precious death shall be our plea. 2 Spirit of Christ! to every heart Be to our supplication near, O Saviour, deign our prayer to hear, THE PASTOR'S REMEMBRANCER. "AND here I cannot but pause and reflect, my reverend brethren, on the high distinction which belongs to us, that we are allowed to co-operate with the word and the Spirit of God in effecting this wonderful change in human nature, which is suggested to me by the words intelligent and consistent Christian. Compare the ignorant and unreflecting peasant, who moves in the same dull and too often sinful track, with no ideas beyond the ground he treads upon, the sensual indulgences which he gratifies, and the day that is passing over his head :-compare him with his enlightened neighbour, nay with himself if happily he becomes enlightened, when he follows the same path of active industry, but makes it a path towards his heavnely Father's kingdom :and then perceive by a visible example what the grace of God effects through the agency of man. Or take a case, too common alas, too familiarly known to many who hear me. Take the case of those who see their occupation sinking from under them; their means of support annually decreasing, and little prospect of its melioration. Suppose that the views of these, and such as these, are bounded by this present world, what can they be but unhappy, restless, discontented; defying God, and murmuring at man distressing the philanthropist, because he sees no comfort left to them: distressing the statesman, because he can devise no remedy for their relief: above all distressing the christian, who sees the future prospect far darker than the present gloom. Suppose the case of one thus circumstanced, having no hope beyond this world and then contemplate the change which would be produced, if any of the means by which grace is communicated to the heart, should inspire the same person with the principles and the faith of the Gospel; converting him from whatever is evil in his ways, and thus removing all the accumulation which sin adds to poverty: reconciling him to hardships and privations, as the intended trial of his faith, the lot of many of God's most approved servants: and lighting up the darkness of this world by the rays which precede that which is to come, the earnest, of a brighter dawn:-compare, I pray, these two pictures, and then admire with me, for what can be more worthy of your admiration, the blessing which God designed for man; and deplore with me, for what more deserves your lamentation, the blindness of man who refuses the good and keeps to himself the evil and resolve with me, for there is need of your resolution, that as far as in you lies you will make the mercies of God available, and disseminate those principles which exalt the low and enrich the poor, which teach men to rejoice even in tribulation,' and render a Lazarus the object of envy to a Dives." Bishop of Chester's Charge in 1829. THE PASTOR'S ASSISTANT. DECEMBER 1, 1843. PART FIRST. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PASTOR IN HIS STUDY www PASTORAL ADDRESS FOR A NEW YEAR. THE following Pastoral Address was circulated last December by a country clergyman amongst his flock. An occasional address of this kind is calculated, under God's blessing, to draw the attention of some amongst those who are habitually negligent of the more regular appeals made by the Pastor; while it helps to strengthen and encourage those who are striving to take heed to the ordinary instructions of their minister. That now given has been selected from several of the same kind written by different clergymen; and it may be made applicable to almost any country parish, from the general nature of its exhortations: specially as it is to be feared that the particular sins alluded to are to be found, with more or less of prevalence, in almost every parish. A clergyman might alter this address to suit the particular circumstances of his own people: and, by getting a number of copies printed at a very small expense, might circulate them in the parish so as to produce a new impulse, and call the attention of many careless parishioners to the importance of the work of the ministry. The addition of some notices of any local arrangements in connexion with the ministry, would help to fix the attention, and excite conversation amongst the parishioners; and might be advantageously joined to the address. VOL. II.-NO. XXIV. BB A PASTORAL ADDRESS TO THE PARISHIONERS OF Dearly beloved in the Lord. "At the commencement of a new year, I feel anxious to address you on some points connected with the relation in which I stand to you, the right understanding of which will enable you materially to assist me in my endeavours to promote your welfare. And, as it is only by the blessing of God upon it that this address can be rendered useful, I entreat every one before he proceeds any further, to ask for God's Holy Spirit, which he may do in these words:" Lord, give me Thy Holy Spirit, that I may profit by whatever is good in this paper, for Jesus Christ's sake.' 66 It is very important that both Minister and people should rightly understand the nature and design of the Ministry. The ministerial office is not a device of man, but was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ himself; and the duties of the Minister are distinctly laid down in the Bible. (1) He is to devote himself to the Word of God and prayer. (Acts vi. 4. 1 Tim. iv. 13—15.) (2) He is to warn the sinner of his evil way. (Ezek. xxxiii. 8, 9.) (3) He is to teach both the old and the young: "Feed my sheep feed my lambs." (John xxi. 16, 17.) (4) He is to "preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." (2 Tim. iv. 2.) "Now it is evident that these commands laid by our Lord upon his Ministers, imply a corresponding duty on the part of the people. The same authority that obliges the minister to instruct, to preach, to reprove, requires the people also to receive his instructions themselves and cause their children to receive them; -to attend upon his preaching, and to bear with his reproofs. It is written in the Word of God, " Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you." (Heb. xiii. 17.) I would not, dear brethren, have you to suppose, that I conceive that you ought to receive every thing taught by your minister, simply because he says it. The minister has no right to teach any thing but what may be proved from the Bible; and it is your duty humbly and prayerfully to try his teaching by the Word of God. (See Acts xvii. 11. Isaiah viii. 20. 1 Thess. v. 21.) But when the minister "teaches all things whatsoever the Lord has commanded him," then the Lord has promised to be “with him always" (Matt. xxviii. 20); and therefore those who neglect his teaching, or induce others to do so on any account |