observation of an humble and experienced Christian; of one accustomed to pray under a deep sense of his spiritual wants; and to consider the obligation of prayer discharged, not in proportion as his feelings have been excited, or his ears gratified, but in proportion as those wants have been believingly spread before Him, who supplies all His people's need, and who gives, or refuses to give, as He knows the subjects of their petitions to be most accordant with, or adverse to their best interests, and the advancement of His own glory. It is an observation which applies with equal truth to the whole of the ordinary services of the church of which we are members; which services, for the unassuming simplicity of their general style, for the purity of their scriptural character, and for the highly devotional tone that runs through them, are not, it may be safely affirmed, to be paralleled in the whole Christian world. But it is to little purpose that we congratulate ourselves on our connexion with a communion, so beautifully simple, so scriptural, so devotional, unless the character of our own individual worship be somewhat correspondent with the offices which it prescribes,

and unless our unaffected gratitude to God for our very distinguished privileges, be more or less apparent in the exhibition of that peculiar holiness of mind, and that simplicity and singleness of object, and that doing all to the glory of God, which cannot be separated from any idea which we can form of "worshipping God in spirit and in truth," and of those sacrifices with which God is well pleased. If we maintain, as we may well maintain, that, in the Church of England, we approach the throne of the heavenly grace, in a service as unexceptionable as any human offering can be expected to be, it concerns us no little, as consistent worshippers, to see to it, that our prayers are answered; that if we sincerely pray for "that peace which the world cannot give," we have that peace: that if we pray for "new and contrite hearts," we have them: and that if we pray, that in the enjoyment of the stupendous blessings of redemption, we may "show forth the praise of the Redeemer, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to His service all our days;" such is in truth our holy employment, both in body and soul. No truth can be clearer,

than that if we be not "spiritually-minded," we cannot enter into the excellencies of a spiritual liturgy; and if we do not enter into those excellencies, our worship must necessarily be unmeaning, and heartless, and uninfluential. I have no hesitation in saying, that if we would really enjoy the services of our church; if we would have the communion with God, and with His saints, both on earth, and in glory, which, in the use of those services, I am convinced we may have; and if we would have the heavenly spirit of our Liturgy visible in our spirit, character, and conversation, we must make our prayer-book, not a thing merely of periodical use in the church, but a subject of attentive study, and deep and con, stant reflection. And I cannot but think, my dear brethren, that if we would only be persuaded to devote an hour or two to reading and meditation, on the prayers which we purpose using, when we come to this place, we should find our worship here much more interesting, and far more profitable than it is at present. Our minds would thus be especially prepared for the employment in which we are about to

be engaged; and we should thus, in some measure, avoid the heavy charge of being "rash with our mouths, and hasty in our hearts, in uttering things before God; seeing that God is in heaven, and we on the earth." Truly, it argues that mind to be in no very enviable condition, which can profess to think highly of a treasure, like our Book of Common Prayer, and yet entirely to neglect it, excepting when the moment of public worship comes; and when it is taken. up more as a matter of course, and a matter of custom, than as a privilege of the very highest order, and upon a principle of sin cere, grateful, honest, and conscientious conformity.

I. The collect for the fourth Sunday in Advent is a prayer admirably suited to the most interesting seasons in a life of experi mental religion. When it proceeds from the heart, it breathes the desires of one who knows the plague of his own heart; the power of sin; the difficulty of a life of grace; his need of a Saviour; and the efficacy of sovereign love. This striking prayer, as I would, in the first place, remark, speaks, after the manner of the holy Scriptures, of

"a race that is set before us." There are many things implied in this expression, showing that the Christian race is something attended with great exertion, and great difficulty. Now, no person, in a state of unrenewed nature, is in a condition to run this race, because he is spiritually dead, and altogether incapable of any spiritual exertion. He treads the broad and open road, in which no difficulties occur. When, however, any one is effectually called out of that road, and placed in the narrow way that leadeth unto everlasting life; when any one obtains a new principle of life, by virtue of a mystical union with the Lord Jesus Christ; then, and not before, his Christian race begins; and with it, all his labours and all his difficulties. It is then that such a one sees, what he did not see before, that there is a prize of his high calling, for which, in the divine, strength, it greatly concerns him to strive, and to press towards its attainment, with all imaginable earnestness. You, dear brethren, who have passed from death unto life, know. well, I conceive, what is meant by the expression, "the race that is set before us." You are well aware, that you