was never vouchsafed to any person before, Heb. i. 13; "to sit on the right hand of God," Luke xxii. 69; 1 Peter iii. 22; which is a place of the greatest dignity in heaven, 1 Kings ii. 19; Heb. viii. 1; where he has begun his spiritual kingdom, and treads upon the necks of the great enemies of his jurisdiction, sin, Rom. vi. 14, satan, Heb. ii. 14, and death, 1 Cor. xv. 26; who, at the end of the world, shall come in a triumphant and glorious procession, attended with the angels, 2 Thess. i. 7; Matt. xxv. 31; shall have all power committed to him, John v. 22, 27; Acts xvii. 31, to judge those who shall then be alive, 1 Thess. iv. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 51, and those who shall be raised up from their graves, Matt. xxv. 32.

I believe the "Holy Ghost" to be very God, and the third person of the blessed Trinity; that he is not a virtue or grace, as some fondly imagine, but a person, Eph. iv. 30; Rom. viii. 26; Acts x. 19; who is called frequently "the Comforter," John xiv. 26; xv. 26; xvi. 7; and is expressly named God, Acts v. 3, 4. I further believe, that there is. a number of men, sequestered from the rest of the world by faith in Christ, and governed by his laws; who have continued throughout all ages from the apostles' time, and shall do so till the coming of Christ, which I call "the Catholic Church," which is "holy," 2 Tim. ii. 19, by reason of the holy profession which they are called to, though all the particular members are not so, Matt. xiii. 24, 47. It is likewise "Catholic" or universal, because it is not confined to any particular age or nation, but diffused throughout the world, Matt. xxviii. 19; Luke xxiv. 47. I believe that there is a "communion of the saints," and elect people of God, 1 Cor. vi. 11; Eph. i. 13; with God the Father, 1 John i. 3; with God the Son, John xvii. 21; 1 Cor. i. 9; with the Holy Ghost, Phil. ii. 1; Rom. viii. 9; and with all the

saints in all the churches now upon the earth, 1 John i. 7; as also with all the saints departed, Heb. xii. 22, 23. I believe further, that whereas by our sins we become debtors to God's justice, 1 John iii. 4; Matt. v. 22; so, through the blood of Christ, who has made satisfaction for them, Matt. xx. 28; 2 Cor. v. 18; Rom. v. 10; Col. i. 20, we may obtain "forgiveness" of them, not only in baptism, Acts ii. 38; xxii. 16; Eph. v. 26, but afterwards if we truly repent of them, 1 John iv. 10, and ii. 1. I believe likewise "the resurrection of the body," not only as a thing possible to be done by an Almighty agent, Luke i. 37; Acts xxvi. 8; Matt. x. 28, but as a thing generally expected by the Jews, Job xix. 25; Dan. xii. 2; that this is clearly promised under the Gospel, Rom. xiv. 9; viii. 11; 1 Cor. xv. 21; and moreover that the selfsame body shall rise again, 1 Cor. xv. 23; Rom. viii. 11; 2 Cor. v. 10; and lastly, that the resurrection shall extend to bad as well as good men, 1 Cor. xv. 22; John v. 28. Finally, I believe the 'everlasting" duration of all bad men in misery, Matt. xxv. 45, 46, and x. 20; Luke iii. 17; Rev. xx. 10; and of all good men in a state of glory, which does arise from a vacancy from all sorrow, Rev. xxi. 4, from the vision of God, 1 Cor. xiii. 12; 1 John iii. 2, as also from unimaginable, unspeakable pleasures, which they shall then partake of, 1 Cor. ii. 9.-Amen.

66

Each article of our faith teaches us some important part of our duty. When we profess to believe in "God the Father Almighty," we should learn to love, fear, and obey, so good, awful, and great a being as God is. From "Jesus," we should seek salvation; from "Christ," the anointed, as a Prophet, instruction; as a Priest, atonement; as a King, protection; as "the only begotten Son," the adoption of children; as "our Lord," we should serve him,-for his wonder

ful conception, in faith,—for his nativity, in humility, -for his sufferings, in patience,-for his cross, in crucifying sin, for his descent, in meditating on another world,-for his resurrection, in newness of life, for his ascension, in setting our affection on things above, on the pleasures at God's right hand,— for his return again to judge the world, in awe of his second coming, for his judgment, in judging ourselves before we come to be judged by him. From the "Spirit," we should seek the health of saving grace, that so in the "Church" we may partake of a high and heavenly calling,-in the "holy" Church, of sanctification,-in the "Catholic" Church, of communion with our brethren in prayers and sacraments, in brotherly love, and peace, and good will; and all this in order to a firm persuasion of the "remission of sins," as well as a confident hope of "resurrection" and translation to "life everlasting."-Let us, then, put these questions every one to himself, and have a direct answer from our own heart, Is my life answerable to my faith? Does my faith purify my heart? Does it produce obedience to the commands of God? Does it make me sensible of my sin and misery? Does it make me seek for in earnest and value a Redeemer? Do I find myself governed by the Holy Spirit of God? Do I labour to secure the forgiveness of my sins, by a true repentance and amendment, when I have done amiss? Do these amazing truths —everlasting life and everlasting misery-awaken in me a concern answerable to what I am to gain or lose? I may then judge whether my faith is saving, or whether it is only the faith of hypocrites. If the latter, these articles of our creed will only be so many articles of condemnation; from which judgment and condemnation may God deliver us all, for the Lord Jesus' sake!

131

CHAPTER VIII.

MORNING PRAYER, CONTINUED, AND THE ORDER FOR EVENING PRAYER.

THE MUTUAL SALUTATION OF THE MINISTER AND PEOPLE are not a prayer, they are rather the expression of their mutual wish, that they may be fitted to pray. The practice is of very great antiquity, and the expressions here used are strictly Scriptural; that of the minister is found in Ruth ii. 4; that of the people, in 2 Tim. iv. 22. Care should be taken that a difference be made in the tone of voice, between these forms of mutual compellation, and the prayers to God. to God. There is an apparent propriety in introducing them on the present occasion; for the people are going to pray, which they cannot do without God's help, and therefore the minister prays that the "Lord may be with them" in the duty; and since the minister prays for all the people, and is their mouth to God, they say, "The Lord be with thy spirit,"-may He be with thee, as thou desirest He may be with us, in the offering of our joint prayer.

In ancient liturgies, the deacon used to call upon the people often, "Let us pray vehemently," that is with earnestness; that our prayers may be such as St. James speaks of, active, lively-spirited prayers, for these are they that must prevail with God; and there is none of us but must think it needful thus to be called up and awakened, for thoughts will be wandering, and devotion will abate, and scarce hold out to the prayer's end, thought it be but a short one. This form, to awake and keep alive our devotion, is therefore wisely planned, and should be thankfully received.

Sometimes the words seem to be an invitation to another form of petitioning, as in the litany, and other places; it being as much as to say, let us collect our alternate supplications by versicles and answers into collects and prayers.

:

Prayer is the utterance of the heart it is a deep feeling within a man, of his wants, and poverty, and helplessness; it is the turn of a desolate spirit to its Spirit, and Creator, and Saviour; it is a following hard after God; it is a drawing near to Him, holding intercourse with Him, pouring out the heart before Him, a striving to fill an empty soul out of his fulness. Do you ask what prayer is? Look at the publican in the temple, "standing afar off he would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner!" that was prayer. Look at blind Bartimeus, sitting by the highway side, he cried out so that none could silence him, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy upon me!"-that too was prayer. Look at Peter, as he was sinking in the waves of the sea of Galilee, "Lord," he exclaimed, "save me !"-and that also was prayer. Unless we are sensible of our want and our misery, and are sensible that God, and no other can supply or remove it, we cannot draw nigh in spirit to the throne of grace. We can take up, indeed, the form and language of prayer, without any such conviction; but it is the form-it is the language-and no more. The heart that knows not of its wretchedness is dumb before the God of consolation. The soul that has not learnt to renounce its dependence on created things, and its trust to lying vanities for comfort or protection, will forsake its own mercies, and will fail to look up to that God besides whom there is no Saviour. The leading features of true prayer may be considered as comprising serious