I earnestly pray that the power of the Divine Spirit may be present, effectually to impress his word upon every heart, and to take of the things of Jesus, and fully shew them unto us.

I. It is, of course, possible for me to give but a very confined notion of what the riches of Christ are, from the very fact that the apostle calls them unsearchable. He does not mean that we may not inquire into them; but that, with all our searching, we cannot find them out unto perfection. In the eternal world there are richer displays reserved for us than we can here imagine: still, even with immortal faculties and angelic wisdom, we shall be compelled to acknowledge-" O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out."

1. But I may observe, that by the riches of Christ must be understood his mercy in saving sinners. Both the extent to which this is carried, and the mode in which it is exercised, are inscrutable. For we never can comprehend how great that feeling of compassion must have been in the Saviour's breast, which inclined him to offer himself a victim and propitiation for the sins of the world. The death of a man for his friend and benefactor is the highest pitch of human love; it has never reached to the suffering of curse and condemnation for an enemy. And then, when human love is dealt forth, every fresh claimant for it subtracts somewhat of its benefits from the rest; just as Esau could have but a meagre blessing, when the waters of a full cup had been poured forth upon Jacob. But the riches of Christ, applied for and bestowed a thousand times, are at last as plenteous as at first. Like the manna, which was a type of him, his mercy extends itself just to the supply of each man's need. He on whom the fullest measure is bestowed has not too much, and he that enjoys the least will find it a portion adequate to all his desires. Christ's blood washes away all sin: there is no offence too grievous to be atoned for by it; no stain too deep of moral pollution to be effaced thereby. Not only the blasphemy of Paul, but the unbelief of Thomas, and the apostacy of Peter, and the robberies of the crucified thief, were purged away in the fountain which Christ opened. His murderers were not excluded from its benefit; for to them first, repentance and remission of sins, he particularly declared, must be proclaimed by his apostles. The mode, too, wherein, as guilty sinners, we partake Christ's salvation, is just as wonderful. It is not that we come with money in our hands to purchase his favour; it is not that, being pronounced deserving, we are put in possession of an eternal inheritance; it is that,

sinful, we are pardoned; ungodly, we are justified; filthy, we are cleansed. Human counsel would have proposed some righteousness of works-and, indeed, how far the righteousness of faith, which is unto and upon all those that believe-how far this is above the range of natural understanding is evident by the objections and difficulties which are continually made to it, the false inferences that are drawn from it, the misapprehensions with which it is overlaid. But here are the riches of Christ's mercy, that the weary and the wounded, looking to his cross, just as the Israelites raised their eyes to the serpent that Moses lifted up, may be refreshed and healed. And tell me, my friends, if those riches of mercy were not unsearchable, what hope could you and I have of everlasting life? Our offences must have provoked to extremity any thing short of infinite compassion; our stains of guilt must have defied any fountain not of virtue illimitable to have cleansed them; and only a robe, pure, and white, and perfect as the Deity, could shroud the hideousness of our natural deformity.

2. There are also riches of divine 'so dom in the Lord Jesus Christ. I need not dwell here on the manifestations he gave of this while upon earth. He spake, even by ta confession of his foes, as never man spake. I would refer, rather, to the course of his dealings at all times with his believing people. He established his Church on other principles than those which commend themselves to human subtlety. He did not seek, as false prophets have ever sought, for the patronage of the noble and the mighty. He committed his treasure to the weakest of earthen vessels ; and yet, see how the event already has approved his counsels-and much more shall events approve them, when the kingdoms of the world shall have become fully the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. And now he replenishes his Church, not by carnal devices. There is a wonderful train of providential circumstances continually pursued, wherein, step by step, the sinner is brought within the sound of the Gospel, arrested by its message, submits to its call, finds it the great power of God to his salvation, and is refined and rendered meet for the heavenly glory. Sometimes it is by affliction, as an instrumental means, that the proud spirit is brought down; sometimes a mere word from the mouth of perhaps some despised preacher is made a word in season. And discipline just contrary to the natural choice is often employed, which, for a time, it may be, resisted and deplored, yieldeth by and by the peaceable fruit of holiness to them that are exercised thereby. In all these things the riches of Christ's wisdom are unsearchable. And if they were not so, how

which become the Christian; they confess that they are destitute of the graces of the Gospeland yet they make no effort to obtain them. Just as if the husbandman were to acknowledge his fields ought to be cultivated, his land to be cleared, his seed to be sown-and yet sit idly down, content though he saw them overspread with weeds. If, then, you will be followers of Christ, you must give all diligence to make your calling and election sure; if you would gain the heavenly prize, you must strenuously press forward in the race; if you would secure a triumph, you must use your weapons manfully in the conflict. The promises of the Gospel are made to such persons: the blessings which are treasured up in Christ are bestowed on those who pray without ceasing, who give him, as it were, no rest, till he make his name a praise and glory in the earth. For, just as those that reject him lose his favour, so none that really seek him are sent empty away. "Him that cometh unto me,” says the Lord Jesus Christ, "I will in no wise cast out." It is possible there may be those present, who say that they have sought the Lord, but have not found him; have become possessed of none of those unsearchable riches, of which I have been speaking. It is because you have wearied and fainted in your course. For a while you have seemed, it may be, to run well, but you have afterwards been hindered. Now this is just what I would impress upon you, that you must not merely employ desultory efforts, but must take, as it were, if you would gain it, the kingdom of heaven by storm, never remitting your efforts, but with more energetic zeal pressing continually towards the mark.

2. I make a second observation. This treasure must be sought with the deepest humility. Any claim or notion of merit on your part would close the door against you; "for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." If you put forward the tinsel of your own deservings, who will commit to your charge the true riches? And this is why multitudes are destitute of the mercy, and power, and peace of the Gospel, because they think to qualify themselves for the grace of Christ. They are undeserving, that is true, and poor, and needy; but instead of resorting in simple faith to the storehouse of eternal blessings, they hold back till, as they imagine, they shall have, in some measure, earned some riches of their own. But this is just in direct opposition to the invitations of the Scripture: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; buy wine and milk, without money and without price." It is hard, practically, to throw away the proud imagination that we can help ourselves; it is hard to count what things were

gain to us but loss for Christ; yet this must be the experience of the true believer. A man will never be the better for the salvation of the Gospel, till he has learned, guilty, to look to Christ for pardon; polluted, to wash in the opened fountain; in simplicity of heart, and tenderness of spirit, imploring," God be merciful to me a sinner." His faith will then be abundantly crowned with blessing; he shall receive from the open hand of Christ, even grace for grace.

3. I give a third admonition. To obtain the riches described, there must be much selfrenunciation. Our Lord teaches this in a remarkable parable: "The kingdom of heaven," he says, "is like treasure hid in a field, which when a man hath found, for joy he selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." And thus all the lusts of the flesh, and the vanities of the world, and the most favourite sins, must be parted with;-they must be given to the winds. It is common to hear professing Christians lamenting their poverty and want of comfort: they walk in darkness; they enjoy not the rich peace which, like a flowing river, is promised abundantly to water the believer's soul; and they almost doubt whether such joy can be experienced on earth. It is because they still hold fast to some worldly pursuit and pleasure, which mixes wormwood in the cup of life; because they will not leave all things to follow Christ, but persist in cherishing some sin, some lust, which prevents the Lord from occupying all their heart. Inconsistency of walk thus not only is displeasing to God, not only throws a stumbling-block in the way of our brethren, but also is seriously detrimental to our own welfare. Christ will not come and take up his abode, with all his riches, unless his throne be exclusively prepared. Be very watchful and jealous over yourselves in this respect; examine and prove yourselves, and see that there be no wicked. way in you. Seek a right understanding, that you may know what would be displeasing to Christ; and earnestly implore Almighty strength, that you may be enabled to cut off the right hand, and pluck out the right eye, which would cause you to offend.

4. I observe, once more, that you must put yourselves in the way of blessing. Just as the sick man, mentioned in the Gospel, had to be carried to Bethesda's pool, and to lie there waiting for the moving of the water, till the angel descended and inspired it with healing virtue; so, if you would have the full measure of Christ's riches vouchsafed to you, be sedulously waiting upon him in every means of grace, in every ordinance of his house, in the faithful improvement of every privilege; above all, in carefully watching the spirit and temper in which you use the privileges en

trusted to you. Persons often cut themselves off from blessing, by neglecting the channels, through which God has appointed that his grace shall flow. This is just as if a man were to deprive himself of his meals, and then wonder that his body became weak and emaciated. Persons often reap no benefit from the ordinances they do attend, because they approach them in a harsh and critical spirit. This is just as if a man were to infuse in his food some acrid, or bitter mixture, and then wonder that it was not pleasant to his taste. Let it be your part, as new-born babes, to desire the sincere milk of

the word, thus shall you grow thereby; let it be your part to come humbly, believingly, simply, with your empty vessels, and then you shall draw water with joy out of the wells of salvation.

THE SERVICES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

The Order for Morning and Evening Prayer daily throughout the Year.

No. II.

THE CONFESSION.

A CONFESSION was formerly recited in the office for the first hour of the morning, according to the rites of the English churches. It occurred in the course of prayers which came at the end of the service; "but its place was afterwards changed." Christian humility would naturally induce us to approach the infinitely holy God with a confession of our sinfulness and unworthiness; and this position of the confession is justified by the practice of the castern churches in the time of St. Basil, who observes, that the people all confessed their sins with great contrition at the beginning of the nocturnal service, and before the psalmody and lessons commenced. "It is so certain that sin unrepented of hinders the success of our prayers (Is. i. 15; lix. 1, 2), that such as would pray effectually have always begun with confession; because, when the guilt is laid open by penitential acknowledgments, there is no bar to God's grace and mercy. Thus Ezra and Daniel prayed (Ezra ix. 5, 6; Dan. ix. 4, 5); and Christ taught his disciples to ask for pardon as often as they prayed for their daily bread (Matt. vi. 11, 12). St. Jerome also assures us, that he daily asked God forgiveness on his knees; and, for the public, St. Basil affirms it was the custom then for every one to make profession of his repentance in his own words." It is seemly that our service should begin with confession of sins; for, before we beg any thing else, or offer up any praise or lauds to God (says Bishop Sparrow), it is fit we should confess and beg pardon of our sins, which hinder God's acceptation of our services. "If I regard iniquity in mine heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Ps. lxvi. 18). This confession is to be uttered with "an humble voice." Our Church's direction in this particular is grave and conformable to ancient rules. The sixth council of Constantinople (in Trullo) forbids all disorderly and rude vociferation in the execution of holy services; and St. Cyprian advises thus, "Let our speech and voice in prayer be with discipline, still and modest: let us consider that we stand in the presence of God, who is to be pleased both with the habit and posture of our body, and manner of our speech; for, as it is a part of impudence to be loud and clamorous, so, on the con

trary, it becomes modesty to pray with an humble voice." "This confession is to be said by the whole congregation," the rubric tells us; and, with good

reason. For could there be any thing devised better than that we all at our first access unto God by prayer should acknowledge meekly our sins, and that, not only in heart, but with tongue; all that are present being made earnest witnesses, even of every man's distinct and deliberate assent to each particular branch of a common indictment drawn against ourselves? How were it possible that the church should any way else, with such ease and certainty provide, that none of her children may dissemble that wretchedness, the penitent confession whereof is so necessary a preamble, especially to common prayer; by which we mean prayer presented by all the congregation in This "confession" may be viewed as con

common?

sisting of four parts.

1. An invocation of God in the character suited to suppliant sinners. Almighty and most merciful Father." Were we unable to say unto him, Thou, O Lord, art our Father, and our Redeemer" (Is. lxiii. 16), and to connect this with his mighty power and mercy, we could not venture to approach him; but we draw nigh unto him, animated by the promise, "I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. vi. 17, 18), and by the assurance that "He is good and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon him" (Ps. lxxxvi. 5). The apostle has entitled him the "Father of mercies" (2 Cor. i. 3); and Christ himself, who knew the Father, and could best declare the properties of his character, ascribes to him this cheering attribute, when he exhorts us to cultivate a compassionate spirit: "Be ye merciful" (says the Saviour), "as your Father also is merciful" (Luke vi. 36).

2. We acknowledge our departure from God, our corruption, and its practical influence upon our conduct. "We have erred and strayed from God's ways like lost sheep" we love not the fold of God; we are wanderers from that fold from our birth: "all we like sheep have gone astray" (Is. liii. 6). There is a fold abundantly supplied, and vigilantly guarded, where we might be safe; but we have wandered from it: there is a Shepherd who would feed, and protect, and tenderly provide for us; but we have "erred and strayed" from him. Heedless of his steps and regardless of his voice, we have often forsaken the "green pastures and the still waters," and have wandered into the dry and barren wilderness, where we have been left destitute of true comfort, and have been exposed to innumerable perils.

We have "followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts." These devices and desires are not in a dormant state; they are, in the soul of the transgressor, the main-spring of action. The whole conduct of the unregenerate man proves, that he lives to gratify himself, and that he knows no superior impulse to passion and appetite. To every thing that relates to spiritual exercises, and to every thing which involves the momentous concerns of the soul and eternity, "he is dead while he seemeth to live." In the heart of those too, whom divine grace hath renewed, corrupt devices and desires are still found. They are yet in existence, and must be mourned over; they yet urge their unhallowed claims, and must be resisted; they yet struggle for the mastery, and must be grappled with, and subdued.

Our actual transgressions are affectingly pointed out in the clauses, "we have offended against thy holy laws: we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done: and there is no health in us." The immutable obligations of the laws of Jehovah, in all their magnitude and force, rest upon his creatures, in their collective and individual