as well-they're all so full of Scripture, and seem so suited to my wants: and then, in every page of the Prayer-Book, from beginning to end, Christ is set forth. He is all in all in it, and so must he be, neighbour, to every one of us, or we must perish for ever. I love my Prayer-Book, because it is so full of the Bible, and therefore so full of my blessed Saviour."

Robert Pearce had been brought up by his pious parents in the Church of England. Her services had been associated with the most important and interesting events of his life. She had led him to his God at the baptismal font; at his confirmation she had urged him to ratify and confirm the solemn promises made on his behalf by his sponsors: she had led him to seek God's blessing on his dearest earthly ties; and when those whom he most loved were removed from him, she comforted him with the Saviour's own most precious words, "I am the resurrection and the life," so that he might not sorrow as those without hope. Thus was the Church in which he had been brought up intimately associated with the retrospect of his happiest days; but it was not principally on these accounts that he loved it. It was because it set forth the Saviour whom he loved above all-because it led his weary, heavyladen soul to His finished work of redemption, that Robert Pearce loved the Church of England.

"Well," replied Robert Smith, "perhaps if you have five minutes to spare, we may have a few words on the subject."

"Now, first, (reaching out his hand for Pearce's Prayer-Book,) What do you mean by the Sentences, as they are called?" "Why, do you not see, that they are every one taken out of God's holy word, and are invitations to us to turn unto the Lord? Sure such sinners as we are dare not go into his presence without first being assured of his willingness to receive us; and so these texts, out of his word, are read to us first, by the minister, to encourage us to go to his mercy-seat. Then follows the Exhortation, beginning, 'Dearly beloved brethren,' in which the minister calls upon each of us to

confess our manifold sins and wickedness, with an humble, penitent, and obedient heart; and although we ought at all times to do so, yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks to God for his mercies, to set forth his most worthy praise, and to hear his most holy word.' He therefore calls on the people to accompany him with a pure heart, and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace.' Surely this is a good beginning to the service. And if we attend to it, we shall be willing enough to join our minister in confessing our sins, in the Confession, as it is called; and we should be careful to repeat every sentence after him with a lowly and reverent voice, remembering in whose presence we are, for our Lord hath promised-'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of you.' Ah, if we did

but consider this when we go to God's house-if we did but seek his blessing, we should find it, for he has said: 'Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.' 'In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.' Yet how often do we go in a careless spirit, and give way to vain and wandering thoughts when we are there? and we can't wonder if we come home as cold as we went without the blessing.

"Well, now for the Confession. It begins with calling upon God as our 'Almighty and most merciful Father.' Remember, most merciful as well as Almighty. If he were Almighty only, where should guilty sinners flee? But in Christ Jesus he is reconciled to us, and ready to receive us. Yes; his word tells us that when he sees the sinner returning to him, while he is yet a great way off, he runs as it were to him, so much does he rejoice when we repent.

The

Confession then goes on almost in the exact words of Scripture. 'We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. 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. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders." It then proceeds to plead God's gracious promise of mercy, through Christ declared unto mankind; by him and 'for his sake prays

fot grace to live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of his holy Name.'

"Now, it seems to me that if we really thought about the meaning of this Confession, we should find it just suitable to us. Are we not indeed as helpless and as likely to perish as a poor wandering sheep, who has strayed from the fold? The Bible says, 'all we like sheep have gone astray.' O neighbour! do you and I feel this to be our case? We have often seen a poor, silly sheep lose its way, and we know if the shepherd had not gone after it, it would have gone farther and farther, and have been lost quite; and so should we, if our heavenly Shepherd did not seek us; but 'he came to seek and to save that which was lost." Then the word of God assures us,

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that our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.' So we may well say with sorrow, that we have followed the devices and desires of our own hearts." "

"Well, as to that (said Smith) I'm not sure that my heart is so bad, or that I have broken God's laws. To be sure, I'm not so good as you are, but I wouldn't wrong my neighbour of a penny, and I believe my master would give me a tolerable fair character if

you ask him." "Perhaps your earthly master might give you a character for honesty and industry," said another voice, but in a tone peculiarly solemn, "are you as sure that your heavenly Master would? Have you never wronged him? He says to you, Give me thine heart.' Have you done so ?"

Smith looked round. It was the minister who thus addressed him. He had been to visit a sick person, and was returning home by that road, when he heard the remark Smith had made.

Mr. Russell continued. "Believe me, there is no mistake so dangerous in religion as fancying that we are not sinners. "The whole need not a physician, but those that are sick.' So if we do not feel our sinfulness, we shall not go to that Saviour through whom alone we can be saved. We are so sinful that, until the Holy Spirit open our eyes, we do not see what sin is. We do not see how abominable it is in the sight of a holy and heart-searching God. We are apt to forget also, that the word of God declares that 'whosoever keepeth the whole law, and yet offendeth in one point, is guilty of all;' (James ii. 10.) and that "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.' (Gal. iii. 10.) Can we, dare we say, that we have continued in all God's commandments-that we have never sinned in our thoughts, words, or actions? The Lord assures us that our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;' and surely our thinking we are not sinners, is a proof that they are indeed deceitful. Let us examine ourselves by our Lord's words: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself.' Do we love him so? Is it the chief and most earnest desire of our hearts to serve and

please him? his service?

Do we delight in
On the contrary,

Is not God seldom in our thoughts? Do you not rise day after day, and retire to rest at night, with scarcely one serious thought of him? Do you not frequently use his holy name, if not in profane swearing, yet irreverently and carelessly? Is the Sabbath remembered by you to keep it holy? Do you love your neighbour as yourself? Have we never disobeyed our parents? Have we always, in every instance, given them the honour due unto them; striving to please them in all things not inconsistent with God's will? Have we nursed them in sickness, and soothed them in sorrow? Have we always rendered 'honour to whom honour is due' -whether to the Queen, or any of those persons who are set over us in the Lord-ministers, or magistrates, or masters, or teachers? Let us remember that our Lord plainly tells us that the Sixth Commandment, like the others, is broken by malice, or anger in the heart, although it never shew itself in actual murder. We should start if we were told we were murderers; yet, in another part of the sacred Scriptures it is written, 'He that hateth his brother is a murderer.' Have we never taken advantage of our neighbour in any way? Have we always considered his interest and welfare in every thing which we have had to do with him? Have we never believed or mentioned an evil report against him, and perhaps been secretly pleased with it? Have we never coveted any thing which was

our neighbour's? and have we in all things done unto him as we should wish him to have done unto us'? Alas! my friends; if we really try our conduct by God's law, we shall know that we are indeed what the Confession tells us, miserable offenders,' and that there is no health in us.' No health in our souls: that we are 'dead in trespasses and sins'-vile and guilty in God's sight. And it is an awful mockery of God to repeat with our lips, But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders,' while we think in our hearts that we do not deserve the awful punishment which his word denounces against sin, 'even the worm that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched.' Nay, even perhaps that we are better than our neighbours, and doing our duty, as it is called. Oh! how can we enter the Lord's house, and utter words which we do not mean, thus awfully provoking him to anger? And yet this must be the case with many; for we may be certain that if every person who used this Confession did really beseech the Lord to have mercy upon them, we should be a holy people unto him: for God is a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God; and never did the vilest sinner pray to him in vain. Never shall the merits and dying love of the Saviour be pleaded in vain. He has declared that 'him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.' How is it, then, that iniquity abounds -that multitudes go on in sin, as if there were no heaven and no hell? The reason is plain.

They will not go to the Lord Jesus that they might have life. Or they insult him by asking with their lips for mercy which they do not believe they need, and which, therefore, they do not wish for. But let us never forget that the promise standeth sure-'Ask, and ye shall have.' The Lord will give pardon and peace if we seek them; and he will give us grace to live a godly, righteous, and sober life,' so that we shall be enabled to 'glorify him with our bodies and our spirits which are his.' Seeing then, that although we are indeed miserable offenders -that we have broken God's holy law that we have followed the devices and desires of our own sinful hearts'-that 'we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and have done those things which we ought not to have done, and there is no health in us'-let us praise God for his merciful promises to penitent sinners, and heartily pray that he will restore us to his favour according to his_promises, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us never forget that, as sinners, we are under the curse of his holy law. Until we flee to Christ, have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him (Christ) the iniquity of us all.' (Is. liii. 6.) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.' (Gal. iii. 13.) Yes, my dear friends, the Lord of life and glory has been made a curse for us: he has died that we might live: Neither is there salvation in any other.'

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