this one of her Ember seasons. * The intent of these is to implore, by prayers and fasting, the divine direction and blessing in the ordination of fit men to serve in the sacred ministry, and surely none who have correct notions of the responsibility incurred by those who shall become ministers of the Gospel, or who have any just feeling for their own welfare and that of the Church, or the slightest gratitude for the mercies which they receive from the religion they profess, can refuse to join earnestly and heartily in the petitions thus offered upin their behalf. Adopting the call of the Baptist, the Church continues to enforce upon all orders of men the necessity of repentance, forewarning us in the Epistle, of Christ's re-appearing to judge the world, when even the most hidden things of the heart shall be made manifest.

The labours of the Clergy and the object of them are shewn in the Collect-they are to turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; and consequently it is the bounden duty of their hearers to listen to them with reverence, and to obey them heartily and cheerfully, in order that at the second coming of the Son of Man to judge the world, we

Ember is a Saxon word, signifying what returns in a regular or periodical order. Others, however, consider it as a word denoting ashes, because it was the custom to scatter ashes on the head in token of humiliation. These weeks, occurring in the four seasons of the year, are called the fasts of the four seasons.

may, indeed, be found an acceptable people in the sight of God. To slight this admonition then is to contemn him whose servants they are, and to throw away our own salvation.

The Lessons of the day are admirably calculated to rouse us from a state of indifference, of sin, and sloth, to an active life of holiness, while the downfall of the enemies of the Church, and its future exaltation, are the glorious theme of the prophecies which they contain.

ISAIAH XXV. 9.

"And it shall be said in that day, Lo! this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us."

Oh! what a bitter change was wrought

On this fair earth by Adam's sin;
No heavy cloud with deluge fraught,

Nor angry winds, nor tempest's din,
Nor scorching heat, nor with'ring drought,

Nor furious blast, its bosom seared.

But all that look of love had caught,

Which first Creation's work had cheered,

When glittering from its watery bed this rising globe appeared.

Woe was a sound man ne'er had heard,
He knew not then as now to weep;

Joyous his heart as joyous bird,
Gentler than infant's was his sleep.
Pain had not woke the murmur deep,
Nor had his bosom heaved a sigh;
He knew not what it was to keep

Lone watching by the closing eye.

He had not seen another's death, nor fear'd himself to die.

But now the merest child can tell
Himself, as earth a burthen bears ;
How sad to weep for one loved well,
How sad a face oft Nature wears.

But, lo! our God himself prepares

To soothe our sorrows, doubts dispel;
Bid death expire in its own snares—

To yield its prey the grave compel,

And rescue Adam's fallen race from ruin and from Hell.

His promise read and trust-" I bring

A refuge from the storm, a shade

From heat; and soon Death's haughty king

His own destruction shall be made.

The tyrant's anger shall be staid,

All tears be wiped from ev'ry eye,—

Reproach shall cease: the ransom paid,

Thus shall the joyous captives cry,

'We waited for our God in hope, and now behold Him nigh."

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

Morning Lesson, Isaiah xxx.

Evening Lesson, Isaiah xxxii.

Epistle, Philippians iv. 4.
Gospel, St. John i. 19.

COLLECT.

O LORD! raise up, we pray Thee, Thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, Thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of Thy Son our Lord, to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

The near approach of any event, highly important to ourselves, has a natural tendency to arouse reflection, and even to create in us a feeling of awe. It matters not what degree of happiness we may promise to ourselves as its result; serious and solemn thoughts, in spite almost of ourselves, spring up in our mind, and an inward sense of demerit or unworthiness insensibly but irresistibly forces itself upon us. Perhaps it would not be presumptuous to say that the Church has framed her holy offices for this Sunday, though in a much higher sense, in a spirit strongly partaking of this feeling.

The Collect is one of great humility, deeply expressive of the miserable consequences of our fallen nature, and implying a proper confession of our faith.