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to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort those who mourn." And until thou art sensible that the chains of sin enslave thee; until the view of the guilt of thy transgressions excites the anguish of thy conscience; until the just sentence of condemnation passed against thee penetrates thy spirit,-thou wilt not supplicate the saving power of thy Redeemer; thou wilt not implore the balm of divine mercy; thou wilt not seek to wash away the stains of thy guilt in the fountain of thy Sa'viour's grace.

Let then the lively sense of thy unworthiness be ever cherished, O my soul,—to humble thee in the sight of God, to awaken the fervours of thy repentance, to excite thee to seek peace and salvation by a lively faith in thy Redeemer's merits. Especially, when thou art called to celebrate his love, and to invoke his mercy, in the holy sacrament of his supper, be it thy care to form the most affecting views of thy lost estate. Who will cherish with the most fervent gratitude the precious emblems of the Saviour's love? Who will invoke with the most sincere solicitude, that grace which this ordinance was designed to dispense? And who will experience, in their most exquisite fervours, those holy joys, which sometimes lift the soul to the city of the living God?-The humble Christian, who, cherishing a deep sense of his weakness, his unworthiness, his need of

mercy and grace, places his trust in that allsufficient Saviour, who gave himself to be the life of the world.

THE PRAYER.

O God, who art infinitely pure and perfect, and in whose sight dwelleth nothing that is unholy or unclean; with deep humility I confess the numerous sins which have defiled my conscience, and which call for the condemning sentence of thy justice. I acknowledge, O Lord, that thy laws are infinitely holy, just, and good; calculated to advance the perfection of my nature, my present peace, and everlasting welfare. But, though thou hast mercifully endued me with that heavenly grace, by which I was enabled to work out my salvation, and through the merits of my blessed Redeemer, to obtain thy favour, with deep humility I confess, that I have disregarded the invitations of thy mercy, contemned the succours of thy grace, and defied, by wilful transgression, the terrors of thy justice. Enlightened by thy truth to discern the excellence of thy righteous laws, and endued with strength to resist the temptations which would seduce me from thy service, “I have yet done the things that I ought not to have done, and I have left undone the things that I ought to have done; and there is no health in me." Alas, O Lord, by the numerous deficiencies of duty which have marked my life, by my repeated violations of thy laws, I have incurred thy displeasure; I stand condemned at thy tribunal; my conscience confirms the justice of that sentence which would banish me from thy presence. Blessed be thy name, thou hast spared me, O God of my salvation. In the exercise of infinite love, thou

hast laid on Jesus, thy eternal Son, the burden of my sins. O thou precious Lamb of God, who wast wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for my iniquities; whose agonizing sufferings, and allsufficient merits are displayed to the eye of faith, in the lively memorials of the altar, hear the supplications which my soul, bowed down by its guilt and unworthiness, directs to thee, for pardon and salvation. Grant, O my Saviour, that while the emblems of thy sufferings and death forcibly impress on my heart the sense of my guilt, they may also be the seals and pledges of the mercy, the grace, and favour of my offended God. Holy Spirit, the source of quickening grace, whose sacred office it is to convince of sin, excite in my soul the conviction of my weakness and unworthiness. Blessed Guide and Comforter, lead my contrite spirit to repose its full trust in the merits of my Saviour. Almighty Father, whose just indignation I have incurred, cast me not off for ever;

listen to the interceding calls of thy mercy, to the powerful pleadings of my Saviour's blood, and turn from my guilty soul the severity of thy wrath. Recovered by thy mercy from the depths of guilt and misery, and restored by thy grace to health, purity, and peace, be all the glory of my redemption ascribed unto thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

WEDNESDAY MORNING.

MEDITATION.

Repentance.

O MY SOUL, if the conviction of thy fallen state, thus established by the declaration of God himself, by the view of the world around thee, by the history of human nature, by the faithful testimony of thine own conscience,-if this conviction of thy fallen state has been sincere, thou wilt perceive the necessity of deep repentance.

How shalt thou express thy sensibility to thy demerit, thy sorrow for the sins which have roused against thee the wrath of heaven, but by humble and earnest confession? How shalt thou awaken the mercy of that God whom thy sins have provoked, but by that unfeigned sorrow which the true penitent cherished? How wilt thou subdue the passions which destroy thy purity and peace, and continually plunge thee in transgression and guilt, but by the mortification and self-denial which are the principal constituents of genuine repentance? Thy Saviour hath declared that he came to "seek and to save that which was lost." Thy Almighty Judge hath pronounced that he dispenses mercy only to those who turn from their wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right." Seek to

excite then, O my soul, by deep humiliation, the compassion of thy Saviour-by the vows of obedience which characterize the true penitent, prove that thou art steadfastly resolved to serve thy God, and thus lay thy humble claim to his mercy.

Thou art preparing to participate in that holy supper, where thou wilt be admitted to intimate communion with thy heavenly Father, where thou wilt engage, in the closest intercourse of love and duty, with thy blessed Redeemer. O consider, how lively should be thy contrition, how profound thy abasement, how universal thy renunciation of sin, how firm thy resolutions of obedience, how sincere thy repentance-when, by the most affecting symbols, thou dost devote thyself to thy Redeemer, and implore the mercy and grace of the God of thy salvation.

Art thou then desirous, O my soul, to be rescued from that guilt and condemnation into which sin has cast thee? Art thou desirous to be restored to the enjoyment of the reconciled countenance of thy God? Art thou desirous to enjoy the pure delight that enlivens the conscience which the blood of the Saviour hath cleansed from guilt? Art thou desirous to experience the powerful efficacy of that body and blood, by which Jesus redeems his penitent people? Art thou desirous to enjoy the refreshing grace of thy Almighty Saviour? Let thy most vigorous exertions be roused; let thy most fervent prayers be di

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