would tempt us from reliance on his promises, and from hope in his mercy. By faith, as with a shield, turn aside the subtle attacks of the wicked who would fain withdraw you from a Saviour even by your own fears, and who, because after all you must be to Him an unworthy and "unprofitable servant," would entice you from his service altogether, and, under the plea of humility, debase you to an unbeliever. By faith, therefore, nerve your heart with the assured word that the "blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin; and that whosoever trusteth in him shall never be confounded." By faith, cheer your soul amid all its heavy discouragements, all its dark sorrows, all its secret misgivings. Remember "the glories which shall be revealed," and which await you and every faithful servant of God: glories prepared by your ascended Saviour', and by Him secured and sealed for you, by that very sacrifice, "to commemorate which you are now assembled." By faith then take this holy Sacrament "to your comfort."

Before, however, you can derive comfort from this act of faith, you must disburden your mind of the weight of sin, by a hearty acknowledgment of your sorrow for it, an unreserved confession of its misery and guilt, and an assurance of your firm resolve to amend your life according to God's word. Moreover, that such expression of contrition may the more clearly indicate your deep sense of utter unworthiness, make this "humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees"-not shaming to confess before men, Him, who, as you devoutly hope and pray, will one day confess you before the angels in heaven.

1 John xiv. 2, 3. "I go to prepare a place for you;"" that where I am, there ye may be also."

GENERAL CONFESSION,

To be said in the name of all those that are minded to receive the Holy Communion 1.

66 Almighty God

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

THE fulness and truly scriptural character of this confession well justifies the Church in directing it to be said in the name of all the communicants. None so righteous that they can hope to stand justified otherwise than by the atonement of the Redeemer; none so unrighteous but that the way of holiness is open to them, through the same all-powerful mediation. The convinced sinner finds here adequate expression for all his sense of misery and compunction; for his hatred of past evil, and his eager resolve to lead a new and better life; whilst the best and the holiest of the servants of Christ readily adopt every sentiment of lowliness and unworthiness, which may befit imperfect creatures. They think no language too humbling, as they feel no sorrow can be too deep, when they approach a God, who is "Almighty; Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all

men !"

The address declares God to be "Almighty." Hence, we might with good reason shrink from laying open to Him our hearts, filled as they are too often with worldly and unworthy, if not unholy thoughts. But fear yields to trust, when we consider Him also, as

:

1 The Rubric farther directs, that each individual declare his confession for the form is to be repeated by "all the people kneeling and saying."

We trust

"the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." that since we are called by his Son's name, and baptized unto a lively hope of our calling and election in Him, He may be pleased to exercise, not his power in punishing, but his mercy in saving. Thus only dare we approach Him, our "maker and our judge." For not only the wicked and the worldly stand in awe, when they look forward to a future judgment. God is the "judge of all men." Hence it is no strange thing, that the hearts even of the righteous are filled with solemn dread at the prospect of that awful day of the Lord. The righteous indeed are they who best know how far man must ever come short of that perfection, so plainly insisted upon in the Gospel', and in which perfection of righteousness, either their own or imputed, we must stand before God. The inquiring language of David, therefore, well becomes us all—“ Lord, who may stand in thy sight?"

This address is followed by an acknowledgment of sin, by a declaration of repentance, and by an expression of faith in God's mercy through Christ. The communicants" acknowledge and bewail their manifold sins and wickedness, which they have from time to time most grievously committed, by thought, word, and deed, against his Divine majesty; provoking most justly his wrath and indignation against them." In this solemn hour of reflection, many an offence rises up to memory, long dormant 2. The word read and

1 Matt. v. 8. "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."

2 Of the past, every reader well knows, how much may recur to the mind in a moment of time. It is inconceivable the rapidity with which thought succeeds to thought, when once the springs of memory

preached, the spirit in answer to prayer, and conscience so aroused, combine to detect the lurking sin, even though it be but in thought; and presenting it in its true character, as most justly provoking the Divine wrath, they cause the offender to mourn, and, haply, to forsake it. How can it be but that "the remembrance of those sins is grievous;" committed perhaps against strong convictions of heart, against a sense of mercies vouchsafed, and punishment forborne? How can "the burden of them be otherwise than intolerable?" There is no rest under their galling weight. Food does not nourish, sleep does not refresh, devotion itself supplies no comfort. That which cheers the pardoned, mocks the sinful; and all which is are opened. Therefore it is emphatically said of the wicked, who "hate to be reformed" and who cherish their sins; that they "heap up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath." They accumulate sins, as a debtor his responsibilities, with a rapidity of which sad experience alone can fully know the weight and misery.

As this sheet was passing through the press, I met with a treatise upon the physiology of death, in which the writer records the following fact; and as it is not only in itself very striking, but is powerfully illustrative of the view here taken of the subject, I venture to present it to the reader's serious consideration. "A phenomenon has come to my knowledge," he observes, "which I do not recollect to have seen noticed. A man fell into the water; he rose several times to the surface. He had a perfect consciousness of the hopelessness of his situation. With this conviction on his mind, he saw presented to him a picture of his past life. The minutest action in which he had been engaged was brought in a kind of tableau before him. Circumstances that had long been forgotten were conjured from his brain, and he had a bird's-eye view of his past life." The writer adds the following startling and instructive suggestion: "Possibly this may occur to every person at the moment of dying *."

Reader! would you that such picture present to you sins forgotten and unrepented, or sins mourned and pardoned?

* Winslow upon the Physiology of Death.

bright to the reconciled, is dark to the alien from his God. O! glorious truth then! Thou, O blessed Jesus! Thou removest that grievous remembrance! Thou bearest that burden, too heavy for ourselves to bear ! Mercy therefore is all our plea! Mercy through Thee! For thy sake we implore to be forgiven! we avow that if mercy be extended to us, it must be through thine atoning sacrifice; in Thee alone is our whole trust, that the Father will "forgive us all that is past," and by his preventing grace, will "grant us" ever hereafter to serve and please Him in newness of life. For the future, then, let our constant aim be, to avoid those paths which led us wrong, and choose the new and safe path, which hitherto we have either despised or disregarded. O! the peace of mind which follows this "newness of life!" this happy resolve to serve and please God! Henceforth we shall not, as of old, be afraid to think of a present God. We have no longer any secret cherished sin in the heart which makes us afraid to acknowledge his omniscience. We no longer live as if we would escape his pervading knowledge. Our joy is to feel his presence. Ours is the Psalmist's happy prayer, "Try me, O God, and examine my heart; see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Thus living to our own peace, we shall also live “to the honour and glory of his name;" for it shall to all men be evident, that the renovation is of the Lord; the fruit of his word; the work of his Spirit; "through Jesus Christ our Lord."

What an animating object is here presented to our contemplation-a renovated soul! Formerly there had been bitter, though concealed, shame; deep