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must his 'indignation burn against as others *") have now our affecyou who have left it altogether, tions set upon things above, we and who are stone cold except to may hope that a change has taken his enemies, and to what tends to place in our hearts, that a new spi. the ruin of your souls for ever! If rit is given unto us, and that we ye have through grace set out in are enabled to “ worship God in earnest in the spiritual course, be- spirit and in truth+;" because our ware of leaving your first love; bodies are becomes the temple of watch and pray always. Would God, and that the Holy Spirit of ye obtain this love?-Ye must see Godľ” dwells in us. your sin and danger of perdition, Is the Lord's day that day which and get to know the pardoning we love and prize above all others, love of God through Christ; see chiefly because we are or hope to the necessity of possessing the love be abstracted from worldly things, of God; be found in the serious and to be occupied with eternal use of all the means of obtaining things? Are we with the unrege.

it; and beseech the Lord the Spi- nerate, saying of the sabbath in our ; rit to shed it abroad in your hearts. hearts, “ Behold, what a weariness .: CLERICUS DERBIENSIS. is it g?" If so, it is surely no sign

that “God, who commanded the - TEST OF REGENERATION.

light to shine out of darkness, hath

shined into our hearts, to give the “EXCEPT a man be born again, light of the knowledge of the glory he cannot see the kingdom of of God in the face of Jesus God."--If these words bear with Christ 11." Let us reflect that it their due weight upon the mind, is a perpetual sabbath in heaven: the question that will naturally and if we are still so much “ of this arise out of the declaration is this world q” that a single sabbath Am I born again?

tires us, what would become of us Reader, suffer me to set before in the celestial world, where there you a test of regeneration; and

are no pleasures that will admit of may the Spirit of God, for the sake

any comparison with earthly pleaof Jesus Christ our Saviour, grant sures. On the contrary, are we an application of it unto the heart. of the number of those whom God

Have we more real enjoyment in " hath quickened ? who were dead communion with God, in prayer, in trespasses and sins ** ?" unto us thanksgivings, and praise, than in is “ the sabbath a delight, the holy any other occupation on earth? of the Lord honourablett." This is not the present state of What motive is it that actuates man by nature : we naturally love us to frequent the house of God? the things of time and sense; and If we are unrenewed, we attend dying in the love of these things, public wors

ings, public worship principally because we are not capacitated for the en- it appears to be our duty to do so. joyment of heaven ; praise and and having fulfilled this duty, wę

adoration are the constant employ- shall be inclined to depend upon "ments of the inhabitants of that it as one of

that it as one of those good works for world; the angels bưfore the throne whic

one which we hope to be rewarded. continually. cry, “ Holy! Holy! Fri

From a sense of allegiance in this Holy!” With no pleasure in such

state we pay our homage unto the work as this, we should not be de- Lord as unto our sovereign ; and lighted with heaven if we could

as a sovereign only, God, who is even obtain a local entrance into it: but if we (who certainly " were * Eph. ii. 3. + John, iv. 24. by nature children of wrath, even

I i Cor. iii. 16. Ś Mal. i. 13.
II Cor. iv. 6.

John, viii. 23. * Joh iii. 3.

** Eph. ij. 1. tt Is. Iviii. 13.

justice itself, justice in its fulness, should conspire together to draw justice in the abstract, must pass us unto our Father which is in the awful sentence of his justice heaven; and if we are renewed in upon us, if we have not “fied for the spirit of our minds, these prinrefuge to lay hold upon the hope ciples in our hearts will direct our set before us *" in the Gospel.-If, ways. however, we are “ the children of Reader, let us search and try Godt" by adoption and grace, we ourselves, and let us cry unto the shall love the gates of Zion; with Lord with the Psalmist, “ Search David we shall be saying, “ My me, O God, and know my heart; soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for try me, and know my thoughts; the courts of the Lord; my heart and see if there be any wicked way and my flesh erieth out for the live in me, and lead me in the way ing God ;” a day in thy courts is everlasting *." Let us take heed better than a thousand; “I had ra- to these things (for they concern ther be a door-keeper in the house our everlasting peace), while it is of my God, than to dwell in the called to-day, before “ the night tents of wickedness ;" " I delight cometh, when no man can work 7." to do thy will, O my God ll.” If - Except a man be born again" this is indeed the very language of here, “ he cannot see the kingdom our hearts, we shall not go to wor- of God” hereafter. ship God so much from a sense of

. M.O. duty, as from a sense of gratitude and love, and therefore it will be ON COMMUNION WITH GOD, AS impossible that we can regard it as · FURNISHING A CERTAIN EVI. one of those good works that merit DENCE OF GRACE. any reward; so far from it, know. THERE is no subject, the consi ing that we dwell in sinful and pol- deration of which more clearly deluted tabernacles of clay, we shall velopes the deceitfulness of the feel it a very high privilege to be human heart, than that of the false allowed to come into the presence marks by which many persons try of an altogether pure and holy their spiritual state, and from which Being, before the King of kings wrong conclusions are drawn. It and Lord of lords; as “ dear is evident that where there is not children 9," depending entirely a spark of divine grace, there may upon him, we shall come unto our

our be great purity of creed, great zeal heavenly Father. “ The love of for the establishment and spread Christ constraineth us, because we of the Gospel, great gifts, great thus judge, that if one died for all, knos

e knowledge, much external dethen were all dead ** ;” and “ if

cency, some kind of pleasure in any man be in Christ, he is a new

the offices and exercises of reliereature; old things are passed gion, convictions of sin, and resoaway; behold! all things are be- lutions of amendment; hence, to come new tt;" for,“ God was in apply any, or all of these alone, as Christ, reconciling the world unto

to evidences by which to judge of

e himself ff.. This is indeed love our spiritual state, may lead the that passeth knowledge. If, then,

soul into a fatal error. But there we are redeemed from everlasting is, I think, one mark, a depende misery with the precious blood of

d of ance upon which cannot mislead, Jesus Christ, both duty and love

and that is, communion with God,

This none but a real Christian can . * Heb. vi. 18. f Rom. viii. 1:6, Ps. xlviii. 2. § Ver. 10.

possess, and the weakest believer # Psa. xl. 8.

Eph. v. d. cannot be destitute of it; it is the ** 2 Cor. v. 14. tt Ver. 111.. 7: Ver, 19.

**Ps. cxxix. 28, 24. † John, ix. 4

tor."

exclusive privilege of no sect or errors, and much weakness; but party, and among all sects and still there it is a fire often smo.' parties those who possess it are the thered, but never quenched :-& children of God: it is the kernel of seed sometimes appearing as if true religion; all else is but the dead, but afresh putting forth its shell; and in proportion as this be- germs, to evince that it still lives. comes more spiritual and habitual, The glory and happiness of heais to be estimated our growth in ven consists in the full restoration grace. “Communion (says an ex- of uninterrupted communion with cellent writer) is that delightful God: “ They cease not day nor fellowship and intercourse which a night.” It is the complete reposbeliever enjoys with God: it is session and enjoyment of all that founded upon union with him, and Adam lost, with this delightful adconsists in a communication of di- dition, that it never can be lost vine graces from him, and a return more : “ God's people are made. of devout affections to him. The pillars in his temple, to go no more believer holds communion with out.” Examine yourself, then, God in his works, in his word, and my Christian brother, by this sure in his ordinances. There can be mark; bring your Christianity to no communion without likeness, this simple test-Has it, or has it nor without Christ as the media, not, produced communion with

God? Destitute of this “our faith, The felicity of the paradisaical is vain, we are yet in our sins.” state consisted in uninterrupted Possessed of it, we have evidence communion with God. There was of union with Christ, a pledge of no sin in man to draw forth the greater blessings, and heaven beanger of God, nor any thing in the gun.. heart of man to make God an ob

ALBUS, ject of fear to him ; perfect holi- . ness produced perfect and delight

EXTRACT FROM ARCHBISHOP ful communion. When man fell,

LEIGFITON. this communion was destroyed; God was wrath with man, and man To the Editor of the Christian fled from the presence of God, and

Guardian. that not merely because he dread- SIR, ed his anger, but because he could The following quotation from take no pleasure in communion the angelic Leighton so forcibly with him. The design of the Gos- recommends benevolence to the pel is to restore this communion; poor, that I am unwilling to deny it is to reconcile, to bring near, to myself the pleasure of copying it, remove the obstacles to it. Hence and requesting your inçertion of it follows, that wheresoever, the same in some future number of through the power of divine grace, your excellent miscellany. It is the Gospel produces its intended more than probable that numbers effects on the human heart, this of your readers are familiar with communion is begun and carried this excellent author ; but it is also on. 'The Holy Ghost quickens to probable that the major part are spiritual life, and spiritual life ma- unacquainted with him ; to such, nifests itself in communion with I doubt not, the following lines God; indeed, it cannot fail of do- will not be uninteresting. I the ing so; for being from heaven, it more cheerfully quote this good leads to heaven. It is true, that man's works, because he is celefrom the influence of in-dwelling brated for his evangelical princisin its actings are sometimes sus- ples and heavenly-minded pracpended, and it is mixed with many tice. His works constantly recoms mend the most exalted virtue, surest and most lasting part of a founded upon those doctrines which man's estate that is put into their will alone enable the soul to pro- hands, if God be solvendo, if he duce those fruits which are accept- be a sufficient creditor ;--and who able and well-pleasing to God. doubts his ability and veracity ? I am, Sir,

It is treasure laid up in heaven. Your obedient humble servant, Archbishop Leighton's Works, vol,

' G. N. iii. p. 346, 347, Baynes's edition.

· There is a kind of right that the poor have to supply ; it is not

A COMPANION TO THE COMMON

PRAYER BOOK. merely arbitrary to you: though they have not such a right as to

: PART 1. CHAP. II. take it with their own hand, or to ON THE MORNING AND EVENING seek it at the houses of human jus

PRAYER. tice, yet they have such a right as I [Continued from Page 200.]. that your hand ought not to de tain it. Withhold not good from

The Exhortation to Repentthem to whom it is due, when it is

ance, the public Confession, and in the power of thine hand to do

Absolution, which we have already it; which is evidently meant (and

considered, form the introductory interpreters take it so) of all kind

part of our Morning and Evening of doing good, even that of charity

Services; a meet preparation, as and beneficence to the needy. It

every reader will acknowledge, for is due; they have a right to it,

what is to follow. We now prothough not such as they can im

ceed to consider what forms the plead for before men's courts or

main part of these services: the judicatures, yet in the court of

Lord's Prayer—the recitation of conscience, and in the sight of

Psalms and Hymns, during which God it is duly theirs; the word is

intervals are allowed for the read. from him that is Lord of it. It is ing of God's holy Word--a public the bread of the hungry that moulds Confession of the Christian Faith by thee, and the drink of the Prayer — Intercessions - and thirsty that sours by thee. Al. Thanksgiving. though thou art in possession, hast on superfluity by thee, what he wants

séct. I. "I . is his by right, he is lord of it; On the Lord's Prayer. for the Lord of all hath turned over This short but comprehensive his right to thy poor brother. The Prayer, as every Christian knows, Lord himself needs it not; thy was prescribed by our gracious goodness cannot reach him ; he Lord himself to his disciples: they hath furnished thee with such as had requested him to teach them to need it, and may be his receivers, pray, as John also had taught his and have warrant from him to take disciples : that is, they wished him it up in his stead ; and be sure he to give them some particular form will acknowledge the receipt of it; to pray by. This, we are informthou hast his own word and writ ed, was a customary practice · for it; a bill of exchange under among the celebrated teachers of his own hand, that what you give those days; insomuch, that the to the poor be put upon his ac- form of prayer used by their re. counts" He that giveth to, the spective disciples was, as it were, poor lendeth to the Lord.” And, a badge or distinguishing mark of again: “ In that you did it unto their school. Such was the occa. one of these," says pur Saviour, sion and origin of the Lord's Pray. " ye did it unto me." It is the er; and hence we need not won.

der that it has been the favourite which is in heaven. That God, in form of the church in all ages; and a general sense, in that he is the although, among other sacred Author and Supporter of all beings, things, it has been abused in the may be regarded as the universal mummery of the Popish Ritual, it Parent; and that mankind, in a has not thereby lost its excellency; more particular sense, are his offor become less fit for the use of spring, may certainly be admitted. the followers of Jesus Christ. This But it is in a more peculiar and rę. Prayer, we should remark, was de. strictive sense that the believer in signed for the use of disciples; we Christ is entitled to call upon the need not, then, be surprised to find God of heaven as his Father. The some of its petitions unsuitable adoption of sons is one of the and improper in the mouths of grand privileges bestowed upon careless and impenitent sinners, the Christian; but those who had and of those who are altogether been 'previously sons could not by strangers to the power and hope of adoption be admitted into his fathe Gospel. Such persons, indeed, mily: nay, it is this peculiar en. can be nothing more than specta- dowment of the people of Christ tors during the devotions of a which calls forth from the beloved Christian church, notwithstanding disciple expressions of the greatest they may be nominally deemed its admiration and astonishment : members. The calls to repent- What manner of love is this that ance, the petitions for mercy, the the Father hath bestowed upon us, exhibitions of the character of a that we should be called the sons of Saviour, can alone be suitable to God! And, in fact, the liappiest their case ; and with these parts of occurrence in the religious expethe service only can they have any rience of the Christian is, when immediate concern. They are but the Spirit of God beareth witness the Gentiles who tread the outer with his spirit that he is a child of court of the spiritual temple; and God. The right, therefore, of adhere is the door through which dressing God as “ Abba, Father," they must be admitted into the in- is far from being the common priner court, where the true Israel of vilege of mankind in general. God are worshipping the Father*. Hence, when the professed Jews

In this Prayer we are directed said that God was their Father, to address ourselves to our Father the holy Jesus rejected the claim * It might; perhaps, be objected here

with expressions of indignation: against the practice of the Church of Eng

If God were your Father, ye would

liga were your land, that she teaches the Lord's Prayer have loved me. And thus are we among the rudiments of the Christian reli- admonished, at the very entrance gion, and instructs little children to repeat of this Prayer, that it is intended it in the congregation, when its language only for the friends and followers i3 acknowledged to be only proper for the true disciple of Christ. But to this objec

of Jesus Christ. But if any, while tion we can return a very satisfactory an- in the public congregation they swer.-Our gracious Lord has deciared of shrink, through upbraiding of conlittle children, as well as of believers, Of science, from adopting the lansuch is the kingdom of God. We will gladly, therefore, receive, in the name of

guage of the Prayer, do sincerely disciples, those whom Christ acknowledges

desire a portion among the people as belonging to HIM. We treat our off- of God, let them hear his call: spring as holy, as the blessed of the Lord, Come out from among thera, and and remember with pleasure, that when be ye separate, and touch not the the children sang hosannahs in the temple, unclean thing, and I will receive our divine Master could not reprove them, but seemed indeed to accept with gracious :

a you, and ye shall be my sons and

is in approbation their tribute of thanksgiving. daughters, saith the Lord "Al-.

Then why not teach a child his Prayer? mighty.

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