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possible, be revived; and the name of father on earth waken notions that may faintly image what we owe to our Father in Heaven, and lead us to look up to our God in that character. There is still a curse upon every one that setteth light by his father or his mother, the curse of hard-heartedness. Deut. xxvii. 16. Although the Israel of God may not now, as of old, assemble to acknowledge its certainty, yet are its consequences no less formidable than when they did. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment, than for the city which rejects the Messengers and the words of Christ. It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, than for Chorazin and Bethsaida. The love of Christ is more constraining than the Law is deterring; and we are much worse in moral character for rejecting the Gospel, than for disregarding the Law. The greater is our sin, the more dreadful is the state in which we are left, hopeless, and, in fact, unredeemed, with hearts to know God, but not to love Him; and to feel at once what we are, and what we might have been, had we not in our day neglected His great salvation.

There does not appear to be any thing said on any of these pages that renders it, in fairness, necessary for the editor to publish his name: and he therefore considers it allowable, and believes it advisable, for him to subscribe himself, as one among many, what he is by profession, and would earnestly desire to be in conduct and heart,

A CHURCHMAN.

THREE PRAYERS

FROM

ANCIENT DEVOTIONS.

Almighty God! Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, I give Thee most humble thanks for that Thou didst, of Thy divine providence, vouchsafe to let me be born of Christian parents, by whose care I was first brought unto Thy holy baptism, and afterwards brought up in Thy holy religion. I beseech (Thee), O blessed God, who art the rewarder of every good work, to recompense them their full reward, even out of the riches of Thy bountie and goodness! Give them peace and plenty; defend them from all dangers, both of bodie and soul; keep them in the stedfastness of Thy faith, and in the obedience of Thy holy commandments; that so, having Thee, their merciful and gentle Father, after many happy days here in this life, they may at last be brought into life everlasting, through Jesus Christ! Amen.

A thousand years have roll'd away, and now
The Martyr's trial is no longer ours:
Yet is there danger still, lest down we bow
And burn our incense to some Idol powers.
A thousand storied years to us have given
These Prayers, that hallow our own Book of Prayer;
They warn us how our forefathers have striven,
And what the arms and armour we should bear :
They stand between the living and the dead;
They tell us our communion cannot die;
They make us one in Christ, and, duly said,
Connect our world with that so long gone by:
They help to make us hopeful, humble, meek;
They prove the Blessing with the Promise sent;
Of Jesus and the Comforter they speak

In strongest words, yet grave and reverent.
O! we must love our ancient Prayers, as we
Love the old church in which our fathers sleep,
The well-known tomb, and venerable tree
That shaded them ere we had learnt to weep.
Eternal God! to whom a thousand years
Are as one day! Thy will be ever done!
May our affections, reason, hopes, and fears,
All cling to Thee, through Thine Incarnate Son!
Spirit of Power! let each regenerate heart
Seek fellowship with all Thy saints on high!
There shall they gather, all, no more to part,
From every land and age, no more to die.

Father and mother, children, husband, wife,
Brethren and friends, dear as our own heart's blood,

Shall there, in Christ, receive eternal life,

And bless His reign, one holy brotherhood!

0.

HYMNS.

I.

ABANDON'D o'er the world's wide waste,
Why should we roam in want and fear?
Now from Destruction let us haste,
And set for Zion our career.

Through no proud dangers, floods, or fires,
No stirring scenes, our course is bent;
We struggle against low desires,

Bad passions, selfish discontent.

Work in us, and work with us, Lord!
To follow where Thy servants lead,
In dust and thirst to seek Thy word,
And onward still in prayer proceed!
Let not the Parables of life

Confuse the truth they should display;
Trackless and humble is our strife,
Unseen by man our noiseless way!
How shall we, sinners all, regret
That we have not great things to do!
O! may our hearts each day be set
To travel all its duties through!

And Thou, the Saviour of our race!
Be with us on our lowly path;
That there we seek Thy promised grace,
And flee in earnest from Thy wrath!

B

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