preserved from the overwhelming corruptions of Rome, and from that undistinguishing Protestantism, which, to be consistent, must include the denier of our Lord's Deity. From my heart and soul I love the Church of England; and, in avowing my belief that I am about to be rightly called to her Ministrations, I declare before Thee, O God, my duteous attachment to her, and desire to spend my days for her promotion, and, if need be, to lay down my life at thy bidding, for her preservation.

PRAYER.

O MOST HOLY SAVIOUR! who didst love thy Church so as to give thyself for it, and hast commanded us to follow, in this and all other ways, thy holy steps, teach me to believe in thy Presence shining in the midst thereof, and giving light and guidance around. It is not in man, of his own power and wisdom, to see what is good for promoting thy service. But, O Lord! teach us to watch for the motions

of thy providence, to look out for the signals of thy grace, and to be ever ready to do or to suffer that which seemeth most effectual for advancing thy heavenly kingdom. Make me, O Lord, humble, and distrustful of my own judgment. Incline me to listen to the wise counsels, and the safe decrees and decisions of those met together before Thee for the stablishing of the peace of thy Church. And grant that I may be taught by Thee to be obedient to thy will, so far as it is reflected in the ordinances of this branch of thy Church; and that I may be thankful for being a member, and for the hope of becoming a Minister of the same. Make me dutifully to be observant of all her rules, and to love our Zion with a calm and stedfast love; and looking neither to the right hand nor to the left, may I attain to the perfection of thy kingdom, in rest, and peace, and glory; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

MEDITATION VIII.

"Do you unfeignedly believe all the Ca"nonical Scriptures of the Old and New "Testament?"-"I do believe them."

Christians, in general, may be well content to receive the Holy Scriptures on the faith of the Church. To the charge of the Church we know that they were entrusted, and have by her care been handed down. But, before I go forth as a Minister, I must do more than simply believe, myself. I must be able to show the foundation unto others. I must be ready to defend the truth against the sceptic, and explain a difficulty to the unlearned. I must be able to relieve a doubting mind, and to clear away scruples. "Be ready to give

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to every man a reason of the hope that "is in you." Lord, send down thy light and thy truth into my heart, that I may, indeed, be able to strengthen, and bring

6 1 St. Pet. iii. 15.

back, direct, and comfort the souls of thy people, as they need guidance! Oh, do Thou make me a ready Scribe, fully instructed in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God!

I shall be more able to do this work, if I am found devoutly meditating therein by day and by night, carrying forth within me some precious portion of God's Word, as I go to and fro in the parish, and turning the divine truth, as God's grace shall enable me, into the very substance of my own soul. What promises are there, in God's Holy Word, to the weary, and penitent, and sorrowful! What examples for making our way clear! How plain and forcible is the divine command! How terrible the threatenings of wrath from God! What miracles of mercy beam before the eye! What astounding prophecies, fulfilling, as in the case of the Jews, even now in my sight, yet delivered more than 3000 years ago! What a boon to the world has been given in the perfectness

of our blessed Lord's example! How suited is such a revelation of grace and mercy to my ruined condition, as a guilty and a defiled sinner! And when I think of so pure and uncompromising a religion, rapidly spreading as it did against all the violence, the cruelty, the art, the learning of the world, and, like the stone cut from the mountain without hands, triumphing over the kingdom of darkness, I am constrained to say, and I would hope, by such plain and convincing thoughts, to make the hesitating mind exclaim, "This is the

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finger of God '." I know full well that men are slow in giving up their false convictions. It is either the love of this world in some form, or pride of heart, which makes men hold out against the message of truth. Instead of assailing with argument, it will be better for me in many cases to try and touch the conscience. And if a sense of deficiency before God, and a fear of His displeasure, can be brought home from above to the mind, who can tell that God

7 Exod. viii. 19.