"Let him deliver him now, if he will have him.” Matthew xxvii. 43.

Carnal man cannot comprehend that God loves those whom he permits to suffer; but faith teaches us, that the cross is the gift of His love, the foundation of our hope, the mark of His children, and the title of an inheritance in heaven. But unless God sanctify it by His Spirit, it becomes an insupportable burden, a subject of murmuring, and an occasion of

sin.

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day," &c.-Luke xvi. 19.

For a man then to be rich, to be clothed magnificently, to fare sumptuously, and to take no care of the poor, is sufficient to send him to hell, because he cannot lead a Christian life. Repentance, mortification, and the cross, are utterly inconsistent with a soft, sensual, voluptuous life; the desire of happiness, with the love of this present life.

It is therefore a most miserable state, for a man to have every thing according to his desire, and quietly to enjoy the pleasures of life. There needs no more to expose him to eternal misery.

"He that loveth his life, shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."-John xii. 25.

He that loveth life (that is, is fond of it) for the sake of the pleasures, advantages, it affords, will soon lose the love of heavenly things; the love of God, of his soul, and of the duty he owes to them. He hates

it, who does not value it in comparison of eternal life, which he hopes for. A Christian gives proof of this, by mortifying himself; a Pastor, in spending his life in the works of the ministry, &c.

Those whom God loves in order to a happy eternity, he weans from the pleasures of this present life. Temperance consists in a sober use of all earthly, visible things, and in confining ourselves within the compass of what is necessary.

"With God all things are possible."

The Almighty God enable me to conquer the temptations of riches, and to get above the allurements of this present life.

There is much more reason for a man to humble himself, on account of his self-denial, than to boast of it, since the corruption of his nature is so great, that he cannot follow even the lawful dictates of nature, without hazarding his soul.

Christian self-denial is, to resist and crucify in ourselves the spirit and inclinations of Adam,-the flesh, its affections and lusts,-to die to our passions, in order to follow the motions of the Spirit.

FASTING

Necessary to bring our hearts to a penitent, holy, and devout temper; and to perform the vows that are upon us.

Our church requires this; and appoints days, and times, &c.; and it has been the honour of this church, that she hath kept up to her rules, when others have shamefully neglected them.

By fasting, by alms, and by prayers, we dedicate our bodies, goods, and souls to God in a particular

manner.

LENT.

MEDITATIONS PROPER FOR A CLERGYMAN AT THAT SEASON.

The primitive Bishops had places of retirement near their cities, that they might separate themselves from the world, lest teaching others they should forget themselves; lest they should lose the spirit of piety themselves, while they were endeavouring to fix it in others.

Prosper, O God, the good thoughts, the good purposes, which Thou Thyself shalt inspire!

I acknowledge Thy goodness, which has raised me above my brethren, and appointed me a successor to Thy apostles. O may I ever act agreeably to this character. May I never profane a character so holy and so divine, lest God should pour down His vengeance upon my ungrateful head. Pardon me whereinsoever I have been wanting in the several duties of my calling; and give me grace to be more careful for the time to come. Amen.

How am I bound to adore Thy goodness, my great Master! Thou hast set me in office amongst the chief of Thy servants; but I will, for Thy sake, make myself the servant of the meanest of Thy servants.

By me Thou communicatest Thy grace in the Sacrament; by me Thou teachest Thy people the truth; by my hands Thou adoptest them Thy children in baptism, feedest them with Thy Body, comfortest them in affliction, armest them against the fear of death, and fittest them for a blessed eternity.

Grant that I may truly weigh the sanctity of my calling, and faithfully discharge it; and that others may weigh it, and bless Thee for so great a blessing.

I am appointed to sanctify others. O grant that I may first sanctify myself; that I may separate myself from this world, its profits, pleasures, honours, and all its idols. Amen.

Let my zeal, O my Lord and Master, be answerable to that account which I must one day give. Let me not see Thy laws broken, hear Thy name blasphemed, Thy word set at nought, Thine Ordinances despised, with patience. And O, may I never, by any neglect or sinful silence of mine, contribute to these crimes; but employ my authority to suppress them.

Let me remember what was once said by Christ Himself to a Christian bishop; "Because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Inspire my heart with such holy resolution and courage, that I may not fear any man when Thy honour and my duty call me; that no worldly considerations may hinder me, when my office obliges me to stand in the gap. Amen.

Give me such holy dispositions of scul, whenever

I approach Thine altar, as may in some measure be proportionable to the holiness of the work I am about, of presenting the prayers of the faithful, of offering a spiritual sacrifice to God, in order to convey the body and blood of Jesus Christ-the true bread of life-to all his members. Give me, when I commemorate the same sacrifice that Jesus Christ once offered, give me the same intentions that He had, to satisfy the justice of God, to acknowledge His mercies, and to pay all that debt which a creature owes to his Creator. None can do this effectually but Jesus Christ: Him, therefore, we present to God in this Holy Sacrament.

O Thou, who hast made me a servant in Thy house, give me such dispositions as that I may never dishonour thy service. Amen.

I am a sinner, and yet I am appointed to offer up prayers for others. It is the great God to whom I offer these prayers. To me the church, the spouse of Christ, intrusts her desires, her interests, her necessities, and her thanks.

What a trust is this! O may I never betray it, may I never obstruct Thy mercies to Thy church by a formal service! Let me ever speak to God, and from God, with attention, with love, with respect, with fear, with purity of heart, and with unpolluted lips! Amen!

The office of a shepherd of souls is full of difficulty. Consider what toil Jesus Christ underwent, what reproaches, what contempt, what despite !-and from those persons to whom He preached the most