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its characteristic virtue, will form the humble and conscientious communicant, after its own amiable likeness "pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits." They will send him into public society, the equitable magistrate, the peaceful citizen, the friendly neighbour. They will dismiss him to the retirements of domestic life, the affectionate husband, the kind parent, and the indulgent master. He will find no discipline so likely to soften the heart, and civilize the manners, as the exercises of christian piety, which inspire and cherish the humanity, charity, and mutual condescension, that constitute the essence of social happiness. An habitual conformity to the precepts of the gospel, moral, and ceremonial, will make religion not only the dictate of his understanding, but the object of his affections; virtue will be not only the deliberate choice of his will, but the sentiment of his heart, and the unvaried colour of his life.*

* From the great respect that was paid to this ordinance, in ancient times, it is sufficiently evident that uncommon influences of the spirit of God accompanied the celebration of it. Hence, those epithets applied to

We have then this great encouragement, in the performance of our religious duties, that we are under the direction of a merciful and gracious being, who imposes no services but such as contribute to our perfection; that the end of all his dispensations, the object of his ever watchful providence, is to lead us in the way of his commandments, and by the guidance of his spirit, through this varied scene of good and evil; through the innocent satisfactions, and the unavoidable calamities of life, to a state of happiness, pure and unalterable.

We know that whilst in obedience to the injunction of our blessed Redeemer, we are commemorating his passion upon earth, he is pleading the merits of it in heaven; and what Christian, who reads these pages, if the trumpet, which shall give notice of the

it, by St. Ignatius, in his epistle to the Ephesians. "Brethren, stand fast in the faith of Jesus Christ-in his passion and resurrection, breaking that one bread which is the medicine of immortality, the antidote against death, and the means of living in God by Christ Jesus, the medicament that dispels all evi." Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes. Cap. xx

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second advent of our Lord, should burst upon his ears, would not gladly be found at his holy table, with humility and gratitude, commemorating his love?

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Let us then reflect, that our everlasting happiness, the perfection of our nature, in that unknown world to which we are hastening, depends upon our obedience to our gracious master, who calls us by his word and ministry, to offer him this easy tribute of duty and affection. Let us consider the uncertainty of human life, the various unexpected accidents by which we are daily summoned, from this state of trial, to a state of retribution, and say, with holy David, "I will wash my hands in innocency, O Lord;" I will, in the conduct my life and manners, humbly endeavour to do thy will, and so will I go to thy altar. Let us die unto sin, and live unto God, die to that pleasure, which has hitherto seduced us, to that pride which elates us too much in our own eyes, to that envy which poisons. our hearts, to that detraction which pollutes our tongues, to that desire of revenge, which rankles in our bosoms. Thus shall no vicious

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habits, or neglect of religious ordinances, prevent us from being of that happy number, concerning whom Christ shall say, in the day of judgment (presenting them unto the Ancient of Days)" these are they who on earth were faithful, they have eaten of the sacramental bread in remembrance of· me, and have drank of the cup which I mingled; Father, I will that they may be with me, where I am, and drink of the wine which I have desired to drink with them, in thy eternal kingdom."

CHAPTER IX.

ON THE APOSTOLICITY OF BISHOPS.

No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Heb. vii. 17.

WHEN our blessed Saviour was carried before Pilate, as a criminal of state, for calling himself king of the Jews, he pleaded that his kingdom was not of this world-Pilate, alarmed at the names of king and kingdom, asked, art thou a king then? Jesus replied, thou sayest (that which is true) I am a king, to this end was I born, that I might reign over the house of Jacob, for ever, Luke i, 33. and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Pilate saith unto him, what is truth? and when he had said this, he went out again. For perceiving that Christ was no rebel against Cæsar, and that the kingdom claimed by him was a kingdom merely spiritual, and not to be propagated by force of arms; or in the Roman

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