blamed. Frailty, they think, takes away more than half their guilt. But this is not the doctrine of Scripture; and, consequently, it is not the feeling of those wbo here speak of themselves as the 5 people” of God. They acknowledge their frailty to be part of the sinful taint derived from Adam, meaning by the word, not merely weakness, but a naturally-corrupt inclination. When, according to the language of St. Paul, they own that “they cannot do the things that they would," they give utterance, not to an apology, but a confession: they deplore this evil of their natural heart with grief, and shame, and selfloathing. .

2. But to proceed to the next part of this Collect, the prayer for pardon and deliverance. “ Absolve thy people ;” “ that we may all be delivered.” Wherein it is to be observed, that we pray not only for ourselves, but for all others, who belong to Christ's true Church; that they, as well as we, may obtain perfect remission and forgiveness. The right view, consequently, of the people of God, is, not to regard them simply as a congregation of persons using the same words of confession and prayer ; but as a church of spiritual worshippers, seen and known to be such by Christ, all uniting in the spirit of supplication with genuine self-abasement, and hearty faith. It is good that we should assemble together in the same house of prayer, and that the same form of sound words should be prepared for all to use unitedly. But the real benefit is enjoyed only by those who with one heart, as well as one mouth, implore pardon and peace for themselves and each other.

To “ absolve' signifies to set free; that is, from guilt, condemnation, and punishment. By our sins we are brought under bands, or bonds; “ we are tied and bound by the chain of our sins.” The curse is bound and fettered to us, and we to it. To be absolved and delivered, therefore, is as though it were said to a slave or a prisoner, • Your chains are struck off : you are at liberty: go forth.'

Thus of old the Lord said to Israel, in reference to their deliverance from the house of bondage in Egypt: “ I have broken the bonds of your yoke, and made you go upright.' (Leviticus xxvi. 13.) Thus, in bright Gospel times, our Lord Jesus himself offers to all believers free remission of sins. “The Lord hath sent me,” he says (Luke iv. 18.) “ to preach deliverance to the captives." All who bow before him, confessing and renouncing sin, and believing in his Divine power and mercy, may take to themselves the comfort of those words which he pronounces with authority, “ Thy sins be forgiven thee: I forgive thee all that debt: be healed of thine infirmity: be thou whole : thy faith hath saved thee : go in peace.”

3. Once more observe the ground upon which we rest our hopes of pardon, acceptance, and complete redemption. We ask all this at the hands of our heavenly Father, pleading his bountiful goodness, as manifested in and through Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour.

How many consoling and encouraging thoughts are thus brought together, to help us in our approaches to the throne of grace. We are reminded that God pities us as a Father does his children; and that he so loved the world, as to give his only-begotten Son, that whoso. ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We are reminded that where sin abounded, there did grace much more abound : so that he who pardons, quickens, and saves us, is a God “ rich in mercy.” And again, by the epithet given to our Saviour, “ blessed," we are reminded of the infinite merit of Christ. He is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He hath power to subdue sin and Satan, hell and death : and he must reigu till he hath put all enemies under his feet. Let us then, in our supplications, claim him as our Mediator and Advocate : and while we ask for mercy in his name, let us also mingle praises with our prayers; saying, “ Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen."

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

It is impossible, while meditating on this Collect, not to feel, and that almost instantaneously, how needful is the prayer contained in it. We all want rousing. The most sincere, active, and devoted of God's faithful people, often lament their slackness, yea even deadness, in spiritual things. Sometimes they are conscious to themselves of a trifling and forgetful spirit : at other times they own that they are sluggish and backward in undertaking what they know to be their duty. And if this temper of the heart be allowed at any time to prevail, there is danger of its gradually increasingly, till a man becomes fickle, double-minded, or even obstinately rebellious; first neglecting, then resisting the good motions of the Holy Spirit, and slipping far back in his Christian course. Then there often falls on him such a sadness and melancholy of spirit, that he has little heart to bestir himself to regain lost ground, and scarcely any disposition to pray for divine assistance. The prayer of this Collect is one exactly suitable to such a state of mind. It is indeed proper to be used by the people of God at all times, but peculiarly so in seasons of spiritual dulness and declension. We pray that God would be pleased to animate us with that temper of holy zeal, to which we cannot of ourselves attain.

The prayer has a special reference to the will. “Stir up our wills.” The will is the man : it is the main-spring of his actions, and the true index of his state before God. When the Apostle says, “ To will is present with me,” (Rom. vii. 18.) he points to the real seat of conversion in the believer's heart. Move this, and all is moved : stop this, and all is at a pause. A man may understand all mysteries and all knowledge ; and yet be without a hearty will to serve God. He may feel his affections fluttering about spiritual things, with a certain kind of interest and delight; and yet be without à sanctified will. He may have a conscience considerably awakened, and yet not have his will savingly affected. In vain are the understanding, the affections and the conscience appealed to, if the will be not bent aright. This, first and last, must be devoted to God.

“Stir up therefore, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people :” thus we pray, each one for himself, and all unitedly for all. It will be useful to reflect in what way it generally pleases God to answer this prayer.

1. First, we may observe, that to his faithful servants he makes a discovery of their own peculiar defects, infirmities, and temptations. This he does gradually, and with increasing clearness. At the beginning of their religious course they glowed with fervent zeal : they felt all readiness to serve the Lord : the last thing they ever expected, was, to decline or become lukewarm. But experience discovers to them humbling views of their own corruption. They now seem to hear those words, (originally addressed to the Church of Sardis,) applied to them, “ Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” (Rev. iii. 2.) Discoveries of this nature, though deeply humiliating, are very useful and important. They startle and wake the slumbering spirit.

2. To the same end it pleases God to sanctify the afflictions which he sends to his people. If they had no changes, they would soon sink into a state of carnal ease and comfort. They would soon become like Moab, (see Jer. xlviii. 11.) “settled on their lees ; ” having a worldly scent and flavour in all their conversation and conduct. But afflictions act as a goad ; they rouse a man : they impel him to go on : they buffet the trifler, and quicken the loiterer.

3. Further, it is a great mercy from the Lord, when he sends us faithful, plain-dealing friends, who tell us how negligent we are, and urge us forward by their example, counsels, reproofs, and exhortations. And it is a sign of grace in a man, when he himself is willing thus to be spurred on. We see that wicked persons stimulate one another to do evil; so it is related of Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up to commit those atrocious crimes, which brought ruin upon the head of both of them. (1 Kings xxi. 25.) Why then should not the godly aim at stirring up one another; thus drawing down greater blessings from the Lord upon their own hearts, and upon all their brethren in Christ? So Nathan roused and recovered David from his awful lethargy. This is one of the most effectual means used by God for edifying those who are already engaged in his delightful service, but who have, through the frailty of their nature, declined from his ways.

4. We may observe further, that God very often rouses the declining soul, by turning the mind to reflect on forcible passages of Scripture ; such as special warnings and rebukes, animating promises and consolations, or apt examples which exactly meet our circumstances. It is this suitableness to their own case, that renders so many of the earlier chapters of the prophecy of Jeremiah most touching to the backsliders : they feel that what is there so feelingly addressed to Israel, precisely fits their own experience. And, not to multiply passages, there is in the New Testament one exhortation of St. Paul most powerfully calculated to stir up the languid spirit. It occurs in Romans xiji, 11, 12. “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand : let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

5. But after all, these and other means, appointed or used by God, will be utterly unavailing, unless his Spirit carry them with effectual

grace to the heart. We for our parts must wait on him in earnest prayer, united with faithful exertions : then the Holy Spirit will perform his own work, that of stirring up our wills. The blessed work being thus revived, we shall be inclined to pray yet more importunately: and then, while we thus persevere, our prayers will receive fresh answers, in get more abundant communications of the gift of the Spirit. The first fruit of the Spirit, is love. If we love God's service, we shall abound in it. Love will put forth exertions : it is the very nature of that passion to do so. And if in all these exertions we rely on the promised aid of Christ, we shall advance speedily, evenly, and comfortably. Such is the way of God's " faithful people,” whom he helps forward and blesses.

In the latter part of this Collect, mention is made of the glorious reward, preparing for all those who plenteously bring forth the fruit of good works. This reward is reckoned wholly of grace, not of debt : yet it is reckoned according to, or in proportion to, our works. This is the established rule of the Gospel : so St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians ix. 6. “He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also boun. tifully." Now as this declaration ought to alarm the lukewarm professor of religion with a just fear, that very little reward will be given to him, and that there is no small danger of his altogether falling short at the last; so ought it to encourage the activity of warm-hearted believers, while abounding in the work of the Lord. They should press forward toward the prize: they should have respect to the recompense of the reward. While renouncing confidence in themselves, and utterly abhorring the idea of there being any merit in their works, yet should they look forward with joy to an abundant harvest. God will not break his word : he is not unmindful, that he should forget the work and labour of love done by his saints. Therefore in the name of Jesus we may boldly ask for increase of quickening grace; and together with it expect a plenteous, though on our parts unmerited reward.

The reward may be viewed as being threefold ; and passages from Scripture shall be quoted to prove, in each instance, the blessedness of a devoted, holy life. First, there shall be much present enjoyment of God's favour: “ Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm xxxvii. 4.) Next, a devoted servant of God shall obtain much holy influence, even over the minds of ungodly persons : “ Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them :” (Jeremiah xv. 19.) and yet more emphatically in the words of our Lord, “ Let your light therefore so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. v. 16.) Then, finally, he who continues faithful unto death shall reap an abundant harvest in the world to come: “for so," saith St. Peter to all who give diligence to make their calling and election sure, “ so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter i. 11.)

THE COMPASSION OF MESSIAH.

When the advent of “ the first-begotten” was foretold by the evangelical prophet, it was declared that “a man shall be as an hidingplace from the wind, and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isai. xxxii. 2. And the developement of his character, as he tabernacled amongst the children of men, fully answers the prophetic description; for we find him then, as now, “as the dew unto Israel,” refreshing and reviving each drooping and thirsty plant, making it vigorous, healthy, and fruitful.

The compassion of Messiah is partly exhibited in his human nature. At the grave of one who had enjoyed his friendship, and shared his love, his tears of affectionate sympathy flowed forth; and the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts those who are enlisted under the banner of the cross, to derive support and comfort from the contemplation of the Saviour's tenderness, and from the experience which he has had of human grief and mortal weakness.

That the Messiah is “ very man,” is a fact strongly attested by the subjection to bunger and thirst, weariness and poverty, with other evils incident to our frail nature, to which he was exposed, whilst totally exempt from sin; but there are also circumstances, connected with the display of his matchless sympathy and compassion, which tend to prove, with no less clearness, his proper and supreme divinity.

“When he saw the multitude, he was moved with compassion towards them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd." Matt. ix. 36 to end ; x. i, '&c. Mark vi. 34. Acts i. 24. When the hearts of his disciples were dejected and disconsolate, in consequence of the announcement of his approaching departure, he cheered them by his tender admonition, “ Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me.” “ Peace I leave with you, my peace give I unto you.” John xiv. 1, 27. And on another occasion, he issued the sweet invitation, “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. xi. 28. In each of these, and many other passages, we behold the rays of the divine glory, beaming with a greater or less degree of brightness, through the tabernacle of the flesh in which it was enshrined.

He who shed tears at the grave of Lazarus is the same, who, in the exercise of almighty power, raised that beloved friend from the grave by a word, and who also, not as Peter (Acts ix. 34.) by delegation, but by personal authority, restored to life the daughter of Jairus, and the widow's son at Nain.

The compassion displayed towards impenitent Jerusalem, was that of incarnate Deity. « Ó Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not?” Matt. xxiji. 37. • The person, thus weeping over Jerusalem,' says Bishop Jebb,* . is