emblems of his body which was offered up, and of "his blood which was shed for the sins of many."

Grant me then, O heavenly Father, all those graces, in lively exercise, the possession of which, individually, I have earnestly sought for by prayer and supplication during the days of preparation.

Grant me clear and satisfying views of the meaning and interesting nature of the service I am about to perform. Enable me by faith to appropriate the benefits which it commemorates, to my own individual necessities. Show me how much, as a sinful creature, I stand in need of that forgiveness which Christ has purchased by his blood for the penitent children of men. Fill my heart with sympathy and kind affections to all the other partakers of that nature which the Son of God died to redeem,—and grant that the remainder of my life may be devoted to a zealous performance of all thy commandments,—so that my future course may be like that of "the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

Thou only canst give the preparation of the heart; and blessed be thy name, that He whose

dying love I am this day to commemorate, promised, before he left this earth, that he would send his Holy Spirit to prepare his followers for all duty, and to enrich them with all good gifts.

Forgive, O heavenly Father, whatever thou mayest see amiss in my attempts to offer thee this "sacrifice of my thankfulness." Make me joyful in thy house of prayer. May my praises and supplications ascend with those of the multitude who keep holy days, in grateful memorial before thy throne, may thy word be sweet unto my taste,—and when the sacred table is spread, and I am about to take my place at it, may my soul be filled with thy love, and in every part of the service may I be enabled to present unto thee an acceptable offering.

Keep me also, O God, during all the more private hours of this holy day,—and, oh! so dispose my heart,—so guide all my thoughts and feelings, -so purify me from sinful affections,-and so raise my hopes to things heavenly and divine, that this may be, indeed, a holy season unto the Lord, the remembrance of which shall be sweet unto me after many days.

I now go forward in thy strength. "Send forth

thy light and thy truth,-let them lead me, and guide me, and bring me to thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles,—then will I go to the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy."

"I will take the cup of salvation, and will pay my vows before all the people.

Lord, thou hearest the desire of the humble, thou wilt pre

pare their heart." Be it unto me according to thy word, for Christ's sake. Amen.

II.

FOR THE EVENING OF A SACRAMENTAL SABBATH.

PSALM lvi. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God.

REFLECTION.

I HAVE again performed the solemn duty of commemorating the love of my Redeemer,-and of devoting myself, by the holiest of all oaths, to his service during all my future days.

But, alas! the cares, and follies, and seductive pleasures of the world are again before me, -and I must descend from the mount of high communion to the ordinary distractions and sins of life.

And, oh! can I presume that I shall be able to fulfil the vow I have so solemnly taken? Shall I never more yield to the vicious pleasures, to the

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evil and angry passions, to the low and sinful contentions of this world?-Shall I, indeed, henceforth walk through life as the Redeemed of the Lord ought to walk?—and shall I be enabled at my last hour to look back to the services of this communion Sabbath, as the occasion on which the good providence of God interfered to rescue me from vice, and to make me for life" a chosen vessel" unto him?

How awful is the thought, that all this may be reversed, and that I, who have this day bound myself to God" in an everlasting covenant," may become as one of those who are to all that is good utterly reprobate !

In myself I am weak,-and if I trust to my own strength, I may fall seventy times a day;→→ but in the Lord I am strong, and at his throne of grace I may daily and hourly kneel, to ask of him, according to his promise, "mercy to pardon, and grace to help me, in my time of need." Now, then, will I humble myself before him, and ask his assisting and directing grace, for my Redeemer's sake.