Hence the reproof of Christ, when he declared the two disciples to be “slow of heart to believe," and hence the justness of St. Paul's declaration, that "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.

'Reason is guiltless, Will alone rebels!'

Unto whom I sware in my wrath: that they should not enter into my rest.

In the case of the rebellious individuals here alluded to, it is an historical fact, that this threatening was carried into effect, by their exclusion from the promised land; but we are warranted in declaring, upon apostolical authority, that this scripture was not written altogether for their sakes, but stands as a beacon of merciful warning for all generations. “Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." We are told by the same apostle, that "there remaineth a rest for the people of God," but he fails not to bring to our remembrance, that this world is not our rest, by reminding us, that in order to enter into that rest hereafter, we must labour now. Jesus has left "every man his work," and though rest is promised in this world, it is

"rest unto our souls ;" rest, which sweet as it is, we are led to believe is but an imperfect foretaste of what will be enjoyed, in that keeping of the Sabbath which "remaineth for the people of God." Yet even the present repose that they enjoy, is heaven itself compared to the restlessness of this world's votaries.

When God promised the land to his people, he commanded that they should "begin to possess it" and it is our privilege to enter into the present enjoyment of its antetype.

[THE FIRST LESSON:]

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS.

We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

O for a heart to praise my God,'

will be the feeling of a true Christian, as he stands up to offer another act of grateful adoration,

The busy world a thousand ways

Is hurrying by, nor ever stays,

To catch a note of Thy dear praise.'

O let the thought of this melancholy fact, stir up our zeal and courage in acknowledging Him, and that at all times, and in all places.

All the earth doth worship thee: the Father everLasting.

"All the earth doth worship thee," is written in the book of Psalms; for he who sees the end from the beginning, speaks of things that are not yet, as though they already were. And bearing this in mind, the above clause will be perfectly clear to all those who are waiting for the fulfilment of the many promises which have ever cheered the hearts of God's faithful people. O happy time, when all the inhabitants of earth shall render to the Lord the homage of the heart, instead of the "cold dull service of the lip." But as we have already had occasion to observe, all men, and all things, do in one sense even now, worship or glorify God, and in the issue this shall be indisputably proved.

To thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.

To thee Cherubim and Seraphim: continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Sabaoth;

Heaven and earth are full of the majesty : of thy Glory.

It is only at intervals that God's earthly family lift up their feeble sinful voices in his praise but the hosts of heaven "continually

do cry," they "rest not day nor night," for a cessation of praise would be no repose to them. The veil has been lifted from the invisible world, to some of the favoured servants of God in past ages, and the Lord has given us a glimpse of the employment of the hierarchies of heaven: as if to urge forward our sluggish souls to emulate their burning zeal! they "cry aloud." And shall we be silent? shall" the sweet music of speech" be employed for any thing and every thing but for the praise of its inventor? heaven and earth praise him, and

'Shall man, the lord of nature, expectant of the sky,
Shall man, alone unthankful, his little praise deny.'

The glorious company of the Apostles: praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee. The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.

Apostles, prophets, and martyrs, have glorified Him in their lives, and by their deaths, and their spirits are now with Him, where he is, beholding his glory; but thanks be unto thee, O God, our Saviour! among that blessed company who shall be "everlastingly rewarded in thy heavenly kingdom" are also found the meanest members of

The holy church

which

Throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee: The Father of an infinite Majesty ;

:

Thine honourable, true: and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost: the Comforter.

The universal church, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, acknowledges without one dissenting voice (however its members may differ in minor points) "one God in Trinity, and Trinity in unity," and without reservation, confesses, that "such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost;" and further, most scripturally holds (what that portion of the catholic church established in this land declares) that "this is the catholic faith, which, except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved." Hence the consistency of her requiring a distinct declaration of this faith, from all those who partake of her ordinances and hence the explicit and unequivocal acknowledgment of it throughout her services, in which services none can pretend to join, without the grossest violation of common sense, who do not "honour the Son, even as they honour the Father " for "Who is the king of glory?"

: