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glorify God, by advancing, through Christ, the salvation of your never-dying souls? If this last be your reason, then I am sure you will be glad to know how you may most profitably conduct yourselves whilst in Church.

Now, it is very remarkable what care has been taken in our Prayer-Book to warn us of the sacred purposes for which we come together, and of the way in which we ought to behave ourselves whilst assembled. None, who wish to learn, can well be ignorant. None, who attend, can easily forget. But I will endeavour to make this plain.

I. In the very beginning both of the morning and of the evening service, the minister always tells the people why they come to Church. Do you not remember how he warns us, that " we assemble and meet together," To render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at God's hands," and "to set forth his most worthy praise;"

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2d. "To hear God's holy word ;" and

3d. "To ask of God those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul?"

And does he not call on us, as well becomes such miserable sinners as we all are, humbly to acknowledge and confess our sins before God, that we be in a more prepared state of mind, before we presume to enter upon these three great and holy exercises, of praise, of prayer, and of hearing God's word? And, moreover, let us observe, that these three things are again enforced in the Morning Service, in the 95th Psalm, which invites us to join in praise, saying, "O come let us sing unto the Lord;" in prayer, saying, "O come let us worship;" and in hearing God's word, saying, "To-day, if ye will hear his voice."-Surely we must all remember this.

II. The Prayer-Book also reminds us of the inward disposition with which we ought to join in each of these three works. Thus

1st. Praise is to be offered with a joyful as well as a thankful feeling of the heart; "Let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation."

2d. Prayer ought to be offered with a humble and lowly spirit. Of this we are reminded by the words,"We humbly beseech thee," and, "We, thy humble

servants," which we are to use when we pray, and therefore ought to feel.

.

3d. The hearing of God's word ought to be with a heart open to divine teaching, and a disposition ready to learn, and, therefore, it must be with an unhardened heart; To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." But,

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III. The outward form and posture of the body is in each of these three to be in agreement with the proper disposition of the heart within us. Thus,

Ist. Praise is to be offered to God, not sitting, but standing up. Remember it is written for our learning, that whilst the Priest and the Levites sang unto the Lord, "All Israel stood," (see 2 Chron. vii. 6.); and that in heaven, whither we hope to go, angels and saints are both described in Scripture as standing, when they give glory to God and to the Lamb, (see Rev. vii. 9. 11.); and so we are taught in our Prayer-Book to stand up, and sing and praise the Lord. It is, in fact, not following either the holy Scripture or the directions of our Church, if we sit to do so.

2d. Prayer is to be made, "devoutly kneeling," as a sign of the humble spirit, which ought to be within us; we are exhorted "to fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker." And such, let us recollect, was the custom of holy men of old, of Solomon, and Ezra, and Daniel, and also of St. Peter, and St. Paul, nay, even of our blessed Lord himself, (see 2 Chron. vi. 13. Ezra ix. 5. Dan. vi. 10. Acts ix. 40; xx. 26. and Luke xxii. 41.) And what can be more just or proper than this;-that we, lost, sinful, and helpless creatures, should always thus humble ourselves, in public as well as in private, "meekly kneeling on our knees," when in prayer we are asking any favours of the great God and king of heaven? And,

3d. As we find, in Scripture, that is was the custom for God's people of old to stand up when the word of God was read in their ears, (see Nehem. viii. 5.) so in our Church, we are directed to stand up to hear certain por tions of the Bible,-which is the Word of God,-read to us, as, for instance, the Gospel for the day: and if, lest we should be weary in well-doing, we are allowed to

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sit down whilst other parts of it are read or explained, we must remember that this is an indulgence, on account of the infirmity of our flesh; and, therefore, we ought to take good heed lest we displease the great and all-seeing God, who is then speaking to us, by sitting in a careless or unseemly posture, whilst we hear his Word.

Lastly, let us remember, that not only the minister and the clerk, but all the congregation of the people, have their own part to perform in the Service. It is a great and grievous mistake to think, that we are to remain unconcerned, as if we had nothing to do but to hear the service read by the minister and clerk. If we study our PrayerBook, we shall find that, some parts indeed of the Service the minister is to read alone, as the exhortation, and the absolution, and the blessing, for instance, and then we are reverently to listen to him in silence; but we shall also find, that in other parts we are to join with him secretly in our hearts, as in the prayers in general; and whenever the clerk reads aloud, all the congregation are to join with him devoutly with their lips, as well as with their hearts; and especially, if they can sing, should always join in the singing of the Psalms and Hymns. For consider:-we come to Church, not to hear others confess their sins, declare their faith, utter their prayers, and offer their praises, but to join in doing all these things each one for ourselves.

"O come, then, let us sing unto the Lord, let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation; let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and show ourselves glad in him with Psalms."

"O come let us worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker."

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To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts:" and "be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your ownselves."

P. I. E.

THE HAPPY DWELLING OF THE PEACEFUL.

How greatly it would add to the comfort and happiness of all mankind, if they were to live in peace and unity with one another, instead of encouraging those bickerings and

quarrels which often arise from some foolish dispute, destroying the harmony and good-will that might otherwise subsist between neighbours. Does not the blessed Jesus ever impress upon us the duty of forgiving our brethren whatever injuries we may have sustained from them, if we hope to be forgiven by our heavenly Father; and St. Paul exhorts us to lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty'. I have often thought, how much real happiness and peace might be enjoyed in the poor man's dwelling, if sanctified by godliness and Christian contentment. We will take for instance the case of a labourer, in the employ of a kind and charitable master. With the

early dawn he proceeds to his work, after offering up a prayer for a blessing upon his labours; at noon he returns, with cheerful step, to his quiet home and frugal meal, which his wife has prepared during his absence; his chil dren, their countenances beaming with health and joy, flock around the simple board, while the parent pronounces a short thankgiving to the Author of all their mercies. The repast concluded, with a similar act of devotion, the father again repairs to the field, while the mother occupies herself with her elder girl, (her assistant in all her household duties) in arranging the neat little apartment; and then sits down to her needlework, while the younger children amuse themselves in some harmless and quiet recreation, and thus an air of peace and comfort reigns within this humble abode. The Sabbath beholds this family performing the sacred offices of religion, "not with eye-service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God";" like David, they are glad when it is said unto them, we will go into the house of the Lord, and they join in His worship in spirit and truth, with the assembled congregation: neither do they neglect to teach the commands of their Creator diligently to their children, and to talk of them when they sit in the house, and when they walk by the way, when they lie down, and when they rise up. The evening finds them again collected together at the throne of grace, commending themselves to the protection of Him who alone can preserve them through the hours of dark

11 Tim. ii. 3.

2 Col. iii. 22.

Deut. vi. 7.

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ness; thus their days glide on, blessed with a mind at peace with God and the world, till they attain to the end of their pilgrimage, and come to their grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season.

But now let us turn to the inmates of that family who do not1"follow peace with all men," nor live in unity among themselves; and mark, with pain, the contrast that meets our view. Behold the parents in continual strife and contention; and observe the dirty appearance of their offspring; the wife in slovenly attire, reproaches her husband, with angry voice, for squandering his gains at the alehouse, while he sharply replies, that her constant ill-humour forces him from his home, and obliges him to seek elsewhere for peace and quiet.-Thus their lives are rendered miserable; and love, that sweet solace of man's care, is banished from their dwelling, while the neglected Bible and the profaned Sabbath, testify that the blessing of the Lord rests not upon that dwelling. Oh, who would not exclaim with the wise king of old, in comparing these two pictures of humble life, "Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith "."

ON PRAYER.

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A. D.

Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ prayed constantly, and has left us His holy example to follow.

AND when Jesus had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. St. Matt. xiv. 23.

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. St. Mark i. 35.

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. St. Luke v. 16.

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. St. Luke vi. 12.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.