salvation by faith in that atonement, and of conversion by the Holy Spirit," on which the fathers of our Church have built up our national temple, — there to gather for yourselves the assurance that her Liturgy is "the Bible condensed into a smaller space; " that religion in her hands is the unadulterated faith of Scripture; that it is the undefiled faith which God taught man, the faith of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Do not, then, at once cast it aside: only let it lead you to your Prayer-book; -your Prayerbook will lead you to your Bible, and your Bible to the "Rock of your salvation." Here, and here only, you can take your stand. Here, and here only, can the pilgrim safely rest.3

66

THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIM'S SONG.

"There remaineth a rest for the people of God."— Heb. iv.

My rest is in Heaven; my rest is not here;

Then why should I murmur when trials are near?
Be hush'd, my dark spirit! the worst that can come
But shortens my journey, and hastens me home.

"It is not for me to be seeking my bliss,

And building my hopes, in a region like this;
I look for a city which hands have not piled,
I pant for a country by sin undefiled.

"The thorn and the thistle around me may grow,
I would not lie down upon roses below;
I ask not my portion, I seek not my rest,
Till I find them for ever on Jesus's breast.

1 The Rev. R. Newstead, who translated the Liturgy into IndoPortuguese, observes, "In performing my work as a translator, I was struck with the Scriptural character of the Book of Common Prayer; for so large a part of this book is extracted from the Word of God, that should we take away all the inspired portions out of the volume, we should reduce a large octavo to a small pamphlet."

2 Eph. ii. 19-22.

3 Col. ii. 6, 7.; Eph. iii. 17.; Heb. iv. 9.; xi 13. 16.

"Afflictions may damp me, they cannot destroy;
One glimpse of His love turns them all into joy;
And the bitterest tears, if He smile but on them,
Like dew in the sunshine, become a bright gem.

"Let doubt, then, and danger, my progress oppose,
They only make Heaven more sweet at its close;
Come joy or come sorrow, whate'er may befall,
An hour with my God will make up for it all.
"A scrip on my back, and a staff in my hand,
I march on in haste through an enemy's land;
The road may be rough, but it cannot be long,
And I'll smooth it with hope, and I'll cheer it with song."

Rev. H. Lyte.

A FRIENDLY HINT FOR EMPLOYMENT

DURING A LONG VOYAGE, OR A FUTURE SEASON OF REST AND QUIETNESS.

The arrangement of the Collects with the parallel passages of Scripture, is taken from the valuable work of the Rev. Henry Ives Baily, entitled "The Liturgy compared with the Bible." 1 Such a work is indeed a faithful service to the best interests of our Church, since it can hardly fail to correct the false notions which so many entertain of our Liturgy, and convince her pious members more and more, that the sublime yet simple forms of devotion which they so often use are of universal application, and adapt themselves to the wants and feelings of the whole visible Church of Christ on earth.

What, then, is wanting, if the words of such Scriptural devotion fall lifeless upon our ears? Is it not that we fail to bring with us the broken and contrite heart,—that

1 See Note D.

we do not feel our need as lost and perishing sinners,— that we have no true thankfulness for the great benefits that we have received at God's hands, no desire to set forth His most worthy praise, no faith to ask in joyful confidence those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul?

This is but too true of many who come Sabbath after Sabbath, without thought and without reverence, into the immediate presence of that Almighty Being who hath solemnly declared, "My house is the house of prayer." It would indeed be well, if such persons would seriously ask themselves for what purpose they have come there,— whether for the sake of custom, or out of curiosity? and even in the case of those who profess to come for instruction, a like inquiry may be made, whether, after all, they may not be deceiving themselves, coming merely to have their understanding enlightened, not to have their hearts affected, sitting in God's house as critical hearers, not falling down as devout worshippers,-assembling together for the sake of false spiritual excitement, not that their souls may be quickened and lifted up by the angelical employment of praise and adoration. Such inquiries would be for ever set at rest if they would only, when time and opportunity allow, compare our Liturgy with the Bible: they would then learn their true position as "suppliants at the throne of grace," and humbly acknowledge, what it is the leading design of all the services of our Church deeply to impress upon our hearts, that the "Lord's House" should be a house of prayer to all people.1

Isaiah, lvi. 7.

THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

A Prayer for Conversion from Sin.

1 Phil. ii. 13.; John, xv. 5.; Ps. cxxxviii. 3.; John, iii. 19, 20, 21.; Ep. v. 11.; Rom. xiii. 12.; 1 John, i. 6, 7.; Col. iii. 9, 10.

22 Cor. vi. 2.; John, xii. 46.; John, viii. 12.; Matt. xxi 5.; Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7.; Luke, i. 78, 79. 3 2 Th. i. 7.; Matt. xxv. 31, 32.; 1 Pet. iv. 5.

4 John, v. 28, 29.; Rev. i. 18. 5 John, xi. 23-26.; 1 Cor. xv. 53, 54.; 1 Th. iv. 16, 17.

6 1 Cor. xv. 20. 22.; Rom. vi. 9, 10.; Rev. xvii. 14. ; Rev. xix. 16.; Heb. i. 8.

EPISTLE, Rom. xiii. 8-14.

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light'; now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and dead', we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever." Amen.

GOSPEL, Matt. xxi. 1-11.

FIRST LESSON, Morning, Isaiah, i. EVENING LESSON, Isaiah, ii.

"Awake, my soul ! and, with the sun,

Thy daily stage of duty run;

Shake off dull sloth, and early rise,

To pay thy morning sacrifice.

"Glory to thee, who safe hast kept,

And hast refresh'd me while I slept :

Grant, Lord! when I from death shall wake,

I may of endless life partake.

"Lord! I my vows to thee renew;

Scatter my sins as morning dew:

Guard my first springs of thought and will,

And with thyself my spirit fill.

"Direct, control, suggest, this day,

All I design, or do, or say:

That all my powers, with all their might,

In thy sole glory may unite.

"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heav'nly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

A Prayer before reading the Scriptures.