as his guest; thou wilt not be nourished with that spiritual food which diffuses its life-giving energy, only, through the heart of the humble and penitent believer. The Saviour indignantly withholds the blessings of his grace from those, who, unaffected with the infinite condescensions of his mercy, and insensible to their own weakness and demerit, approach his altar, with impenitent, lukewarm, unmortified hearts.

> Unless therefore, I come to the altar under a lively sense of the weakness and sinfulness of my heart, by which I have been led to transgress the holy laws of my God; unless I come to the altar, deeply sensible that the only pledge of my forgivness, is the meritorious atonement of my Saviour, and stedfastly resolving, that, by the aids of his grace, I will renounce all my sins, and humbly and faithfully serve him; unless I come to the altar in this character of a humble and unfeigned penitent, earnestly desiring the mercy and grace of God, I must not hope to partake of the blessings of his salvation, or to experience those divine and ineffable joys, those strengthening and reviving consolations, which refresh the souls of those, who, by a true and living faith, spiritually feed on the body and blood of their crucified Redeemer.

To prepare then, for partaking of this holy ordinance, and to secure the inestimable blessings which are dispensed in it to sincere and

penitent believers, I must deeply and impartially search my heart, and faithfully examine the course of my life, in order to ascertain my spiritual character and state.

Dispose me, earnestly and seriously to enter on this examination, Almighty God! Impress on me the infinite importance of determining the state of my soul-whether I am at peace with thee, through lively penitence and faith in the blood of thy Son; or, am obnoxious, through unrepented sin, to thy just displeasure. Enable me, with faithfulness, to search my heart, knowing that my eternal destiny depends on the issue. Thy quickening grace only, can detect the numerous errors and sins of my life, and strip from my heart the veil of self-love which conceals its vices and sins. Do thou, therefore, O God, try me, and seek the ground of my heart, prove me and examine my thoughts, and see if there be any evil way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

As in thy presence, and exposed to thy inspection, thou God, who searchest the heart, who canst not be deceived, and who wilt not be mocked, as before thy awful tribunal, O thou Sovereign Judge of men, who wilt bring to light every secret thing whether it be good, or whether it be evil, do I now seriously enter on the examination of the condition of my soul. Press home on my heart, O God, by thy powerful Spirit, the

solemn enquiries which I now make. May I faithfully answer them to my own conscience, as I shall certainly have to answer them at thy tribunal, to thee my Almighty Judge.

AM I á member of the church of Christ, which he purchased with his blood, which he sanctifies with his spirit, and which, according to his unsearchable and sovereign pleasure, is made the only channel of his covenanted mercies to a fallen world?

Have I been admitted, to the participation of the inestimable privileges of this church, to a title to the forgiveness of sin, to the favour of God, to the presence and aids of the holy Spirit, to an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, by that ordinance, which Jesus Christ its divine head instituted, the holy sacrament of baptism?

Do I keep up my communion with this church by devout submission to the ministrations of its priesthood in the orders of bishops, priests, and deacons, deriving their authority, by regular transmission from Jesus Christ, who is the only source of authority in the church, since he is its redeemer and head, since to him "all power is given in heaven and in earth," and since he promised to be with the ministers of apostolic succession" alway, even to the end of the world?"

Have I been diligent in imploring, by earnest and constant prayer, the continued aids of the holy Spirit, to enable me to fulfil my baptismal vows "to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God and to serve him?".

Have I ratified, in the holy rite of confirmation, the solemn vows and promises.of baptism, receiving, by the ministry of Christ's authorised servant, the manifold and strengthening gifts of the Holy Ghost?

Have all my violations of these solemn engagements, all my infirmities and sins been cleansed by repentance, and renewed faith in the blood of Christ?

Have I frequently contemplated, with earnest solicitude and deep humiliation, the state of depravity and guilt in which man is sunk, while destitute of an interest in the merits of a saviour?

Have I reviewed, with lively compunction, the numerous transgressions which have defiled my conscience?

In the bitterness of my spirit, have I acknowledged the justice of God in my condemnation; have I humbly and fervently adored the fulness of his grace and mercy in providing for me the means of redemption through Jesus Christ ?.

Awakened to a pungent sense of my sins, have I fled, with earnest supplication, to the throne of my incensed Almighty Judge, and reverently presented there, as the only plea of

my forgivness, the meritorious blood of my Redeemer?

Has faith opened to me the fulness and sufficiency of my Saviour's merits, and conveyed, to my troubled conscience, rest and peace?

Have I experienced the power of divine grace, in awakening my sensibility to the evil and guilt of sin, to the excellence and rewards of holiness, and in exciting the earnest and persevering resolution to renounce all the dictates of my corrupt nature and to devote myself, to my God and Saviour, in the services of a holy life?

Am I sincerely desirous, and always ready; to partake of the holy eucharist, thereby to commemorate the dying love of my Redeemer, to testify my communion with his church and people, to plead before God, for the pardon of my sins, the all prevailing merits of his cross and passion, and to refresh and strengthen my soul with his most precious body and blood.

AM I diligent and faithful in all the exercises and duties of the christian life?

i.

Am I uniform and sincere in the duties of private meditation and prayer, in all those pious exercises which have a tendency to strengthen the reign of grace in my heart?

Are the services of God's sanctuary the source of my most pure and exalted pleasures?