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not." "Give diligence that your calling and election may be sure," by a careful improvement of the means of grace which are afforded for your use; remembering that it is God that "worketh in you, to will and to do of His good pleasure;" and that only to such as are "faithful unto death," has "a crown of life" been promised. "Herein," said Jesus, "is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

To those who for the first time, or but lately, have joined in this service, let me address a single word. Rest not, I beseech you, in "bodily exercise," or in external approach, which "profits little " indeed, by itself. There was another day when other hands gave up some of you, that you might be set apart to the service of God. These hands may now be mouldering in the dust, these voices may be hushed in death. But did they die in the faith and love of Jesus; have you reason to think that there could be written above their resting-place, "a Christian sleepeth here?" Then are you called upon to follow their example-bound to it as having been taught to know the truth-doubly bound, because having professed adherence to the Saviour's cause, you must take still greater "heed" to yourselves, as having the "vows of the Lord" upon you, and as thence called upon to resist temptation, avoid the appearance of evil, and lay fast "hold upon eternal life." Seek then to live with Jesus. Have frequent recourse to prayer. Take God's word in all things to direct you. Aim at usefulness in your day and generation. Slumber not as others do; but try to be the means of achieving some lasting good to the souls of your fellow-creatures.

Respecting none can it be said that they have a title to calculate upon prolonged vigour of health and length of days. But so much the longer that any live in this world, so much the less of time on earth remains for each; and the saying is true, "the young may, but the old must die soon." It is no stretch, therefore, of imagination to conceive to be assured, much more probable is it that there are those who shall not see another communion Sabbath. The healthy and vigorous may be removed, falling like grass before the mower's scythe. But in the case of some, the "keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow." What is the fruit then of past communions, many of which you have attended? Are you ripening for glory or for doom? Are any of you as insensible, as cold hearted, as grasping, as faithless to Christianity as ever, as much set upon the earthly joys from which you must soon part? Suffer yet, once more, the word of admonition. Do you read the Scriptures-do you pray in secret and with your

household? Awake then thou that sleepest, lest thou awake in hell— for not regular church going, nor frequent communicating can be to you of any service if you do not go to Christ and cleave to Him with your whole hearts, as alone able to rescue and deliver you.

May God grant to all of us His blessing; may He make us monuments of His mercy, and enable us to glorify His name. Amen. A concluding prayer is then offered up.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION.

Heavenly Father, we beseech Thee to follow with Thine effectual blessing, all the sacred and solemn service in which we have been engaged. Let the lessons of instruction from Thy word sink deeply into our hearts, and produce abundant fruit unto holiness. Let the vows we have taken upon us ever be remembered; and the obligations we have come under, influence the whole subsequent tenor of our lives.

We praise Thee, especially, that thou hast spread for us a table in the wilderness, and that we have been enabled to commemorate the dying love of the Lord Jesus. May we preserve our fidelity to the end, and may we bear in mind and strive to copy the example He has left us, that we should walk in His steps. Confirm every good resolution, every purpose of new obedience which we have formed. May we count all things but loss for the excellency of His knowledge; press forward more diligently to the mark, and continually bear about the dying love of Christ, seeking that the life also of Jesus may be manifest in our mortal bodies.

Preserve us from the snares of a subtle and vigilant spiritual adversary: keep us from confidence and presumption, and wilful sin. May we grow in grace, and be clothed with the whole armour of God, having our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of Jesus, taking the shield of faith, and having for an helmet the hope of salvation; so that, as we have received the Lord Jesus, we may also walk in Him, rooted and built up, and established in the faith. As having taken the oath of allegiance to a celestial leader, may we follow through good and through bad report the Captain of our salvation. As exhorted to look unto Him, our advocate and intercessor within the veil, may we come forward boldly to a throne of grace, and there find mercy to pardon and grace to help at every time of need. In prosperity, may we be watchful; in adversity, submissive. In health, may we bear in mind our need of spiritual healing; in sickness, may we lean upon the higher rock, and repose our confidence on the

arm that made the universe. May we be joined to Thee in an everlasting covenant; that so living or dying, in time or throughout eternity, we may be Thine, and Thine only. As we have joined ourselves to the church militant on earth, may we also join the general assembly and church of the first born in heaven, and be admitted to the presence of God the judge of all; of Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant; of an innumerable company of angels and spirits of the just made perfect; and of the whole host of heaven, who shall serve Thee in the house not made with hands.

Pardon what Thy pure eyes have seen amiss in this day's service. Forgive the preparation that has not been the preparation of the sanctuary. Let the sins of those who have made an unwarrantable approach to Thy table be forgiven; may they yet be taught to know the value of the Saviour's presence; and the preciousness of the love of Jesus. Be gracious to thine aged servants, the period of whose pilgrimage may be nearly closed. The Lord be their keeper, and their shade upon their right hand, that they may not be moved. Prosper and bless them who have this day joined themselves visibly to the family of Jesus. Lord, keep them unspotted from the world. Accept of the surrender they have made to Thy cause. Enable them to maintain consistency, and to attain a rapid progress in the divine life bless them, henceforth, even for evermore, and make them a blessing unto many.

Bless us, O Lord, as a people. Let pastors and flock be blessed more abundantly. Train up a rising generation as a seed to serve Thee. Bless the elders of this parish, and may they be recompensed abundantly for their work and labour of love. Refresh this parched and weary spot. Keep Thy people in this parish, to whatever communion they belong, stedfast to Thy service. Rich and poor

we commend alike to Thee, who art the Maker and Preserver of all. Visit with Thy comfort the disconsolate, cheer the mourner and uphold the dying, that when heart and flesh faint and fail, Thou mayest be the stay of their hearts and their portion for ever.

Bless Thy church everywhere, and shew Thy favour to that portion of it also with which we are more particularly connected. Prosper the cause of pure Christianity and of vital religion. May the boundaries of Messiah's kingdom be extended. Let the Gentiles fear Thee, and may Thine ancient people be enlightened to discern the glory of the sun of righteousness.

Be with us in singing a parting hymn of praise. Dismiss us with Thy blessing thereafter. Let Thy presence be with us during

the interval of worship, and come up with Thy servant who is then to address us from the holy oracles.

The forenoon service is then closed by the singing of another psalm or paraphrase, and by the pronouncing of the benediction.

Afternoon or Evening Communion Sabbath Service.

This Service is conducted very much after the manner of an ordinary diet of worship, excepting that, in the devotional portion peculiar reference is appropriately made to the previous solemnity, and a blessing is anew implored upon the dispensation of the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and those who have joined in its celebration. The topics most appropriate to be noticed will readily suggest themselves. The discourse is to be regarded as a principal feature in this portion of the day's work, and is appropriately of a practical, rousing, or encouraging description.

The specimen now given is intended to be chiefly of the latter description, and is inserted simply in the hope that it may be somewhat useful to those who have the early prospect, amidst many engagements incidental to the season, of preparing for this important and interesting part of Ministerial duty.

THE HOUSE OF MANY MANSIONS.

"In my Father's house are many mansions: you. go to prepare a place for you. you, I will come again, and receive you ye may be also."-JOHN xiv. 2, 3.

if it were not so, I would have told And if I go and prepare a place for unto myself; that where I am, there

These words were spoken shortly before the period of our Lord's sufferings, when the hour was at hand that Jesus should depart out of this world to the Father, and the earth in which he had consented to sojourn for a time should cease to be the place of his peculiar and personal abode. It is evident, that the apostles were but very imperfectly alive to the exact nature of the incidents that were to follow, had drawn different auguries from various preceding events, and understood otherwise the language of prophecy regarding the Messiah. Yet they had been warned by their Master, that he was doomed to meet with rejection and refusal-insult and outragesuffering and abasement. And now he had told them plainly of what was to happen-spoke of his removal, and foretold the treach

ery of one of their number. Perceiving that they were profoundly agitated in consequence of these communications, the recital of which the reverence and love they entertained rendered doubly painful; the same tenderness that made Jesus turn the conversation to points connected with his agony and sorrow, in order that they might be in some measure prepared for the shock, induced him now to dwell upon topics of consolation, the full force of which they would afterwards be better able to comprehend. These were intermingled with most valuable counsels, and accompanied by an assurance, that though soon to be no longer with them, their interests and those of his believing people would be not less present to his thoughts. Nay, his departure was altogether expedient and necessary. He must finish the work given to him to do on earth-go to his Father and theirs to his God and their God. Nor, till he had ascended on high, could the Comforter come, and that dispensation of the Spirit commence, which was essential to the success of their ministry.

But the text was not intended to administer instruction and comfort only to the disciples. As meant to be the common property of believers in every age, it may suggest to us some consolatory and instructive thoughts.

The Lord Jesus here speaks as his people's sympathizing, generous, Almighty Friend; declares the purpose of love he was fully to execute; and sets before his followers the recompence of reward awaiting each of the faithful. He uses, too, on this occasion, the language of conscious majesty and greatness; while exhibiting himself as One who, though upon the eve of departure for a distant country, was yet to have their interests most warmly at heart.

I. In the first place, his words describe that abode whither he was about to proceed. "In my Father's house are many mansions." From these glorious regions Jesus had descended, shrouding his dignity under a veil of flesh. Although the Eternal Son of God, and the object of the Father's approbation and complacency, he was “made in all things like unto his brethren;" he appeared in the weakness of infancy, gradually increased in stature, was exposed to manifold trials and to all the sinless infirmities of our lot; he came in the power of Godhead, yet also in the weakness of humanity. But he appeared as the great Prophet of the Church, to whom there belonged a certain knowledge of the mysteries unseen by mortal eye. He was therefore able to unveil the happiness which his death was to purchase for his people; and he now assured the disciples of the full provision made for the reception of be