give us a good will by his preventing grace, but must also work with us when we have that good will; and we sum up the Decalogue with beseeching God to write all these his commandments upon our hearts. The minister proceeds to pray for the Sovereign, whose personal character as well as his public administration cannot fail to have an important influence upon his people. He has the choice of two Collects; the second brings more prominently before us the object which a Christian king ought to keep constantly in view, but the first includes also the duties. of subjects to him, and shews, that since he is God's minister, they are bound, in compliance with the Apostolical precept, to honour and obey him, not only for wrath but for conscience' sake. Rom. xiii. The Nicene Creed as it is called, as enlarged and finally fixed at the Council of Constantinople, is then recited. It was rehearsed before the Communion throughout the western Patriarchate long previous to the Reformation, having superseded the original one of the Roman Church, still called that of the Apostles, and formerly supposed to have been drawn up by them. An acknowledgment of

the Articles of the Christian faith is part of our baptismal vow, and is made with peculiar propriety when we are about to renew it in the other sacrament. A statement of what we believe also appropriately succeeds a declaration of what we are commanded and forbidden to do.

Then follows the Sermon: and the minister returning to the table, the Eucharist, strictly speaking, commences; for the ante-communion has long been joined to the ordinary Sunday service, and those alone who intend to communicate remain, the rest, too often a majority of the congregation, retiring, not because, like the catechumens of the primitive Church or the excommunicated, they are debarred from this high privilege, but because by their own free choice they exclude themselves from the Supper of their Lord, thinking only of the danger they may incur, regardless of his command, and forgetful of the blessing promised. After the confession of our faith, follows the exercise of our charity, without which it would be but dead, which is to be shewn by almsgiving, by intercessory prayer, and by the forgiveness of injuries. As one of the qualifications for

receiving this Sacrament is "to be in love and charity with all men," there cannot be a more appropraite occasion for collecting the alms of the congregation. The custom seems to have prevailed from the beginning, and was no doubt derived from St. Paul's advice to the Corinthians, (1. Cor. xvi.) to lay by on the first day of the week, as the Lord had prospered them. While the alms are collecting, sentences from the Bible, encouraging liberal and cheerful almsgiving, are read out. Four out of the twenty, which recognise the right of those who "preach the Gospel to live of the Gospel," can no longer be used with propriety, since a share in these alms is now scarcely ever claimed by the ministers of religion. In primitive times, before the consecration of tithes, and the donation of estates to the Church, the chief reliance of the Clergy was upon these free gifts; and such was the spirit of liberality then prevalent, that an abundance was obtained in this way not only for them, but for the poor. The legal provision for the poor, enacted since our service was revised, renders them also less dependent upon this voluntary contribution, so that the collection seems now

rather made out of deference to established usage, than from a feeling of benevolence. Certainly the necessity of this collection has ceased; and in an age like ours, distinguished more by active than contemplative virtue, it is natural that Christians should like to be the dispensers of their own charity. Such a practice is no doubt to be recommended, as likely to increase their sympathy with distress, and to induce them to deny themselves. in innocent gratifications, that they may be more able to relieve it; yet occasions of exercising charity will not occur at all times, especially to persons whose circumstances prevent much intercourse with the poor; and the communion affords a convenient opportunity of strengthening a Clergyman's influence, and at the same time of ensuring a judicious distribution of their alms.

I have

therefore often regretted that a more liberal collection was not generally made in our churches, especially in those parishes which are served by Curates, or in which the income of the Incumbent is scanty. A habit of liberality would thus be formed in combination with an act of religion, which by a blessed reaction would contribute to the improvement of the giver.

Our alms for the poor, and our oblations of bread and wine, the symbols of the great sacrifice which we are about to commemorate, being now set upon the table, we request, in a comprehensive prayer for the Church, that they may be most mercifully accepted. It is called a prayer for the Church militant in earth, because, while in this state of probation, we must fight under Christ's banner as his soldiers against sin, the world, and the devil; and the words in earth were purposely added to exclude the dead, whose spiritual warfare is at an end; and who, as they rest from their labours, have no need of our intercession. The prayer is in accordance with St. Paul's instructions to Timothy, but of a less comprehensive character; for, instead of praying for the whole race of mankind, we limit our petitions to the universal Church. For the former indeed we pray in the daily service; and possibly in this most solemn act of Christian worship, it was thought proper only to pray for that family which our Lord has gathered out of the world. We pray, that all who profess God's holy name may agree in the truth of his holy word, and live in unity and godly love. It is painful to think, how Christ's family are divided in