you lived so many hours of this day, and not found that sin is constantly present with you? Have you lived so many hours of this day without perceiving that, if God did not forgive transgressions, you have not a moment to stand before Him? Then what so suitable as to acknowledge this, and to desire, in the spirit of perfect love towards all, that God may extend the like love to us, and that, as He has enabled himself to forgive all sins, so He would satisfy this our continual need by continuing his forgiveness of our sins to us, and not only continuing his forgiveness of our sins to us, but making us sensible of it? I pray for that, in praying for the forgiveness of sins. In the words, "And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us," is implied, not only the desire for actual forgiveness of sin of which we are conscious, and that He would give us repeated and continued testimony of it, but it is implied that we have the consciousness in our own breast that we do stand before God as his forgiven And O, beloved, what are God's forgiven ones, what are God's consciously forgiven ones, but God's penitent believers? Beloved, it is then the very mind with which the penitent comes to God, the very mind in which the restored creature presents itself before God. And the restored creature presents itself before God, not as one that has never offended, but as one who in the bitterness and consciousness of transgression presents himself before Him, because he knows that He against whom he has rebelled is reconciled to him.

ones.

But I tell you, if there were not this prayer for forgiveness, there would be lacking that which is an especial ingredient in the daily spirit of a restored man,repentance. God grant that you may understand that repentance is not to be considered as closed for ever when men are brought to realize their Baptism, are brought, as some would say, to their conversion. It is the daily spirit of the restored man, to make an acknowledgement of sin, and to desire that he may be preserved from it. And that is further expressed in this prayer by the deliverance from temptation, and out of evil.

Why then, here is in the compass of these few clauses the most perfect opening of that mind of a rational being which is adapted to his state and circumstances, and which is the most glorious and honourable to God. Sure I am that, if you and I can come near to the Lord's table at this moment in the spirit which this prayer implies, we shall come in a mind which may well expect to receive new sustenance through increased communication of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and in a mind of which we may be well assured that God will have pleasure in partaking of us. It will be no sin, it will be no disparagement, it will be no levity to say, God hath pleasure in the eating and drinking of such a substance; and unto that substance in which God hath pleasure He will communicate of his fulness, that what He enjoys himself may be enjoyed doubly by him from

whom He takes his repast. Now therefore, I call you to partake, by the utterance of those words,

"Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”

December 7, 1828.

SERMON IX.

PSALM CXXXix. 23, 24.

SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS; AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY

EVERLASTING.

I HAVE chosen this text as most nearly expressing the doctrine of that collect of the Church which it is now my office to comment upon. I have reserved the observations which I would make upon the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for my evening address, being now engaged in a course of sermons, which precludes me from taking it as a subject in its usual course. I am now therefore to show you the material which is contained in that collect of the Communion Service which follows the Lord's prayer.

In my last sermon I gave you some general hints in the way of comment upon the Lord's prayer. This form of it is that which the Lord taught to his disciples as precisely the form of words in which they should