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humble awe and reverence, with a self-abased and penitent heart, with a meek and forgiving temper, with a pure and unworldly and holy purpose, with an honest intention of living a better life, and in all things more unto Thee; and with that, which is dearest in Thy sight, a desire to honour my blessed Saviour, and a love that would fulfil His commands.

But wherefore should I go to the Table of my Redeemer? Have I not abundant reasons? Has He commanded, and can I disobey? Has He bidden, and can I refuse? Every better movement in my nature leads me there. I cannot, and I dare not stay away.

Why laugh at me, O companions of my past follies and former sins? Why shoot the lip in mockery, and shake the head in contemptuous dislike? It is my Saviour; who ought to be dearer to me than all this world, dearer than father or mother, or husband or wife, or sister or brother, or children or friends, yea, dearer than mine own self also; it is my Saviour, who calls me, as it were, from the Cross of His agony, and bids me in this manner to remember Him and commemorate His inestimable death. What base ingratitude to hear and yet refuse, to listen and turn away!

What base ingratitude to deny Him, for the sake of the world, even in its best appearances! or to shun Him that I may follow the pleasures of sin ! Shall I keep them and give up Him who is my soul's own life? Shall I go on for a few short years, nay perhaps for a few more weeks, nay perhaps even only for this passing hour, to live as the worldling lives, and forget in the hurry of business, the weariness of occupations, the variety of fashion, the perplexities of daily life, One so rightly dear, so precious, so desirable? Ah! what folly while I have yet before me a choice between Christ and the world, between Christ with present peace and future joy and the world with its unsatisfying pleasures and with its sin, which must kill hereafter, to choose the latter instead of the former, and as it were in the madness of my soul "to curse my God, and die!"

And why, O more respectable and better meaning Christians, would you too question the wisdom of my choice? Why bid me defer my obedience in this particular to the end of life, or a little longer, or at least to be an unfrequent communicant? I know that my responsibilities as communicant are great; but would they be less if I should refuse to approach the Table of my Lord and Saviour? Is there not a vow upon me?

and is not a vow once made to God as binding upon my conscience as one that is frequently renewed? Can I then be rid of those sacred obligations which my Christian profession binds me to, even though I should continue to absent myself from Holy Communion? Such slackness as you propose is the part of an unloving spirit, and is fit for those only who desire to do what Christ tells us we cannot do, to serve two masters at once.*

Let me not have that cold calculating heart, O my Saviour, which thinks to salve the conscience by the least possible amount of service; which would reckon up every little act done for some requirement on God's part, and weigh as it were every grain of its parsimonious love. Let me not avoid the occasions of self-humiliation, and lowly gratitude, which Holy Communion offers me, by setting forth in visible signs (as it does) the Redeemer's glorious work by commemorating His bitter passion and dishonourable death; that so I may perpetually, as I need, kindle a fresh warmth of affection within my soul, strengthen my doubting faith, hearten my failing hope, confirm my penitent sorrow, purify my thoughts of God, sanctify my will towards Him, while I

*Matt. vi. 24.

become more and more united unto Christ, and in Christ unto Christians, and with them unto God, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

II.

AN ACT OF CONFESSION.

Psalm li.

1. HAVE mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.

2. Wash me throughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin.

3. For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me.

4. Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified in Thy saying, and clear when Thou art judged.

5. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness: and in sin hath my mother conceived me.

6. But lo, Thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

7. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I

shall be clean: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.

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9. Turn Thy face from my sins and put out

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10. Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.

11. Cast me not away from Thy presence: and take not Thy holy Spirit from me.

12. O give me the comfort of Thy help again : and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

13. Then shall I teach Thy ways unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.

14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou that art the God of my health, and my tongue shall sing of Thy righteousness.

15. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord: and my mouth shall shew Thy praise.

16. For Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it Thee but Thou delightest not in burntofferings.

17. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise.

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