Let the men of the world smile, and the unbeliever scoff at the efficacy ascribed to the godly man's intercession. It is not thus lightly esteemed by the spirits of just men made perfect. Abraham knows its value, for he had thereby nearly saved Sodom from destruction. Moses

duly prizes it-for he thereby checked the pestilence in its deadly career:-and our Great High Priest recommends it, by his own example, for "he ever liveth to make intercession for his people."

I would call upon every one who loves his country, to shew his love by praying for it. Let not a morning dawn, nor an evening close, without besieging heaven, as it were, with holy importunity, to avert the evils which we feel or fear.

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"O merciful Lord, regard with compassion our favoured land, and let not our many offences provoke thee to depart from us."

"Remember the church, which thou hast purchased with thy precious blood, and let not the gates of hell prevail against it."

"Bless the King, whom thy good providence has set over us, and grant that we may obey him, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake."

"From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word and commandment, good Lord deliver us."

Send forth throughout the land a universal spirit of repentance, that we may return every

man from his evil way, and amend every man hisd oings.-Preserve us in the unity of the Spirit, and in the bond of peace. Bow the hearts of all that they may be like the heart of one man, and that a broken and a contrite heart."

"O Lord, hear: O Lord, forgive: O Lord, hearken and do: defer not, for thine own sake, O our God, and for the sake of thy Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ."

"Do thou convert us, Lord, do thou
The lustre of thy face display!

And all the ills we suffer now,

Like scatter'd clouds shall pass away!"

I remain, Dearly Beloved,

Your affectionate Minister and Servant in Christ,

EDWARD WARD.

THE CREED.

DEARLY BELOVED,

I was led by the circumstances of the times, two years ago, to give you a word of caution against the mischievous designs of those, who, having cast the fear of God behind them, were labouring to spread the poison of infidelity, and rob us of our confidence in that blessed book, without which we are poor, though we have all besides.

And when I last addressed you, it was my earnest recommendation, as the agents of evil were still at work, that you would besiege the throne of grace with fervent intercession, that He, who has promised, the gates of Hell shall not prevail against his church, would lift up a standard against the enemy,-would pour out his spirit largely from on high-and turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just!

But, forgive me, if I express a painful apprehension lest some of you be not sound in that faith, for which you have been exhorted to contend and to intercede. You may bear the name of Christ, and be very zealous for his cause, and yet not be a Christian. You may cry loudly, with the Jews of old, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we, and yet not be the Israel of God. You may repeat your Creed with the utmost precision, and diligently teach it to others, and yet have no saving knowledge of it yourselves. Ever bear in mind that profession is not possession; that head-knowledge and lipservice are of no avail in the sight of a God, that requireth truth in the inward parts; and that, unless with the heart man believeth "unto righteousness, he cannot with the mouth make confession unto salvation."

Let me beg you then for the present to look at home, and deal honestly with yourselves, as to your real belief in those articles of faith, which we call the Creed.

You profess to believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth; that there is a great and glorious self-existent Being of unbounded power, of unerring wisdom, and unceasing goodness, who formed this earth, and all the living creatures that inhabit it, and furnished it with food convenient for them; who made the sun to rule the day, and the moon and the stars to govern the night: you believe that he not only created you, but continually supports and watches over you; that your food could not nourish you, nor your sleep refresh you, nor your friends comfort you, without his blessing: you believe, moreover, that he sees all you do, hears all you say, and discerns whatever passes in the depth of the heart; and that he is a God, who loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity; who registers the thoughts, and words, and actions of every human being, that he may one day awfully distinguish between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Now do you really believe this? do you feel yourself thus constantly surrounded by God, thus constantly accountable to him? do you give him an undivided place in your affections? do you practise no secret idolatry in the heart? do you seek to approve yourselves in his sight, rather than to find favour in the eyes of men? Does your conduct correspond with such a belief? do you set him before you in all your dealings with the world? do you bring up your children in his fear, do you hallow his Sabbaths,

and reverence his name? do you prize his word, his house, his service?

Do you say, with David, in his love to the sanctuary, "One day in thy-courts is better than a thousand?"

Do you say, with Joseph, when tempted to evil, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God!"

Do you say, with Job, in the season of adversity, "What, shall I receive good at the hand of God, and shall I not receive evil?" or with a far greater than Job; "Not my will, but thy will, O God, be done?"

You next profess to believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father, Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

Do you really and from your heart, believe this also? Be not too confident of yourselves. Remember no man can effectually say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.-Enquire then of your our own convictions, do you see your absolute need of such a Saviour? do you know yourselves to be guilty perishing sinners; condemned by God's holy law; fallen low by Adam's transgression, and fallen still lower by your own; incapable of serving God acceptably of your