all-sufficient merit of our Lord's atonement rests; and yet works, which expressly disavow it, have sometimes obtained favor with members of the Church. Such a writer does indeed set the necessity of this doctrine in the strongest light, when he first professes to believe in our Lord's Divinity, and then shews that his faith is without root, by speaking of Him as if He were a mere man: but we are slow to find out the error, because we are fallen into a spirit of self-worship, and substitute religious feeling for sound doctrine. Our religion is not the Gospel of feeling, but the Gospel of truth; and, though that truth must be felt to save us, it must first of all be received. It is for this reason, that such books as deny any portion of main truth, are the more dangerous for being written in a pious tone, and we ought to shun them, as we would wells of sweet but poisoned water.

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We may easily however hold this doctrine, and be none the better for it; we may profess a sound creed, merely because we learnt it of our parents; and so we may boast of our orthodoxy: but “ no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error: every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God; he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." We must with our hearts "believe the record that God gave of His Son; and this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." In this way we must "confess that Jesus is the Son of God," and then we shall know that "God dwelleth in us, and we in God."

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY,

THE MOTHER OF OUR LORD.

The gospel of the day relates to us, how God was to receive a human nature;-how the Son of God was to become the Son of Mary;-how a Virgin was to be made the Mother of Him according to the flesh, who was Eternal God.

"In respect of her this belief was therefore necessary, that we might perpetually preserve an esteem of her person proportionable to so high a dignity. It was her own prediction, 'From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;' but the obligation is ours, to call her, to esteem her so. We cannot bear too reverend a regard unto the Mother of our Lord,' so long as we give her not that worship which is due unto the Lord himself. Let us keep the language of the primitive Church: let her be honoured and esteemed, let Him be worshipped and adored.”—Bp. Pearson on the Creed.

6

“He that is mighty hath magnified her:" and if she were blessed from the first, when it pleased God to chuse her as the Mother of His Son, much more must we now think her so, when He has died for her, and she is dwelling with her Son and Saviour. Moreover at His death our Lord did not leave His Mother, as he might have done, to the care of his natural brethren, the children of Mary and Cleophas, but to another kind of brother, His beloved disciple St. John, saying to him, "Behold thy mother." Thus He has himself confirmed the word which she had spoken, and commended her to the reverence of all whom He vouchsafes to call His brethren.

The nature of the honour due to her has however been strangely misunderstood: for the most extravagant stories are told with regard both to herself and to the things belonging to her; whilst Christians have been taught to look on her as their protectress in bodily dangers, and even as a kind of mediatress between their Redeemer and themselves. She is also made the chief object of imageworship, and there are many particular images of her esteemed above the rest, to which people flock from all parts for the fame of their miracles; and, at the time of the yearly pilgrimages, such superstitious things are done, as are hardly to be believed by those who have not been in the way of witnessing them.

"From such groundless conceits and dangerous practices we should beware; which, as they derogate from God's honour and prejudice His service, so they do rather injure, abuse, and discredit, the blessed Virgin, than do any right or honor to her; whose greater honor indeed it was to be a meek and humble servant, than to be the mother of our Saviour and Lord."-Dr. Barrow on the Creed.

The blessedness of the Virgin Mary deeply concerns us all as Christians, for whereas she was blessed in two different ways, we may ourselves share with her the chief of her two blessings: neither can we better celebrate her festival, than in praying for it; for in this manner we are quite sure of doing her a true and grateful honor, while we run no risk of paying her that honor which belongs to God.

A PRAYER.

O God, who hast shown forth the power of Thy grace in the Mother of our Lord, and made her most blessed in obedience and love, grant me, of Thy great mercy, to be a partaker of her blessedness. Thou has given Thine own Son to be born of her for our sake; O give me also a living faith in Him. Make me meek and poor in spirit; teach me how to mourn; may I be merciful, and pure in heart, and live as a peacemaker among my brethren may I hunger and thirst after righteousness, and be ready to suffer all things for it; and do Thou enable me to endure temptation, that I may both hear Thy word gladly, and keep it unto the end. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

HYMN.

Virgin-born! we bow before Thee!
Blessed was the womb that bore Thee!

Mary, Mother meek and mild,

Blessed was she in her Child!

Blessed was the breast that fed Thee!

Blessed was the hand that led Thee!

Blessed was the parent's eye,

That watch'd Thy slumbering infancy!

Blessed she by all creation,

Who brought forth the world's Salvation!

And blessed they, for ever blest,

Who love Thee most and serve Thee best!

Bp. Heber.

No. 17.

SCRIPTURE. TRACTS

FOR THE

FASTS AND FESTIVALS.

Passion-Week.

BY A LAYMAN.

"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name."

"And glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

"We suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." St. John xii. xvii. Rom. viii.

LONDON:

J. G. F. AND J.

RIVINGTON.

STRONG, BRISTOL; COMBE, LEICESTER.

PRINTED BY H. AND A. HILL, CASTLE GREEN, BRISTOL.

MDCCCXL.

Price Three Halfpence, or 1s. 3d. per Dozen.