TWENTY-EIGHTH ADDRESS.

O ALMIGHTY, most holy, and adorable Father! Lord of all mercy and God of all consolation, the ever-flowing fountain of all good! The books of nature and revelation harmoniously unite in proclaiming this great and animating truth, that Thou art the most venerable, most excellent, and most amiable of all beings-the origin and never-failing source of all good, of all happiness, and perfection.

Thou hast the justest claim to all the obedience of my life-to all the gratitude, reverence, and affection of my heart. Thou art the kindest, most bountiful, and tender Parent of the universe. To Thee I am indebted for existence itself, and for all that renders it desirable. Thy bounty supplies the wants of my body and my soul. Thou hast connected me with Thee by the strongest ties, and a principle of love and grati tude binds it upon my conscience as an indispensible duty to love, venerate, and adore Thee with the full-bent and energy of all the powers possess. I

Grant, I beseech Thee, that I may ever think of Thee with the most lively transports of thankful joy. May I rejoice in knowing Thee-in knowing that Thou art an eternal and infinitely perfect being-most great, glorious, and holy-ordering and directing all things, and designing every thing that befalls me to conspire together for my ultimate and everlasting good. May my happiness consist henceforth in obeying and loving Thee-in conforming my will to thinein resigning myself entirely into thy hands as into the hands of the best of fathers, the kindest of friends, and the most generous of benefactors.

Inestimable are the tokens of thy love and mercy which Thou hast given to me and to the world through Jesus Christ, by whose gracious assurances Thou hast taught me to

Se for the forgiveness of sin, and for that

gift which is above all price--everlasting life. Most heartily would I thank and bless thy holy name that Thou didst raise up so excellent a Saviour, and send him forth amongst thy people, to be to them a light to guide their feet in the path of truth, and to bless them in the most beneficial and effectual manner, by turning them from their iniquities.

Illustrious was the display of thy wisdom power, and goodness in raising him from the grave after he had been put to death by the cruel hands of those whom he was most anxious to save, and for whom he interceded with Thee in the midst of the agonizing pains which he sustained, entreating Thee to forgive them as they knew not what they were doing. Adored be thy goodness for the assurance which we have received, that as Thou didst raise him from the dead, so Thou wilt also raise us; and if we are faithful to the end, Thou wilt coafer upon us a crown of glory.

Teach me to be ever mindful of the rapid flight of time, to reflect seriously under what obligations I am, to make a right use of it as it passes, and what anguish and remorse the misapplication of it may hereafter occasion. Let me look back, with a desire to improve by the retrospect, upon the generations which in the lapse of ages have succeeded each other, and discern the assured certainty of my being in a few years numbered with them, and gone to give my great account.

Enable me to form a right judgment upon all things that fall under my notice, and have a claim to my attention. Let me

not confound together questions of an opposite nature, nor bewilder my mind with attempts to discern a difference where none really exists. Enlighten my understanding that I may form a just judgment upon all important points, and bringing every thing to the test of patient examination, may hold fast that which is good.

When the important interests of religion are at stake, let me not confer with flesh and blood, bnt take a decided part and act with manly firmness and steady perseverance. Never for a moment let me hesitate between thy service aud that of any other master. Never let me halt between two opinions, where my irresolution and inconstancy may be injurious to the cause of thy truth. Let me not injudiciously espouse any party, nor permit the plea of promoting thy honour to make me infringe upon the eternal laws of veracity, righteousnesss, and charity.

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Let the well-grounded hope of thy approbation and favour afford the sweetest consolation to my soul. Let my med tations upon Thee refresh and nourish my spirit, and may I most gratefully acknowledge the blessed privilege of holding communion with Thee in fervent and devout prayer.

Unite my

heart to Thee in the bonds of reverential love; and let me never forget that in departing from Thee, the living God! by placing my affections upon any other object, I should be losing sight of all that is most excellent in itself and most conducive to the perfection of my nature.

May it please Thee, O God! to hear me in the humble supplication which I have been addressing to the throne of thy grace. What I ask for myself I most humbly request for all my brethren of mankind, my relations, friends, and benefactors, and also for my enemies. May they be the true and faithful servants of Thee, the most high God!-the sincere disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord-heirs of thy promises in this world, and everlasting partakers of them hereafter.

Pour out a spirit of active zeal amongst all orders, ranks, and degrees of thy people; rouse them to the most diligent exertions in the way of well-doing, and let them witness the happy effects of their endeavours in the improvement of their fellow-creatures in all that is praiseworthy and excellent, and in the increase and diffusion of piety, virtue, and truth.