This union is effected by God's Spirit; (1 Cor. xii. 11.) and they only who are led by the Spirit of God belong to this family, (Rom. viii. 14.) and belong truly to Christ. (Gal. iii. 26.) This family Christ feeds with spiritual nourishment, like a Shepherd. (John x. 11. compare Is. xl. 11.)

Our prayer therefore should be Ps. lxxi. 1-3.

II. That God would look upon all men in the Church, and enable them truly and godly to serve him in their vocation, (station or calling,) and their ministry, (their duties.)

Christ has sheep in many different parts of the world, (John x. 16.) and these true members of his Church have different stations and different duties, (1 Cor. xii. 12 and 28.) and are in different relations, as children, parents, servants, &c. (Eph. vi. 1, 4.) Whatever be our duties in them, we are to serve God, (Rom. xii. 11.) and the smallest duties of every-day life. (Col. iii. 17, 23.) It is good to pray for others, that all may do so, (1 Tim. ii. 1-3.) and as Christ himself did. (John xvii. 9.)

Our prayer therefore should be John xvii. 20, 21.
III. That God would have mercy on all men.

1. Jews-The descendants of Abraham, who reject salvation by Jesus Christ, and do not believe in the New Testament Scriptures.

2. Turks-Men who are followers of their false prophet, Mahomet, whom they put in the place of Christ, and believers in the Koran, which they put in the place of the Bible.

3. Infidels-baptized Christians, who do not believe in Almighty God, or his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, or the Holy Scriptures.

4. Heretics baptized Christians, who disbelieve some fundamental truth of the Bible, without which they cannot be saved-as the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

Christ Jesus, in his willingness and power, is the Saviour of all men, (1 Tim. iv. 10.) and will have all men to be saved by the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. ii. 4-6.) The Jews are now in ignorance, and hardened; (Acts xxviii. 27.) and Gentile unbelievers are without

understandme, and hardened. (Rom. i. 21, 22.) The now of the Lord shall one day cover the earth, Hat 19. and the Jews shall be saved, (Rom. xi. the Gentiles also. (Rɔm. xi. 25.) It is right merma with God for wicked and unconverted men, arabin da for the Sodomites, (Gen. xviii. 23, 24.) a for the enemy of God's kingdom. (Matt. vi. hraust uniess men are brought to the knowledge the rannat he saved. (Acts iv. 12. 1 John

a the great means of promoting Christ's waking in al his ways ourselves. (Ps.

E TRIVE therefore should be Ps. lxvii. 1-3.

Grol, who through thine only-begotten 1778, has overcome death, and opened unto us the gate we: tamant beseech thee, that, as by thy special The dos: ni mte our minds good desires, so w ma bring the samt to good effect; through Mh. Dista and reigneth with thee and the ar tek work without end. Amen."

*. KNOWIgments in this Collect9 Ingi Carist, has overcome death, as the gate a everlasting life.

the wares a ruits of sin, (Rɔm. vi. 23.) i al mer rien. ix. 97.) in their the & spritual and eternal death.

at mement of Christ has abolished opening a way to immortality; Le who receive the words of Jesus t th and ranfarm their lives unto un rimad Jam vi. 50, 51.) and he 4. Such 33' ✯ hư h the second death. Atestat. Greed. When thou shrines a death, thon didst open A to believers." And in beaNa Mor Kalid denti. (Rev. xxi. 4.) * The Or Hal. Te die is gain, (Phil. thea with Curst. Phil i 23.) If e takwa' eterna, int, we must have 1 2 2.00 a. Curist. (Rev. vii. 14.) 2. Co. v. 1, 70) and look to

the things which are not seen, and eternal. (2 Cor. iv. 18.)

Our duty therefore should be Jude 20, 21.

II. Which is appended to the article of prayer.

That God, by his special grace preventing, puts into our minds good desires. For this we refer our readers to the first article of prayer in the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

There is one article of prayer in this Collect

That we may bring our good desires to good effect.

We may have good desires, and be unable to bring them to good effect; (Rom. vii. 18.) and some know God's will, and do it not; (Luke xii. 47.) and some, having begun well, become choked with the cares of this world, and become unfruitful. (Matt. xiii. 20—22.) Balaam had a good desire, but never profited by it. (Numbers xxiii. 10.) The Galatians began well, but fell back. (Gal. v. 7. comp. John vi. 66.) God promises to keep those in whom he has begun a good work. (Phil. i. 6.) If we would bring our desires to good effect, we must abide in Christ. (John xv. 5.)

(Good desires are like the bloom which appears on the fruit tree, giving the promise of fruit, which is then good effect.) We must cultivate all the fruits of the Spirit, (2 Peter i. 5-8.) going on unto perfection. (Heb. vi. 1.)

Our desire should be Ps. xxvii. 4. and our prayer should be Ps. lxxi. 17, 18.

66

First Sunday after Easter.- Almighty Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; grant us to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may alway serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

There is one acknowledgment in this Collect

That God's only Son was given to die for our sins, and rise again for our justification. (Rom. iv. 25.) There is one article of prayer in this Collect

That we may so put away the leaven of malice and wickedness as to serve God in pureness of living and truth. Wickedness and malice spring naturally from man's

understanding, and hardened. (Rom. i. 21, 22.) The knowledge of the Lord shall one day cover the earth, (Hab. ii. 14.) and the Jews shall be saved, (Rom. xi. 26.) and the Gentiles also. (Rɔm. xi. 25.) It is right to intercede with God for wicked and unconverted men, as Abraham did for the Sodomites, (Gen. xviii. 23, 24.) and to pray for the enemy of God's kingdom. (Matt. vi. 10.) Because, unless men are brought to the knowledge of Christ, they cannot be saved. (Acts iv. 12. 1 John v. 20.) One of the great means of promoting Christ's kingdom is by walking in all his ways ourselves. (Ps. lxxxi. 13—15.)

Our prayer therefore should be Ps. lxvii. 1-3.

Easter Day." Almighty God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; we humbly beseech thee, that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen."

There are two acknowledgments in this Collect— I. That God, through Christ, has overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life.

Death is the wages or fruits of sin, (Rom. vi. 23.) and is appointed unto all men (Heb. ix. 27.) in their bodies. There is, too, a spiritual and eternal death. (Ezek. xviii. 4.) The atonement of Christ has abolished this latter death, by opening a way to immortality; (2 Tim. i. 10.) and they who receive the words of Jesus into their hearts by faith, and conform their lives unto them, shall not die eternally; (John vi. 50, 51.) and he that overcometh, shall not be hurt by the second death. (Rev. ii. 11. comp. Athanasian Creed, "When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.") And in heaven there shall be no more bodily death. (Rev. xxi. 4.) Therefore, to those who love God, to die is gain, (Phil. i. 21.) because they are with Christ. (Phil. i. 23.) If we would have this hope of eternal life, we must have our sins washed in the blood of Christ. (Rev. vii. 14.) We must walk by faith, (2 Cor. v. 1, 7.) and look to

the things which are not seen, and eternal. (2 Cor. iv. 18.)

Our duty therefore should be Jude 20, 21.

II. Which is appended to the article of prayer. That God, by his special grace preventing, puts into For this we refer our readers to the first article of prayer in the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

our minds good desires.

There is one article of prayer in this Collect—

That we may bring our good desires to good effect.

We may have good desires, and be unable to bring them to good effect; (Rom. vii. 18.) and some know God's will, and do it not; (Luke xii. 47.) and some, having begun well, become choked with the cares of this world, and become unfruitful. (Matt. xiii. 20-22.) Balaam had a good desire, but never profited by it. (Numbers xxiii. 10.) The Galatians began well, but fell back. (Gal. v. 7. comp. John vi. 66.) God promises to keep those in whom he has begun a good work. (Phil. i. 6.) If we would bring our desires to good effect, we must abide in Christ. (John xv. 5.)

(Good desires are like the bloom which appears on the fruit tree, giving the promise of fruit, which is then good effect.) We must cultivate all the fruits of the Spirit, (2 Peter i. 5-8.) going on unto perfection. (Heb. vi. 1.)

Our desire should be Ps. xxvii. 4. and our prayer should be Ps. lxxi. 17, 18.

First Sunday after Easter.-" Almighty Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; grant us to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may alway serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

There is one acknowledgment in this Collect

That God's only Son was given to die for our sins, and rise again for our justification. (Rom. iv. 25.) There is one article of prayer in this Collect—

That we may so put away the leaven of malice and wickedness as to serve God in pureness of living and truth. Wickedness and malice spring naturally from man's