we are members, requires nothing superfluous or in vain.

Might I not then speak, as St. Paul does more than once, almost in the same words, and say, "Though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for your edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed?" I might enlarge on this ordinance of Christ, whose words show that He considered the honour of His priests to be a part of His own honour." He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me: and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent Me." There must be, where God is truly worshipped, the yoke of order; which is indeed an easy yoke and light burden to the obedient heart. There must be authority in the priest, that he may fulfil his solemn charge, as it was laid upon him in the words of the great Apostle, and "be instant in preaching the word of God, whether in season or out of season; and reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." It is his office, as it was delivered to him in succession from those whom Christ first sent into the world, to instruct the weak, and direct the doubting conscience, to pronounce the words of absolution to the humble who desire it, and guide the penitent soul in the way of acceptance with a pardoning God.

In particular, in the worship of the house of prayer, you should regard the ministering priest as one who is divinely appointed to offer in your name the sacrifice of prayer and praise. He is in this holy place the ambassador of God to you, and your orator and representative to God. In your name he prays; in God's name he absolves, declaring to the penitent the remission of their sins. He is, as St. Paul's words again describe his office, "the messenger of the Church, and the glory of Christ;" that is, he represents on earth the office of Christ, interceding for you in

those solemn prayers, that, when you look on him, you may remember your one Mediator, who is interceding for you evermore in heaven.

Search the Scriptures, my brethren, and see whether or not these things are so. Search the words of Christ and His Apostles: or rather let their words search your hearts, and make you willing and ready to invite your minister to fulfil his holy commission among you, and make full proof of his ministry. "Let nothing be done," on either side, "through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind," -such lowliness, as this doctrine must needs produce in those who consider how near to us our God has come to be in all these things. Envy not the priest's office; it is difficult and dangerous: but pray, as our daily service bids you, that the Lord may be with the spirit of those who "pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God." Say not, with the unhappy Korah, that they take too much upon them, and that the whole congregation is holy: but think how their office is ordained as the means of the highest advancement, not only to them, but to you; that you should all be in your several orders built up as "a spiritual house, a holy priesthood," and brought near "to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Let us shut up our meditations with these closing words. Our service to God in His house of prayer must be a sacrifice. The word itself tells us that the heart and its affections must be offered up; we must give ourselves, and all we have, and all we are. "I will not offer," said David, "unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing." No; we will begin with that sacrifice, which a penitent must ever bring: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." And to Him, "who poureth out upon His servants the Spirit of grace and of supplications,"

speaking to the heart" with words of peace, to Him who maketh our sacrifices, "the fruit of our lips," acceptable to Himself "through Jesus Christ," through Whom alone we can obtain any good, or make any acceptable offering, to Him we will evermore ascribe the honour due unto His Name.

To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be all glory, might, majesty, and dominion, now and evermore.

4 Hosea ii. 14, marg. tr.

SERMON II.

(Preached on Tuesday Evening, Oct. 20.),

LITANY.

1 TIM. ii. i.

I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.

GREAT pity would it be that this solemn and happy occasion should be allowed to pass away, without earnest effort in us all to turn it to good account; that the dedication of this holy and beautiful house may be honoured with that, which is indeed of more price than all gifts however costly, the winning some souls to Christ. As we trust it will be so hereafter by God's blessing, so let it be our prayer, that this beginning may be a happy earnest and pledge of blessings, which generations yet unborn may find in this place.

I have made choice of these words of the holy Apostle for the subject of this discourse, not only because the occasion itself for which we are gathered together suggests such thoughts; but also because the main stress which the Apostle evidently lays upon prayer, intercession, and giving of thanks implies, that our estimate of the proper work of religion cannot be right unless we assign its due place to this particular part of our religious duty.

Not that I would for one moment be understood to join in any cry so senseless as that of undervaluing the other duties of the ministerial office, such as public preaching, and applying the saving doctrine of Christ our Master to the hearts and consciences of men: but, even for the sake of the due discharge of that, as of all other religious offices and duties, prayer, both in public and in private, being absolutely necessary, I suppose it may not be unseasonable to lay hold of this present opportunity for a few observations upon this subject.

No one can read these words of the holy Apostle without being struck with the way in which they describe the character of the Litany, which the Church has appointed to be

sung or said after Morning Prayer, upon Sundays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and at other times when it shall be commanded by the Ordinary." The word Litany means, as you will see if you look at your Prayer Book, a general supplication, a supplication chiefly of a penitential character, but supplication mixed with prayers deprecating God's wrath, with intercessions, and with giving of thanks. In no part of our service, if perhaps we except the Psalms for the day, have the people greater share; if said by the priest alone without the people, or by the people alone without the priest, it would lose much of its power. Nay, if the priest says his part, but the people are silent, then no prayer whatever is offered up to God by His Church, for one part is not complete in itself. The words said by the priest form no prayer, till they are filled up by the response of the congregation. The priest may supply what is wanting as far as he himself is concerned, by adding mentally the petition of the people; and this he must do, even when the people respond, lest he should himself lose the benefit of these prayers. But, when the people are silent, even though the priest thus mentally supplies their lack of service, yet there is no offering of prayer to God from His Church. The Litany,