is only solemnized once a month, and on the greater festivals. On those Sundays and Holidays when it is not celebrated, the Communion Service is read only to the end of the Nicene Creed, and all that follows is omitted; except one of the Collects and the blessing.

Beloved, I would have you reflect seriously upon this true statement. You see how a frequent solemnization of the Lord's Supper, by degrees, became rare; and how a longer and longer interval was interposed between celebration and celebration; and if to this you add the comparative fewness of those who partake of it in our Churches,-a fewness more and more disgraceful to us,—any one may draw the conclusion what the end shall be, unless a great alteration take place,—even an utter falling away!" When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the

earth?"

This question was put by our

This question

Lord himself.

How shall we answer it ?— Depend upon it, unless we use the means of grace,-one of the most efficient of which is, partaking of the Lord's Supper, all good principles will be extinguished in us; the illumination of the Holy Spirit will be quenched in darkness; faith will be obliterated in all bosoms; apostacy will triumph; the conspirators against thrones and altars will have the victory; sin will prevail against righteousness; and, therefore, judgment must occupy the place of mercy, and the day of the Lord will prove a day of vengeance. I hope I need not warn you to be exact, punctual, and alert in the discharge of your duty to God, and in the keeping of divine ordinances : Christians will attend to these things for the love of their Master and Redeemer ;and let me inform the indifferent man,

the Deist, or the scoffer, that a frequent solemnization of the Lord's Supper, and the use of all the means of grace which our religion prescribes and supplies, afford better methods of cherishing the growth of moral virtues than any which the world ever knew.

Thus much, incidentally, as to the celebration of the Holy Communion: I return to the immediate subject of our present Discourse,-the Service on Sundays and Holidays succeeding the Litany.

It commences with the Lord's Prayer, which fitly opens the Communion Service, composed for the very purpose of commemorating, according to his own institution, the death of the Lord Jesus. The office for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper begins with the Lord's Prayer; concerning which, and its frequent oc- / currence in the Liturgy, I have already

treated, as at considerable length, so I hope satisfactorily.

Next follows a Collect, wherein we pray for cleanness of heart, by the operation of the spirit of grace; that in the service which follows, "we may perfectly love" God, and "worthily magnify his holy name," without distraction or wandering; without giving him the praise of the lips only, whilst our hearts are far from him; debased by musing upon old sins, or rebelliously meditating new ones. Besides, the Ten Commandments are about to be solemnly rehearsed:-you may read in the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Exodus, with what previous preparation, on the part of them who were to receive it, the delivery of the Law took place; and therefore it cannot be improper to preface the recital of the Commandments with a Prayer for purity of mind.

The Ten Commandments were originally given to Jews; but the matter of them, as it was obligatory upon the consciences of mankind long before the calling of Abraham, so it must continue binding to the end of time. They contain, in narrow compass, our duty towards God, and towards our neighbour; and when we fulfil it towards them, we always fulfil it towards ourselves; though some of our later teachers speak of this last-named branch of duty, as if it were distinct from the other two; in which case, I believe, we might have expected three tables to have been delivered to Moses, instead of two only. Some people dislike the Liturgy because certain parts of it were used by the Papists; and, no doubt, there are others, the Antinomians to wit, who dislike the recital of the Ten Commandments because they were given to the Jews. The