[52ND SUNDAY.

CONCLUSION.

AFTER the Decalogue, follows a prayer for the Queen; then the Nicene Creed, which is a more full confession of the Divinity of Christ than the Apostles' Creed. After that, the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, and then the Sermon closes the usual service for Morning Prayer.

The ordinance of preaching is indeed of divine appointment. The last command of our Lord was that the Gospel should be preached to every creature; and when we hear that Gospel proclaimed, we should receive the words of the Minister, as coming from God Himself. Our resolution should be-I will hear what God the Lord will say to me this day by the mouth of His ordained Minister; he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts to me; I will hear the message of the Lord to my soul to day!

Let us beware, especially of hearing for others; let us hear for ourselves. It is one of Satan's snares to lead us to consider what would suit others in the sermons we hear, and thus to lose the good designed for our own souls. But religion is a personal, individual thing. The Gospel is addressed personally to each one. Jesus offers Himself to us, to be our own Saviour; our full, perfect, and sufficient Sacrifice for guilt; our Sanctification by every moment looking for grace from Him; our all of happiness in this life; and our fulness of joy in the world to come.

"In Thy presence we appear;
Lord, we love to worship here;
Abba, Father, give us grace
In Thy courts to seek Thy face.

"While Thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch our lips, unloose our tongue,
That our joyful souls may bless
Thee, the Lord, our Righteousness.

"While to Thee our prayers ascend,
Let Thine ear in love attend;
Hear us, for Thy Spirit pleads,
Hear, for Jesus intercedes!

"Whilst Thy ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon through Thy name,
May Thy Gospel's wondrous love
Every doubt and fear remove.

"From Thy house when we return,
May our hearts within us burn;
And at evening let us say,

'We have walked with God to-day.'"

London:-WILLIAM MACINTOSH, 24, Paternoster Row, E.C.