a spirit of wrath, as we would against the most deadly poison. Let us ever remember, that we experience just so much of heaven, as we do of love. May the kingdom of heaven be within us; and may we ever feel to call upon Christ, to come into his garden, and partake of its pleasant fruits.

AMEN.

PRAYER.

OUR FATHER who art in heaven, we recognize and acknowledge thee as our Creator; for it is thou that hast made us, and not we ourselves. We rejoice in the consciousness that we are thine. We are thy creatures; we are the subjects of thy moral government; we are thy children, and the destined heirs of that immortality which has been brought to light, in the Gospel of thy Son. Thou hast distinguished us from thy irrational creation, by the bestowment of those powers and faculties which render us susceptible of improvement in wisdom, in knowledge, and in understanding. Thou hast endowed us with the attribute of mind, by which we are enabled to rise from the grovelling things of earth, and to obtain an acquaintance with our

Maker and our God. Thou hast exhibited before us, in various forms, the evidences of thy paternal character, and the testimonials of unchanging and impartial goodness; thus inducing us to confide in thee, under all the circumstances in which we may be placed in life, and to hope in thy mercy, in the solemn hour of death.

We thank thee, O Lord, for the crowning evidence of thy boundless love to the world, which we behold in the gift of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, as the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the worldas a Teacher come from God as our bright and most glorious example- as the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, and as the resurrection and the life. We devoutly thank thee, that thou hast favored us with a revelation of thyself, and of thy holy will and purposes, in the volume of inspiration ; that thou hast given it to us as the man of our counsel, the rule and guide of our faith and practice, and that it is able to make us wise unto salvation. We thank thee for the sacred institutions of the Gospel; for the ministry of reconciliation, which thou hast ordained and established; and for the manifestations of thy

Holy Spirit, in bringing thy sons from far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth.

Holy Father! when we reflect upon what thou art, and upon what thou hast done, and art still doing for the children of men; we have great reason to humble ourselves before thee; to mourn and lament our numerous sins and transgressions against thee, and to implore thy pardoning grace and mercy. We would acknowledge that we have wandered far from thee; that we have been prone to forget the source from whence our blessings have descended; and that we have sought for happiness in the follies and vanities of this vain and inconstant world. Yet thou hast informed us, that if we are faithful to confess our sins, thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins; and that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. May thy goodness lead us to unfeigned repentance; and may we henceforth, live devoted to thee, as dear children. May we cultivate that devotion to thee, and that fraternal affection and charity to mankind, which is enjoined in the pure precepts and illustrious examples of our blessed Master; and thus may we show forth to the world around us, that we have learned of Jesus.

May thy truth — which maketh free indeed— have free course, run and be glorified, that its saving influences may be felt in all hearts, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God. Wilt thou, O! Lord, grant us fortitude under all the trials of life, wisdom to direct us in the path of duty, and thy grace to sustain us in all the events of our pilgrimage upon the earth. May we serve thee acceptably, while we dwell in these frail tenements of clay; be cheered by the light of thy countenance, in the hour of death; and be crowned thine, in the mansions of eternal rest. We ask and offer all, in the name, and as the disciples of Jesus Christ, through whom, to thee be ascribed the power and glory, forever,

3

AMEN.

AND THE KING OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO ELISHA, WHEN MY FATHER, SHALL I SMITE THEM?

HE SAW THEM,

SHALL I SMITE THEM?"

FOR SOME reason or other-precisely for what reason, if any he had, we cannot tellbut, at any rate, let the history inform us, "The king of Syria warred against Israel,” and took counsel with his servants, how he might successfully prosecute his designs, and accomplish the unholy ends at which he aimed. The progress and result of this enterprize, are recorded in the history with which the text is connected, and which, in the out set, we may do well to notice.