feeble-minded, and purify and sanctify the whole body of Christ. If any should inquire, wherefore are the true followers of Christ so earnest for such a union, I would very respectfully refer them for more detailed proofs to a small pamphlet entitled"Thoughts on the Importance of Special Prayer for the general Outpouring of the Holy Spirit," of which nearly 100,000 copies have been printed and circulated.

I feel especially encouraged to renew this Invitation, from the widely extending circle through which the Invitation for the year now present was spread, and the greatly increasing numbers who, by the Divine blessing, cordially entered into this devotional concert.

Intelligence to this effect has been received from many parts of Great Britain and Ireland-from the Continent of Europe-from Canada—from the United States of America, the East and the West Indies, and the Mediterranean.

In many of these countries, the Invitation was reprinted and published, either as a separate Tract, or in daily or weekly local journals, or periodical religious publications. In our own Metropolis, one bookseller sold between 12 and 13,000 copies, exclusive of those published in our large towns, and in the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dublin.

Whilst encouraged by these tokens of the Divine goodness, I the more readily present this SEVENTH Invitation, as the year into which, if the Lord permit, we are about to enter, reminds us of the Sabbatical year-the year 1843 commencing and terminating with the holy Sabbath of God-so that we shall awake on the first morning of the year, as our first

parents did at their creation, at the dawn of that day which the Lord has blessed-May it indeed prove a most blessed Sabbath!

This new Year's Day will also be the Sabbath on which we commemorate the Circumcision of Christ, when our Lord took the name so peculiarly dear to every sincere Christian, "His name shall be called JESUS, for he shall save his people from their sins; -a day, therefore, especially calculated to encourage our hopes, since it not only reminds us of the ineffable love of God in the gift of his only begotten Son, but of that gracious declaration of the Apostle, that "Jesus Christ was a minister of the Circumcision to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers; and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy:"-thus assuring us that, in this respect, there is "no difference between the Jew and the Greek; that the same Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him," for "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved."

A day, also, when prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is peculiarly appropriate, since, on the day we commemorate the Circumcision of Christ, the Fathers of our Church have directed us to offer up this devout prayer :

"Almighty God, who madest thy Blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man; Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit, that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all carnal and worldly lusts, we may in all things obey thy blessed will, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Our Protestant forefathers thus teaching us, that it is by the active power and energy of the Holy Spirit alone, that any grace can be wrought in us, or exercised by us.

Entering upon the new year in such happy circumstances, I feel particularly encouraged in presenting this Invitation: and trust, that as we are "not straitened in the Lord," we shall not "be straitened in ourselves;" but, putting away every thought which might excite division, we shall approach the throne of Grace as one family, entreating our Heavenly Father" to open the windows of heaven, and pour out such a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

66

And surely, my Christian brethren, such a devout union is especially called for at this moment. For, reflect upon the state of our own highly-favoured country. What, alas! is the position of the Established Churches of England and Scotland at this time? Instead of the members being, as it is most important they should be, in these days of rebuke and blasphemy, a united body of Christian men, like compact armed columns, ready to follow the great Captain of our Salvation" "in that war which the wicked are about to make with the Lamb," we are, alas, torn with divisions. So that, in the Church of England, when the undershepherds desire to follow, as it is their duty and privilege to do, the godly counsel of their spiritual rulers, and to instruct their flocks upon those subjects which are now so much discussed, they find, alas! "the trumpet giving an uncertain sound: that, if they bring forward the Scriptural Charges of many of our Bishops, to warn their people against prevailing errors, they are met, alas, by the Charges of others, who hold very different language. We find, also, that such, alas, is the extent of the unsound tenets put forth upon some of the first princi

ples of the Gospel, and so great the deference paid to external things of comparatively very trivial importance, that, in these "perilous times," when we need such counsel as the Apostle St. Paul gave to his son Timothy: "I charge thee, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; PREACH THE WORD; be instant in season, out of season:" or, as he wrote to the Ephesians, when reminding them with whom they had to contend, "Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; and, above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked: "-Instead of these heart-inspiriting counsels, it is deemed necessary to address the clergy upon the first principles of the Gospel, and even to instruct them in the vestments they are to use when performing the services of the sanctuary.

Surely such a state of things is a call for prayer, for a larger measure of "the Spirit of wisdom, and counsel, and godly fear : "the Spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," that "we may lay to heart the great danger we are in by our unhappy divisions; and that the Lord may take away whatsoever may hinder us from godly union and concord; so that we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind, and

one mouth, glorify God through Jesus Christ our Lord." *

Then, regard the Church of Scotland. There, alas! as is too well known, the enemy has been setting brother against brother, and this at the very time when those four great schemes-for Church extension-scriptural education-the conversion of the Jews—and the sending the Gospel to the heathen— were beginning to prosper. Who does not sympathise with the faithful in these trying circumstances? And who would not entreat the God of peace and love to grant such a measure of that wisdom which cometh from above, that such a course of action may be suggested and agreed upon, as will overcome every difficulty; and enable those who have the rule to come together, every wound healed, every jarring sentiment put away, every unkind thought dismissed, and in the spirit of "the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven," in such harmonious concord, that all who see them may say, "See how these Christians love."

Such united prayer for our Established Churches is the more peculiarly called for at the commencement of the New Year; as her Majesty's Ministers have made known their intention to bring forward those measures in which the spiritual welfare of both churches are so deeply involved.

Oh! surely every Christian patriot will fervently pray that He, "by whom kings rule and princes decree justice," may especially guide her Majesty's counsels at this important crisis; and that when the eyes of all the nations are turned towards our coun

* See Prayer used on the Queen's Accession.