APPENDIX.

THERE is no sweeter incense than our devotion offered up by prayer. We have no better orators to plead our cause, no surer ambassadors to conclude our peace, than our simple supplications unto Him who healeth our sicknesses, and forgiveth our sins; who sits ever in commission to hear our suits, and looks that we should send up our prayers, that He may send down His mercy. By which means we enter into a spiritusl traffic with God himself; we give a cup of cold water, and He returns us a fountain of the water of life; we give Him, with the poor widow, two mites, and He gives us again the whole treasure of the temple. "The mercy of God," saith one," is like a vessel full to the very brim ; if once his children, by the hand of faithful prayer, begin to take it, it doth overflow unto them." Moreover, it is not with Gop as with men, amongst whom those who are petitioners are wont to be troublesome unto them; but with GOD, the more we offer up our prayers unto Him, the more we are accepted of Him. The ediles among the Romans had ever their doors standing open, for all that had occasion of complaint to have free access unto them. With God the gates of mercy are wide open to all poor sinners that will make their prayers unto Him. Come, and welcome.

DR. CHRISTOPHER SUTTON.

APPENDIX.

AN ACT OF FAITH.

I BELIEVE in thee, O Lord, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, one only true God:

That all things were created by thy almighty power and love :

That all have been renewed and restored

by thy goodness and mercy, exhibited in the person of thy Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; who for us men and for our salvation was made flesh, conceived and born, did suffer, and was crucified, descended into hell, and rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God; from whence he shall come again, and judge the quick and the dead.

I also believe, that by the illumination and powerful operation of the Holy Ghost, a peculiar people has been called from all quarters of the world, to be knit into one society, united and distinguished by belief of the truth, and holiness of life :

That, as members of this body, we par

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take of the communion of saints, and forgiveness of sins, in this world; and by virtue of the same membership, do assuredly expect the resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting, in the world to come.

This pure and holy faith, once delivered to the saints, Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief; strengthen in me that which is weak, and add to me that which is wanting.

This faith let me have grace always to exert and improve; by loving thee, O Father, in return for thy tender affection; by fearing thee, O Almighty, from an awful sense of thy power; by committing my soul in well-doing to thee, O most faithful Creator.

Let me seek and attain salvation in thee, O Jesus, my Saviour; from thee, O Christ, the anointed, let me have the unction of thy chosen; from thee, the Only-begotten, the adoption and inheritance of the sons of God.

Let me worship and serve thee, my Lord, on account of thy conception, in faith; on account of thy birth, in humility:

On account of thy suffering, in patience, and an irreconcilable hatred of sin; on account of thy cross, by crucifying my affections and lusts; on account of thy death, by dying unto the flesh :

On account of thy burial, by burying evil

thoughts and suggestions, under the prevailing opposition of those that are good: On account of thy descent, by frequent meditations on death and hell:

On account of thy resurrection, by walking in newness of life:

On account of thy ascent into heaven, by setting my affections on things above:

On account of thy sitting at the right hand of the Father, by preferring the happiness of heaven in all my thoughts and designs :

On account of thy return from thence, by a constant godly fear of that second coming: And on account of thy judging the world, by judging myself in time, that I may not be condemned by my Judge.

Let my belief in thee, O Holy Ghost, be such as may qualify me to partake of all thy necessary and saving inspirations.

Let my faith in the Church entitle me to a part in its calling and election, to sanctification in its holiness, to membership in its universality, to fellowship with the saints, by sharing in their prayers and sacraments, in their watchings and fastings, in their holy sighs and tears; and, if thy providence shall call me to them, in their afflictions and sufferings; by all these establishing me in a firm assurance of the forgiveness of sins, of the resurrection from death, and of translation to immortal glory.