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and to speak of all Thy works in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

Glory be to the FATHER, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

"Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."-S. Luke xxi. 27.

The Incarnation of our Blessed LORD has to do with us in time and in eternity. By it we are incorporated and knit together with CHRIST. By it we are made partakers of the Divine nature. It is, in short, the exhaustless treasury out of which all our wants are supplied. For by His Charity, Piety, Obedience, Humility, Poverty, Gentleness, Patience, and all other perfect virtues, our defects and imperfections are supplied. His Labours, Fastings, Watchings, Weariness, and everything that He suffered from the first moment of His Conception, until He gave up the ghost; all these, but especially the Anguish, Griefs, and Torments of His Passion; the Blood He poured

out; the Wounds He received; the Death He endured in our stead: all these are our treasure, our riches, in which we repose our only hope, and which we offer to the FATHER in satisfaction of all our debts. But beyond all this, it is through the Incarnation that we have a mediating Judge. The GODMan, our Elder-Brother, Who has been tempted, and touched with our infirmities, will judge us at the Great Day. For the FATHER" hath given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man."

Great cause have I, then, in common with all my Christian brethren, to honour the Incarnation. If I say now under the burden of my sin, Who shall deliver me? there is no other that can do it but this Almighty SAVIOUR by His all-saving grace. If I say, Who shall preserve me from the wrath to come? it is the Son of Man, Who will come "with power and great glory." From the depth, then, of my misery, I look up to the height of His infinite mercy. And, O my soul! if thou hast learnt to set a great value upon the Incarnation of thy LORD, thou wilt set no bounds to thy desire to be saved by Him, to be one with Him, and to dwell with Him. But I must strive to animate my whole heart with a living devotion to my ŠAVIOUR

and Redeemer; and to this end I will sometimes think of His offices of Mediator, Advocate, High Priest, Judge, and King. At other times I will think of my extreme weakness, blindness, and misery, unless I am "found in Him." Then I will remember that to honour Him aright is the work rather of the heart, than the voice; that I must do it in spirit and in_truth; and that whatever outward praises I offer Him, should be the fruit of interior love and gratitude.

O Thou Who art yet to come in Thy glorious majesty, come now in Thy quickening grace, and so plant Thy holy love and fear in my heart, that it shall own no other LORD beside Thee; and that Thou mayest look upon it with a forgiving Countenance, and pour into it the gift of everlasting life. Amen.

O GOD, the strong Foundation of our faith, establish me in Thy truth and righteousness, and grant me with such boldness to confess Thy SON our LORD before men, that He may confess me before Thee, and Thy angels in heaven. Amen.

LORD, have mercy.
CHRIST, have mercy.
LORD, have mercy.

GOD, Who hast made all things for. Thyself,

Who workest all things according to the counsel of Thy will;

In Whose hand is the soul of every one living, and the spirit of all flesh; Who dost great things and unsearchable, and wonderful things without number;

Who takest the wise in their craftiness, and disappointest the counsels of the wicked;

Who art the FATHER of orphans, and the Judge of widows;

Have mercy on us.

Our Protector, and our exceeding great Reward,

Be merciful and spare us, O Lord.
From all sin;

From pride and vain-glory;

From spiritual sloth, and forgetfulness of Thee;

Through Thy great Majesty and eternal Glory;

Through Thine infinite Mercy; Through all the humiliations and sufferings of Thine Only-Begotten SON,

O LORD, deliver us.

LAMB of GOD, that takest away the sins of the world; Have mercy on us.

O Loving LORD, JESU CHRIST, I pray Thee for those who love me, and whom I love in Thee. For Thine own sake make them love Thee with all their heart, with all their mind, with all their soul; that those things alone which are pleasing to Thee and expedient for them, they may will, and speak, and do; and that being always and everywhere ruled and protected by Thee, they may attain to a glorious and eternal reward, through Thy merits, Who livest and reignest with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, One GOD, for ever. Amen.

Our FATHER, &c.

When I sink down in gloom or fear,
Hope blighted or delayed,

Thy whisper, LORD, my heart shall cheer,
""Tis I, be not afraid."

Or startled at some sudden blow,
If fretful thoughts I feel,

"Fear not, it is but I !" shall flow,
As balm my wound to heal.

Nor will I quit Thy way, though foes

Some onward pass defend;

From each rough voice the watchword goes,
"Be not afraid! a friend!"

And O when judgment's trumpet clear
Awakes me from the grave,

Still in its echo may I hear,

""Tis CHRIST! He comes to save."

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