vered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?"*

Blessed Lord, "thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee."+ O! may I ever feel a confidential reliance on thy power and grace, through faith in thy promises in Christ Jesus. Thou wilt never forsake those who make thy word their trust. Give me a strong faith to glorify thee under all circumstances, whether of trouble or of joy. Let not the things of time obscure the views of eternity. Wean my heart from earth. Fix my affections on Thyself. Be thou my Centre and my Crown. May all my fresh springs of happiness be in Thee; all my hopes of glory flow from Thee. Prepare me for Thy kingdom, and oh! make me there an everlasting monument of Thy love.

Happy the man, who, in this world of woe,
Where troubles spring, and bitter waters flow,
Enjoys the presence of his pardoning God,
And lies submissive 'neath his chastening rod.

While journeying homeward through a desert land,
He trusts the guidance of a Father's hand:
Though darkness oft o'erspread his earthly scene,
His soul is ever peaceful and serene.

'Midst swelling waves, and on a boisterous sea,
From fearful doubts and sad forebodings free :
With joy, at length, he lands upon the shore,
Where sin and sorrow shall be known no more.

O! blessed Lord! thy people's Guide and Guard,
Their present Portion, and their great Reward,
Be Thou my Hope, my Help, my Joy, my Crown,
O keep me-save me-seal me for Thy own.

LIV.-EARNEST DESIRES FOR PARDONING AND

SANCTIFYING GRACE.

"For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great."-Psa. xxv. 11.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."-Psa. li. 10.

DAVID's plea must be mine: "O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great." Also the publican's prayer "God be merciful to me a sinner."* And Peter's cry-"Lord, save me!" or I perish.t

With shame and confusion of face I look up unto thee, O thou bleeding Lamb, for having slighted thy goodness, and loving-kindness towards me. Take away this earthliness from my mind; this coldness from my heart: this insensibility to the things of God. Preserve me from a secret alienation of heart; from a growing lukewarmness. Suffer not the enemy to triumph over me. Suffer me not to fall from thee.

Adorable Jesus! I acknowledge my vileness, my worthlessness, my ingratitude. But, oh! let me still hope in thy mercy; still plead the merit of thy blood; still expect thy renewing strength; still long, and look, for the visits of thy grace. I am a sinner, and thou didst die to save sinners.

Thou art the Rock of Ages, the everlasting Strength. Endue me with power from on high to overcome all my indwelling corruptions, which, like a thick cloud, intervene between my soul and thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and thus prevent the rays of thy consolation from gladdening my heart, and making me to abound in the fruits of righteousness. To whom can I look ;-to whom can I go, but unto Thee, thou Friend of sinners. Lord, I come, invited by thy word. I come at thy sweet call, for

pardon, peace, and holiness. Thou delightest to save. O make me willing to be saved in thy way, and on thy terms. May I have grace to receive salvation as the gift of grace, and to plead for mercy as a lost sinner, through thy all-prevailing name and merits. Thou, O Jesus, art exalted "to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance unto Israel, and forgiveness of sins ;"* and shall I not praise thee for such infinite love, such grace abounding to the chief of sinners? O give me a heart to praise thee. Stir up my languid desires. Inflame my cold affections. Set my whole soul on fire with holy love. Lord! I am sorely grieved, that I love thee so little; that my affections move so slowly towards thee. But, thou givest more grace.† O bestow it upon me in richer abundance, that so I may live more to thy glory, and to the comfort of my own soul, till joy shall be complete, and love perfected, in thy presence and glory.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." What reason I have continually to complain of a barren heart. Did I say barren? Is it not full of evil? And, yet, it is a barren heart still, destitute of that love and humility, and those heavenly affections, which dwell in every child of God. O! how I long to be a real, sincere disciple of Jesus Christ. It is easy to make a profession of religion; that may be done by fallen nature; but to possess the Spirit of Christ, can only be enjoyed by those whom Sovereign Grace endues with so great a benefit. O that I knew how to estimate the blessings of salvation. Lord, enlighten my mind to see more clearly the riches of thy grace, the wonders of thy love, and the greatness of thy mercy, as manifested to perishing sinners, in Christ Jesus. O give me to taste thy goodness, and relish those sublime truths, which are revealed in thy holy word. How painful, that I should be so little affected by the agony and bloody sweat, the cross and passion,

of my suffering Redeemer. Why is not my soul all on fire, when I think of thy love? Why is it not melted into tears, when I think of my dying Saviour? Am I harder than the rock in Horeb? Colder than the northern ice? Lord! smite my rocky heart with the rod of thy loving-kindness; dissolve my frozen affections, by the melting beams of thy grace.

Ah! ،، When shall I be made clean ? when shall it once be."* Lord grant that it may be Now. This night I may be in eternity. O! thou blessed Jesus, hasten thy glorious work of sanctification in

my soul,

Alas! what cause have I to complain of that dead sea which lies within. O! that the living waters from the sanctuary may flow into my corrupted heart; that pure streams may constantly issue from it into my life and conversation.

How distressing are evil thoughts. How dreadful is the perception of such subtle wickedness, insinuating itself into the mind, and fixing its abode for days, in opposition to strivings, prayers, and tears! Lord lift up thine arm. "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered."+ Bid the powers of darkness to depart from me; or, if these thoughts arise from the corruption of my fallen nature, O remove this dreadful cause, by plunging me into the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness; by sitting upon me as a refiner's fire; and by consuming, through thy grace, the dross of sin. Then shall I be holy and happy, peaceful and full of joy.

Thy name, blessed Jesus, is ŠAVIOUR, and thy work SALVATION. Thine office is to save sinners, and thy delight is with the sons of men. O then, encouraged by thy grace, by thy precious promises, and everlasting love; yea, emboldened by the sweetest calls and invitations of thy word, I come, blessed Friend of sinners, beseeching thee to pardon all my sins; to give me a new heart; to fill me with thy

Jer. xiii. 27.

+ Psa. lxviii. 1. Zech. xiii. 1.; Mal. iii. 2, 3.; Isa. i. 25.

heavenly Spirit; and when I shall have served thee here on earth, to translate me to thy kingdom of glory.

Time is hastening on the wing. Every moment cuts off a portion of my life, and leaves me less time to work out my salvation. I cannot tell how soon I may be called into eternity,-an UNCHANGEABLE ETERNITY. My day of grace may speedily draw to its close. O! then, be diligent, my soul, be diligent. Work while it is day.

Delay not to seek the Saviour of sinners. Defer not that work, in comparison of which, all the boasted works of mortals are like painted bubbles, floating on the air. Soon they will burst and vanish away, but the great work of salvation will be commensurate with eternity. If thus to seek for pardoning grace, with ever-longing desire, be esteemed "vile, oh! that with David I may say: "I will yet be more vile."*

Blessed Jesus, behold me in mercy, in pity, and in love. O! let my wretchedness move thy compassion. Was there ever a more miserable object than I ?

I am blind. Lord open my eyes to behold wondrous things out of thy law. Open my understanding to understand the Scriptures. Give me eyesalve that I may see thy beauty, and my deformity; thy perfection, and my pollution; thy preciousness, fitness, fulness, love, and glory, and my own helplessness and nothingness.

I am dumb. Lord unloose the string which guilt has tied. Enable me to speak thy praise; to tell of all thy wondrous works; to tell of thine everlasting love; thy groans, and tears, and blood, shed for the vilest of the vile, even, amazing grace, for me!

I am a helpless cripple. O! heal those bruises which sin has made; heal the bones which sin has broken. Restore me to the joys of thy salvation; then shall I walk in the path of thy commandments,

* 2 Sam. vi. 22.