corresponding to the degree of light, and know- of the divine goodness. Lord, thou mightest ledge, and strength, that was imparted. Let minis- righteously have cut us down as the cumberers ters and parents, and advanced Christians, act simi- of the ground: but thou art God and not man, larly; let them take the children by the hand, and therefore thou hast borne with us, and waitest lead them gently along; let them not despise the day of small things; let them not look for the mato be gracious to us. See God our shield, look turity of Paul the aged, in the child Timothy. If on us in the face of thine own Anointed. Rethere is a sin more awful than another, it is that of ceive us graciously, love us freely, for Christ's these Pharisees, who ascribe to a co-partnership sake. And now we adore thee, that thou hast with satan, what can only be effected by the finger permitted us once more to read thy most holy of God. Read what Christ himself says of it, word, to learn of Christ and his salvation, and Mat. xii. 31.

༅།

accomplish every word of promise, though to the eye of sense it might be attended with seeming impossibilities, it was the part of his servant to resort to no crooked line of policy, but to pursue the onward path of integrity, resting with assured confidence in the word, 'whereon God had caused him to hope.' And to render the things promised concerning the largeness of his offspring, and their inheritance of the land of Canaan, more sure to the faith of Abram, the Lord proceeded to make them matter of covenantengagement, appointing the rite of circumcision to stand as the sign and memorial of that between them. Nor did he stop there in his condescension and goodness to his servant, but having converted what had hitherto existed merely as matter of promise into the terms of a stipulated engagement, he proceeded to disclose the still undeclared, and now even unsuspected fact, that Sarah was to be the mother of the son through whom the promised seed was to

come.

PRAYER.

Almighty and ever blessed God! thou art thou art exalted above all blessing and praise; worthy to receive our humblest adoration; yea, and there is none in heaven or on earth that can once be compared to thee. The nations before thee are as nothing, and are counted less than nothing, and vanity. Help us, therefore, to fall down before thee with reverence and godly fear; and while we venture into thy presence, let every proud thought be abased, that God alone be exalted in our hearts.

may

We give thanks unto thy name, O Lord, that though we see thee not with our bodily eye, we are yet permitted to behold thee with the eye of faith-revealed in a character fitted to draw forth the liveliest feelings and affections of our heart. It is thy mercy which hath thus made us to differ from the blinded and idolatrous nations who worship they know not what, being carried captive by Satan at his will. And since thou hast revealed thyself, not only as possessed of that essential glory and excellence, which is inseparably thine own, but as condescending to hold with us, thine unworthy creatures, a covenant-relation through thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, O grant that we may be enabled to apprehend thee aright in this endearing character, and to close heartily with the terms which thou art therein holding out to our acceptance. May we ever bear in mind, that it is in Christ

A momentary feeling of delightful surprise and wonder seems to have passed through the mind of Abraham when he heard this unexpected intelligence; but it soon passed away, like a vision of the night, leaving the mind more distressed and desolate than before. The thought instantly occurred to him, that the promise of a child by Sarah was fatal to the interests of Ishmael, and that his long-cherished hopes concerning this beloved child were to be for ever quenched in disappointment. He therefore pled with the earnestness of parental affection, that 'Ishmae! might still live before God:' but it was the pleading of nature against the purposes of grace. Ishmael was not the child of promise, nor were the things revealed as objects of faith at all spoken concerning him; he was the son of the bondmaid, the mere offspring of the flesh, not the fruit of that ever-alone we can possess the privileges of thy hsting covenant, the blessings of which are all the gifts of grace on the part of God, and received, on the part of his people, by the exercise of a living faith. He must, therefore, be removed, that the purpose of grace might stand, though the heartstrings of a father's love were to be rent asunder by the stroke.

children; that it is only by faith in Him, that we have access into the grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Let Christ appear increasingly precious to our souls; and seeing that in Him, as our surety, we have one infinitely able to satisfy every demand which law and justice could bring against us, may we ever have grace to hold fast this confidence of our rejoicing, and count all things but as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Abraham's prayer, however, was not altogether rejected; for the Lord promised to make Ishmael tho the head of a numerous and powerful offspring. And Abraham, in testimony of his cordial acquiescence in the covenant, and full confidence in its promised blessings, proceeded to administer to himself and to his household the rite of circumcision-giving We pray also, heavenly Father, that as thy a prompt and faithful obedience to all that was com-covenant-people, thou wouldest enable us to walk manded, ver. 23-27. In this he stands forth to us as a pattern of the sincere and ready obedience, which must ever be yielded by the covenant-people of God to all his righteous commands; and as we learn here the necessity of such an obedience, so in the previous transactions we learn, that if we would inherit the blessings of the everlasting covenant, we must lay our account by having the feelings and affections of nature mortified by the operation of grace, and must renounce all confidence in the flesh, that the power of God may be inagnified in us.

worthy of thee unto all pleasing. Having been brought from the depths of misery and corruption, to stand so near to thyself, and inherit the blessings of thine everlasting covenant, O grant that we may be enabled to purify ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, to keep our garments undefiled, and walk with thee our God in the white robes of righteousness. Fill us with the grace of thy blessed Spirit, that we may be able to crucify sin in all our members-that we may rise superior to the desires and affec.

tions of nature that at thy bidding we may be | messengers of one who was entitled to the humblest ready to part with every object, however much reverence and regard. endeared to our affections, yea, and may not count our very lives dear to us, that we may finish with joy the course which thou hast set before us. May we all be of one mind with our blessed Redeemer, whose meat it was to do the will of His Father in heaven; and may we feel it to be our happiness, as well as our duty, to walk in the careful observance of every precept thou hast enjoined upon us.

Let thy blessing, we humbly beseech thee, be upon us this day, to which, in thy mercy and loving-kindness, we have been spared. Give us our daily bread, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Where we go, do thou, Lord, go with us; cause the light of thy countenance to shine upon us, and let the right hand of thy righteousness establish our goings.

ness.

We commend unto thee our friends and relatives, praying that they may all be enriched with thy grace, and satisfied with thy abundant goodLet the land in which we live be eminently blessed of thee; let those who rule, rule in the fear of God, and let the hearts of the people be turned away from all manner of iniquity to the knowledge and service of thee, the living God. Yea, let all lands, we pray thee, soon come to know thy truth, and rejoice in thy salvation. Cause thy word to have free course and be glorified throughout the earth-even till thy knowledge cover it as the waters cover the channel of the sea. And now, heavenly Father, let our prayer this morning come up before thee with acceptance, blot out all our sins, and accept of us in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, our strength and our Redeemer.

Amen.

FRIDAY EVENING.

PRAISE-PSALM XXXIII. 10.
SCRIPTURE-MATTHEW X. 1-23.

REMARKS.

The selection of the twelve apostles at this period, and sending them forth to proclaim the approaching institution of Messiah's kingdom, was both a wise and a merciful arrangement. It gave these apostles some trial of the peculiar work in which they were to be engaged, before their divine Master had left them: and it served to acquaint the whole land of Judea with the progress of the mighty work that was going on in the midst of them; while the miraculous power, with which they were invested, evidently bespoke them to be the true and accredited

The instructions which Christ gave to his apostles people, were partly of a special nature, and not infor their guidance on this their first embassy to the tended to be observed, even by the apostles at any subsequent period of their ministry. Thus, they were commanded to provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, nor anything, in short, but what formed a part of their ordinary attire: that going forth unfurnished with any manner of provisions, and carrying nothing with them, either for defence or support, they might have a more sensible experience of the watchful care and providence of their divine Master, and might be the more disposed to trust him for whatsoever was needful, after he had visibly withdrawn his presence from them. But this was the main design which these instructions were intended to serve, and having served that, they were no longer to be considered binding; and indeed, were expressly recalled by Christ, shortly before his crucifixion, (Luke xxii. 35-38,) and the apostles were commanded thenceforth to provide themselves with every thing they possibly could for their defence and support. It is the latter, therefore, and not the former temporary directions, which the Christian missionary or spiritual labourer is to regard as prodoubt the ever-watchful care and faithful oversight of perly applicable to him; and though he should not the great Shepherd of the sheep, he must remember, that this does not by any means supersede the exercise of his own prudence and foresight.

In the other instructions given by our Lord on this occasion, his apostles were enjoined to confine God required that these should be first offered the their labours strictly to the Jews, as the design of blessings of Messiah's kingdom; and by the time they had gone through the land of Judea, the things which concerned the actual establishment of that kingdom should be at hand, (ver. 23.) This was therefore, but a temporary restriction of their labours; and we know that their commission was afterwards enlarged, so as to reach even to the uttermost parts of the earth. But while sent forth to labour among their own countrymen and to make known the approach of Messiah's kingdom, they were forewarned of much danger and opposition in their course; the miraculous power which they possessed, and the blessed errand on which they were sent, could not save them from malice and persecution at the hands even of those who were of one stock and kindred with themselves; as they amply experienced, though not to any extent now, yet presently after Christ rose from the dead. They were therefore to go forth as in the midst of enemies, with all prudence and circumspection; giving no unnecessary ground of offence, and using every precaution for their safety; but resting assured all the while, that Christ was with them, and would account whatsoever was done against them as done against himself, and would put words of wisdom and power into their mouths, which all their adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist.

Neither the Christian minister nor the private believer must expect to pass through the world with

out experiencing its envy and malice, perhaps even | liked; where many sinful prejudices and worldly its bitterest hatred, if they are indeed faithful to the interests are ever rising up to withstand the cause of Christ and zealous in his service. They claims of Christ: so that the cause of holiness are not of the world, and therefore the world hateth is often oppressed, and the good of thy people them. But this should never daunt or discourage evil spoken of. Give us grace, therefore, O them, seeing it is only what they have been taught from the first to expect, and knowing, as they do, Lord, to stand fast against the dangers to which that they are cheered with the presence and support we are exposed, and permit us not to be moved of Christ—that if they boldly confess him now, they from the hope of that gospel, which thou hast shall be openly confessed by him hereafter; and if delivered to us. Let the power of our risen they only endure to the end, they shall unquestion- Lord flow down into our hearts, and strengthen ably be saved. us with all might, by thy Spirit, in the inner man, that we may overcome, even as he also has overcome; that we may never fall from our steadfastness, but follow him through good report and through bad report, and that in all things he may be glorified by us.

PRAYER.

We bow down before thee, O Lord, adoring thee as the Father of mercies and the God of all grace. Thy thoughts towards us have ever been thoughts of peace, and all thy ways have been faithfulness and truth. The experience of every day brings to us renewed manifestations of thy fatherly goodness, and every new open-midst of the days. Send forth refreshments from ing of thy counsel unfolds to us fresh discoveries of the everlasting love wherewith thou hast loved us in Christ.

We would unite, O God, in giving thee thanks, eternal thanks, that thou hast sent thy Son into this world to seek and to save the lost. We rejoice that in his blood thou hast provided a ransom sufficient to atone for all guilt, and hast brought in an everlasting righteousness, which for ever perfects them that are sanctified. Herein indeed was love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and gave up his only begotten Son to the death, even the painful and accursed death of the cross, for us. And blessed be thy name, O God, that thou hast not left us in ignorance of thy manifested grace, but hast brought near to each of us the message of this salvation, testifying of thy willingness to receive us to an interest in its blessings, and seal us up to an inheritance in thy kingdom.

O let the glad tidings be received with welcome into our hearts, and have their gracious design fulfilled in our experience, by turning us away from all our iniquities to serve the living God. May we ever hail it as a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners, even the chief; and seeing that for our sakes thou hast caused him, though he knew no sin, to become sin for us, grant that we may indeed be found the righteousness of God in him.

Look, we beseech thee, O Lord, upon thy suffering cause in the earth, and revive it in the

thy presence, and ordain strength out of the mouths even of those who are as babes in thy heavenly kingdom, so that they may still the enemy and the avenger. Purify thy church more and more from the corruptions which have defaced her comeliness, and impaired her strength. Clothe thy priests with salvation, and cause thy saints to shout for joy. Let thy work increase and prosper, and let multitudes be added to thy church of such as shall be saved. We commit ourselves to thee for protection and blessing this night. Let the banner of thy love be over us, and let no plague come nigh our dwelling. When we lie down, be thou with us. When we awake, may we find ourselves still with God. And O grant, that whether we wake or sleep, we may all live together with Christ. Hear, Lord, our prayer: pardon our transgressions; accept our thanksgivings for thy manifold mercies through another day; and do to us even more than we can ask or think, through Christ Jesus the Beloved. Amen.

SATURDAY MORNING.

PRAISE-PSALM CIII. 20.
SCRIPTURE-GENESIS XVIII.

REMARKS.

6

The events of this chapter form a delightful commentary on the expression, Abraham was called the friend of God.' Throughout the whole history of this patriarch, God never appears to admit his servant into such near and familiar terms with him

But, O Lord, we pray, not only that we may be thus led to receive and abide in Jesus, but that we may also be enabled to approve ourselves his faithful followers, and be ready to bear as here. And Abraham was now precisely in the his reproach. Thou hast cast our lot in a world condition, when if ever, we might have expected where thy truth is little known, and much dis-him to receive the largest manifestation of divine

will thus allow them to plead with him concerning his judgments! How precious in his sight must be their lives, that for a mere handful of such he will have mercy on an immense multitude of sinners! And O how hateful before him, and how hard to themselves, are the ways of transgressors, which ever cry to heaven for vengeance, and which cannot escape from receiving, sooner or later, at the hands even of a God who delighteth in mercy, the overwhelming visitations of his wrath!

favour. His faith was now complete, able to take | honour which God puts upon his saints, that he in the entire compass of the divine promises, as well as to rest with undoubting confidence on the fulfilment of what was promised. Nor had he only reached this state of completeness as a man of faith, but had also been raised to the high and elevated standing of a covenant-relation to God; so that in regard to the rank and privileges of a spiritual condition he had become a perfect man and had nothing farther to obtain. And now, therefore, God not only revealed himself to his servant as formerly, but comes near to him as a friend-talks with him face to face gives him to walk in company with angelsadmits him to a share in the divine counsels treats him, in a word, to the noble freedom and distinguishing privileges of a son. as an exact type of the believer, who through faith has laid hold of the everlasting covenant and has come to the full enjoyment of its privileges; and for the purpose of foreshadowing this more distinctly, the things here recorded of Abraham were no doubt specially designed and ordered. When faith is fully

In all this Abraham stands

formed in the soul, and has attained to settled and comprehensive views of all the mercy and the grace which are disclosed in the divine covenant of love, there is no longer any reserve in the communications that are held between it and God; it sees as with open face the glory of the Lord, and exercises realizing confidence in his blessed word; the secret of the Lord is with it; it enjoys the companionship

and ministry of angels, and has power even with God as a prince to prevail.

In Abraham's entertainment of these divine strangers we learn the duty of being hospitable and kind to all, even to those who may be personally unknown to us; and in Sarah's fruitless attempt to deny her unbelieving laughter, we are admonished of the folly of seeking to conceal sin from an allseeing God. We see, however, that Abraham did not merely entertain those heavenly guests, but also went with them by the way, scarcely knowing how to part with such blessed company. And he reaped the benefit of his heavenly temper by being treated to double honour-by obtaining an insight into the secret counsel of God concerning Sodom and Gomorrah. But he felt the honour to be one which brought with it a solemn responsibility, and seeing that he alone of all men living enjoyed the confidence of God in this behalf, and was admitted to the place of a friend, he regarded himself as called upon to think with concern upon the doomed condition of so many of his fellow-creatures, and to use the friendship he was privileged to hold with God in striving, if possible, to avert the impending ruin. With the deepest reverence and humility, yet with the greatest freedom and earnestness, he entreated that, for the sake of the righteous, God would be pleased to spare the guilty; and God ever granted his request, promising even for the sake of ten, if only ten righteous persons could be found, to spare the whole mass of profligate and wicked men that were crowded into those cities of the plain; but at the same time intimating, that even that limited number could not be found, and that therefore the judgment of God must proceed. How great is the

PRAYER.

Yet

O Lord God, how great is thy goodness! how adorable is thy condescension toward sinners! Thou art so highly exalted above all creation, that thou humblest thyself even to behold the things that are in heaven and on earth. thou dost not only behold us, but dost graciously think upon us, and rejoice over us to do us good; and we are all before thee as living monuments of thy mercy, and constant pensioners upon thy bounty, receiving daily at thy hand innumerable mercies, of the very least of which we are altogether unworthy.

O Lord, thou mightest have dealt otherwise with us-thou mightest have given us judgment instead of mercy, and sent hard things into our experience. For how often have we provoked thee, the Lord, to anger by our iniquities! and behaved ourselves with a proud and stubborn heart toward thine infinite majesty! We have indeed added sin to sin-day after day transgressing thy righteous precepts-disregarding thy severe threatenings, and trampling upon that holy covenant which thou hast ratified with the blood of thy dear Son.

We would, therefore, in drawing near to thee, make mention of thy loving-kindness and of thy righteousness, even of thine only. Blessed be thy name, that thou hast revealed thyself in a character of free and sovereign grace; that thou hast taken for thy memorial through all generations, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness, and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. And when we think what thou hast done for us in the exercise of this thy wonderful compassion; how thou hast not spared the Son of thy love, but given Him up to the death for us, that we might be redeemed from wrath and obtain the adoption of sons, it well becomes us to exclaim in devout astonishment, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God! O let each one of us be humbled to the dust under a sense of thine infinite goodness and undeserved mercy. Give us to feel the obligations under which we lie; because of the riches of redeem