But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that hê is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.-HEBREWS, xi. 6. SAVING FAITH. MAY we, by heavenly faith, descry Holding the helm and steering safe If we but make His love our own, We shall attain the crown. B. L. WE may look home, and seek in vain But Christ hath given His promise plain To do a Brother's part. Nor shall dull age, as worldlings say, The heavenward flame annoy : Keble. REFLECTIONS. LET no man presume that he can see prospectively into the ways of Providence! His part is to contemplate them in the past, and trust in them for the future, but, so trusting, to act always upon motives of human prudence, directed by religious principles.-SOUTHEY. That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.—Proverbs, xxii. 19. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.—Romans, x. 4. APPEAL TO CHRIST. NCARNATE Word! by every grief, Who lived to yield our ills relief, If gaily clothed and proudly fed, If prest by poverty severe, Through fickle fortune's various scene REFLECTIONS. Heber. THERE is not, in my opinion, a more pleasing and triumphant consideration in religion than this of the perpetual progress which the soul makes towards the perfection of its nature, without ever arriving at a period in it. To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strength, to consider that she is to shine for ever with new accessions of glory, and brighten to all eternity; that she will be still adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowledge, carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man.Spectator.' 66 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.—PROVERBS, iv. 18. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the secand time without sin unto salvation.—HEBREWS, ix. 28. SAVED BY FAITH. TRE who on earth as man was known, And bore our sins and pains, Now, seated on the eternal throne, The God of glory reigns. His hands the wheels of nature guide And countless worlds extended wide While harps unnumber'd sound His praise His righteousness to faith reveal'd, REFLECTIONS. Newton. HAPPY are they who shall learn not to despair, but shall remember that, though the day is past and their strength is wasted, there yet remains one effort to be made; that reformation is never hopeless, nor sincere endeavours ever unassisted; that the wanderer may at length return, after all his errors; and that he who implores strength and courage from above shall find danger and difficulty give way before him. Go now to thy repose; commit thyself to the care of Omnipotence; and when the morning calls again to toil, begin anew thy journey and thy life.-"Rambler." Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.-PROVERBS, iv. 27. And now, Lord, what wait X for? My hope is in thee.-PSALM xxxix. 7. HOPE IN THE LORD. HE bird let loose in eastern skies, Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies But high she shoots through air and light, Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, So grant me, Lord, from every care, Moore. REFLECTIONS. WITH regard to Christianity, confirm your belief of the authority of Scripture, for which you have sufficient evidence; and difficulties, which you must expect to find in religion as in everything else, can never overthrow it.-GILPIN. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness; but the expectation of the wicked shall p ish.-PROVERBS, x. 28. Be not thou afraid, when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.-PSALM xlix. 16, 17. FREEDOM FROM SERVILE HOPE. W HO hath his life from rumours freed, Who God doth late and early pray This man is freed from servile bands, Southwell. REFLECTIONS. BETTER it is, toward the right conduct of life, to consider what will be the end of a thing than what is the beginning of it; for what promises fair at first may prove ill, and what seems at first a disadvantage, may bring the greatest and truest gain. When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish ; and the hope of unjust men perisheth.—PROVERBS, xi. 7. |