Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but ye that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven.—ST. MATTHEW, vii. 21.

A PRAYER.

OD! when I think upon Thy name
No doubts before my spirit rise;

I hear all nature's voice proclaim

That Thou art great, and good, and wise.
Yet would I, if it were Thy will,

See thy bright image, brighter still.

Impress Thy image on my mind,

Let me but see Thee as Thou art ;
If mortal eyes at best are blind,
Let me behold Thee with my heart.
In mercy and in love be nigh,
Oh, visit Thou my mental eye!

Croly.

REFLECTIONS.

WHEN we pray for any virtue, we should cultivate the virtue

as well as pray for it; the form of your prayers should be the rule of your life; every petition to God is a precept to man. Look not, therefore, upon your prayers as a short method of duty and salvation only, but as a perpetual monition of duty; by what we require of God we see what He requires of us; and if you want a system or collective body of holy precepts, you need no more but your Prayer-books.-JEREMY TAYLOR.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them; but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.-PROVERBS, xi. 6.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.-ROMANS,

xv. 4.

PRECEPTS.

ARK the soft falling snow
And the diffusive rain;

To heaven, from whence they fell,
They turn not back again,

But water earth through every pore,
And call forth all its secret store!

So, saith the God of grace,

My gospel shall descend,

Almighty to effect

The purpose I intend—

Millions of souls shall feel its power,

And bear it down to millions more.

Dr. Doddridge.

REFLECTIONS.

WHEN we study the writings of men, it is well if, after much

pains and labour, we find some particles of truth amongst a good deal of error. When we read the Scriptures, all we meet with is truth. In the former case we are like the Africans on the Gold Coast, of whom it is said that they dig pits nigh the waterfalls of mountains abounding in gold, then with incredible pains and industry wash off the sand, till they espy at the bottom two or three shining grains of the metal, which only just pays their labour. In the latter case, we work in a mine

sufficient to enrich ourselves and all about us.-BISHOP HORNE.

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.-PROVERBS, vii. 1.

Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath; there is none else.—DEUT., xiv. 39.

SUFFICIENCY OF GOD.

HE man no guard or weapon needs
Whose heart redeeming mercy knows;

But safe may pass, if duty leads,

Through burning sands or mountain snows.
This love possessing, I am blest,
Secure, whatever changes come;
Whether I go to east or west,

With Jesus I shall be at home.
If placed beneath the northern pole,
Though winter reigns with rigour there;
His gracious beams shall cheer my soul,
And make a Spring throughout the year.
Or if the desert's burning soil

My lonely dwelling-place shall prove;
His presence shall support my toil,

Whose smile is life, whose voice is love.
J. Newton.

REFLECTIONS.

WE say of a false man, Trust him not, he will deceive you;

we say, concerning a weak and broken staff, Lean not on it, for it will deceive you. The man deceives you because he is false, the staff because it is weak, yet our own heart is both. The heart of man hath not strength to think one good thought of itself; it cannot command its own attention to a prayer ten lines long; and no wonder, then, that in secret it should grow weary of a holy religion which consists of so many parts as to make the business of a whole life.-JEREMY TAYLOR.

For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.—Proverbs, ii. 6.

Though he slay me, yet will X trust in him.—JOB, xiii. 15.

PRAYER FOR RELIGIOUS MEEKNESS.

COME to Thee, Almighty God,
For grace to bow beneath Thy rod,

To acquiesce in all Thy will,

And.learn th' important words, "Be still."

Thou seest my feeble frame opprest;
In vain my spirit sighs for rest;

But, Lord, perform Thy holy will,
And teach Thy servant to Be still."

66

Thou know'st how wayward is my mind,
While all Thy ways are just and kind;
Oh! make me love Thy holy will,

66

And bid Thy servant to Be still."

Lowell.

REFLECTIONS.

THAT ignorance of our future destiny in life, of which we sometimes complaiñ, is a singular proof of the goodness of our Creator. He hides from us the view of futurity, because the view would be dangerous and overpowering. It would either dispirit us with visions of terror, or intoxicate us by the disclosure of success. The veil which covers from our sight the events of this and of succeeding years, is a veil woven by the hand of mercy. Our "times are in His hand," and we have reason to be glad that in His hand they are kept shut out from our view.-BLAIR.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.—PROVERBS, iii. 26.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am E in the midst of them.—ST. MATTHEW, xviii. 20.

HOW vain the effort to erect

A temple meet for Thee, Most High!
Though earth the verdant floor had decked,
And heaven had spread its canopy ;
No limit can Thy presence know,
No earthly house Thy glory show.
And yet 'twas in an humble shed

The wandering shepherds found their King;
The lowly manger was Thy bed,
Whose praise angelic myriads sing;
No meaner shrine exists on earth,
Than that ennobled by Thy birth.
When, trembling, to an upper room

Thy feeble infant Church withdrew,
When all was doubt, when all was gloom,
Thou, our e'erliving Head, didst show
That where but two or three appear,
Met in Thy name, Thou wilt be there.

REFLECTIONS.

R. W. Kyle.

THERE is no greater argument in the world of our spiritual weakness, and the falseness of our hearts in matters of religion, than the backwardness most men have always, and all men sometimes, to say their prayers; so weary of their length, so glad when they are done, so ready to find an excuse, so apt to lose an opportunity. Yet it is no labour, no trouble, they are thus anxious to avoid, but the begging a blessing and receiving it; honouring our God, and by so doing, honouring ourselves too.-JEREMY TAYLOR.

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings.—PROVERBS, v. 21.