ture, thou wilt be not less faithful in grace; and that all the promises which thou hast given in connection with thy Son and Spirit, thou wilt most assuredly fulfil to the believing soul. May we therefore, with greater confidence, be induced to acknowledge thee in all our ways, and in dark and trying seasons trust thy paternal protection and love. May the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus be our only hope, and his gospel the olive branch of peace to our souls; and may we be enabled to look forward with growing joy, to the time when there shall be new heavens and a new earth; when there shall be no more curse, when all shall be righteous. God of ordinances, accompany with a divine blessing, the religious exercises of yesterday. Thou hast all hearts in thy hand, and turnest them as easily as thou turnest the rivers of water. May we ever look up to Thee for the Holy Spirit, and may He, in answer to prayer, be richly vouchsafed, and instruct, and impress, convert, comfort, and sanctify us and our fellow-worshippers, according to our and their respective circumstances and wants. We pray for the church with which we are more immediately connected. Abundantly prosper her undertakings for thy glory and the good of souls, both at home and abroad, and hasten the time when all thy elect children shall be gathered from the four winds into the ark of salvation, and the reign of heaven begin. May these the words of our mouths, and the meditations of our hearts, find acceptance with thee, the Hearer and Answerer of prayer, seeing all that we ask is in the name, and for the sake, of our blessed Emmanuel. Amen. MONDAY EVENING. PRAISE PSALM XXXIII. 1. SCRIPTURE-MATTHEW VI. the duties referred to, all take for granted that the followers of Christ are to practise alms-giving, prayer, and fasting. The Saviour does not slight these, or defer to the objections which have often been started against them. He only condemns abuses and improper motives. It is not even publicity of which he complains, for there are cases of charity, prayer, and fasting, which necessarily take place before our fellow-men, and which are commended in other parts of scripture, but it is publicity in order to be seen of men, and not for the glory of God. Though the Lord's prayer does not seem to have been intended to establish a form of prayer, and we have no evidence it was used as such by the disciples, yet it is at once a most precious directory and encouragement in prayer. Its brevity, comprehensiveness, simplicity, fervour, and adaptation to our wants, are all admirable, not less so is the instruction which it reveals the true character of God as a Father; the conveys, both by its order and its sentiments. It social nature of prayer; that God's glory in His name, and kingdom, and will, are to be preferred to human happiness; that our temporal wants are entitled to a prominent place in our petitions; that we daily sin and need daily pardon; that we are not entitled to hope for forgiveness from God, unless we cheerfully forgive our fellow-men offending against us and that we plead the glory and honour of God as the chief reasons why we expect to be heard. views contained in the Lord's prayer are so exalted and original, that though we had nothing else, the praye would furnish evidence that the book in which it i found is divine. The exhortations regarding the 'no laying up treasures on earth,' and 'taking no though for our life,' are not intended to forbid the acquisi tion of property, or a due attention to the lawfu business of the world. The Th They are evidently only de signed to repress the supreme love of the world, an that anxious care about it which is at war with th duty we owe to God and to our fellow-men. arguments in behalf of this course, are drawn from variety of sources: the instability of earthly treasure the blessedness of a single eye to the glory of Go the impossibility of serving God and the world; th superior value of what has been already bestowedpledge, that inferior blessings shall be added; God providential care over vegetable and animal life; t vanity of solicitude about the future; the unworth ness of distrust of God, on the part of those w have been blessed with a divine revelation; t sufficiency of the evil of the present, without anxie about the evil of the future; the gracious promi that if men seek first the kingdom of God, and t righteousness of his Son, they shall receive, by w of surplus, all temporal blessings which are good them. PRACTICAL REMARKS. EXPLANATORY REMARKS. Detailed instruction in duty, is quite consistent with the preaching of the peculiar doctrines of the gospel. While Christ dealt so largely in the doctrine of salvation; the better to meet and correct prevailing errors, he descended to minute counsel on alms-giving, prayer and fasting. His exhortations on these points, show how generally corrupt was the How thankful should we be to Christ, for state of religion in the Jewish church, even at a pe- ample and minute instruction which he has giv riod when its members were free from idolatry; and not only in matters of doctrine, but also of du how strong is the tendency to convert religion, which and for his own example, by which he has so impr is truly generous, consisting of love to God and love sively illustrated his precepts. Let us beware of to man, into an instrument of selfishness, for draw-selfishness and ostentation in alms-giving, pray ing praise upon ourselves. The counsels given in and fasting, of which the Saviour so justly co plains, and pursue these, and all similar duties, from | dwell in us, that we shall be delivered from right motives. Let us adore the condescension anxious and unbelieving care about things seen and temporal. In duties more directly religious, may we beware of ostentation and vain glory. Whether we give alms, or fast, or pray, grant, most merciful Father, that we may do all unto thee-under the guidance of such motives as thou wilt approve. God of grace, we pray that thy kingdom may come universally. Visit the dark places of the earth, the habitations of cruelty, with the benevolent light of the gospel. Be especially merciful to those millions of the heathen who live under the British sceptre, our many emigrant brethren abroad, and the multitudes of spiritually destitute at home, for whom the church to which we belong, is making it her care to provide the means of salvation. Every where bless the min of Christ, in supplying his followers with a directory for prayer, and rejoice in the multitude of holy desires and affections of which in every age it has been the vehicle. Let us realize the character of God, and the character of man, which it unfolds; and make it our study, honestly to use every petition as our own; especially, let us be impressed with the high importance of a forgiving disposition toward our fellow-men, and remember, that unless we exercise it, every time we use the Lord's prayer, we condemn ourselves. Let us discourage, in ourselves and in others, the undue love of the world, and rejoice in the great variety of motives drawn from nature and reason, as well as scripture, by which the Son of God seeks to wean us from its power. Let us be singleeyed in our aims, and draw from every lily of the field, and every fowl of the air, fresh inducements to trust the care of our Father who is in heaven. Above all, let us seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Let us pursue religion in the ap-isters of the everlasting gospel, multiply their pointed order, as first in time, and first in importance: and then shall we not only receive a promise of outward blessings, but we shall be kept from those errors and corruptions in religious duties, (such as prayer, and almsgiving, and fasting,) which are fitted to bring reproach upon religion, and deceive our own souls. PRAYER. Father of mercies, we thy unworthy servants, desire this evening to come into thy presence, and to lift up our united praises and supplications at thy footstool. Be pleased graciously to assist us, and to accept of our persons and sacrifices, in the name of our great High Priest. We thank thee for all the revelations which thou hast condescended to make of thyself in nature, and providence, and thy word. Especially do we rejoice, that instead of revealing thyself in terrors, thou hast discovered thyself under the endearing and delightful appellation of our Father in heaven. It is thou, O God, who arrayest the lilies of the field, in such beauty as to surpass Solomon in all his glory; and it is the same tender hand which feeds the fowls of the air, which neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. Wilt thou not then care for us? We bless thy name, that thou encouragest us to draw near to thee in prayer; supplying us with a form of words, and mercifully promising to confer upon us all the blessings of which we stand in need. Give us, we beseech thee, to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. May we not lay up for ourselves trea- | sures on earth which are liable to danger and decay, but treasures in heaven, which neither moth nor rust corrupt, and which thieves cannot break through to steal. May we all possess Christ, the pearl of great price, and may He so number, and increase their zeal and faithfulness. TUESDAY MORNING. PRAISE-PSALM CV. 8. EXPLANATORY REMARKS. CHAP. XI. 1-9. The building of the tower of Babel affords a striking proof of the power of human depravity. After all the impressive teaching of the deluge making a new grant of the earth to man, and bestow-after the renewed tokens of the divine goodness in ing a fresh dominion over the creatures after God had commanded Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply, and had appointed the rainbow as a seal of his covenant-after all these things, such is the weakness even of the best, we forthwith read of logical tables of his sons, before we are called to con Noah's fall; and have no sooner perused the geneatemplate their pride and presumption. once with ambition and rebellion, they resolved to build a great tower and city, by which they might procure for themselves a name, and lay the foundations of a universal empire, and abide together a mighty people. With the utmost facility Jehovah that the researches of the most recent travellers in defeated their plans. It is not unworthy of notice, the East have succeeded in tracing out the ruins of a tower corresponding in description to that of Babel; D Fired at while the investigations of the most eminent scholars, such as Sir W. Jones, go to establish the fact, that the various languages of men were once one. CHAP. XII. The calling of Abraham marks the rise of a new and interesting dispensation of divine providence. Since the fall, God has sought to teach mankind at large through traditional knowledge, and occasional revelations to distinguished servants. Owing to the strength of human corruption, this mode of communicating with man is exchanged for another. God will separate a family, and ultimately a nation, to himself, and make them, in a peculiar manner, the depositories and dispensers of divine truth. Abraham is called from Ur of the Chaldees, and, at seventy-five years of age, leaves his father's house at the simple command of God, not knowing whither 'he went. This step indicated the exercise of very strong faith. The promise that he, an old man without a son, was to be the founder of a great nation; that all who blessed him were to be blessed, and those who cursed him were to be cursed; and that he was to be the progenitor of Messiah, in whom all nations were to be made glad has been fulfilled to the letter in the history and present existence of the Jewish nation; in the fate of the heathen which oppressed them; in the fact, that the Son of God was a descendant of Abraham; and that the world has been inexpressibly indebted to his gospel. Like Noah, the Father of the faithful carried his religion into every thing, into the ordinary business of life; and took care not only that himself, but all his family and followers, constituting a little colony, should have the means and opportunity of worshipping Jehovah. Thus did he recognise the obligations under which the head of a house, and the prince of an infant nation, lie to honour the living God. Strong as Abraham's faith was, it was put to a severe test, when the country which he expected to find flowing with milk | and honey, turned out to be the victim of famine; but it stood this trial, and doubtless was strengthened by it. Alas! that he should fall under the next; yet so it was. In a selfish, cowardly fear, utterly unworthy of such a man of faith as Abraham, he listened to the temptations of an expediency as foolish as it was sinful, and said to the king of Egypt that his wife was his sister. For this, as soon as the falsehood was detected, he was rebuked by the very heathen. It would seem Jehovah is determined to stain the pride of man; and so he suffers his people to fail in those very graces for which they are most distinguished the father of the faithful shall sin by unbelief. PRACTICAL REMARKS. CHAP. XI. 1-9. How awful is the depravity of man! What moral weakness is discovered in circumstances well fitted to animate and strengthen in good! What a serious evil has the confusion of languages proved! How much time and labour have been lost in acquiring foreign tongues! How has diversity of language operated as a barrier to the progress of knowledge, and the triumphs of the cross! Easily does God defeat the schemes of his enemies. They collect their strength to build a great tower which may reach to heaven. He introduces but a little confu sion into their speech, and all their plans are frustrated. Let us remember how easy it is for God to punish-to defeat to overrule; and let us trust his moral government with the greater confidence. CHAP. XII. Let us be thankful to God for that peculiar dispensation of which Abraham was the head—a dispensation which lasted for 2000 years—which was deeply interesting and impressive in itself-admirably adapted to the circumstances of the world-and which has been the source of unnumbered blessings to mankind, preserving and diffusing that divine knowledge to the faith of which is attached eternal life. Let us stand in awe of the sovereignty of God. He called Abraham not for his good works, or prospective attainments, but of his own free grace, for the manifestation of his divine glory, from the heart of an idolatrous family, sunk in ignorance and sin, without one good quality to recommend; and while God chose him, he passed by multitudes not more guilty than he. Should not the faith of Abraham lead to our imitation. With all the simplicity of a child he took God at his word, confided in him without reserve, and enjoyed the honour and the blessedness of being the Father of the faithful. Let us ever, amid the darkest providences, trust in the faithfulness of Jehovah as our covenant God; and though temporal greatness should be withheld, God will bless us, and make us blessings to others. Let us beware of unbelief. Even the most honoured are not secure against serious backsliding. Let us put no confidence in human wisdom and resources where opposed to the mind and will of God; but study to walk before God perfectly, cherishing a sense of our own weakness, and depending on the promised grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus only we can hope to recommend the truth which we believe, and escape the severe reproach of being reproved for our sins by the very heathen. PRAYER. Most blessed God! What God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works? And well may the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of thee, for thou didst speak and it was done-thou commandedst and it stood fast-thou bringest the counsel of the heathen to nought, thou makest the devices of the people of none effect; but thy counsels, O Lord, stand for ever; the thoughts of thy heart are to all generations. How great is the pride and rebellion of man! How often, alas! do we lift up ourselves against the Lord, and attempt to follow our own way, disregarding thy law and providence, and seeking even to frustrate the purposes of thy grace. Yet how easy is it for thee, O God, to confound and scatter all the schemes of thy rebellious children. Well is it for us that thou dost not abandon us to our way the guardians and dispensers of thy blessed truth to men. May we approve ourselves sons and daughters, by crediting thy word with the simplicity of children, and going forth to duty, and temptation, strong in the Lord, and in the power of thy might. Forbid we should ever listen to the suggestions of human expediency in opposition to the requirements of thy holy law; may we remember that whilst thou art the God of mercy, thou art also the God of holiness, and wilt not fail to punish sin even in thine own people. May we ever make it our study to walk before the Lord perfectly; and may the Holy Spirit help our infirmities, and in the hour of trial lead us upwards to our compassionate Intercessor. God of all the families of the earth! be very gracious to the whole body of our brethren of mankind in their varied circumstances and relations. Be especially merciful to thine ancient people, the descendants of Abraham. May the goodness and severity of God lead them to repentance. May they be humbled in the dust for all their offences, particularly for their protracted rejection of thy Son, the true Messiah; and may they behold in Jesus of Nazareth that blessed Seed of Abraham, in whom alone they, and all the families of the earth, can be blessed. May the means which are employed for the conversion of the Jews be greatly extended, and signally honoured by the great and good Shepherd of the flock; and may the time speedily arrive when the confusion of Babel shall be healed, when human language, the repository of words of wickedness, profanity and war, shall give place to one holy, united, and harmonious tongue, even the language of the New Jerusalem. These, our morning requests, we present before thee, entreating a favourable answer, in the name of Him who is our only Hope and Confidence. Amen. TUESDAY EVENING. PRAISE-PSALM XV. 1. EXPLANATORY REMARKS. In reading this chapter, one is struck with the severe honesty of our blessed Lord. Many of the topics are highly offensive and irritating to the natural mind; such as the exposure of self-deception and false teachers; and the observations on the danger of missing the way of life, and the disappointment and ruin of a mere religious profession. Had He consulted his own acceptance among men, he would not have ventured upon such points, and so his conduct upon the present occasion, poor thougn he was, and surrounded by powerful enemies, may be of his mission. It is scarcely necessary to remark, classed among the internal proofs of the divinity that it is not all judgment on the spirit and conduct of others, which Christ condemns: for immediately after he calls upon his people to judge of false teachers; but rash and censorious judgment, which was common among the Jews, and which was then, as it is now, often associated with great selfignorance and deception. We are not to throw our pearls before swine. Injudicious proceedings are often as hurtful to the cause of Christ, as censorious judgments. Scripture not only instructs in the duty, it also supplies us with the strongest encouragements to prayer. It invites the utmost importunity, and it is illustrated by homely examples, which appeal to every heart, and reveal the character of God in aspects of beauty and tenderness, unknown to false religion. It is sad, that in addition to the corruption within, there should be the addition of man's deception from without; but false teachers there have always been, and ever will be. It is, however, ground of thankfulness, that false doctrine is usually associated with selfish and unholy practices, so that external distinctions, such as ecclesiastical ordination the tree may be known by its fruits. It is not by or religious professions, that false teachers are to be distinguished from the true. It is by the tendency of the system they preach, and their own prevailing temper and conduct. Condescending and tender as the Saviour was, he was faithful in declaring that the tice, would not only nothing avail in the great day, mere profession of religion, as distinct from its pracbut would overwhelm the professor in shame and confusion. This is quite reasonable. Men have no value for an empty profession-why should God? The declaration of Christ, that many will say in that day, Have we not prophesied in thy name,' &c., the extent of preaching with acceptance in the namne shows that men may go a great way in religion, to of Christ, and even working miracles; and yet, after all, come short of eternal life. PRACTICAL REMARKS. Reviewing the chapter, let us be on our guard against censoriousness in our judgment of others. No spirit can be more injurious to the peace of society, and of the church of Christ, and few more miserable or deceiving to our own souls. Let us never forget the just appointment by which, even in this world, it shall be measured to us according as we mete to others. Great are the scripture encouragements to prayer! The revealed character of God as a Father, and his own warm, and comprehensive, and repeated promise of success, as well as the intercession of Christ in heaven, and the intercession of the Holy Spirit upon earth, all invite to its importunate exercise. How abandoned the heart, how strong the sense of guilt which restrains prayer before God, and will not be moved by his most gracious encouragements. There may be difficulties occasionally in applying the golden rule, but for the great mass of cases, and for the ordinary business of fife, it is a safe and sufficient guide. Let us be | the reality of our Christian discipleship, by not thankful to God for it. Let us not be surprised only loving the Lord supremely, but by loving or stumbled, because false teachers frequently apour neighbour even as we love ourselves. May pear in the church, under the aspect of the sheep, bearing the character of the wolf. This is no more we shun rash and censorious judgments, and than what our Lord has taught us to expect. Let beware, when marking the mote in our brother's us be on our guard, and never fail to bring their eye, lest a beam be found in our own. May doctrine, and character, and proceedings, to the test we, in all our intercourse with others, even the of God's holy word; and where we have detected, unworthy and injurious, be animated by that let us shun them. And seeing that many who pro- divine principle of Charity, which suffereth long mised fair, and are highly reputed in the church on earth, shall be excluded from the kingdom of heaven, all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. and is kind, which beareth all things, believeth let us take care that we are among the doers of Christ's word, and not the mere hearers; and with this view, let us be given to watchfulness and prayer, and be contented with nothing short of a consistent, holy life. PRAYER. God of love! we lift up our earnest and united intercessions in behalf of all men; in behalf of our beloved country, our Sovereign, and all placed in authority over us. Pour down upon them, and upon all ranks, the spirit of true humiliation for numberless national offences; and turn away from our land merited judgment. Bless the church universal! Bring to a speedy and effectual end the reign of Antichrist, in all its forms of infidelity, superstition, and error; greatly revive the churches of the Reformation, even with a double portion of the spirit of apostolic times, and hasten the glory of the latter days, when Jew and Gentile shall rejoice universally in the rule of Messiah. : It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High! to show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. Blessed be thy goodness for the encouragement which thou hast given us, to draw near to thee in prayer; that thou hast not only said, 'Ask and ye shall receive-seek and ye shall findknock and it shall be opened to you;' but hast assured us, that as certainly as an earthly parent gives good things to his children, so certainly Be very gracious, Father of mercies, to our wilt thou, our Father who art in heaven, give the friends and relatives, our benefactors, our eneHoly Spirit to them who ask thee. We rejoice mies. Look in compassion upon the children of in the promise of the Spirit, and would honour affliction, and adapt the communications of thy Him, even as we honour the Father and the Son. grace to their necessity and while ourselves We would remember his personality and divi- about to lie down and take sweet rest and sleep, nity, and the high and glorious offices which may we not forget the hour when we shall he executes, in applying to the souls of men be stretched on beds of sickness, and death; and the redemption which Christ hath wrought out. gladly improve our present privileges and opUnder his teaching and guidance, may those portunities. Hearer of prayer! we present our of us who have not entered the strait gate, now supplications at thy footstool, entreating an enter it in repentance toward God, and faith answer, not according to the poverty of our retoward our Lord Jesus Christ; and under the quests, but according to the riches of thy free same blessed guardianship may those who have and sovereign mercy in the name, and for the entered, be persuaded to press forward with sake of thy dear Son, the Lamb who was slain, increasing diligence and perseverance on the to whom, with thee, O Father and the Holy narrow way which leadeth unto life. Most Most Spirit, the triune Jehovah, be ascribed honour merciful God! forbid that any of us should con- and glory, blessing and praise, now and for tent ourselves with a mere religious profession; ever. Amen. saying, Lord, Lord, while we do not the will of our Father who is in heaven. May we remember that every tree is known by its fruits: and examine ourselves, whether our fruit, our spirit, and temper, and life, be the product of the good or the corrupt tree. May we make it our care to build upon Christ, the Rock of ages, that when the rains descend, and the floods come, and the winds blow and beat upon the house of our hope, it may not fall, being founded on a rock. And in the meantime, may we prove WEDNESDAY MORNING. PRAISE-PSALM XCII. 1-4. EXPLANATORY REMARKS. |