flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever. [Isa. xl.]

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. [ Prov. xvi.] For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is? For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labor do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out? And thy counsel who hath known, except thou give wisdom and send thy Holy Spirit from above? For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee, and were saved through wisdom. [ Wisdom ix.]

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth ; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. When thou with rebukes

dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry: hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more. [Ps. xxxix.]

THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT.

There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. [Job xxxii.]

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. [John xi.] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. [John v.] For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. [1 Tim. iv.] In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death. [Prov. xii.]

Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven: but my Father giveth you

the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he

which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. [John vi.]

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into eternal life. [John iv.]

Behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. [Rev.xxii.]

THE DEEP WATERS.

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. [Ps. lxix.] The floods have lifted up, O

Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. [Ps. xciii.] Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows have gone over me. [Ps. xlii.] The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. [Ps. xciii.]

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry: for my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? Why hidest thou thy face from me? [Ps. lxxxviii.] Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. [Ps. lxix.]

Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it. My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct

his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. [Jer. x.]

Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me. [Lam. i.] I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. [Ps. lxxvii.]

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. [Eccl. vii.]

Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. [Job v. v.]