tionate heart, of the riches of thy wisdom, of the lovingkindness and tender mercy, which in various forms and ample measure, crown each succeeding day. With peculiar energy, does the close of our devotions call upon us to remember and celebrate him who holdeth our souls in life, for the great purpose of delivering them from all evil, and and raising them to the enjoyment of the highest good.

The most illustrious of thy servants, in former ages desired to see the things, which are continually presented to our view; and to hear the glad tidings, which are, without ceasing, repeated to us. But it seemed not good to thee to bless them, to the full extent of their wishes. What thou didst withhold from them, thou hast granted unto us, with all possible freedom, with all desirable fulness. The grace, merey, and peace, of which we have often heard with indifference, and which at our best seasons, we have failed suitably to improve, are yet proclaimed among us, and we are tenderly besought to accept of their most precious fruits. Now is the accepted time; still is our day of salvation continued. Again, has our God been set forth in the midst of us, as delighting to forgive; as desiring to reconcile, us to himself by Jesus Christ, and being reconciled to lead us on in the right way, and to conduct us to glory in the end. Again, has the only path of safety, the only foundation of unshaken hope been brought to our remembrance. Thou hast, afresh, called upon us to repent; and putting off the remainders of corruption, to put away our chief dangers, our most fearful alarms. Thou hast inculcated, anew, the necessity of a living, an abiding, an ever active faith, to the salvation of our souls. Again, have we been faithfully admonished that, of all the other paths, which seem right unto a man, the end thereof are the ways of death.

May we now, at length, hear the voice of the Son of God, and live, so as that we may hope to live for ever. While we desire to avail ourselves of the offers and provisions of the gospel, may we receive and use them with a

reverential concern, not to add to them, nor to take away from them. Receiving it as faithfully, saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; may we be inore ashamed of crucifying him afresh, more afraid of turning his grace, in any instance or measure, in wantonness. Holding it to be worthy of our admiring and grateful acceptation, that he died for all, in order that they who live, might not henceforth live to themselves, but unto him, who died for them and rose again; may our whole temper and course be fashioned upon this principle; may the love of Christ have in us much of its natural, affecting, and invigorating influence; leading us to carry ourselves so, as that he might see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied.

As we call ourselves by the name of Jesus, and profess to follow him whithersoever he goeth; may we be more suitably impressed by the display of his meek and patient spirit, his superiority to the world, and to all the greatness or pleasure, which the world could offer. May we mark, with a deeper interest, his entire resignation to thy will: his resolution, by all means, to accomplish the work given him to do. May we behold him, instant in season, and out of season, in his endeavours to serve men; especially to rouse them, that were dead in trespasses, and to conduct them that were athirst, to the waters of life. May we tenderly dwell upon the abounding measure of wants and hardships, of contempt, reproach, and unrelenting opposition through which he willingly passed. And never let us be weary of admiring the unequalled grace, which led him to die, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God.

Though the objects, which the Saviour had in view, were infinitely beyond our aim; and the work which he accomplished, such as none other could perform; may we never forget that he set us an example. that we might follow his steps. May we consider all the services, which afresh present him to our view, as constraining us to follow him with more exact and persevering care. May we act under the conviction, that he will disdain them, who says to

him, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which he says. May we bear it ever in mind, that he is not only a Saviour, but an avenger to execute wrath on them who continue to do evil, amidst the most valuable means of good.

We depend upon it, that he who once appeared in the depth of humiliation, will come again in unparalleled glory; that he who was despised and rejected of men, will then be the desire of every heart. Unworthy as we are of the lowest place among his servants, may we be at that day in the number of those, whom he will delight publicly to honour, and for ever to bless. When in the rest and blessedness of eternity, contemplating the way wherein it pleased God to lead us; may we discern peculiar reason to rejoice that we spent a portion of this day in acts of goodness and virtue.

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O Lord, God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob, who of old didst greatly bless thy chosen people, by taking them into covenant with thyself; bless more abundantly that better covenant which gathers together in one thy children, wherever scattered abroad. Keep it for ever in the thoughts of thy Christian servants, that they have willingly offered themselves, and all their talents, to thy praise. Give them grace, faithfully to observe thy commandments, and thy testimonies; and to do to the utmost extent of the solemn engagements, into which they have entered.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant; make us perfect in every good work, to do his will; working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. Unto him be glory, for ever and ever,

JUNE II.

THE KINGDOM OF GRACE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

Ir is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to wing praises unto thy name, O Most High; to shew forth

thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. It is pleasant devoutly to think of thy bounties; and praise is comely from the lips and the hearts of thy servants. We account it peculiarly becoming, pleasant and useful, to meditate upon the greatness, the extent, and the value of our Christian privileges.

Glory be to God in the highest, because, through Jesus Christ, there are peace upon earth, and good-will manifested towards men. All glory and praise to him, who, appointing unto all their time upon earth, the bounds of their habitation, and the measure of their advantages, cast our lot in a Christian land, in a period of great Christian light, and in the midst of religious blessings of the highest value. We magnify thee that the fountains of divine truth are opened to us, in all their overflowing fulness in the gospel of our sacred Lord. For the interesting discoveries of his word, for its most holy and perfect rules, for its convincing evidences, for its constraining motives, for its admirable provisions, and its glorious hopes, we, once more, call upon our souls to bless thee. We praise thee that thou hast exalted to be our Lord and Head, One, who is, in all points, qualified to preside over us; one, who is most affectionately disposed to conduct us on to good. We desire to celebrate with our highest admiration, and our warmest praises, the compassion, which sent him to seek and to save that, which was los, the grace, which, through him, proclaimed liberty to the captive, life to the perishing, unfading glory, and inexhaustible stores of wealth to the poor and the miserable.

With like admiration and thankfulness, we trace the progress of the Lord, in accomplishing the salvation of men. Adored be the wisdom and benignity, which chose the humble form in which he appeared; determined the suspicion, the hatred and reproach, with which he was foliowed, the self-denial which he practised, the sufferings, which he voluntarily underwent, and the shameful death to

which he submitted while he continually made it manifest that he was indeed, the great power of God.

O thou God of wisdom and might! truly hast thou declared that the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath, and of evil devices, thou wilt restrain after that they have fulfilled thy purpose. We praise thee, that the Lord, whom we follow, was only for a short season, holden in the chains of death, that he arose triumphant, that he ascended up on high, and led captivity captive. We bless thee, that still thy kingdom of grace is administered by him; that, through him, multitudes are continually turned from darkness to light, and thy children led to glory. We rejoice in a firm dependence upon thy promise, that thou wilt give thy son the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. We rejoice in the full assurance of hope, that his name shall endure for ever, his name be continued as long as the sun, that men shall, at all times, be blessed in him and all generations shall call him blessed.

The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. May our affection and our zeal bear some proportion to what has been wrought in our behalf. May we dread the thought of remaining negligent of duty, and by polluting ourselves with new offences, in consideration of that admirable provision of everlasting mercy, made for us in the gospel of Jesus. Having received much, may we love much; being entrusted with talents of unspeakable value may we learn to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

For the little, which we have already learned of this lesson, we would magnify thee, with all our souls. To God be rendered the praise of every instance, in which our knowledge, our faith and hope, as Christians, have preserved us from the chief evils, that are in the world, and led us to the discharge of our chief duties. To him, who maketh men to differ, be all the honour of our highest attainments and