Bless the Lord O my soul; and forget not all his benefits-who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercy.

TRUE religion has the honour and glory of God for its object; and the glory of God is promoted when man's heart is sanctified by divine truth. The soul renewed by the influence of the gospel, that is, made pure and holy, delights in the contemplation of God, and cherishes towards him that warm gratitude which the benefited child feels towards an indulgent, judicious and watchful parent.— Gratitude is an attribute of our nature. We look upon an ungrateful man with something of that abhorrence with which we look upon a parricide. It stings us to the heart to see a person forgetting our kindness, or treating it with contempt. It is our duty to love him from whom we have received important benefits,—and in every service which requires only zeal, and not a sacrifice of virtue, to be assiduous in repaying what can be repaid, not from any eager wish to shake off the obligation, which is truly in itself a species of ingratitude, but from the sincere desire of increasing the happiness of one who is sincerely loved, and who has given so much reason to love him. We should beware lest interest interferes with gratitude the obliged who are ungrateful, are far fewer in numbers than the obligers, who are interested, and who have sold what they have only feigned to give.-The best preservative against a failure of duty on the part of the obliged, is for the obliger himself to fulfil all the duties of a benefactor.

repays with illsay of him, who we turn from him He instinctively

Now if we brand with infamy the ingrate, who will the beneficence of a patron; what shall we treats with neglect the supreme Benefactor?-But to contemplate the pious and thankful christian. feels grateful to God for his never failing mercies. He sees divine bounty in all the providences relating to his body and soul. He receives his health and strength as daily instances of God's beneficence, but he receives the ample provision for his soul in the gospel, as his brightest heritage. Redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, he sees himself the object of heaven's eternal regard; and while he cannot comprehend the length and breadth, the height and depth of the love of God in Jesus Christ, he can give out his whole soul in devout thankfulness for his precious privileges and glorious destination. He can pray anxiously and constantly, that the truth as it is in Jesus, may make him free from all errours, keep him from all sin, urge him to all duty, sanctify his affections and establish his piety. When his religion forms for him the graces of character which distinguished his Saviour, then he renders to God the choicest sacrifice of thanksgiving.

While therefore we cherish grateful emotions towards the friends who have encouraged, the instructors who have taught, the parents who have sustained us, let us thank God as the source of all we enjoy, and the fountain of all we hope for.

I yield my powers to thy command;
Great God! to thee I give my days:
Perpetual blessings from thy hand
Demand perpetual songs of praise.

DUTY OF SECRET PRAYER.

JANUARY 19.

When thou prayest enter into thy closet.

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EVERY person who performs thoroughly the duty of self-examination, will perform faithfully the duty of secret prayer. Prayer is the application of want to Him who alone can relieve it; the voice of penitence to Him who alone can pardon; it is the peace of our spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, and the calm of our tempest; it is the cry of faith to the ear of mercy. Our prayers should be short, enlightened, sincere and frequent. We are sometimes inclined to believe, that our prayers are not accepted by God, if we do not feel a certain degree of pleasure arising from the performance of this duty; an enthusiasm of love towards the divine Being arising withThis is a wrong impression. Prayer is not a charm of the imagination, or an attractive delusion of the soul; neither does it always produce the perceptible emotions of the grace of God in our hearts. It is our bounden obedience to a divine command; and it should be our self-humiliation before our Maker, the deprecation of his wrath, and the imploring assistance against the temptations of sin. We are to draw near with a pure heart, in full assurance of faith, making our petitions in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and relying on his mediation for acceptable audience.

in us.

He prays most devoutly, who has the most awakening sense of the divine majesty, and the deepest sense of his own unworthiness. Such a mind fervently supplicates the throne of grace, with a humble confidence in the Son of God, with a lively faith in the promises of the gospel. His gratitude for former mercies, corresponds with his earnestness for future blessings.

Too much cannot be said in favour of secret prayer. Anxious christian-candidate for immortality !-be diligent in the practice of this duty; it is obedience to the will and authority of God. Let the deep conviction of your secret sins and secret wants and secret temptations, urge you to repair often to the throne of grace; not in the spirit of cold formality, but with a child-like confidence ; and you will obtain mercy to pardon, and find grace to help you. Are you in the midst of temptation? pray-are you weak? pray-are you perplexed? pray-are you in danger? pray. A single aspiration may be enough; and all times and all places are suitable. Say not, then, that you have not time for this duty; you can do what wish to do. However much engaged, you can easily find a few minutes to hold intercourse with the Father of your spirit, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though you abstract these moments from time devoted to rest and sleep, the sacrifice is nothing in this respect; it can injure neither your health or interests, while the privilege is invaluable, and when improved aright, will have a silent but powerful influence over the tenour of your thoughts, your principles and your happiness.-Pray often-pray fervently.

O Father! grace and virtue grant ;
No more we wish, no more we want :
To know, to serve thee, and to love,
Is peace below, is bliss above.

you

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JOY THE ATTENDANT OF HOLINESS.

JANUARY 20.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.--Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.—The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment; and there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

In order to "go on your way rejoicing," it will be necessary to realize the importance of spiritual blessings and spiritual hopes, together with your own interest in them. Those who do not truly appreciate the ineffable value of the blessings of salvation, of course cannot rejoice in them. It was a conviction of their superlative excellence, that made the Ethiopian eunuch so greatly to rejoice. Consider, then, the peculiar nature of them; consider the immensity of the price by which they were purchased; consider the misery of those who want them, and the happiness of all by whom they are possessed. At the same time, give all diligence to know if they are yours. If you find that they are, nothing need be said to convince you of their real value, and their relative importance. Nor, in this case, will any thing be able to prevent you from prosecuting your journey to Zion with vigour and gladness. To know that you have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins-that you are reconciled to the God of heaven, and have the Almighty for your friend that you are numbered with his sons and daughters-that you bear his bright and blessed image-that you are compassed with his favour-that God himself is your portion, and that heaven is your home-must unquestionably ensure preeminent delight.

The word of God gives the authoritative declaration of the happiness of true godliness. It tells us that the ways of wisdom "are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace"-that Christ's "yoke is easy, and his burden light"-that "gladness is sown for the righteous"-that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace." The very command of Paul is, "Rejoice evermore. The joy of faith is a "joy unspeakable and full of glory." The peace which God gives is perfect peace-"peace that passeth all understanding." Both the prophets and apostles employed the most beautiful images of nature to paint the greatness of these joys: as when they speak of the oil of joy-the garments of praise--the budding and blossoming of the rose--the time of the singing of birds-the joy of banquets and marriage feasts--the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds-the springing of the grass after rain. The inanimate creation join in the triumphs of God's people-the mountains and hills break forth before them into singing, and all the trees of the field clap their hands-the skies drop down from above, and the earth brings forth righteousness. These and many other impressive images are used by the sacred penmen to show, that godliness has the "promise of the life that now is," as well as of "that which is to come."

Joy is our duty, glory, health,

The sunshine of the soul;
The best return that we can make

To him who plans the whole.

CHRISTIAN WARFARE AND TRIUMPH.

JANUARY 21.

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I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, will give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also who love his appearing.

THE palm tree, among many of the ancient nations, was an emblem of victory. Hence its branches were used to adorn triumphal processions. The general, whose victories the triumph was designed to celebrate, carried a small branch of it in his hand, and was thus recognised as a conqueror. When, therefore, the redeemed are described in the figurative language of scripture, as having palms in their hands, we are reminded that they were once soldiers, who were not ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified,but fought manfully under his banner, and by the strength of their arm completely conquered every enemy. The saints on earth, indeed, are warring the same warfare in which these glorified beings were engaged; and are continually obtaining victories in it; but then they must wait till all the days of their warfare are accomplished, before they can have the triumphal chariot and the palm. The soldier never triumphs till the war is ended, and the enemy completely subdued. The saints in heaven have finished the painful conflict, and are now gone up for their reward to Jehovah's temple. Splendid surely are their triumphs! glorious indeed their spoils! Well may everlasting shouts of victory and songs of joy ascend from their ranks; for their triumph is a never-ending triumph their palms will never wither their robes of honour will never fade the lustre of their crown never can be tarnished. The light of day will be extinguished, and the stars of heaven be darkened, but the brightness of their glory will be as incorruptible as the throne of God.

There is every thing to inspirit the christian warrior. God has proclaimed himself on his side; and he will not leave to struggle unaided, the spirit that leans on him for support. Jesus Christ too is on his side. The ability of an earthly friend to serve us, might fall short of his inclination; but Christ with every disposition to help, is able to save to the uttermost. A cloud of witnesses, who have fought and conquered are on his side. All the wise and good who are yet in the flesh are on his side.

Shall we not, then, clothe ourselves with the whole armour of God; having on the breastplate of righteousness; taking the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit?

He that is entirely of the world finds it a world of conflicts, and cannot escape many a wound from it. But the worst of his case is, that he has no physician to apply to, "though the sorrow of the world worketh death." What a blessed calling it is to fight for the truth; for the honour of God; for everlasting life; to strive for the noblest prize; to wear celestial armour; to have free access to that tree, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations, and which heal every wound upon the immediate application; to fight with the Captain at our side, and to be sure of the victory.

Stand up, my soul ! shake off thy fears,

And gird the gospel-armour on ;

March to the gates of endless joy,

Where thy great Leader, Christ, has gone.

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IMAGE OF GOD ON THE SOUL OF MAN.

JANUARY 22.

Man is the image and glory of God.

THERE is nothing in our nature as it comes from God which is not worthy of consecration. We answer the purpose of existence, when our souls reflect fully the image in which they were created. Every native attribute being good in itself, abuse is all which is to be dreaded. Human nature, created as it is in the image of God, is a reasonable nature, and the reasonable nature of man has no evil tendency; for there is no tendency to evil in the divine mind. The reasonable nature of man directs to the pursuit of wisdom and virtue, and to suppress all corrupt desires.

Passion, in its perturbed and unnatural state, is a perfect alienation of the mind from all holy exercises and affections. But passion may become restorative, as abuses work their own cure.

The heart of man has been considered allegorically, as an island, almost level with the water which bathes it. On the pure white marble of the island are engraved the holy precepts of the law of nature. Near these characters is one who bends his eyes respectfully on the inscription, and reads it aloud. He is the love of Virtue, the Genius of the island. The water around is in continual agitation. The slightest zephyr raises it into billows. It then covers the inscription. We no longer see the characters. We no longer hear the Genius read. But the calm soon rises from the bosom of the storm. The island reappears white as before, and the Genius resumes his employment.

The mind of a sinful man is darkened and disturbed by passion, and, except some occasional feelings of terror, gives no indication of the existence and character of the Deity. It is like the ocean lying under a threatening sky, and ruffled with the wind, which gives no distinct reflection of the lights of the heavens, yet catches and flashes back an occasional gleam, which indicates their existence. When the soul is restored to the favour of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, it is as when God says to the sea, "Peace, be still," and immediately its fury subsides, and its heaving billows begin to rock themselves to rest, while the clouds gradually disperse, and the sun shines out upon it, and its reflections become more distinct and more general, and the whole scene assumes an air of quiet cheerfulness. But when the soul shall be for ever delivered from the influence of all agitating passions, and shall be brought into the presence of God, it will be as a calm expanse of water lying under a serene sky, with the sun falling full upon it, which then gleams and sparkles with a brightness that is overpowering to human vision. Then every feature in the majestic and lovely character of God will have its respondent reflection on the souls of his people; and, as the untroubled ocean reflects in succession the various exhibitions of the works of God, presented by a revolving and perpetually changing sky, so their souls will be the subjects of ever varying affections, excited by a continued succession of new and wonderful displays of the character and attributes of Deity.

God in my spirit may thy spirit shine,

As shines the sun-beam in a drop of dew.