the way. Arise, dearest Father, and support my sinking faith. My prayers are unto thee; my hope is fixed on thy promise, that thou wilt come, and wilt not always tarry.

I

I seem driven as upon tumultuous waves and waters, where I can neither see nor find bottom; tossed as with a tempest through heights and depths; wearied with watchings, with cold and with hunger. I mourn while in the deeps, while covered with clouds and beset with discouragements, lest I shall never experience deliverance from the corruptions of fallen nature, from that which brings death to the soul.Darkness surrounds my fearful trembling heart. long for a little rest from my anxious labour,-for a portion of the true bread and the living water to sustain my soul, for I am ready to perish by the way. I will patiently wait and see. Will the Lord quite forget? will he forsake? will he withdraw and leave me in my arduous travel towards his holy house?He called me, and I set out with full purpose of heart to find him: but oh! the intricacies,-the windings. of the path, I cannot comprehend them! It is hard travelling; the sands are deep, and my feet are weary. How far off is the land of rest?

O Father, thou who didst beget in me a desire after thee,—thou who hast all power in heaven and in earth, and all strength and wisdom,-thou who hast formed all things to testify of thy wondrous works,―turn, oh! turn thine eye upon me, who am a very little one, a poor depending piece of dust, who waits and looks for thee. Oh! help me to continue striving after thee, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified by his own works.

I am as one travelling alone in a strange land, beset on every hand, and surrounded by danger: no food but husks, yet hungry and parched with thirst, I look around for the good Shepherd, the succourer of his sheep, the great preserver and gatherer of his wandering flock. I seek him at the midnight hour,— bewildered,-lost,-where ravenous beasts of prey surround my dreary path. Oh! my fearful case! My God preserve me. Once thou wast favourable, and filled me with comfortable hope,—I was allured into the wilderness. But now, far removed, thou forsakest me in the greatest straits. Thou hidest thy face, and I am troubled,-tossed to and fro upon the tempestuous ocean. O save my sinking bark.

How low I am sunk! Lord, I look unto thee though shut up in a strong prison house. In this world I find trouble, let me in thee find peace. Oh! scatter the cloud,―rend the vail that intercepts my view, and let one cheering, animating ray of light break through this awful gloom.

Purge me with hyssop, Lord,

And so I clean shall be;
Cleanse by thy searching word
From all impurity.

Wash off my dark offence,

And take away my sin,
For I confess my crime, and see
How great my guilt has been.

For thy own mercy's sake

Thy workmanship regard,
Compassion on a sinner take;

Have mercy on me, Lord.
VOL. XII.-2

Search out the secret faults
That lurk within this breast,
And purge out all the dross
That robs my soul of rest.

Work, Lord, and cleanse entire,
Resigned, O may I be,

To bear thy sevenfold fire
Cast in and prov'd by thee.

Humble me in the dust,

Vouchsafe my prayer to hear,
And in thee let me trust,

Bow'd down in reverend fear.

No where have I to flee
But to thy mercy seat;
O cast me not from thee,
A suppliant at thy feet.

Now once more thy poor creature flees to thee for shelter, because the enemy is mighty to devour; as a roaring lion he has come up against me. He seems to say, Let us overpower her; let us take her captive, and bind her with chains and fetters that we have prepared; for she is weak and hath no helper. Her God has left her, her strength is gone. (Say they) "wherein dost thou trust? in whom dost thou confide? Dost thou, who art all pollution, even dare to look up and hope for mercy?" O Father, I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sins are ever before me; have mercy upon me, and pardon my numberless offences;-deliver me out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay. Strengthen thou me, and establish my goings in thy holy fear. I am poor and needy, and hidden as in the grave, when thy light is

withdrawn from mine eyes. Oh! remove this covering of clay, and set me in the land of the living, where I may praise thee. The dead cannot praise thee, nor lift up their voice to acknowledge thy power; therefore, O Lord, quicken me by thy strength, wherewith thou art able to subdue all things as it pleaseth thee, and lead, guide, and keep me forever.

Again is my soul engaged before thee, O Lord. I will pour forth my troubles in never-ceasing cries and prayers to thee, the God of my life, the only God I seek to worship while here, and hereafter. Oh! come quickly, make haste to help me, for I am encompassed with deep distress. My soul cries aloud. unto thee, with my head bowed down to the dust in a deep sense of my wretchedness and want. To thee I look, who sits above enthroned in light unapproachable to mortal beings. O Lord, arise and fight my battles, for a numberless host is risen against me.Discomfit and scatter them by thy power, and stand thou for my right and my cause. Behold how they have arrayed themselves; help me, for I have none to flee to but thee. I cry out of the deep waters, where the waves flow over my head. My feet are sunk in the miry clay; I am weary and heavy laden. O Lord, undertake for me, and be to me a shelter and a hiding place from the face of mine enemies.

Amidst the multiplicity of worldly cares and tumults, O my God, preserve and direct me in the way I should go. Keep me in the day of battle as under the hollow of thy hand. Redeem and save the longing soul that seeks thee daily and desires to partake of thy favours, for I know that thou art good and merciful. In the darkness of the midnight hour when

all is at rest around me, my prayers are unto thee, thou great Preserver of men. Oh! cleanse thou me; be with me, and forsake me not. Thou hast said, "In the world ye shall have trouble; but in me peace." It is even so; for without thy glorious light

I cannot safely go, or safely stay,

But fears and doubts perplex my gloomy way.

Let not mine enemy triumph over me. Be thou my hiding place, my rock of defence, to flee unto, till these raging storms subside. Thou knowest I have need of thy aid; thou seest my trials and struggles, and the many difficulties under which I labour. Thou triest me for some wise and good end, known only to thyself. Well, dearest Lord, purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; purify me seven times, if it seem good to thee, only preserve me through them all be with me through the fire and through the water. O thou just Judge of quick and dead, thy judgments are just; it is meet that I should thus suffer. Blessed be the Lord that chastens me; but, Oh! in the hour of judgment, remember mercy, and receive a sinful creature that flies to thee for safety and protection.

Again, O God of all power in heaven and in earth, is my soul bowed before thee, begging thy mercy and protecting care to keep me steadfast in a firm dependance on thee, the Rock of ages, which no storms can shake, nor tempests overthrow. I desire to worship thee, and not put my trust in any other.

The Lord is merciful and slow to anger; he compassionates a sinful race; and even on me who have gone astray, and am prone to evil, he hath had mercy; not for any good that is in me, nay verily. It