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2. Let us adore that 'God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,' whose providence and grace run so happily and so unitedly in the same channel.

2. They render a cheerful submission to his 1. Let us then admire that providence which authority. 'If ye love me, keep my command-embraces the universe in its widest range, yet ments. For this is the love of God, that we attends to the creatures in their minutest details. keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous.' A blessed doctrine which, so far from begetting a pharisaic confidence in our own righteousness, is a light of God essential and efficacious to discover our many shortcomings and to lead us to him in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.' 3. They earnestly desire his countenance, companionship, and possession. Whom have I

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in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come, and appear before him?

4. They ardently delight in him. 'Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart.' 'I delight to do thy will, O my God! yea, thy law is within my heart.'

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5. The believer is sold, devoted, sacrificed to the God whom he loves. He is not his own,' he is bought with a price.' My beloved is mine, and I am his,' saith his heart. Believers 'have given their ownselves to the Lord;' and drawn by the mercies of God,' 'present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, their reasonable service.'

Believers are farther characterized by being 'called according to God's purpose,' which calling is thus admirably expounded: 'Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, as he is offered to us in the gospel. Now, when there is a work in us, either to will or to do of God's good pleasure,' that willing and doing must be either of ourselves or of God. Of ourselves it cannot originally be; for the carnal mind,' which is the original mind of every man, is enmity against God.' It must therefore be of God that showeth mercy. For who, O believer, maketh thee to differ? or what hast thou that thou hast not received? Or who hath first given to God, and it shall be recompensed to him again? It is God, wise in counselling, merciful in pardoning, just in determining, gracious in bestowing, and sovereign in ruling, to whom the 'called' sinner is indebted for the voice that reaches him, the power that awakens, the argument that convinces, and the love that draws him.

3. And whatever our worldly or spiritual lot may be, let us never forget that all things come to God's children from the same loving heart, and all things are directed by the same unerring and Almighty hand.

SEVENTEENTH DAY.-MORNING.

"The Lord God omnipotent reigneth, Rev. xix. 6.

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To acknowledge the being of God is one thing, to see his government is another. Rabbi,' said Nicodemus,' we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' We can thus understand and account for the various views of men as to the government of God, who yet all agree in admitting, and maintaining, and illustrating his being and perfections. One fancies and endows a mysterious power called nature, as the ruler in elements and events. Another, that God, at creation, impressed certain general laws upon his works, and that these proceed to carry forward the world without any necessity of farther interference upon the part of God. Others, can discover no government in the world but that of chance, blind, irregular, unintelligent, powerless; while others boldly and blasphemously deny his right to rule over them, saying in the pride and rebellion of their hearts, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us?'

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There is still another class from whose eyes, the government of God almost disappears. The believer under withdrawings of God's countenance, and harassed by sore trials, is sometimes tempted to say, 'These are the wicked that prosper in the world; verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency,' and 'what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?'

Now to all these it is equally announced the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.' What a glorious revelation! What a magnificence of title! what an enlightening-what a consoling

But let us never forget, when we contemplate the government of God, that he necessarily reigns, not by the single attribute of power, but in the full combination and energy of all his attributes. In the government of God we must therefore exWeak man can

truth! God, the covenant God, our God, reign- | grace wherewith he endowed it, in the righteouseth. The omnipotent reigneth! And because ness wherewith he clothed it, and the glory to omnipotent, he reigneth over every thing that which he exalted it. God reigned with a special possesses any portion of derivative power. 'Of distinctness in the Jewish church-but this dishim, and to him, and through him, are all tinctness arose not because he was really more things.' Over things inanimate he reigns. The visible in the Jewish than in the Christian church, stars, the clouds, the winds, the waves, the but because the eyes of men were more open to fire the winter's cold, the summer's heat, are see him. The word of God to Joshua, 'I will all the subjects of his kingdom. Sing, therefore, never fail thee, I will not forsake thee,' is not unto the Lord with thanksgiving, who covereth one whit richer in promise than the word of the heavens with clouds, who prepareth rain for Christ to his disciples, 'Lo! I am with you the earth. He giveth snow like wool, he scat- always, even to the end of the world.' He that tereth hoar frost like ashes, he casteth forth ice was once with the church in the wilderness, is like morsels, who can stand before his cold? He the same that is now with the church in glory; sendeth out his word and melteth them; he and on earth he is still 'head over all things to causeth his wind to blow, and the water to flow.' the church, which is his body, the fullness of Over the plants of the earth he reigns. He him that filleth all in all.' 'clothes the grass of the field.' 'He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth.' Over the beasts of the field he reigns. He giveth the beast his food, and the young ravens which cry.' 'Lord, thou preserv-pect apparent contradictions. est man and beast; how excellent is thy loving- not contemplate the full tide of mercy, and love kindness! Therefore the children of men put and long-suffering, flowing onward, and full fraught their trust under the shadow of thy wings.' with blessings, without apprehending a counter And over man he specially reigns. Man's birth current in justice, severity, and wrath. But is within his government, his substance was these are not contrary the one to the other; each not hid from him; his eyes did see his sub- is an exhibition of the same all-perfect Jehovah stance yet being imperfect; and in his book all dealing; To them who by a patient continuing his members were written.' Of his life the whole in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, and immorprogress is under the guidance of the Lord. He tality, eternal life; but unto them who are conknoweth our downsitting and our uprising, and tentious, and obey not the truth, but obey unis thoroughly acquainted with all our ways. righteousness, tribulation, and anguish, indignaHis hand has often led us in a way we did not tion, and wrath.' When therefore he is slow to know;' constantly cherished us with a kindness answer prayer, let us not foolishly conclude he we did not deserve, sometimes corrected us, but has forgotten to be gracious; but is calling us with a father's pity, and always protected us to that waiting spirit and dependent attitude with the power of a mighty King. 'O that that best becomes a weak creature and an unmen would give to the Lord praise for his good-profitable servant. And when we see the proness, and for his works of wonder to the children

of men!'

The Lord God omnipotent reigns likewise in the kingdoms of this world. They have risen, they have advanced, they have declined, and they have fallen, but the Lord God directed and controlled their mightiest movements. To the intent that the living might know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.' And in a manner not more powerful, yet more special, does the Lord God omnipotent reign in his church. This speciality lies in the eternal love wherewith he loved it, in the gracious sovereignty wherewith he chose it, in the power wherewith he redeemed it, in the mercy wherewith he pardoned it, in the riches of

sperity of the wicked, and witness the afflictions
of the children of God, let us not rashly conclude
that God has forgotten either; that sinners may
yet be led to repentance; if he persevere in sin,
his judgment will awake and not tarry; and that
afflicted saint is ripening his fruit for a richer
harvest, and polishing his graces for brighter
glory.

'O Lord, thou art my God and King,
Thee will I magnify and praise;

I will thee bless, and gladly sing
Unto thy holy name always.
Each day I rise, I will thee bless,

And praise thy name time without end.
Much to be praised, and great God is;
His greatness none can comprehend.'

1. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth! What

a solid foundation for confidence and hope, in limitations. Yet this very suspicion, seemingly times when the darkest clouds hang over the heightened to conviction, is one of the chief sources kingdoms of this world of which we are sub- of the sin and the misery of men. The impenijects, or over the church of the living God of tent sinner either suspects or believes the inflicwhich we are members! The atmosphere of tion of his threatened judgments, 'too hard' for kingdoms and churches is never long untroubled; God when he defies him; the professing Christian but no kingdom will fall but by sin, and 'righte-suspects the fulfilment of his promise to be 'too ousness exalteth a nation;' and no church will hard' for God when he doubts him. It was to be cast away, if she have not first cast off her first rebuke this defiance, and to dispel this doubt, that love; and no matter how mighty be the powers the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, sayby which truth and godliness are threatened, no | ing, Behold I am the Lord, the God of all flesh : weapon formed against Zion will ever prosper.' is there any thing too hard for me?' Let us 2. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Let endeavour to dig down to this root of atheism us draw nigh to the well of consolation and let in the impenitent, and this tormenting remnant our thirsty soul drink freely in the days of of unbelief in the children of God. Now it is a fact our personal or family troubles! Man that is that the sin of the impenitent and the error of born of a woman, is of few days, and full of the believer generally arise from investing God trouble. From these troubles God's children with some attribute esteemed as the highest perhave no exemption. And where Jesus himself fection. The impenitent invests a God of his was 'a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,' own creation with such mercy as blinds the eyes it were shame if the servant were better than his and ties up the hand of justice; and therefore Lord. He for the joy set before him endured he concludes judgment to be too hard' for him ; the cross; the believer endures as 'seeing him while the weak believer invests the true God that is unseen.' It is written, 'The Lord reigneth, with a holiness that so abhors sin that he doubts let the people tremble.' And again, The Lord or almost despairs of the exercise of covenant reigneth, let the earth rejoice. For though mercy. 'clouds and darkness are round about him, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.' That throne of grace is now the believer's refuge, as that throne of glory will hereafter be his home. For unto him that overcometh,' saith the Lord, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

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EVERY man, even in his best estate, is contending with some difficulty that he finds too hard for him. Many things are 'too hard' for his understanding, and when he has wearied the flesh with 'much study' of the spirit, he feels he is of yesterday and knows nothing.' And how many things he finds ، too hard ' for his hand, even when he attempts them with all his might,' his sorrows, his disappointments, and his losses, are continually testifying.

Now, it is good for men to have made this discovery of the practical difficulties, the impossibilities, that hedge them in; but it is most dangerous to suspect God of being subject to similar

Now while the prophet is commissioned to rebuke the impenitent, his main object is to dispel the doubts and confirm the faith of God's people. To this end he employs principally the following conclusive arguments and may the Lord, for whom nothing is ، too hard,' make them effectual to the conviction of our judgments and the comforting of our hearts.

1. The Lord, speaking by the prophet, asserts his own independent sovereignty-'I am the Lord,' the owner of all worlds, and as the owner doing whatever he will with his own. 'I am the God of all flesh,' therefore entitled to the unlimited worship of all men; and acknowledged, in that act of worship, as able to give or to withhold, according to the counsel of his own will.

2. The prophet asserts God's power in the details of the world, upon the ground that he is the Creator of the whole. 'Ah, Lord God! behold thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.'

3. Unlimited mercies being to God's children the most attractive, and judgment to sinners the most alarming, evidences of unlimited power, the prophet proceeds as by an arithmetical calculation of his goodness and judgment to give evidence of these attributes. Thou showest loving-kindness to thousands; and recompencest the iniquity of the fathers unto the bosom of their

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children after them. For thine eyes are open and satan with the loving-kindness and tender upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give mercies of the Lord. every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.'

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4. Miracles of judgment, either beyond, or above, or contrary to the course of creation, are next marshalled in evidence that nothing can be 'too hard' for God; and especially his signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and in Israel, and amongst other men,' miracles wrought with a strong hand, and an out-stretched arm, and with great terror,' till he gave Israel 'the land which he sware unto their fathers.'

And now, if we desire an evidence that nothing is too hard' for God, and surpassing all that have yet been adduced, we find that evidence concentrated in Christ Jesus. There can be nothing 'too hard' for his love, seeing the Father 'spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up to the death for us all ;' and we conclude, therefore, with a certainty that cannot be shaken, he will 'with him also freely give us all things.' There can be nothing too hard for his condescension, for though our Lord was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.' And surely there can be nothing too hard for his power in the weakness of our flesh, since he conquered sin in the flesh, because of triumphant holiness; and through death destroyed death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, that he might redeem them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'

What sweet consolation may the believer derive from contemplating the Almighty power of God!

He finds within himself much darkness, much weakness, much guilt; he finds around him many temptations, a world sometimes attractive, sometimes tormenting, always evil. He has tried watchfulness, and it has slept on its post; he has fled to prayer, but, like those of Moses, his hands have hung down; he has tried fasting, but the flesh still is weak; he has tried resolutions, but, for binding nature, they have no more availed than the withs and the flax bands on the arms of Samson. Within are fightings, without are fears, behind is sin, and before is judgment. In one question spiritually put, and spiritually answered, lies his only refuge,—' is there any thing too hard for God?' No. He can penetrate that heart were it hard as the nether millstone. He can wash away those stains though red like crimson. He can strengthen that spirit though unstable as water. He can restore that soul from the depths of disease, and crown that slave of sin

What efficient direction may the believer hence derive for the moral government of his own spirits. When he enjoys many blessings in health, in family, in friends, in worldly business, his God has done all things well.' Yes, God's power has done all, and gratitude must follow when the doer and the giver is seen. But the believer may be in adversity. Sickness may be wasting him, pain tormenting him, a thousand griefs, worse than all these, may arise from family or friends, while riches may be denied him, or make to themselves wings, and flee away, as an eagle toward heaven; still there is nothing 'too hard' for the Lord; he can sustain him with the patience of Job, and can teach him to drink, with resignation, the cup of bitterness with his Lord.

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What confidence can this doctrine infuse in all the threatening or most hopeless aspects of public affairs! Indeed to the believer no darkness can be hopeless. He trusts neither in princes nor in men's sons; his hope is in the Lord. He sees a world of dark and idolatrous heathenism, or fierce and indomitable Mahometanism; he sees scarce a point of light to penetrate the clouds that cover it; and he would despair of ever seeing those innumerable millions converted, enlightened, or civilized, did he not rest upon one principle, there is nothing too hard' for God. He sees the church, the professing, baptized church, grievously infested with false doctrine, poisoned by heresy, rent by schism, deceived by self-righteousness, or deformed with hypocrisies. He sees her beset with infidelity upon the one hand, and by apostate Christianity upon the other; and he exclaims, in the very bitterness of his heart, 'Can these dry bones live?' And the oracle of the living God replies, 'Is there any thing too hard for God?' He was with his church in Egypt, and brought it out with a mighty hand. He was with his church in the wilderness, and he led it as a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. He was with his church in ten heathen persecutions, and he plucked her as a brand out of the burning. He was with the remnant of his saints who, retired within the mountain recesses of the Alps and Appenines, preserved the light of the gospel in ages of grossest darkness. He was with his church in the dawn and struggles of the blessed Reformation. He forsook her not in her faithful contendings' for the truth once delivered to the saints;' and he has promised to be with her alway, even to the end of the world, and will assuredly perfect 'his strength' in his people's 'weakness."

EIGHTEENTH DAY.-MORNING.

Give us this day our daily bread,' Matt. vi. 11. TRUST in the Lord,' saith the psalmist, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.' Accordingly we come before our Father saying, 'Give us this day our daily bread;' and in these words we humbly acknow

ledge,

1. That, notwithstanding all our personal abilities, means, and efforts, we are utterly unable to supply, even for a single day, the wants we now feel, and of which we anticipate the daily

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longings after deceitful riches, and ambitious aspirings after fading honours. It was thus he tested the amiable, moral, and rich young man who came anxiously inquiring, What good thing shall I do to have eternal life?' and who answered to the catalogue of commanded duties, all these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet?' 'Then Jesus answered and said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.' There was the touchstone for detecting the alloy of the character; for 'when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Nor did there lie any sin in his having or his holding these 'great possessions' in his hand; the sin and the sorrow lay in having them in his heart. For if any man love the world, or the things of it, how dwelleth the love of God in him?' Yet, be not deceived; not all that is in the world, but all that is of the world, is cursed. And all that is in 4. By uniting with this daily petition a prayer the world, being of the world, is the 'lust for daily pardon, we acknowledge that we daily of the flesh,'-licentiousness and the lust forfeit, by our sins, those blessings that we daily of the eye,'-covetousness require.

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2. We acknowledge that for the supply we so much need, we have nothing to offer to God.

3. We testify our confidence in the prayerhearing, and the prayer-answering God, and in that wakeful and all-sufficient providence which watches over us, and for us, and supplies the wants of every thing that lives.'

5. By these words, our Saviour teaches that temporal things constitute the lawful subjects of prayer.

Let us then examine what are those temporal things for which we are authorised to pray.

1. We are taught to ask for bread, so far as necessary for our sustenance and health. By necessary food, and the vigour it imparts, we may glorify God in the duties of our several callings, and whatever we can employ to the glory of God, that we are privileged to ask and expect. But in asking of God to give us bread, we imply and include all those ordinary means whereby bread is supplied. We consequently implore the blessings of the covenant with Noah, in which 'summer, and winter, and heat, and cold, and seed-time, and harvest,' are ensured, while the earth remaineth.' We ask his blessing upon the skill of the husbandman, and the labour of the ox'in the field. We pray for the continuance of that protection and safety in our own land whereby industry is encouraged and rewarded. We pray for that peace amongst the nations during which the interchanges of commerce commingle the various productions of art and of agriculture, till the north and the south become as one climate, and the people of all lands as one common family.

By confining our temporal petitions to bread, our Lord intended to preserve us from covetous

and the pride of life, the ambitious aiming at high things for ourselves;' and all these must we, for Christ's sake, not merely 'sell,' but, through the Spirit, utterly mortify' and cast out, ere we can truly and fully adopt and utter that single petition, 'Give us this day our daily bread.'

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2. This bread, with all its included blessings, is called ours. It is so called in virtue of the original gift to Adam, and its subsequent continuance and extension to Noah. We inherit our derivative portion of both these grants. But like feudal lieges renewing their homage, and thereby confirming their titles, we are ever renewing our petitions, and pleading our investiture with the gracious promise, bread shall be given, and water shall be sure.' But at the same time we are confining ourselves to the limits of our own property. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's,'—is not merely a commandment for morals, but a guide to piety. There are two forms of covetousness. The one, an unsatisfied view of what we have, with an undefined and unlimited desire of more; the other, not merely dissatisfaction with the amount of our own lot, but the envying of another, with a specific longing for what is his. Now both these forms of covetousness this petition utterly condemns. Before God it confines our hearts not merely to bread, but to our own bread. Let me neither envy nor grudge' at the good and prosperity of my neighbour-yea, rather let

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