31st.

And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. Deut. vi. 25.

Assist us, Oh Lord, we entreat Thee, with the Spirit of all grace, that we may observe to do all Thy commandments which Thou hast commanded us, not as before men, but before Thee, knowing it shall be for our good always. Yet keep us from ever thus going about to establish our own righteousness; and grant that while diligently following after holiness, our eyes and our hopes may ever be towards Him, who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, our atoning and interceding Saviour. Amen.

48

APRIL.

1st.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 2 Cor. ix. 15.

Author of every good and perfect gift, teach us, we pray Thee, to receive each and all as proofs of Thine undeserved mercy, and to improve all to the advancement of Thy glory. But may we more especially so contemplate Thy one unspeakable gift, that our whole souls may be melted in humble gratitude: and that blessing Thee daily for it, with our lips, hearts, and lives, we may thus begin on earth the unending song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lamb that was slain for us, which we hope to sing for ever above.

Amen.

2nd.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. Heb. iii. 14.

Oh Thou who hast given to a lost world the unspeakable gift of a Saviour; we entreat Thy further grace, by which alone we can be made partakers of so inestimable a benefit. We bless Thee for that beginning of confidence which we trust is Thine own work within us; and pray Thee so to keep us by Thy mighty power, that we may hold this beginning stedfast unto the end; that so the work of grace, begun, continued, and ended in Thee here, may issue in the perfection of glory hereafter, through our only Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus. Amen.

3rd.

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. Prov. iii. 35.

Oh Thou, the All-wise and All-glorious, before Thee the wisdom of man is and must be but foolishness. Oh give unto us that godly fear, which characterizes the wise in heart, even those who are made wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus: and grant that walking ever in Thy fear, we may, for His sake, inherit glory, when, separate from Him, our only promotion would justly be to shame and everlasting contempt. Hear us us and answer us, we pray Thee, for Thy great mercy's sake, in Him.

4th.

Amen.

So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, &c. Mark iv. 26, 27.

Oh Thou who alone canst cause the dry and barren ground of the human heart to bring forth fruit unto Thyself; we know not indeed how the good seed should ever spring and grow up, in such a soil. But we pray that the Sun of Righteousness may shine, and the influences of Thy Spirit, like gentle dew, fall upon it; that thus it may be made to yield, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear, to be finally gathered into Thy garner, to Thy praise and glory, and our unspeakable joy, through Christ Jesus. Amen.

F

5th.

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph. iv. 30.

Spirit of all grace and truth, whom we so long resisted, and sought to quench, and whom we still feel our liability to grieve by our sins, negligences, and ignorances; take, we pray Thee, more and more entire possession of our hearts, that we may be more consciously and manifestly sealed by Thee, bearing Thine image and superscription unto the great day of redemption, through Him who after dying to save us, rose and ascended on high, that He might send Thee to teach us all things: and to Father, Son, and Spirit, be endless praises. Amen.

6th.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John xiv. 26.

Oh Thou who art Thyself the promise of the Father; we beseech Thee to be not only our Comforter in a world of sorrow, but our sanctifier in a world of sin, and our Teacher in a world of ignorance. Oh do Thou bring to our forgetful hearts the continual remembrance of the things which accompany salvation; though we are foolish and slow of heart, yet condescend to teach us all things Thou seest to be needful or profitable for us, in fulfilment of our blessed Saviour's promise, and for His sake alone. Amen.

and

7th,

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Acts xix. 2.

Oh Thou who hast compassion on the ignorant, we bless Thee for the clearer light vouchsafed to us than to some of the members of Thy primitive Church; and pray that the same deep repentance and faith unfeigned which were in them, may prepare us for that teaching of the Holy Ghost which alone can lead into all truth. Thus, though not now looking for His miraculous gifts, may He, as the Spirit of the Word, ever make plain to us the Word of the Spirit, and may we know not His name alone, but His power, through Christ Jesus. Amen.

8th.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Rom. iii. 31.

Preserve us, oh blessed Lord, we entreat Thee, from any approach to that awful abuse of Thy Gospel, which would seem to make void Thy law. Oh that while feeling we must be justified by faith alone, without the deeds of the law, we may likewise feel the commandment to be holy, and just, and good, and aim at its more complete establishment both within and around us. Grant that in thus doing Thy will, we may be daily learning of Thy doctrine, and be finally saved with an holy salvation, through Christ Jesus. Amen.