29th.

They have belied the Lord, and said, it is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword or famine: And the prophets shall become wind, &c. Jer. v. 12, 13.

Oh God of truth and faithfulness, no word of whose lips can ever fail of its accomplishment; pardon us that at any time or in any way, we should have been tempted, like Thine ancient Israel, to belie Thee, or to question Thy dealings with us. Oh that when Thy judgments are in the earth, we may see Thy hand, and hear Thy voice: that so Thy word and Thy ministers may prove blessings to us, instead of calling down Thy displeasure against us, in every time of our visitation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

30th.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh : How much more shall the blood of Christ, &c. Heb. xi. 13, 14,

Oh thou who, through the Eternal Spirit, didst offer thyself without spot to God, we pray Thee to make us so sensible of our own uncleanness and defilements, which no outward forms can ever purify, that we may seek to have Thy most precious blood sprinkled on our guilty souls, not only to the purifying of the flesh, but to the purging of our conscience from all dead works, to serve the living God. Thus being cleansed by Thy blood, and sanctified by Thy Spirit, may we walk in newness of life, and praise a Triune God for ever. Amen.

63

MAY.

-1st.

No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Mark iii. 27.

Oh Thou who rulest over all; we would remember with shame and sorrow, the time when Satan, as a strong man armed, found his abode in our corrupt hearts, and kept his goods there in safety. We bless Thee for having done that which we, by nature, had neither will nor power to attempt; and since Thou hast, we trust, entered and bound the strong man, and begun to spoil his house, we pray that he may no more be suffered to prevail against us, but that we may be Thy faithful, willing, and devoted servants to our lives end, for Christ's sake, Amen.

2nd.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but the Lord pondereth the hearts. Prov. xxi. 2.

Oh Thou great searcher and ponderer of all hearts, we bless Thee for revealing to us something of those depths of folly and ignorance, in which alone any ways of our own could seem to us right ways: and we pray that seeing all such more and more in the light in which they must appear to Thy holy and heart-searching eye, we may more and more renounce all that is our own, and seek to have our blessed Saviour made of Thee unto us, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. We ask it for His sake. Amen.

3rd.

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Matt. viii. 2.

Oh Thou who hast fully shewn forth both Thy power and willingness to save us from our lost estate by nature; we implore that grace which will bring us to Thy feet, and keep us there. Then do Thou in mercy put forth Thy hand; and speak the gracious word of spiritual healing and health; that we may be cleansed from the foul leprosy of sin, and constrained to present ourselves, our bodies and souls, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto Thee, till Thou call us to render Thee better service above for ever. Amen.

4th.

But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. Ezek. ii. 8.

Oh Thou who knowest all the natural rebellion of our corrupt hearts; we beseech Thee to bring our every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Oh let us not only open our mouth wide, that Thou mayest fill it with food; but if Thou see fit to feed us with bread of affliction and water of tears, still may we meekly and willingly receive it, as food convenient for us, since Thou givest it; and may all combine to nourish us up unto life eternal, through Christ Jesus. Amen.

5th.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. John xvi. 23.

Oh Thou, whom we are permitted to call our Father, in and through Thy Son Jesus, we pray that we may indeed be accepted and blessed in Him. We feel we have not come to Thee, as exclusively in His name as we ought, in time past. Oh that henceforth, renouncing all other dependence, we may practically acknowledge Him to be the one only way to the Father; plead His merits, and His only and realize the fulfilment of His own most blessed promise, that whatsoever we ask in His name, Thou wilt give for His sake. Amen.

6th.

Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, &c. Ezek. xiv. 19, 20.

Maker of all things, Judge of all men: we feel not only that none of us could give a ransom for our brother; but that Noah, Daniel, and Job, and all the company of heaven and earth might vainly seek to intercede for us, when Thy fury was poured out. But we bless Thee that Thou hast Thyself laid help on One who is mighty; mighty to save; and able as well as willing. Give us but grace fully and joyfully to accept so great salvation, that our souls may be delivered by His righteousness and by His only. We ask it in His name, and for His sake. Amen.

7th.

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job i. 22.

Father of mercies, and God of all grace, we pray Thee to pour into our foolish hearts, more of that Spirit of humble acquiescence, in which Thy servant Job could bless Thy name equally in giving, and in taking away. Oh grant that in the fuller light that shines on us, we may be ever kept from the presumptuous sin of charging Thee foolishly; may receive all Thy chastisements, in the exercise of christian patience, faith, and hope; and may find all working together for our good, through Him who suffered that we might reign, and died that we might live for ever. Amen.

8th.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; &c. Matt. xxi. 15, 16.

Blessed and glorious son of David, to whom all the armies of heaven rejoice to render praise; make it, we pray Thee, our desire and delight to see Thee glorified also, among the inhabitants of the earth, from the babe and suckling, to the great and aged. And grant that the faint and feeble cry of our Hosannas on earth, may be daily preparing us to join in the rapturous and ceaseless Hallelujahs of the heavenly worshippers, whom neither wonder nor chiding ever interrupt, but who praise Thee world without end. Amen.