GODLINESS.

O Lord, vouchsafe to me, through the merit and intercession of Jesus, that godliness which is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Lead me to reverence thy name; for thou art God, and beside thee there is none other. Incline me to love thy character, which is the perfection of excellency. Learn me thy testimonies, which are sure, making wise the simple. Lead me to submit willingly to all thy dispensations; for they are of the Lord; let him do what seemeth good in his sight. May I depend on thee with a confiding heart, for every blessing; for thou hast said that as my day is, so shall my strength be. Teach me to supplicate thee for thy mercies; and let not my prayer be as a lamp that has neither oil nor light. Excite me, O Lord, to praise thy goodness; for thou art merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness. Build thou my hopes of thy favour on the precious merits of Jesus, besides whose name there is no other given by which I may be saved. And, O Lord, assist me by thy grace to obey all thy law; for not every one that saith, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of our Father in heaven.

Shepherd of Israel, bless the fold of Christ. Let none who have the form of godliness deny the power thereof. Give thy people wisdom, love, zeal, and influence. Grant them that piety which is wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, and nurtured by communion with thee; which is fed daily by thy precious word, and made healthy and

vigorous by active obedience to thy command

ments.

May their lives be hid with Christ in God, so that when Christ, who is their life, shall appear, they also shall appear with him in glory. And grant, most merciful God, that all men may learn that mystery of godliness; God manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory!

GOOD WORKS.

Blessed God, make me understand the imperfection of human obedience. There is not a just man on earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Even when I most fulfil thy will, I am an unprofitable servant. Lord, keep me from thoughts and boastings of merit for it is not by works of righteousness, I have done, that I shall be justified, but by thy grace, through Jesus Christ, the Saviour. And yet, O Lord, do thou make me careful to maintain good works for thou requirest me to work that which is well pleasing in thy sight; and thou hast an infinite right to my service, as my Creator, Ruler, and Redeemer. Create me, therefore, in Christ Jesus, unto good works, and make me as the branch which abideth in the vine, bearing fruit. May thy word be in my heart; as good seed, which springeth up, and beareth an hundred fold. May I do thy will with a heart of love, with faith, unfeigned, and with desire that all I do may be for thy glory. Grant me the renewing of the Holy Spirit, and that faith which works by love, and is accepted by thee, in Christ's name, for righteousness. Teach me, O Lord, that whatsoever a man

soweth that shall he also reap. If he sow to the flesh, he shall of the flesh reap corruption: but if he sow to the Spirit, he shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. I pray thee, therefore, let me not be weary in well-doing; for in due season I shall reap, if I faint not.-[See DUTY AND USEFULNESS.]

creatures.

GOODNESS OF GOD.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; for God is love. Thou art good, O Lord, in giving, preserving, and blessing the lives of thy They are thine offspring, and have their being in thy mercy. The eyes of all are unto thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season: thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desires of every living thing. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness.-Thou hast shown thy mercy in thy forbearance; for if thou didst mark iniquity, who could stand? Yea, thou art long-suffering, and art not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.-But thou hast exhibited thy goodness, above all, in the gift of thy Son. Thou didst so love the world, as to give him, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life: and thou didst commend thy love to us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Though we had turned every one to his own way, the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all.-Blessed God, thou art merciful in the gift of the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation-and in the bestowment of that Comforter, whose ministrations are life, because of righteousness.-Even our afflictions have been blessings in disguise: for thou hast

chastened us for our profit, that we might be partakers of thy holiness: and though thy chastenings seemed not to be joyous, but grievous, yet afterwards they worked the peaceable fruits of righteousness.-Lo! thou hast made even the sins of thy creatures to work together for good: thou hast made the wrath of man to praise thee: and where sin hath abounded, grace doth much more abound. -Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even he shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord!

Heavenly Father, make me feel that I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies, and that I have deserved thy wrath instead of thy kindness. Bind me, I beseech thee, to thee and thy cause, by a strong and an abiding gratitude. Permit me not to forget nor abuse thy mercies. Let them not rise up in judgment against me, either in this world, or in that which is to come. Do thou lead me, O Lord, to imitate thy goodness, by labours of love, and by seeking occasions to do good, in all the relations of life.

Lord, draw all men unto thee by the cords of thy love. May thy kindness lead them to repentance, and to devotion to thy cause. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. His goodness endureth continually, and his mercy is everlasting. Lord let thine abundant grace, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to thy glory. Amen.

GOSPE L.

Gracious Jehovah, assist me to understand, and love, and obey the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would magnify the riches of thy mercy, which devised these glad tidings of great

joy for all people. I would praise thee that thou didst send it in due time, in all its fulness of grace and truth, life and immortality. It was not because we deserved thy favour, or sought thy mercy; but because thou didst pity our lost condition, and didst enter into a covenant of grace, to bring us out of an estate of sin and misery, into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer. Lord, I would praise thee that. this word is offered without money and without price; and that whosoever will, may take of the waters of life freely. Thou hast made the plan of redemption commensurate with the wants and sins of our ruined race, and with the claims of thy holy and inflexible justice. I bless thy name that it has brought light for the benighted ; joy for the mourner; liberty for the captive; rest for the heavy-laden ; plenty for the destitute: pardon for the condemned; purity for the unholy; life for the dead; and the hope of salvation for the heirs of perdition!

Lord, help me to lay hold upon the hope set before me in the gospel. May I receive it as the only savour of life unto life. Let me not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ; but may I glory in it, as the power of God, unto salvation, to every one that believeth. May it teach me to deny ungodliness, and to live righteously in thy sight. Make it the instrument of building me up in saving knowledge, holy love, and willing obedience, to the praise of Jesus Christ.

O God, make the impenitent feel that they cannot escape thy wrath, if they neglect this great salvation. May it bring them, from being strangers and foreigners, to be fellow-citizens of the household of faith. May it turn their carnal minds from their enmity unto peace with God, and release them,