wilt revive me." (Psalm cxxxviii. 7.)

"As

my days, so may my strength be.” (Deut.
xxxiv. 25.)

take the exam-

This habit of secret prayer
ple of Hannah, (1 Samuel i. 13,) "She spake
in her heart, her voice was not heard;" of Ne-
hemiah, chap. ii. 4, "So I prayed to the God
of heaven”—keeps the channel of communication
open between heaven and the soul; sweetens
all the toils, and lessens every burden of life,
for, "in the multitude of our thoughts within
us," the consolations and presence of the word
and spirit of God, cheer, and support, and re-
fresh the soul. (See Ps. xciv. 19.) And O, how
delightful is it "when our soul is much discou-
raged because of the way," (Numb. xxi. 4,) it
may be either from "fightings without or fears
within," to hear a voice, sweeter than heavenly
melody, saying, "Fear thou not, for I am with
thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God,"
(Isa. xli. 10:) “ I am leading thee forth by the
right way to go to a city of habitation.” (Psalm
cvii. 7.) All things work together for your infi-
nite and everlasting good, and for the glory of
God's own great name. (Rom. viii. 28.)

"A Christian indeed" will reverence the Sab-
bath. The blessed day will be to him "the
best of all the seven;" and knowing that the

Lord calls all the hours his own, he will watch and pray to honour him, by not doing his own ways, nor finding his own pleasure, nor speaking his own words, on that most holy day. (Isa. lviii. 14.) He will reverence the worship of Almighty God; it will rejoice his heart to go up to the house of the Lord, where "the King himself draws near to feast his saints" with his word and presence. He will reverence the precious book of God: he will read a portion of it daily, and will long to "esteem it more than his necessary food," (Job xxiii. 12;) and "sweeter will the Bible be to his taste than honey from the honey-comb." (Psalm cxix.) He will remember, both in hearing sermons, or in reading the Scriptures, that "except the outward call of the word is accompanied with the inward call of the spirit, it is a lock without a key; it profiteth nothing, though he may hear and read from one year's end to another." He will, therefore, engage in neither, without earnest supplication that the Holy Spirit may be the interpreter of his own word, and powerfully apply it to his conscience and heart; that it may prove a light to his feet, and a lamp to his paths, and bring forth fruit a hundred-fold, to the glory and praise of God's most holy name. (John xiv. 26.)

The writer of this little Tract knows one, poor in this world's goods, but "rich indeed in faith," whose love for, and knowledge of her Bible are so great, that she seems almost to think in Scripture language. She never eats her breakfast, or dinner, or supper, without first reading a chapter. She cannot write; but, to supply this want, her constant practice, for many years, has been to draw a chalk line on the inner door of her humble cottage, after any day of particular spiritual enjoyment, or on receiving an unexpected providential mercy. She frequently looks over all these lines, to remind her of God's goodness; that she

66

"A Christian indeed" will not merely pray without ceasing" (See 1 Thess. v. 17; 1 Timothy ii. 1) for himself, but he will pray much, that the Holy Spirit may pour out of his enlightening, and sanctifying, and comforting influences on all dear and near to him; on his minister, and the congregation committed to his care; on his king and country; on the whole church of Christ, wheresoever, or howsoever disposed of throughout all the earth; and on "a world lying in wickedness." Find

ing the throne of Grace the best place where a sinner can be ere he reach a throne of glory, he will use his utmost endeavours to induce others to pray for themselves, to "search the Scriptures," and to attend the public worship of God; and thus, in conduct and exertion, speaking to them, as Moses is said to have done of old, to Hobab the son of Raguel, "we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good, for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel." (Num. x. 29.)

"A Christian indeed," while he is taking up every duty in point of performance, will lay them all down as a ground of dependence for acceptance with God. The words of the pious Bishop Beveridge will best express the feelings of his heart: I cannot pray but I sin; nay, I cannot hear a sermon but I sin; I cannot give an alms, or receive the sacrament, but I sin; nay, I cannot so much as confess my sins, but my very confessions are still aggravations of them my repentance needs to be repented of; my tears want washing; and the very washing of my tears needs still to be washed over again with the blood of my Redeemer: I look upon all my righteousness as filthy rags, and it is in the robes only of the righteousness of the Son

280 POWER AND GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

of God, that I dare appear before the Majesty of heaven."

Unto God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be ascribed everlasting praises. Amen, and amen!

"Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly dove,
With light and comfort from above;
Be thou our guardian, thou our guide,
O'er ev'ry thought and step preside.

"Conduct us safe, conduct us far

From ev'ry sin and hurtful snare ;
Lead to thy Word, for that will give
Th' instructive lesson how to live.

"The light of truth to us display,

And make us know and choose thy way;

Plant holy fear in every heart,

That we from God may ne'er depart.

"Lead us to holiness, the road

Which we must take to dwell with God;

Lead us in Christ, the living way,

To realms of everlasting day."

THE END.

LONDON:

IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND..