turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Note.-Another remarkable prayer-the prayer of a great community, moved, through the grace of God to pray, and that most willingly and earnestly, at the bidding of their king and his nobles; who, on their part, were moved by the preaching of Jonah, sent with a message to them from the Lord. A heathen, wicked city prayed, fasted, and repented, and God spared it. Whilst all who see their danger and feel their need, may pray to God, and should do so, will he not hear his own people who have, through grace, trusted in his love in Christ Jesus!

Jonah's repining prayer.

Jonah iv.-1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me for it is better for me to die than to live. 4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?

Note.-A bad prayer, and best that it was not granted. Wrong prayers, especially when very earnestly insisted on, are sometimes granted as a punishment. And often things very earnestly asked, are withheld in mercy and love.

M

MICAH.

Micah's prayer for the people.

Micah vii.-14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. 15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

Note.-Former blessings are an encouragement to prayer for further good which God allows and

means.

Micah's prayer of confidence in the Lord.

Micah vii.-18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Note.-Thanksgiving prayers by God's people generally put forgiveness of sin in the front place of blessings received from God.

HABAKKUK.

Habakkuk's complaint. Answered immediately. Habakkuk i.-1 The burden which Habakkuk the

prophet did see. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! 3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance ? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. 3 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not their's. 7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. 9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the şand. 10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it. 11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

Note.-It belongs to God's people to confess, complain

of, and mourn over the wickedness abounding around them, as well as their own sins: such confessions and complaints God allows and regards.

Habakkuk prays.

Answered immediately.

Habakkuk i.-12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? 15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag; therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

Chapter ii.-I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. 2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith.

Note. Whilst we should, in our prayers, carry both

the sins and calamities of the church to God, we

should ask forgiveness and wisdom for ourselves, and humbly and confidently commit the church to the care of her great Head.

A prayer of Habakkuk for various things.

power.

5

Chapter iii.—A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. 2 O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid : O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his : Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals I went forth at his feet. 6 He stood, and measured the earth he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? 9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation at the light of thine arrows they went,