in all my doings, that I fail not of Thy following grace to continue Thy faithful servant and soldier to my life's end, through Jesus Christ, &c.

THE EIGHTH PART.

Ver. 1. "Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have promised to keep Thy law." The covenant betwixt God and His people, is reciprocal; God promiseth to be their " exceeding great reward;" and they promise to keep His commandments.

2. "I made my humble petition in Thy presence with my whole heart; O be merciful unto me, according to Thy word." And that this covenant may stand firm, we must heartily implore both the assistance of Divine grace to keep our promises unto God, and His mercy to perform His promises unto us.

3. "I called mine own ways to remembrance, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies." The iniquity of our own ways must be frequently remembered and bewailed, that we may walk in the ways of God.

4. "I made haste and

prolonged not the time to keep Thy commandments."

5. "The congregations of the ungodly have robbed me: but I have not forgotten Thy law." The heart of the faithful continues firm in holy affections, even when through violence of temptation, he is defective in some exterior acts of obedience.

Divine

6. "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee, because of Thy_righteous judgments." praise is to be celebrated night and day: and failings of Divine worship in the day may be supplied in the night.

our

7. "I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and keep Thy commandments.' The society of holy men is both a great comfort and a great furtherance in the way of godliness.

8. "The earth, O Lord, is full of Thy mercy: 0 teach me Thy statutes." God's common blessings are extended unto all; but His special favours are reserved for them that keep His commandments.

Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was, &c.

The Prayer. Whatever my part or portion be upon earth, be Thou my portion, O Lord, and the lot of mine inheritance: Preserve me in the Unity of the Holy Catholic Church, and in the Communion of Saints, to the hopes of eternal glory, through Jesus Christ, &c.

THE NINTH PART.

Ver. 1. "O Lord, Thou hast dealt graciously with Thy servant, according to Thy word." God's gracious promises do move Him to be merciful in His dealings with us far beyond our merits.

2. "O learn me true understanding and knowledge: for I have believed Thy commandments." In the mysteries of godliness, what we cannot believe by understanding, we must understand by believing.

3. "Before I was troubled, I went wrong: but now have I kept Thy word." The rod of affliction and good discipline, keeps the soul in humility and obedi

ence.

4. "Thou art good and gracious: O teach me Thy statutes." Even in adversity, God is no less gracious than in prosperity.

5. "The proud have imagined a lie against me: but I will keep Thy commandments with my whole heart." Though the devil and his instruments invent and suggest lies, to subvert the truth; yet by a sincere obedience they are discovered and rejected.

6. "Their heart is as fat as brawn but my delight hath been in Thy law." Through pride and luxury the heart of the wicked is fatted with delight, but humility and obedience is the joy of the righteous soul.

7. "It is good for me that I have been in trouble, that I may learn Thy statutes." Temptations and troubles yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby.

8. "The law of Thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver." Grace excels gold, as much as Heaven excels earth, or the soul the body.

Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was, &c.

The Prayer. Thou art good and gracious, O Lord, even in the chastisements of Thy servant: let both Thy favours and Thy frowns be sancti

fied unto me; and all the temptations of my ghostly enemies make me cleave more steadfastly in my obedience to Thy most holy laws; esteeming Thy commandments far above all earthly treasures, as being the way to those never-failing treasures of celestial glory, through Jesus Christ.

THE TENTH PART.

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Ver. 1. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: O give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments." To know God, and obey His laws, is the end of our creation after the image of God; and the perfection of our being is thereby attained.

2. "They that fear Thee, will be glad when they see me because I have put my trust in Thy word." Examples of piety rejoice the hearts of them that truly fear God.

3. "I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right; and that Thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled." It is most righteous and just, that they who fall from God, by pride and disobedience, be first humbled by afflictions, before they be restored to His grace and favour.

4. "O let Thy mercifulkindness be my comfort, according to Thy word unto Thy servant." Let this be my comfort in all my troubles, that they are sent (according to Thy word) in mercy to humble, not in fury to consume and destroy me.

5. "O let Thy loving mercies come unto me, that I may live for Thy law is my delight." Both the life of grace and glory are the issue of God's loving mercy : and the soul is qualified for this mercy, by love and delight in the laws of God.

6. "Let the proud be confounded, for they go wickedly about to destroy me: but I will be occupied in Thy commandments.' A constant regular obedience to God's commandments, confounds all the machinations of the devil, and all his instruments.

7. "Let such as fear Thee, and have known Thy testimonies, be turned unto me.' Wherein the prayers and example of the godly are both strength and consolation.

8. "O let my heart be sound in Thy statutes, that I be not ashamed." The sincerity of the heart, in the performance of religious duties, will preserve us from

that confusion which is the portion of hypocrites.

The Prayer.

That I may attain that perfection and felicity whereunto Thou hast created me, O Lord, I humbly beg the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, both to know, and in all things to obey Thy most holy will: in all my humiliations for my sins, and temptations of the devil, let Thy loving mercies support me; the

prayers and examples of Thy saints and servants assist me. O let my heart be sincere and sound in Thy service, that I may escape that everlasting confusion which is the portion of hypocrites, and my lot may be with Thy faithful servants, for ever to sing,

Glory to the Father, &c.
As it was in the begin-
ning, &c.

Our Father, which art in
Heaven, &c.

let this consideration humble thy soul (at this hour) under the mighty hand of God, that He may draw thee out of that mass of corruption wherein, with the rest of mankind, thou art originally involved, and exalt thee to the hopes of admittance into the celestial Paradise; which being lost by the disobedience of the first Adam, was regained by the obedience of the second Adam; Who,

III.

As at this hour of the day, was lifted up on the cross, as was the brazen serpent in the wilderness, that "whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life P."

And my soul is wounded by the frequent bitings of that old serpent the devil; but mine eyes are ever looking up unto Thee, holy Jesus, the great Physician of sin-sick souls, Who hast made a salve for such, of Thine own wounds and blood. Heal, "O heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee:" blessed Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, take away mine also:

[ O blessed Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant me Thy peace, even that peace which at this hour Thou so dearly purchasedst for me.

IV.

At this hour my dear Redeemer was expanded upon the cross, as on a tormenting rack; where wounded, nailed, and bleeding, He continued for three long hours together; whilst the sun being in its full strength, withdrew the influence of its light from those merciless wretches who crucified the Lord of Glory : " and when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land"." The sun hid its face, being as it were ashamed to behold the Sun of Righteousness eclipsed, and in the shadow of death.

And this most justly ought to represent to my conscience my manifold deeds of darkness, which were the cause of my Saviour's death, and do daily eclipse the light of God's countenance from shining upon me.

O holy Jesus, Who didst humble Thyself unto death upon the cross, for us miser

9 Psalm xli. 4.