6 "After extolling the happiness of those who dwelt in the temper, and of those who had access to it, the Psalmist breaks forth into a most ardent prayer to his God, for a share in that happiness. He addresseťa him as 'the Lord of hosts; almighty in power, as the God of Jacob;' infinite in mercy and goodness to his people; as their shield,' the object of all their trust for defence and protection; and beseecheth him to look upon the face of his Anointed; that is, of the Messiah, in whom God is always well-pleased; for whose sake he hath mercy upon us, through whose name and merits our prayers are accepted, and the kingdom of heaven is opened to all believers.' 10. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand, I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. "One day spent in meditation and devotion, affordeth a pleasure far, far superior to that which an age of worldly prosperity could give. Happier is the least and the lowest of the servants of Jesus, than the greatest and most exalted potentate that knoweth him not. And he is no proper judge of blessedness, who hesitates a moment to prefer the condition of a penitent in the porch, to that of a sinner on a throne. If this be the case on earth, how much more in heaven! Oh! come that one glorious day, when the sun shall never go down, nor any cloud obscure the lustre of his beams; that day, when the temple of God shall be opened in heaven, and we shall be admitted to serve him for ever therein !" 11. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. "Jesus Christ is our Lord,' and our God' he is asun' to enlighten and direct, us in the way, and a shield,' to protect us against the enemies of our salvation: he will give grace' to carry us on from "strength to strength,' and 'glory,' to crown us when we appear before him in Zion; he will withhold' nothing that is good and profitable for us, in the course of our journey, and will himself be our reward when we come to the end of it." 12.0 Lord of hosts,blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. "While, therefore, we are strangers and sojourners here below, far from that heavenly country where we would be, in whom should we trust to bring us to the holy city, the new Jerusalem, of which the Lord God, and the Lamb, are the temple, but in Thee, O Saviour and Redeemer, who art the Head of every creature, the Captain of the armies of heaven and the earth, the Lord of hosts, and the King of glory; Blessed,' thrice blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.” Afflictions, though painful, are profitable; they call into exercise the faith, the resignation, and the patience of a Christian,—they soften down the asperities of his temper, moderate his intense eagerness after things which are seen and temporal, and sometimes force him into retirements, where he has more unobstructed leisure for enjoying, with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, *Communion sweet, communion large and high.” Hence, though I am denied the privilege of paying my vows unto God, in the presence of his people; and am doomed to spend this sabbath within the walls of my chamber, yet I may approach his footstool, and pray to him in secret. eye O Thou King, eternal, immortal, invisible. Thou dwellest in that light which no mortal hath seen or can see. Thousands of angels, and of redeemed spirits, bow down before Thee; ten thousand times ten thousand minister in thy presence, and perform thy pleasure. The whole host of heaven worshippeth Thee. f "Thou hast formed the mountains, and created the wind. With Thee are the treasures of the snow, and the chambers of the hail. Thou makest thy pavilion in the cloud. Thou sittest on the multitudes of the The Author is more attached to extempore prayer than to written forms; but as he is aware, that some pious people préfer the use of a form, he has composed a prayer to correspond with the title of this number. And now he has made a reference to a written form of prayer, he cannot refrain from recommending to those of his readers, who may need, or who may think they need, the assistance of others, in their private or domestic devotions, the late publication of the Rev. Mr. Jay, of Bath, as the most interesting volume of prayers he has ever read. It may be had at Mr. Westley's, the publisher of the Evangelical Rambler. waters. Thou walkest on the wings of the wind; and thy voice in the storm maketh the world to tremble. The heaven is thy throne, and the earth is thy footstool; Thou art the Governor among the nations: thine eyes behold, thine eye-lids try the children of men. "I bless thee for thy kindness to me during the past night; for giving me refreshing sleep, and for raising me up to behold the light of the morning. I bless thee for the institution of the sabbath, and for all the external means of instruction, and impression, and consolation, which I have been permitted to enjoy. Once I was living without Thee, without Christ, and without hope in the world; and hadst thou left me to follow the evil propensities of my own heart, I should still have been a child of disobedience, an enemy to.. Thee by wicked works. Once I saw no evil in sin, no beauty in holiness, no attractions in the cross; the follies and the vanities of this perishing world engrossed the whole of my attention. But Thou hast been pleased to create within me a new heart, and renew within me a right spirit. Thou hast taken from me the stony heart, which resisted every good impression, and which was invincible to the force of thy loving kindness; and hast given me a heart of flesh, which feels contrition for my past offences, and grateful to Thee for the manifestations of thy mercy. "I did indulge the hope, when I first felt the power of changing grace, that I should long ere this have attained a more perfect conformity to Thee; but I am still a sinful and depraved creature, a treacherous disciple, a disobedient child. I have often broken my most solemn vows, neglected to improve my pri vileges, forgotten my most sacred obligations, and manifested a disposition to wander from Thee. ''Tis just, I own, that Thou depart, From so insensible a heart! Nor would I shun the sad decree "Tis not the painful I deplore, Bat sin's benumbing pois'ning power: And tempt my faithless heart astray.' "But Thou, Lord; knowest that my sins are the cause of my most poignant sorrow, I delight in thy г my law after the inward man; even while I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. "On this holy day, I used to go to thy house of prayer; and I bless Thee for all the impressions and consolations which I have enjoyed. There I have tasted that thou art gracious; there I have been fed with the manna which came down from above; there I have partaken of the blessedness of the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, . "But now, while many of my christian brethren are enjoying these privileges, I am compelled to spend my sabbath in the retirement of home. O Lord, exert thy power, and display thy glory in the sanctuary. Give testimony to the word of thy grace, which may be proclaimed. May it become the instrumental means of enlightening the understanding of the ignorant, renewing the heart of the depraved, sanctifying the impure, animating the discouraged, strengthening those who are weak, and building up thy people in their most holy faith. And, O permit me to plead for my dear relatives. Some whom I love, love not Thee; some who are nearly allied to me by the ties of nature and friendship, are living estranged from Thee. They have long withstood the force of example, the remonstrance of their own conscience, and the most powerful appeals of the pulpit; and unless Thou art pleased to exert thy resistless power, they will go on with heedless steps, till the gulf of the invisible world separates us for ever, Save, Lord, or they perish. Where sin has abounded, may thy grace much more abound; and that as sin has been reigning in their hearts, even so may thy grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. "And wilt Thou be pleased to bless me, O my Father, with the manifestations of thy favour, which is life; and thy loving kindness, which is better than life? While I mourn the loss of my sabbath pri vileges, keep me from repining. I would remember that gratitude becomes me more than complaint. My afflictions are light, when compared with those which pressed down the spirit of my Lord, as he bore away my sins in his own body on the tree; and few when compared with the afflictions of others. Many of the excellent of the earth, whose breasts glow with a purer and more ardent flame of devotion, than ever burned in mine, are now suffering more agonizing pain than I feel, are now wanting many of the comforts which I enjoy.Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who`crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.' "If it should please Thee, O Lord, to continue this affliction, and thus deprive me for many suceeding sabbaths, of the benefit which I have received from the public means of grace, give me a spirit of entire submission to thy righteous will, and favour me with thy gracious presence. If in this place I am to suffer tribulation, in Thee may I have peace. And while I am taught that all my comforts depend on Thee, may I find that Thou art employing even this affliction as the means of making me more sensible of their value. I now beseech Thee to remove it; to restore me to health,-to permit me once more to tread thy earthly courts, and to worship Thee in the congregation of the saints; but if thou dost otherwise determine, may thy grace be sufficient for me, may thy strength be made perfect in my weakness. May I be enabled to suffer all thy will, with more perfect purity of principle, than I have ever done thy will in the days of health and activity. "I know, O Lord, that I have an evil heart of unbelief, which is prone to depart from Thee, which is easily captivated by the delusive charms of the world; may this affliction become the means of reclaiming me, of bringing me near to Thee; even to thy seat, that my fellowship with Thee may be more habitual, more elevated, more transforming. I often deplore the imperfections of my character,-may this afflic |