higher than thou art, and from which no storm shall shake thee, and on which no water shall overwhelm thee.

O Thou that art the Hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea, be Thou my hope.

LORD, have mercy.
CHRIST, have mercy.

LORD, have mercy.

GOD, Who didst bring salvation to the house of Zaccheus, repenting of his sins and restoring fourfold;

Who didst exercise Thy mercy in behalf of the woman taken in adultery; Who didst receive publicans and sinners, and didst eat with them;

Who didst forgive Magdalene her many sins, because she loved much; Who, looking tenderly on Peter who denied Thee, didst bring him to compunction and tears;

Who didst promise paradise to the penitent thief;

Have mercy on us.

LAMB of GOD, that takest away the sins of the world;

Have mercy on us.

My most gracious and beloved Saviour, Thou hast taught me to pray "Thy kingdom come." Thus, then, do I pray to Thee May Thy kingdom come into my

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soul, that Thou mayest possess it entirely, and it possess Thee, the only true and sovereign Good,

Depart from my heart, all ye earthly affections, ye worldly desires, and give place to my GOD, Who comes to take possession of me. Yes, LORD, take possession of me, for Thou art my Redeemer, my Love, my GOD, my All.

O merciful and pitiful FATHER, Thou art ready to be found of them that seek Thee, and I shall not fail to find the fountain of mercy with Thee. Thou hast conferred great things upon me, and this emboldens me to ask for more. Behold, I offer to Thy compassion one blind, for Thee to enlighten; sick, for Thee to make whole; bound by many debts, for Thee to loosen naked and poor, for Thee to enrich and I beseech Thee, enlighten me with Thy most healthful faith; gladden and strengthen me with Thy most joyous and certain hope; quicken me with Thy most strong and righteous love; and bring me to Thy glory; for Thy dear SON's sake. Amen.

Our FATHER, &c.

PSALM X. Ut quid, Domine?

Why standest Thou so far off, O LORD: and hidest Thy face in the needful time of trouble ?

The ungodly for his own lust doth persecute the poor let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined.

For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart's desire and speaketh good of the covetous, whom GOD abhorreth.

The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for GOD: neither is GOD in all his thoughts.

His ways are always grievous: Thy judgments are far above out of his sight, and therefore defieth he all his enemies.

For he hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down there shall no harm happen unto me.

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud under his tongue is ungodliness and vanity.

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He sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent; his eyes are set against the poor.

For he lieth waiting secretly, even as a lion lurketh he in his den that he may ravish the poor.

He doth ravish the poor: when he getteth him into his net.

He falleth down, and humbleth himself: that the congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his captains.

He hath said in his heart, Tush, GOD

hath forgotten: He hideth away His face, and He will never see it.

Arise, O LORD GOD, and lift up Thine hand forget not the poor.

Wherefore should the wicked blaspheme GOD while he doth say in his heart, Tush, Thou GOD carest not for it.

Surely Thou hast seen it for Thou beholdest ungodliness and wrong.

That Thou mayest take the matter into Thine hand the poor committeth himself unto Thee; for Thou art the helper of the friendless.

Break Thou the power of the ungodly and malicious: take away his ungodliness, and Thou shalt find none.

The LORD is King for ever and ever: and the heathen are perished out of the land.

LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the poor: Thou preparest their heart, and Thine ear hearkeneth thereto;

To help the fatherless and poor unto their right that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.

Glory be to the FATHER, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.

THURSDAY IN ADVENT.

"It is appointed unto men once to die."Heb. ix. 27.

The future course of each one's life is uncertain; but one thing and one alone is perfectly certain for each-our death. At this very moment, the hour of death for each one of us is appointed in the counsels of GOD. Every day that we have lived, this very day now passing, is a gift of GOD'S Grace; it is in His Hand to lengthen or shorten our term of life as He will. Wilt not thou, O my soul, strive that each day shall be consecrated to His service? that each day may find thee more ready to die? Length of days is surely a blessing, if we use it to the service of GOD. "The deceitful men shall not live out half their days," saith holy David; yet sometimes our loving FATHER shortens this life for those after His own heart, as a reward and blessing. Of some it is written that, having "pleased GOD, and being beloved of Him,” they were "made perfect in a short time, and fulfilled a long time: for his soul pleased the LORD, therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked."