any trouble, by the comfort where- vail. The adversaries of the LORD with we ourselves are comforted shall be broken to pieces; out of of GOD. For as the sufferings of heaven shall He thunder upon CHRIST abound in us, so our con- them: the LORD shall judge the solation also aboundeth by CHRIST. ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed. We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in GOD Which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver us. : 44. Thanksgiving. 1 Sam. ii. Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in Thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD for there is none beside Thee neither is there any rock like our GOD. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a GOD of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The LORD killeth and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich : He bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and He hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man pre : 45. Isaiah xxxviii. I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: He will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me. I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will He break all my bones: from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me. Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and Himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit; so wilt Thou recover me, and make me to live. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back. For the grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise Thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known Thy truth. The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD. 46. For one unlikely to recover. 2 Esd. iv. We pass away out of the world as grasshoppers, and our life is. astonishment and fear, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy. What will He then do unto His Name whereby we are called? of these things have I asked. Then answered he me and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marvel; for the world hasteth fast to pass away, and cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come; for this world is full of unrighteousness and infirmities. As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, may tell thee of them in part: but as touching thy life, I am not sent to show it thee; for I do not know it. I 47. For a Dying Communicant. Rev. xix. I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the LORD our GOD. .. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped GOD that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our GOD, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the LORD GOD omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of GOD. 48. With the Friends of one Departed. Wisd. iii. The souls of the righteous are in the hands of GOD, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for GOD proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them, and received them as a burnt-offering. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their LORD shall reign for ever. 49. With Mourners. 8. John xi. Martha said unto JESUS, LORD, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of GOD, GOD will give it Thee. JESUS saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. JESUS said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto Him, Yea, LORD: I believe that Thou art the CHRIST, the SON of GOD, which should come into the world. 50. For Patience. It is of the LORD'S mercies that marriage supper of the Lamb. we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full with reproach. For the LORD will not cast off for ever. But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies; for He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. : earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: to set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety... So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth. Behold, happy is the man whom GOD correcteth : therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty for He maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and His hands make whole; He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee. . . . Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. Lo this, we have searched it, so it is, hear it, and know thou it for thy good. 53. Isa. xxvi., &c. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for 51. When the Patient trusts over- in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting much to Medical skill. 2 Chron. xvi., &c. And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 52. For Trust. Job v. ... strength. fruit. 54. Ecclus. xxxiv. The spirit of those that fear the LORD shall live; for their hope is in Him that saveth them. Whoso feareth the LORD shall not fear nor be afraid : for He is his hope. Although affliction cometh not Blessed is the soul of him that forth of the dust, neither doth trou-feareth the LORD: to whom doth ble spring out of the ground; yet he look? and who is his strength ? man is born unto trouble, as the For the eyes of the LORD are upon sparks fly upward. I would seek them that love Him, He is their unto GOD, and unto God would I mighty protection and strong stay, commit my cause: Which doeth a defence from heat, and a cover great things and unsearchable: from the sun at noon, a preservamarvellous things without num- tion from stumbling, and an help ber: Who giveth rain upon the from falling. He raiseth up the soul, and lighteneth the eyes: He giveth health, life, and blessing. 55. Confidence in God. S. Matth. x. JESUS said, Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your FATHER. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My FATHER which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My FATHER which is in heaven. 56. For one in Poverty. Hab. iii., &c. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the GOD of my salvation. The LORD GOD is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.. Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the LORD, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the LORD on the sudden to make a poor man rich. The blessing of the LORD is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly He maketh His blessing to flourish. Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter? For it is an easy thing unto the LORD in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways. 57. S. John vi. JESUS said, Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath GOD the FATHER sealed. Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that JESUS answered and said unto them, we might work the works of GOD? This is the work of GOD, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest Thou then, that dost Thou work? Our fathers did we may see, and believe Thee? what eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then JESUS said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My FATHER giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the Bread of GOD is He which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, LORD, evermore give us this bread. And JESUS said unto them, I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to that believeth on Me shall never Me shall never hunger; and he thirst. 58. For one in Hatred. Ecclus. xxviii., &c. He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the LORD, and He will surely keep his sins in remembrance. Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest. One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the LORD? He showeth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins? If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will entreat for pardon of his sins? Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death, and abide in the command may be established. ye say JESUS said, If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I unto you, Whatsoever shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My FATHER which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter to Him, and said, LORD, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? JESUS saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. GENERAL READINGS. 60. 1 Sam. ii. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside Thee: nei ther is there any rock like our GOD. ... The LORD killeth and maketh alive: He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and He hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness: for by strength shall no man prevail. upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. Lo, all these things worketh GOD oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. 62. Isa. liii. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of GOD, and afflicted. But He was |