MAY 14.

By these, (books,) my son, be admonished.-Eccles. xii. 12. But, as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. -I Pet. ii. 2.

NEW-BORN babes must not self-conceitedly be desirous of high things and strong meat. Such have more need experimentally to understand the first oracles of Christ, and taste the milk and saving power of the Gospel. This would best make them grow in grace, and wean them from the world, since a sucking child esteems nothing else in comparison of its mother's breast; and those that delight in more lofty, vain imaginations than the Bible, do not follow the right spirit, and at last must come to their catechism again; for the more a Christian is approaching to his end, and desires to be duly prepared for heaven, the more he walks in deep humility and godly simplicity, placing himself on the lowest bench of weak and little children. And thus they are the fittest vessels of grace; they will certainly be enlightened, and have the mystery of Christ revealed in their hearts (Matt. xi. 25).

There was an hour when Christ rejoiced,
And spoke His joy in words of praise,-
Father, I thank thee, mighty God,

Lord of the earth, and heaven, and seas.

I thank thy sov'reign power and love,

That crowns my doctrine with success;
And makes the babes in knowledge learn
The height, the breadth, the length of grace.

But all His glory lies concealed

From men of prudence and of wit;

The prince of darkness blinds their eyes,
And their own pride resists the light.

Father, 'tis thus, because thy will
Chose and ordained it should be so;
'Tis thy delight t' abuse the proud,
And lay the haughty scorner low.

MAY 15.

I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc., that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened, etc. -Eph. iii. 14-16. Read on to verse 21.

THIS is a prayer, and a form fit to be used by all Christians. It may be used as a daily prayer; we should offer it up in faith, without apprehending that the favor we ask is too great. God will do ex ceedingly more for us than we can either ask or understand. Whatever we ask, He will grant us still more; for though we are sinners, yet Jesus hath received gifts even for sinners; and to every one of us (v. 7) is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, that we may enjoy all things richly, -Christ being rich toward all them that call upon Him. O God, thou art our Father, reconciled to us in Christ; grant us therefore power, great power, according to the riches of thy glory, not according to the narrowness of our hearts. We stand in need of great power, for we have great enemies. Strengthen us by thy Spirit, Lord Jesus; do thou dwell in our hearts, and grant us to be rooted in thy love, that we may know it more and more, and that it may be shed abroad in our hearts, and that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.

To thee, my God, I daily sigh,
But not for golden stores;
Nor covet I the brightest gem
On the rich eastern shores.

No pleasure's soft enticing charms,

My fond desires allure;

Far greater things than earn can yield,

My wishes would secure.

Those blissful, those transporting smiles,

That brighten heaven above;

The boundless riches of thy grace,

And treasures of thy love.

MAY 16.

Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. Therefore, remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.-Ps. cxix. 11, 38, 6, 49, 32.

"THAT the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer, receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives." -Shorter Catechism. Gospel-comforts sweetly and powerfully urge us to obedience; and law-terrors check us from resting on that obedience. Both are needful to guard us from security and legality. Whosoever despises or neglects obedience entertains a false notion of the Gospel, and is running headlong into licentiousness and ruin; and he who relies on his obedience to justify him, defeats the design of the Gospel, and frustrates the grace of God, making it of no effect. May the Lord lead and keep us in the right way!

Laden with guilt, and full of fears,

I fly to thee, my Lord;

And not a glimpse of hope appears
But in thy written word.

This is the judge that ends the strife,
Where wit and reason fail;

My guide to everlasting life,
Through all this gloomy vale.

Oh! may thy counsels, mighty God,
My roving feet command;

Nor I forsake the happy road

That leads to thy right hand!

MAY 17.

Through the law I am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.-Gal. ii. 19, 20.

CHRIST being our Head, in whom all fullness dwells, He will certainly fill all His members with life and strength, according to His promise, (John xiv. 19). "I live, and ye shall live also ;" and (chap. xvii. 3). "This is eternal life, that they may know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." To know Christ, and God in Christ, as love, is true light and life; he that has this has enough. Oh! the excellency of the knowledge of Christ! O Lord, teach me to know thee as the Bridegroom of my soul, that the Law may not rush into my conscience, now thy bridechamber, and condemn me any more! I desire to be devoted to thee alone. (Rom. vii. 4.) Grant therefore, that my whole heart and life, all my words and actions, may be governed only by a living faith on thee, who hast loved and given thyself for me.

Come, dearest Lord, descend and dwell,
By faith and love in every breast;
Then shall we know, and taste, and feel
The joys that cannot be exprest.

Come fill our hearts with inward strength,
Make our enlarged souls possess,

And learn the height, and breadth, and length
Of thine unmeasurable grace.

Now to the God whose power can do

More than our thoughts or wishes know,

Be everlasting honors done,

By all the Church, through Christ His Son !

MAY 18.

David's Confession :-I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.-Ps. cix. 22. Divine Answer :-I know thy poverty, but thou art rich.-Rev. ii. 9. For, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.-Matt. v. 3. The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise the Lord that seek Him: your hearts shall live for ever.-Ps. xxii. 26. The Lord healeth the broken in heart; the Lord lifteth up the meek.-Ps. cxlvii. 3, 6. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. -Matt. xii. 20.

SUCH are the tender mercies of Christ toward the weakest of His people, that He supplies them from time to time with all proportionable strength, till at last they are able to gain a complete victory. As soon, therefore, as we are sensible of our poverty or miserable condition, and are desirous of grace and strength to overcome sin, and evidence that desire to be sincere by constant prayer, we have actually some grace and spiritual life, and are delivered already from the jaws of hell; for there is no such feeling in dead souls; and in hell there is only a desire to be delivered from the punishment of sin, but not from sin itself.

Blessed are the humble souls that see
Their emptiness and poverty;
Treasures of grace to them are given,
And crowns of joy laid up in heaven.

Blessed are the men with broken heart,
Who mourn for sin with inward smart ;
The blood of Christ divinely flows,
A healing balm for all their woes.