OCTOBER 30. Yield not your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your, members as instruments of righteousness.-Rom. vi. 13. Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Goa.-Rom. xii. 1. IF God has my members as weapons and instruments in His hands, I shall certainly be able not only to work, but also to conquer, since He understands full well how to manage them. May the Lord only give me grace not to wind myself out of His hands, else I must needs be like a dead, useless carcass; for how can a pen write alone, without being in the hand of a writer? It is true, indeed, it is very hard, nay, impossible, to be really good, and to do all that is good, if we undertake it alone; but God himself living and working in us, and we truly delighting in Him, it is very easy and pleasant. Therefore, care is only to be taken that our hearts may be always the working-place, and our members the instruments of God, in which, and through which, He can perform everything himself. Now God I serve; to Him alone To Him my members I present, The meanest, basest instrument, His glory deigns to use. Come then, my soul, to God the Lord, Obey the precepts of His Word, A slave to sin too long thou wast, OCTOBER 31. The fear of man bringeth a snare.—Prov. xxix. 25. Be not conformed to this world.-Rom. xii. 2. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.-1 John. ii. 15. How many people swell with pride and vanity for such things as they would not know how to value at all but that they are admired in the world! How fearful are many of having their houses poorly furnished, or themselves meanly clothed, for this only reason, lest the world should make no account of them, and place them amongst low and mean people! How often would a man have yielded to the haughtiness and ill-nature of others, and shewn a submissive temper, but that he dares not pass for such a poor-spirited man in the opinion of the world! How many wish to be real Christians, and would practice Christian temperance and sobriety, were it not for the censure the world passes upon such a life! Others have frequent intentions of living up to the rules of Christianity, from which they are frighted by considering what the world would say of them. Thus does the impression which we have received from living in the world enslave our minds, that we dare not attempt to be eminent in the sight of God and holy angels, for fear of being little in the eyes of the world. Reader, how is it with thee? Art thou still hanging between God and the world? Consider for a moment, what can the world give thee in exchange for the favor of God? What can it help thee in sickness, death and judgment? Reflect seriously on this, with prayer unto God, and the snares of the world will be broken. Lord, save me from the fear of man, And make me hear their scoffs and jests If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above-not on things on the earth. For ye are dead: and your life is hid with Christ in God.-Col. iii. 1-3. -: 0: My soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from Him.-Ps. lxii. 5. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.— Isa. xl. 31. ($22) NOVEMBER I. Continuing in At the beginning of thy supplications the command ment came forth.-Dan. ix. 23. stant in prayer.-Rom. xii. 12. OH! comfortable and encouraging thought, that in the same moment the supplication ascended, the gracious answer descended. When we pray with simplicity and earnestness of soul, the return of grace and love meets our request before it hath ascended half way to heaven: and when the Lord is going to bless us, He pours out a spirit of prayer, and raises a desire for that particular blessing He is going to communicate. Therefore, when we are enabled to pray earnestly, we may be sure that blessings are coming, and that we shall certainly receive in due time a seasonable and visible help. Then let us only go on, and put, as it were, one weight of prayers after another upon the scales of the sanctuary. But it is well to be observed that we must also be watchful, and not act contrary to the intent of our prayers, which might provoke the Lord to delay His help. But when He tarries long, it is not His intention to give us a denial; but rather make us more desirous and earnest, that He may bestow the more upon us afterward. For this delay He will certainly well recompense, and grant us abundantly above all that we could ask or think. Lord, I will not let thee go Joined to His it cannot fail; All my largest thoughts require, NOVEMBER 2. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.-Gen. iii. 6. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away.of his own lust, and enticed. Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, etc.—James i. 15. THUS One sin always begets another: by the eyes it rushes into the heart; from the heart it proceeds into the mouth, hands and feet; from us it is transferred upon others; and thus we go on sinning, and falling deeper and deeper. Therefore we must set a strict guard over our eyes and ears; be very cautious, and resist the least beginnings of sin; not making light of any, for the least spark of worldly lust being entertained and cherished, we eat of the forbidden tree, standing every way before us, and thereby a great fire may be kindled. But having always our eyes fixed, and all our conversation upon the presence of God in Christ, so as to walk continually in the light, and directly to quell the least inward motions of evil, they will never break forth into gross outward sins, but we shall daily grow in grace. May the Lord enable me to practice this good lesson, and may He himself watch continually over my heart, eyes, lips, and all other senses and thoughts! With my whole heart I seek thy face, Oh! let me never stray From thy commands. O God of grace, Nor tread the sinner's way. Thy word I hide within my heart, To keep my conscience clean, And be an everlasting guard |