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bles me to rejoice in the finished. work of the Redeemer? Enable me to distinguish between the faith which is thy gift, and that spurious faith which the impenitent may have and yet perish. May I so believe as to receive Christ cordially; as my Prophet to instruct me, my Priest to make atonement for me, and my King to reign in and rule over me, to whom I shall render a willing obedience.

O thou God of love, who so loved the world as to give thy only begotten Son to die for it, do I love thee supremely, and is Christ to me the chief among ten thousand and one altogether lovely? Have my af*fections, which were earthly and sensual, undergone that purifying change, which turns them from the creature to the Creator, from selfish

indulgences, to the Saviour? Do I love holiness, and desire entire conformity to thy law? Do I love and prefer spiritual things? Do I set a less value on the things of the world and a higher value on the things of heaven? Do I love thee as my lawgiver, my judge, my friend, and Redeemer, and can I from my heart say, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee?

O holy and blessed God, so plenteously endue me with thy Holy Spirit, that I may be able to discern my true character, and know whether I am in Christ or not. If I am still in an unregenerate state, most mercifully rescue me from it, before it be too late, and by thy power convert my soul unto thee; but if indeed I am a child of thine, then may my soul abound in the

consolations of grace, that I may be enabled confidently to say, whether I live, I live unto the Lord, or whether I die, I die unto the Lord, so that living and dying I am the Lord's; all which I ask in the name of the Amen.

Divine Mediator.

CHAPTER III.

SCRIPTURE

PROMISES.

FRAYER.

PRAYER is the means by which we hold intercourse with God. Although he is infinitely exalted, he has respect to the lowly, and he has not said to any, "Seek ye my face in vain.” Prayer should be regarded as a sweet privilege, and our sincerity in it should be evinced by the constancy and importunity of our addresses to the throne of grace. Do we need pardon, sanctification, and eternal life? We will then certainly ask them of God, who alone can bestow them. He hears and answers prayer for Christ's sake.

"Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. In the day of my trouble, I will call upon for thou wilt answer me."

thee;
Psalm lxxxvi. 5, 7.

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth." Psalm cxlv. 18. "The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. X. 12, 13.

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." James iv. 8.

"If thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Deut. iv. 29.

"Ye shall seek me and find me,

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