thy purposes, without knowing them: I am silent, I offer myself in sacrifice. I abandon myself to thee, having no greater desire than to accomplish thy will. Teach me to pray. Pray thou thyself in me.— Abp. Fenelon.

MEDITATION XII

On the Sufferings of Christ.

[Scott.

ONCE more, O my soul! let thy meditations turn for a moment on the complicated cruelties and indignities to which the holy and spotless Lamb of God was exposed. He was wounded and scourged, that thou mightest be healed. He was arrayed with scorn in the purple robe, that he might procure for thee the robe of righteousness and salvation. He was

crowned with thorns, that thou mightest be crowned with honour and immortality. He stood speechless that thou mightest have an all prevailing plea. He endured

torture, that thou mightest have a strong consolation. He thirsted, that thou mightest drink of the waters of life. He bore the wrath of the Father, that thou mightest enjoy his favour. He was numbered with transgressors, that thou mightest be made equal with the angels. He died, that thou mightest live for ever! Oh! then, let me often retire and meditate on this scene, and admire his immeasureable love, that I may learn to mourn for sin, and hate it, and rejoice in my obligations to such a Redeemer, until I am constrained to live no longer unto myself but to him who died for me, and rose again.

MEDITATION XIII.

On Death.

[Cæsar Malan. The

We were born, and we must die.

time allotted to us here below is short indeed. If we stretch out our hands, we

may almost touch the portals which terminate the path of our mortal pilgrimage. If we listen with attention, we seem to hear the labour of him who is engaged in preparing our graves; and, if the Holy Spirit is pleased to open our ears, we may already discern the sounds which proceed from the celestial abodes.

Listen, O my soul, to this warning voice with the deepest attention! "All flesh is grass, and the glory of man is as the flower of the field." Fresh and verdant in the morning, it adorns the meadow: the sight is gladdened at its beauty, and it sheds sweet perfumes around. "In the evening it is cut down and withered!" Its glory is departed; and it tells us that a few hours must suffice for earthly enjoyments. The day is passed-the grass and the flowers thereof, are gone..

MEDITATION XIV.

On the Joys of Heaven.

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[Bp. Ken. HAIL, the despised followers of the poverty of Jesus! he had no estates,—he had no purchase on earth, not a hole wherein to lay his sacred head." In this you were like your suffering Lord; for your treasures were in heaven, where you now enjoy them with an assurance of an everlasting possession; you are now no longer heirs, but actual inheritors of that kingdom of inexpressible wealth, from which he has utterly debarred all that are encumbered with riches here below, and place their security and reliance on them. What divine melody is this, O my soul, which thus charms my ravished thoughts? What vigorous echoes of joy inexpressible, are these I hear? These can be none other than the voices of angels. Oh, the fervour of this joy! as if their heavenly breasts were unable to contain the flaming zeal within. Lo! how

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they break forth into the most ardent expressions, and pathetic hallelujahs to your Creator's glory! Hark! what heavenly song is this I hear? Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! which was, and is, and is to come. Blessing, honour, power, and glory, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever!"