Let all my works in thee be wrought,
And filled with thee be all my thought,
Till in me thy full likeness shine.

30. Let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Rev. 22: 17.

and a want of

If there be a sense of sin, spiritual blessings, and a willingness to be saved by grace, though you know that it is Christ's secret power that makes you willing, yet, being athirst and willing, you are invited: do not puzzle and perplex yourself with such questions as these: Am I elected? Have I a right? Am I prepared? but come upon the invitation, and take pardon, peace, righteousness, and every gospel blessing, as free gifts to the needy. If one ready to perish with hunger and thirst were invited to a feast, and assured of welcome, and he should stand hesitating, Have I a right? am I worthy? would it not seem preposterous in him thus to demur, when his necessities were pressing upon him, and a plentiful table before him? The weary, the hungry, the thirsty, the guilty, the worthless, the vilest, are invited to believe on Jesus, who came only to save sinners; and who hath assured them in his word, that if they thus come to him, "he will in no wise cast them out."

The Spirit in the word,
And in his motions, cries,
Come to the fountainhead of life,
And come for large supplies.

Let him who feels his thirst,
Nor can endure its rage,
Come to salvation's copious springs,
And all his pains assuage.

And whosoever will,

Is welcome to receive

The streams of everlasting life

That Heaven will freely give.

Jesus, is this thy voice? We bless the gracious call, And flee with joyful haste to thee, Our Saviour and our all.

OCTOBER.

1. Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed. Rev. 5:5. Sin shall not have dominion over you. Rom. 6:14.

MANY complain that though they will not turn back, yet they have no power to advance further. If this should be thy case, my reader. remember that the enemy of souls will discourage thee. Go on praying, and venture evermore upon the Lord. Consider how he awakened you at first, how often he heard your prayers afterwards, and assisted you in many hard struggles. Surely he will help you now also. If that will not do, begin as it were afresh; acknowledge yourself guilty in every respect; and, as the chief of sinners, plead for mercy, and be instant in your humble supplications; looking at the same time upon God as a reconciled Father through Christ, who is willing to receive you, pardon, and bless you, in spite of all your misery; then you will soon make a better progress. To despair of our own strength, is good; but we must never despair of the power of Christ, who is risen from the dead, but be sure to overcome with him at last. He will certainly help you in the due and best season.

Hell and thy sins resist thy course,
But hell and sin are vanquished foes;
Thy Jesus nailed them to the cross.
And sung the triumph when he rose.

He dies, and in that dreadful night
Did all the powers of death destroy;
Rising, he brought our heaven to light,
And took possession of the joy.

2. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But he chastened us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Heb. 12:6-10.

To these chastenings belong outward afflictions, which are precious means, and sanctified to believers. O my dear heavenly Father, thou art only pleased with a true childlike confidence, but I am still of a distrusting heart when any thing comes upon me on a sudden. Help me always to entertain the kindest thoughts of thee, and to fear no adversity, looking upon it as a token of love, and not of hatred, and really believing it to be intended as a blessing for my good. Whatever thy providence may order, let me only be convinced of thy fatherly affection, and fall in with thy wholesome and loving designs.

Though for my sin I justly feel
Thy discipline, O God,

I wait thy gracious moment still,
Till thou remove thy rod.

For I have found 'tis good for me
To bear my Father's rod;
Afflictions make me learn thy law,
And live upon my God.

This is the comfort I enjoy,
When new distress begins;
I read thy word, I run thy way,
And hate my former sins.

3. The entrance of thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Order my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Psa. 119: 130, 133.

We may have a clear sight and a real taste of the gospel, and yet be soon deprived of the comfort of it again, if we do not walk in godly simplicity and poverty of spirit; for Christ will have none but humble and childlike disciples. But if we abide in Christ, by a close and humble walk with him, we shall come to a great and lasting assurance. For neither a sweet sense of Christ, nor even faith itself in Christ, is the ground of our salvation; but Christ alone, received into the heart as the Saviour. Faith does not save, but enables us to receive the Saviour, and with him salvation. Neither