For Monday Evening.

O thou Shepherd of Israel, who neither slumberest nor sleepest, mercifully regard us who are now assembled together, to commit ourselves to thy care and keeping through this night. The darkness is no darkness with thee; but the night is as clear as the day: the darkness and the light to thee are both alike. We acknowledge ourselves unworthy of thy protection. All we like sheep have gone astray, and have turned every one to his own way; and thou mightest justly leave us to eat of the fruit thereof, and to be filled with our own devices. But we flee unto thee, thou good Shepherd, who hast

given thy life for the sheep. Surely thou hast borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. Thou wast wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and the Lord hath laid upon thee the iniquity of us all. For thine own sake, therefore, we beseech thee to have mercy upon us. Though we have been as sheep going astray, incline us to return unto thee, the Shepherd and the Bishop of our souls. We look up unto thee for guidance, preservation, and strength. Lead us in the paths of righteousness for thy truth's sake. Keep us in the way in which we should go, and guide us with thine eye. Give unto us eternal life, and let us never perish; neither let any one pluck us out of thy hand.

Be thou, Lord, our Shepherd, and we shall want nothing. Let thy loving-kindness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives. When we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, be thou still with us. Let thy rod and thy staff comfort and support us: and graciously receive us, at the last, into thy heavenly fold; there with thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, to give thee thanks for ever.

O thou who feedest thy flock like a shepherd, guide and protect thy helpless sheep, scattered abroad through the wilderness of

this world. Mercifully guard them from those who lie in wait to deceive; and particularly from that roaring lion, which goeth about seeking whom he may devour; and let nothing separate them from thy everlasting love. Gather the lambs in thy arms, and carry them in thy bosom, and say unto them, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." And grant that, as one fold under one shepherd, they may learn of thee, who art meek and lowly in heart, to dwell together in peace and love. These prayers, for ourselves and others, we humbly offer up to the throne of grace, in the name, and through the mediation of Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Meditation for Tuesday Morning.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh I will in nowise cast out."-John vi. 37.

How welcome should these words be to our souls. His love; that great attractive, must draw us, or a sense of need and fear of danger drive us to him. We have reason to fear that he should cast us out, considering our meanness, our vileness, our unworthiness to come; we might justly fear that he would

frown upon us, and shut his doors against us; but his promise is, "I will in nowise cast out," I will not, no, I will not will not disdain us, though we are mean,-will not reject us though we are sinful. When it is said he will not cast him out, the meaning is that he will receive them, and entertain them, and give them all they come to him for.

They shall be taught of God. Their understandings shall be enlightened: God, in giving us reason, teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth; but in giving us faith, he teacheth us more than the natural man. None will come to Christ but such as have learned of the Father; we shall never be brought to Christ but under a Divine conduct; except God, by his grace, enlighten our minds, inform our judgment, and rectify our mistakes; and not only tell us that we may hear, but teach us that we may learn, the truth as it is in Jesus.

The nature of this work is drawing, which speaks not a force but a change wrought in the will, and a new bias given to the soul, by which it inclines to God. He that formed the spirit of man within him by his creating power, knows how to new mould the soul, and to alter its bent and temper, and to make it conformable to himself: to restore us unto

that near and blessed relation of sons of God. This was that dear expression of our Lord after his resurrection, John xx. 27, "Go to my brethren, and tell them I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; to my God, and to your God." He seems to en

gage them in this blessed relation in a kind of equality with himself: and the sweet and comfortable consequents of this are incomparable.

Is he my Father? then I know he can pity me as a father pitieth his children: he can pardon and spare me as a father spareth his son that serves him. Is he my Father? then whither should I go but to him for protection in all my dangers?-for direction in all my difficulties?--for satisfaction in all my doubts? -for supply in all my wants? Mercy and tenderness are attributes which he delights in; mercy pleaseth him; it was that great attribute that he proclaimed his name by, causing his sun to shine on the evil and the good, and surely he that hath mercy and goodness for a stranger, can not deny it to a child. "Can a mother forget her sucking child?-yea, she may forget; yet will I not forget thee, saith the Lord." Isaiah xlv. 15. "And if a son, then an heir of God, through Christ." Gal. iv. 9. Here is that lively hope

M