David's Prayer.-Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies. Psal. xxvii. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. Psal. lxxxvi. 11. Divine Answer.-Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way. What man is he that fears the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. Psal. xxv. 8, 12.

O LORD, be pleased to fulfil this gracious promise in me also. Thou hast inclined my heart to do thy will, and yet I am often in darkness about thy will. Here it is written, "Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way." It is thy own word; I may depend upon it, and would plead it with thee. Many times thou hast fulfilled this promise already, thou art willing and able to do it evermore for thy own name's sake. Thou art ever mindful of thy word, and I would keep close unto it. Then let thy Spirit well explain thy word, and write it on my heart, enabling me understand, to love and practise it. I lift my soul to God,

My trust is in his name;

Let not my foes that seek my blood
Still triumph in my shame.

Sin and the powers of hell

Persuade me to despair;

Lord, let me know thy cov'nant well,
That I may 'scape the snare.

The Lord is just and kind;

The meek shall learn his ways;

And every humble sinner find

The methods of his grace.

For his own goodness' sake

He saves my soul from shame;
He pardons (though my guilt be great)
Through my Redeemer's name

David's Prayer.-Turn again our captivity, O Lord. Psal. cxxvi. 4.

Divine Answer.-The Lord has appointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Isa lxi. 1. For thus saith the Lord, &c., I will give thee for a covenant to the people, &c., that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shen yourselves; they shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places; they shall not hunger nor thirst. Isa. xlix. 8-10. See also chap. xxxv. 10.

O LORD, I am hungering after the righteousness and freedom, not only of faith but of holiness also; not that I may make holiness the foundation of hope; but the evidence of faith; and that I may be able to rejoice and take comfort of thy righteousness alone, without deceiving my soul. Grant, therefore, that I may be truly filled, and may be strong, easy and free, so as to be kept no longer in any of the most subtle bonds, either of the Law, unbelief, and a bad conscience, or of a worldly mind!

Buried in shadows of the night

We lie till Christ restores the light;
Wisdom descends to heal the blind,
And chase the darkness from the mind.

Jesus beholds where Satan reigns,
Binding his slaves in heavy chains;
He sets the prisoners free, and breaks
The iron bondage from our necks.

Poor helpless worms in thee possess
Grace, wisdom, power and righteousness;
Thou art our mighty ALL, and we
Give our whole selves, O Lord, to thee.

David's Prayer.-How long wilt thou hide thy face from me, O Lord? Psal. xiii. 1.

Divine Answer.-For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. &c. Isa. liv. 7—9.

WHEN the Lord is pleased to quicken us in our prayers with a lively impression of one or more promises, we are apt to think that the hour of his help is come. But afterwards, it may be, he not only hides himself for a great while again, but things take even such a strange and contrary course, as if all had been nothing, or as if nothing was more uncertain than the word of God; nay, even than God himself. They who deny such temptations, are strangers both to themselves and to the devices of Satan. But Christians must then be prudently upon their guard, thinking that God is going to do some glorious things for them; for if they be first more convinced of their utter unworthiness, if they act with faith and patience, and be more earnest in prayers, they are fit to receive so much more grace afterwards. Though yet, after all, God, as a sovereign, will give such measures of grace at such seasons, and to such persons, as he pleases.

Dear Lord, behold our sore distress;
Our sins attempt to reign;

Stretch out thine arm of conq'ring grace,
And let thy foes be slain.

If thou despise a mortal groan,
Yet hear a Saviour's blood;
An advocate so near the throne
Pleads and prevails with God.

How boundless is our Father's grace,
In height, in depth, and length !
He made his Son our righteousness;
His Spirit is our strength!

David's Prayer.-How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? Ps. xiii. 1.

Divine Answer.-Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Isa. xlix. 15, 16.

THE wickedness and the evil of our hearts, and the great heap of our actual transgressions which we daily transgress against the Lord, are no easy matters to get rid of. We need to wrestle and strive like Jacob, and hold the Lord till he bless us with his pardoning and his purifying grace. Were all our sins and afflictions easily to be prayed away with a few words, whence these sad and repeated complaints of David? Why should God advise us to wait for him, and persevere in hope? And how could faith and patience be exercised? In our closets we may be lifted up with high speculations, seem to be strong, and able to leap over all the walls; but in great distress we see how dejected and distrusting our hearts often are (Ps. xxx. 7, 8), but the Lord pre

serves us.

God's is an unchanging love,
Higher than the heights above,
Deeper than the depths beneath,
Free and faithful, strong as death.

Thou shalt see my glory soon,
When the work of grace is done;
Partner of my throne shalt be;
Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?

Lord, it is my chief complaint,
That my love is weak and faint;
Yet, I love thee, and adore ;
O for grace to love thee more!

David's Prayer.-Shew me thy ways, O Lord, and teach me thy paths. Psalm xxv. 4.

Moses' Prayer.-Shew me now thy way, that I may know thee. Ex. xxxiii. 13.

Divine Answers.-I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye. Ps. xxxii. 8. My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Ex. xxxiii. 14.

O LORD, suffer me not to step aside one inch from thy way, much less to fall away from thee, the true Vine and Fortress of my soul, by the plausible insinuations of my own brain and imagination. May I never run, before thou hast called me, to the hurt of my soul; but constantly and confidently abide in thee, always drawing first the necessary light and strength from thee, by never-ceasing supplications. Grant that, my eye being fixed continually upon thee, I may be guided into all truth, my doings being attended with thy blessing, and my whole life be a constant progress towards Heaven.

CHRIST'S ANSWER.-I will keep thee as the apple of mine eye, that no evil shall come near thee. As a careful mother watches over her child, so have I undertaken to teach thee my path, and guide thee with my own eyes. Whatever faintings and failings may befall thee, yet will I be ever faithful, raising thee up again, and leading thee on evermore in thy ways. Nay, as a good Shepherd, I will carry thee in my own arms when ever thy increasing weakness shall require.

My honour is engaged to save
The meanest of my sheep;
All that my heavenly Father gave,
My hands securely keep.