therefore in the morning hear, not only the voice of praise, but the voice of prayer. Who is to guide me through the day upon which I have entered? How much depends upon one mistake in my movements? And how easily may I go astray? The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning, for in Thee do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee." Who is to guard me through the day? And I am much more exposed when awake, than when asleep. My soul is more exposed-more exposed to sin-and sin is the greatest evil. And what am I, to resist a corrupt heart, a wicked world, and all the powers of darkness? "Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe. Be Thou my arm every morning; my salvation also in the time of trouble." Who is to help me through the day? I have many duties to discharge. I am to live soberly, righteously, and godly. I am to walk in wisdom towards those that are without: I am to speak the truth in love: I am to adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things. "Lord, without thee, I can do nothing. Let thy grace be sufficient for me; and thy strength made perfect in weakness." Who is to give me success in the business of the day? I know I ought not to be idle; but to be diligently and prudently employed in my lawful calling. Means are mine; but how much more is necessary than my wisdom and anxiety. "The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich; and he addeth no sorrow with it." Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for me to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Who is to prepare me for the events of the day? And I know not what the day may bring forth. Perhaps I may receive the most unwelcome intelligence. Perhaps I may sustain losses in property. Perhaps I may meet with mortifications from my fellow-creatures; and be tried with disappointments in friends. My child may this day fall sick. The desire of mine eyes may be taken away with a stroke. There may be but a step between me and death. It is wonderful we live a day through. "May I know how to be abased, or how to abound. If in the world I have tribulation, in the Saviour may I have peace. So teach me to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto wisdom-That whether I live, I may live unto the Lord; or whether I die, I may die unto the Lord: so that, living and dying, I may be the Lord's." AUG. 19.-" I am married unto you." Jer. iii. 14. MARRIAGE is the nearest and the most intimate of all human relations. It is surpassed only by the union between soul and body. Here are two persons meeting together, who perhaps never saw or heard of each other some time before; yet, coming under the power of this ordinance, are united in a connexion that exceeds the claims of nature, and the wife becomes dearer than the dearest parent. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh." Thus Christians, though once strangers, and far off, become the people of God, a people nigh unto him; yea, one with him, in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten and He is not ashamed to own the relation-" I am married unto you." What is supremely and essentially included in this relation, when properly established? In such a marriage, there is mutual love. This love regards the person, and not the endowments. And such a love there is between God and his people. It commenced on his side much earlier than on their's; and his love to them, produced their love to him. For love begets love: and we love him, because he first loved us. Yet the love is mutual-and he says, "I love them that love me." The same may be said of mutual choice. In a proper marriage, the parties freely elect each other. God has chosen his people; and they have chosen him. For, though once averse to him, as their Lord and portion, they are made willing in the day of his power; and this power is not violence, but influence -the influence of wisdom and goodness. He works in them to will and to do of his good pleasure. He draws them, and they run after him; and they can all say, from the heart, "Whom have I in heaven, but Thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee." In this connexion, there is also confidence and communication. Where this is wanting, the spirit of it is materially injured; and the relation is very defectively maintained. It is readily allowed, that the woman should not carry on designs concealed from the husband; but is not every thing here reciprocal? And is he justified in treating her with reserve and silence? Yet there are many wives, who have had no intimation of the state of their husband's affairs, till they have found themselves plunged into a condition overwhelming them with surprize, as well as calamity. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. And they, in all their ways, acknowledge him. They pour out their hearts before him; they hide nothing from him. There is, also, in this alliance, fellowship and community of goods. However poor or mean the wife was before, she is now raised to a participation of the husband's rank and affluence: and however free and independent he was before, the husband now enters into all the condition of the wife. And thus the believer dedicates himself to God, with all he is and has. He feels His cause his own; he deplores its reproaches, and rejoices in its success. And God gives himself, with all he is and has, to the believer. In all his afflictions He is afflicted: and he that toucheth him, toucheth the apple of His eye. Finally. There is complacency and delight. As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. He will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will rejoice over thee with singing How wonderful is this!-and yet how true! How blessed are the people who are in such a case! Art thou in this happy, this glorious condition? All hail! Thy Maker is thy husband. There was joy in the presence of the angels of God the hour thou gavest thy consent to the proposals of the Gospel. Art thou willing to be united to him? His ministers invite and woo thee. Come-for all things are now ready. Resemble not Israel, who would have none of him. And so were given up to their own hearts' lust. Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation. AUG. 20.-" His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hos. vi. 3. "His going forth," and "his coming," mean his displays and his communications, on behalf of those who earnestly and perseveringly seek after him; according to the words immediately preceding"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know, the Lord." This contains the assurance of their success. But here is added the illustration of it. It consists of two images, equally beautiful and encouraging. The first derived from the morning-" His going forth is prepared as the morning." When the morning is not yet come, we fully rely upon it. We know it is coming: we know it is secured in the appointment of Providence, and the arrangements of nature. It never yet failed; and it never will, as long as the world endures. And does not the God of all grace express the immutability of his counsel, by the certainty of this very allusion? "Thus saith the Lord, If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night; and that there shall not be day or night in their season; then may also my covenant be broken with David, my servant." What can hinder the approach and the rising of the sun? And his going forth is prepared as surely as the morning. And as luminously, too. The morning drives away the darkness, and shines upon our path; so that we see where we are; and how to move. "If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him." The Lord will come, and manifest himself to his people. He will shew them his covenant. He will lead them into all truth. And, with regard to doctrine, and experience, and practice; and also their interest in the Divine favour; he will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight: these things will he do unto them, and not forsake them. It is also as delightsome as the morning. The |