soul, to the second coming of our LORD. Alas! darkness has again covered the earth, and gross darkness the people. He came unto His own, and His own received him not. The LORD whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple. Suddenly? Then, indeed, is the night far spent; the day may be at hand, yea, even at the door. But, who may abide the day of His coming; and who may stand when He appeareth?

Purify me, O my God! and let me partake of Thy precious promises; let me go on in the path of holiness, that I may be enabled to abide the day of Thy coming. In myself I am weak, yielding to every temptation, and falling short in every good resolution; but let Thy grace be sufficient for me; support me, day by day, with fresh supplies of grace, and enable me to contemplate the brightness of Thy rising.

How overwhelming are the precious words of Thy SPIRIT, Spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, which describe the joys in store for those who love Thy appearance!

"The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

"The sun shall no more go down; neither shall the moon withdraw itself; for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.”

Oh! how, after thinking on this glorious prospect, can I return to sin and worldly vanities? Grant me, LORD, Thy gracious help: oh! save me, for Thy mercy's sake.

A

LMIGHTY GOD, give us grace that we

may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son JESUS CHRIST came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through Him Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the HOLY GHOST, now and for ever. Amen.

Friday

AFTER FIRST SUNDAY

LET US THEREFORE CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS, AND LET US PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT.

T

Rom. xiii. 12.

HE object of all my devotional exercises,

At

at this season of Advent, ought to be to prepare my soul for the due celebration of the festival commemorating our blessed LORD's first coming into the world, that it may be in a fit state to abide the day of His second coming; which, it is revealed, is to happen suddenly, and therefore may come to pass at any moment. this very moment, perhaps to-morrow, I may hear the trump of the Archangel! My soul, dost thou realize this awful fact? As a matter of revelation my reason assents thereto; but all things go on as they have hitherto done; I am lulled into the security that in my day this dread event will not take place, and I fear that I may be living in a state of practical unbelief of the great truth.

Have I cast away the works of darkness? Let

me consider what are works of darkness.

All

works which are contrary to the will of God. The armour of light is put on by the assistance of GOD's Holy and Blessed SPIRIT. If I avail myself of it, I have had the gift of that Holy Life-giving SPIRIT. But have I entirely cast away all works of darkness, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life? If I am not swollen with pride, do I so entirely renounce all thought and care of self as to be truly and entirely humble? If I am not eaten up with envy, do I never regret the condition or state in which I am placed by God's providence? If I am not carried away by wrath, do I never give way to causeless movements of annoyance? If I am not tempted to gluttony, do I never lay too much stress upon my own ease and comfort? If I am not harassed by too great fondness for riches, do I always do good and distribute as is my bounden duty? If I am not taking my portion with the sluggard, do I always exert myself to the extent of my ability; and do I take as much pains in the service of God and my neighbours, as I do to minister to my own pleasure, ease, and comfort?

My soul, thou canst not say that all works of darkness are cast from thee, or that thou art fully

arrayed in the armour of light. Shame on thee, slothful soul! Thou knowest the night is far spent, and that a bright and glorious day is at hand, and yet thou pursuest a course which will turn that brightness into cloud and darkness and misery and woe for thee. Cast off, fling away all works of darkness; come boldly forward, break the chains of thy sins, put on that armour of light which will be a panoply of proof against all the fiery darts of the wicked; and then, instead of fearing and dreading the second coming of thy LORD, thou wilt long for His appearing; for then thou wilt finally and for ever lose the fear of those works of darkness, against which thou hast been struggling; thou wilt be purged and purified and made fit to meet thy LORD. O Blessed LORD, grant that this may be so!

Give me grace

that

I may cast away the works of darkness and put upon me the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son JESUS CHRIST came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through Him Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the HOLY GHOST, now and ever. Amen.