A priest clad in sacred garments, is CHRIST's deputy, that, with all supplication and humility, he may beseech GOD for himself and for the whole people. When a priest doth celebrate the holy Eucharist, he honoureth God, he rejoiceth angels, he edifieth the Church, he helpeth the saints, and maketh himself partaker of all good things.

Open all the avenues of thy heart to admit the good tidings of salvation, which, day by day, and week by week, are brought before thee. O my soul, welcome them; realize the great fact that they go before the LORD; that He is sure to follow; and that, in a day and hour that thou knowest not of.

O LORD, let Thy heavenly messenger come unto me, unworthy as I am; and grant unto me such a knowledge of salvation, and so remit my many sins and offences, that I may in spirit and truth say, "Blessed be the LORD GOD of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed me."

LORD JESU CHRIST, Who at Thy first

coming didst send Thy messenger to prepare Thy way before Thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of Thy mysteries may

likewise so prepare and make ready Thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at Thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in Thy sight, Who livest and reignest with the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT, ever One GOD, world without end. Amen.

Friday

AFTER THIRD SUNDAY.

AND THE CHILD GREW, AND WAXED STRONG IN SPIRIT, AND

WAS IN THE DESERTS TILL THE DAY OF HIS SHEWING UNTO

L

ORD, as I come day by day before Thee, I have more and more occasion to bewail the little fruit I gather from the opportunities Thou hast graciously afforded me: grant me so prayerfully to meditate upon this passage of Holy Scripture, that it may be profitable for my advancement in true godliness.

I picture to myself the gracious child John, daily shewing greater promise; his countenance beautiful; the mild rays of spiritual grace beaming from his eye; his limbs, free, and unfettered by restraints, bounding along in the free air of the desert; looking through all the beauties of nature up to GoD; and finding in every object, a fresh subject of praise and thanksgiving

to Him, Who had filled him with the HOLY GHOST from his mother's womb. He "waxed strong in spirit." On reading this, how does the mind run over the future events of his life, from his preaching to the multitudes in the deserts, to his boldly stepping forward to rebuke the great man of the world for his vicious courses; and how does the heart swell with thankfulness to GOD for thus suiting the spirit to the trials which it has to bear. How ought this to encourage me, poor weak, timid creature as I am, when, in contemplating the possible trials which may befal me, and looking forward to those which are sure to come, I shrink with dread, and distrust my own strength to bear all. Well mayest thou shrink, O my soul, but, though of thyself thou canst do nothing, thou hast a gracious SAVIOUR, Who will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou canst bear, if only thou wilt seek for thy strength from Him Who alone is mighty to John grew in stature, and waxed strong in spirit, but he remained in the desert until the time of his shewing unto Israel. In the stillness, and solitude, and boundless space of the desert, his soul seemed to have a freer range, and must have been drawn into nearer communion with

save.

GOD. Those who seek to live entirely according to God's will, feel more true enlivenment and less restraint in solitude; they feel that God is more especially near them when retired, than when stirring amid the throng and din of the world. When the spirit requires bracing and setting to some difficult work, a few quiet hours in the silence and solitude of thy closet, where thou canst have communion with thy God, and rest suspended, as it were, between heaven and earth, will do more towards knitting and strengthening thy spiritual sinews, than months of unremitted bustling activity spent even in acts of the most self-denying labours for the love of God.

Think on this, O my soul; and whenever, in the course of thy career, thou findest thyself beset with business, bewildered by conflicting duties, and perhaps annoyed and irritated by adverse occurrences, turn aside if it be but for a minute; lift up thy heart; pray for strength; and it may be the thick cloud will roll off, and thy way be clear before thee. This is certainly the case in great difficulties; resolve to try it in the more

common.

O send out Thy light and Thy truth, that