engaged in finful courfes, in youthful lufts, in unchriftian quarrels, and in unrighteous law-fuits.

Direct all; that are ip doubt; all, that feek the truth.

O God the Creator and Redeemer of all, have mercy upon all, whom Thou haft made

and redeemed.

Amen.

MONDAY MEDITATIONS..

Luke xxii. 42.

but thine be done.

RESIGNATION..

Nevertheless, not my will

God, who takeft delight in helping the afflicted, help a foul, often diftreffed by inward rebellion against thy just appointments.. Who am I, that I make exceptions against the will of GOD, infinitely great, wife, and good? I know not the things, that are for my good. My most earnest defires, if granted, may prove my ruin. The things, I complain of and fear, may be the effects of the greatest mercy. The disappointments, I meet, may be abfolutely ne ceffary for my eternal welfare. I do therefore protest against the fin and madness of defiring to have my will done, and not the will of God.

Grant, gracious Father, that I may never dif-pute the reasonablenefs of thy will, but ever clofe with it, as the best that can happen. Prepare me always for what thy providence fhall bring forth.

Let me never murmur, be dejected, nor impatient, under any of the troubles of this life;

but ever find reft and comfort in this, THIS IS THE WILL OF MY FATHER, AND OF MY GOD; grant this for Jefus Christ's fake. Amen.

To the glory of God and of his infinite goodnefs I do here acknowledge that in all the difpenfations of providence, which have befallen me, to this day, however uneafy to flesh and blood, I have notwithstanding experienced the kindness of a father for his child; and am convinced, that it would have been much worse for me, had I had my own choice.

O God, grant that for time to come I may yield a cheerful obedience to all thy appointments. Amen.

Corrupt nature cannot comprehend that af flictions are the effects of divine love. It must be thy grace, O Lover of Souls, which muft work in me this conviction, which I befeech Thee to vouchfafe me.

Never fet a greater value upon this world, than it deferves.

If a man be not eager or pofitive in his defires, he will more readily embrace the appointments of providence.

If we place our dependence upon the power, wifdom, counfel, or intereft, we have in man, and not in God only; we fhall furely be disappointed.

Job xiii. 15. Though he lay me, yet will I trust in him.

O my crucified King and Saviour, let my fubmiffion to whatever afflictions fhall befal me for thy fake, or by thy appointment, be to me a

pledge and affurance of my fidelity to Thee and conformity to thy fufferings.

It is a favor to be punished and to fuffer in this life, when a man makes good ufe of his fufferings. But to fuffer by constraint is to fuffer without comfort and without benefit.

Our union and conformity to the will of God, ought to be instead of all confolation. Grant, O God, that I may always accept the punishment of my fins with refignation to thy good pleasure.

Remember me, O Lord, in the day of trouble; keep me from all excefs of fear, concern, and fadnefs.

Grant me a humble and refigned heart, that with perfect content I may ever acquiefce in all the methods of thy grace, that I may never fruftrate the defigns of thy mercy by unreafon able fears, by floth, or felf love. Amen.

Think often of GoD, and of his attributes, his mercy, compaffion, fidelity, fatherly care, goodnefs, and protection. Dwell on these thoughts, till they produce fuch a well grounded confidence as will fupport us under all difficulties, and affure us He cannot possibly forfake thofe, that depend on Him.

When God deprives us of any thing, that is moft dear to us, health, ease, conveniencies of life, friends, wife, children, &c. we should immediately fay, this is God's will; I am by Him commanded to part with fo much; let me not therefore murmur, nor be dejected, for then it would appear that I did love that thing more,, than God's will..

When God thus vifits us, let us immediately look inward; and, left our fins be the occafion, let us take care, that we feriously repent, and endeavor to make our peace with God. Then He will either deliver or fupport us, and will convince us, that we fuffer in juftice for our faults; or for our trial, and to humble us; or for God's glory, and to fanctify us.

1 Pet. v. 5. Be clothed with humility; for God refifteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

Give me grace, O God, to study, to love, to adore, and to imitate that humility, which thy bleffed Son hath taught us by his word and by his most holy example.

Bufinefs.

Ephef. v. 17. Understanding what the will of the Lord is.

To engage in any bufinefs of importance without knowing this, and taking counsel of God, may coft us dear.

Ifaiah xxx. I. Wo to them, that take counsel, but not of me, faith the Lord.

But then, let a man take heed, that, when he goes to inquire of the Lord, he do not fet up idols in his own heart; left God answer him according to his idols.

We are to pray for the direction of God's Spirit upon all great occafions; especially we are hum bly to depend on his direction, and cheerfully to expect it, which he will manifeft, either by fome plain event of his providence, or by fuggefting fuch reafons, as ought to determine the

will to a wife choice. But to follow the inclination of the will without reafon, only becaufe we find ourselves ftrongly inclined to this or that, is a very dangerous way, and may engage us in very dangerous practices.

Mafter. Servant.

Death in a very little time, may make the master and the fervant equal. Let us anticipate this equality by treating our fervants with compaffion; having respect to Chrift in the person of a fervant; to Chrift, who took upon him the form of a fervant for our fakes.

TUESDAY MEDITATIONS.

Trouble, Perfecution, Afflictions, &c. Pfa. 1. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble, fo will I hear thee, and thou shalt praife me. GOD, who feeft all our weakneffes, and the troubles we labor under, have regard to the prayers of thy fervant, who ftands in need of thy comfort, direction, and help.

Grant that I may fuffer, like a Christian, and not grieve, like an unbeliever; that I may receive troubles, as punishment, due to my past offences; as an exercife of my faith, patience, and humility; and as a trial of my obedience; and that I may improve all my afflictions to the good of my foul, and to thy glory.

Thou alone knoweft, what is beft for us; let me never difpute thy wisdom, nor thy goodnefs.

Direct my reafon, fubdue my paffions, put a ftop to my roving thoughts and fears, and let