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PREFACE.

TO THE READER.

THIS small volume is presented to your

notice, with no other view than that of your soul's salvation. It contains, as you will observe, a portion of parallel Scripture appropriate for every day in the year', selected both from the Old and New Testament, with short heads for meditation The verse or verses, taken from the

and

prayer.

1 The appropriate verses for the moveable Fasts and Festivals will be found at the end of the book.

New Testament, are printed in red characters, not merely for a distinction, but rather as an emblem of that blood which was shed upon the cross for you and all mankind. Should it be said by any one, What is the use of such a publication as this, seeing we have so many superior works, and works of a similar kind, and even the whole Bible, of which this only contains (comparatively speaking) a few selected verses? I answer, This work is not intended to rival with any preceding work, nor to diminish in the least the use of that Bible which our Saviour commanded us to search: it is only intended (as aforesaid) for the good of souls. St. James says, Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" And this observation may be verified, in a religious point of view, with this small book; for on opening it, and looking at the selected verses for the day of the month, who can tell (accompanied with God's blessing) what may be the result? The Christian

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may perhaps see something which may have a tendency to comfort and refresh him in his journey through life; the backslider, it is possible, may see a passage which may be the means of bringing him once more back to the fold of Christ; or it may happen, that the hardened sinner, who seldom or never looks at the Bible, and who has long despised all the overtures of mercy, may see a verse that will strike him with horror at his awful state, and thus be the means of his becoming a penitent. Should this be the case, the end for which this work is brought before the public will be fully accomplished; since we learn from Scripture, that "there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth," and also, that when one sinner is truly converted to God, a soul is saved from death, and a multitude of sins are hid. In order to make this work the more efficient for

its intended purpose, I shall here lay down briefly some rules for the due reading thereof.

Every

day, when you have the most favourable opportunity, retire into your closet and shut the dooror, in other words, banish all worldly and vain thoughts from your mind; then find the day of the month, and read the portion of Scripture appointed for it: meditate thereon, and pray over it. Try this experiment for one year, or even one month, if you are spared, and see what benefit you will reap therefrom'. I say, make this trial; and, I dare say, you will have derived so much benefit from it, as will cause you to continue this good practice during the remaining part of your life. May God give you both grace and resolution to do so! Pray, morning and evening, on

"Let me recommend to you to read, daily, some portion of the holy Scripture, particularly the New Testament, which is able to make you wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ.' A passage, a verse, a line of Scripture, has sometimes set a man upon thinking; which, by degrees, has ended in his thorough reformation."-Extract from Warner's Sermons, Vol. II. p. 281.

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