newed from day to day, and thus held out till rain was sent. In like manner, you may have but little grace: yet believe in God, and wait upon Him continually. Remember it is written, "He giveth more grace." He giveth more faith, more contrition,-more love,—more zeal. Live upon the fulness which is in Christ. If you have little in yourself, you are not straitened in Him. Cleave to Jesus perpetually, and He will complete that which He has begun. Ah, leave us not! From day to day Revive, restore again; Our feeble steps do Thou direct,— Our enemies restrain. Thou, Lord, alone must carry on The work Thou hast begun; Of Thine own strength Thou must impart, This subject also suggests a note of warning. There are stagnant Christians in the Church, professors who build their hope on bygone experience, whilst now there is little sign of any reality in their religion. There is no painful sense of deficiency,-no daily washing in the open fountain,-no increase of faith or love,no longing for more holiness,—and yet, because of apparent marks of conversion in former days, they trust that all is well with them. It is said of a great leader amongst the Puritans, that before his death, he asked one of his chaplains whether those who had once been the children of God were always such. Upon receiving a reply in the affirmative, he expressed himself as perfectly satisfied with respect to his safety, since he was persuaded that once he knew the Lord. Though most firmly we may believe in the final salvation of the elect people of God, yet surely we must feel a foundation of hope like this is a very dangerous one. It places past experience, which after all is very apt to deceive us, in place of present faith and present grace. When there is no renewing, is it not too often because there is no life? Imagine not that there must necessarily be spiritual life, because there is much that bears the appearance of it. Art has fashioned figures which greatly resemble living men and women. At a short distance you would say they were certainly alive. They stand or sit: they move the head, the hand, the foot: they are clad with rich and elegant attire: one is arrayed as a king,—another as a queen. Yet for all this, it is only an imitation. Come close to them, and you perceive that they have no breath, no feeling, no life. Numbers of such-like professors of religion are to be found everywhere. See them in the sanctuary,-see them in religious meetings,—see them in conversation with a minister of Christ, and you would say,-"Surely these men are Christians indeed." But come nearer. Examine them more closely. Watch them in their every day walk. Discover the character of their secret converse with God. Find out the ruling principle of their life: and the truth cannot be hidden. Like the Church of Sardis, they have a name to live whilst they are dead. "They profess and call themselves Christians," but that is all. possessed true spiritual life. They have never They have never been quickened by the operation of the Holy Ghost. Let any who read these pages stay for a moment to put the question,-"Lord, is it I?" It can do no harm, and it may do much good, to press this enquiry home upon your own conscience. If you be a sincere, genuine follower of Christ, your confidence will stand upon a surer basis after you have carefully examined it. If you be otherwise, if there has hitherto been the form of godliness without the power, it may be a first step to your salvation. Bring the matter before the throne of grace. Be willing, nay, truly anxious to know your own heart,-to know the worst of your spiritual condition. Study the 139th Psalm. Offer the petition of the last two verses," Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." If you do this, whatsoever you may be, there is no reason for despair. Christ can save to the uttermost: even those who have hitherto deceived themselves or others, may yet rejoice in hope of everlasting life. "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” IV. Daily Mercies. ་ AMONGST matters of every day life, nothing claims more of our attention than the remembrance of our daily mercies. They are apt to be forgotten; they frequently estrange the heart from the Giver; they are often used amiss ; because laid out for some idol, not seldom are they recalled. "She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof." (Hosea ii. 8, 9.) But where shall we begin? Where shall we close? Who can tell out their number? Who can speak of them as they justly demand? In the Great Exhibition a catalogue was prepared of the various products of different countries. They were numbered by thousands and tens-of-thousands, but what were they compared to the mercies experienced by every one of us? "If I |