But, O my Saviour, thou alone canst give The grace, the power, thus to will and do; Let Thine own Spirit, in my spirit live, Thus will I live Thy praise, and sing it too.

WEEK XIII.

FIRST DAY.

"THAT YE BE NOT SLOTHFUL, BUT FOLLOWERS OF THEM WHO THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE INHERIT THE PROMISES."

"FOR YE HAVE NEED OF PATIENCE, THAT AFTER YE HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD YE MIGHT RECEIVE THE PROMISE." Heb. vi. 12. and x. 36.

While faith directs her eagle gaze,
To glory's bright meridian blaze;
And hope, o'er time and distance flies,
To take possession of the skies;
Patience, a grace of lowlier name,
As high, as holy in her aim,
Although like them of heavenly birth,
Is humbly traversing the earth;
With feet unwearied she proceeds,
Where'er the path of duty leads;
With hands untired she labours still,
Her Master's pleasure to fulfil ;
And led by love, her cross to take,
And bear it, for her Saviour's' sake;'

She does not ask to lay it down,

"Till He shall bid her wear the crown, fr

SECOND DAY.

"GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY THAT LOVE THY LAW, AND NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM."-Ps. cxix. 169.

66

They shall have no stumbling-block." (margin) Nothing shall so obstruct their path, or prove a hindrance to their course, as to turn them aside; nothing shall cause them to swerve from their allegiance to God. "The righteous shall hold on his way;" and "Blessed is he," said our Holy Saviour, "who is not offended in me.'

When Jesus was unfolding to the people of the Jews the nature and spirituality of His kingdom and doctrine, many of His auditors were offended, and stumbled at His word. He who spake it, became to them, according to the Scripture (Isa. viii. 14), "a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence." Jesus, who knew their hearts, and all the motives and feelings by which they were actuated, said to them, "Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up

BB

where He was before ?-ye, who are looking for the outward shew of an earthly dominion, and the splendour of a sovereign, whose kingly glories are wholly of this world; what and if all your expectations should come to nought, and your cherished hopes should vanish, and that Messiah, whom you are seeking only for the things that perish in the using, shall become invisible, save to the eye of faith?" "It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the WORDS that I speak unto you, are SPIRIT and LIFE." But, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; they are foolishness to him; neither can he perceive them, because they are spiritually discerned;" they were offended; they said, "It is a hard saying; Who can hear it?" (Who can give ear to it?) They went back, turned away, " and walked no more with Him." Nevertheless, there were some there who had ears to ear, and faith to lay hold of, the words of eternal truth, and also of Him who

spake them;"The men of Judah clave unto their King." His true disciples knew His voice; they loved the Lawgiver, and therefore they loved His law. His law was the law of truth, and it was written upon their heart. His law was the law of love, and they had drank into its spirit And to His enquiry, "Will ye also go away?" they could unhesitatingly reply by another, “Lord! to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." They had received of those words, and found them to be "life and peace;" as it is written, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (Isa. liv. 13.) "To be spiritually-minded is life and peace.” (Rom. viii. 6.) And great is that peace: it is the "peace of God; a peace that passeth all understanding" and they who have tasted of its sweetness, will never be disposed to turn away from the blessed Fountain. The Lord will speak peace to His people, and to His saints; to this very end, that they may be