And I will take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God :"a

THE PRAYER.

O Almighty and eternal God, whose paths are mercy and truth; who dost not willingly afflict the children of men, nor try them beyond that which they are able to bear; hear me yet once more, O thou most mighty, and let the voice of my petition come before thy presence.

Innumerable evils have compassed me round about. My temptations are more in number than the hairs of my head. O Lord, whither shall I turn.

Thou hast led me to the mountain to be tempted of the devil. Thou hast suffered Satan to walk to and fro upon the earth : Thou hast given him power to try me, even as silver is tried. O Lord, I have not fought the good fight of faith. I have failed in the hour of need. I have been discomfited; and though I thought myself strong, yet was mine enemy too powerful, his devices exceeding treacherous.

Eph. vi. 11-17.

The lusts of the flesh came before me, and

I fell.

[Here recount and dwell upon the instances.] The lusts of the eye came before me, and I fell.

[Here recount and dwell upon the instances.] The pride of life came before me, and I fell.

[Here recount and dwell upon the instances.] But thou art he who said, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Thou art he who described thyself as glad when the prodigal returned; as rejoicing when the lost sheep was found. Thou art he who said, There is more joy in sinner that repenteth, than

heaven over one over ninety and

nine just persons who need no repentance. Thou art he who didst not reject the penitent Magdalen. Thou art he who didst not cast aside thy weeping apostle, even though he denied thee thrice.

Therefore will I hope in thy mercy for the past. Therefore, O my God, I pray to thee more diligently for strength for the future. I ask for thy Holy Spirit more earnestly, and for faith, and for hope, and for grace, that I may bring my body under subjection, and make my mind quiet even as a weaned child, and remember, that of myself I can do no good thing.

With Adam I have fallen before the subtilty

of the serpent. But grant, O Lord my Saviour, that with thee I may henceforward cry aloud, Get thee hence, Satan; and then let angels come and minister. O give me the spirit of Abraham to believe, of Job to endure, of John to love, of David to repent.

O blessed Saviour, that promised the Comforter, leave me not comfortless.

O Holy Spirit, shed thy divine influence on my heart, to prevent me, so that I may not fall into temptation; but if I do fall into temptation, then make a way for me to escape, that I may be able to bear it, and glorify thy name.

Defend me against all delusions. Sanctify me in all my trials. Let not education mislead me, or reason make me proud. Let not prejudice make me obstinate, or interest make me blind. Let thy gracious promises quicken my obedience, thy fearful judgments deter me from forgetfulness. Give me

persuasion of the blessed truths of thy gospel, a full faith in my Saviour Jesus Christ,

a

certain knowledge that he, and that he alone, is the way, the truth, and the life.

And above all, grant, of thine infinite goodness, that now, as thy holy feast, O Jesu Christ, draws near, I may more intimately dwell upon thee, more dearly love thee; that while I receive from thy memorial in the Holy Supper more close assurance of

thy pardon, I may also have more earnest confidence in thy support, so that each time I partake of these holy mysteries, I may grow in grace more and more, until, passing through the valley of the shadow of death, I may come to those blessed mansions of eternal glory which thou hast prepared for them that love thee. Hear my prayer, O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world. Hear my my prayer, O merciful God, for his sake, whose servant I am, my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

FRIDAY.

THE GRACES OF PHE GOSPE L.

THE MEDITATION.

"IF any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his."a

Then, must I do something more than I have yet done, if I would be of the fold of that "good Shepherd, who giveth his life for the sheep." I must do more in my examination of the past, than merely look to deficiencies; I must not only look in repentance to the failures of the past, but I must advance, and make daily progress in the future, and lift up my soul to God in all the graces of the gospel, in all the fruits of the spirit, in the humility, in the purity, in the charity, which constitute the

a

Romans viii. 9.

b John x. 11.