failed; but thy mercy endures for ever, thy faithTulness has never failed.

The Strength of Israel has never deceived me, nor made me ashamed of my confidence. Thou hast never been as a deceitful brook, or as waters that fall, to my soul.

In loving-kindness, in truth, and in very faithfulness, thou hast afflicted me. Oh! how unwillingly hast thou seemed to grieve me! With how much indulgence has the punishment been mixed? Love has appeared through the disguise of every frown: its beams have glimmered through the darkest night. By every affliction thou hast been. still drawing me nearer to thyself, and removing my carnal props, that I may lean with more as surance on the eternal Rock.

Thy love has been my leading glory from the first intricate steps of life. The first undesiging paths I trode were marked and guarded by the vigilance of thy love. Oh! whither else had my sin and folly led me?

How often have I tried and experienced thy cle mency, and found an immediate answer to my prayers? Thou hast often literally fulfilled thy word. I have a fresh instance of thy faithfulness again. Thou hast made me triumph in thy goodhess, and given a new testimony to the veracity of thy promises.

And after all, what ingratitude, what insensibi

lity, reigns in my heart? Oh! cancel it by the blood of thy covenant. Root out this monstrous infidelity, that still returns after the fullest evidence of thy truth. Thou hast graciously condescended to answer me in my own time and way, and yet I am again doubting thy faithfulness and care. Lord, pity me; I believe, O help my unbelief. Go on to succour, go on to pardon, and at last conquer my diffidence. Let me hope against hope, and, in the greatest perplexity, give glory to God,. by believing what my own experience has so often found, that "the Strength of Israel will not lie, "nor is he a man that he should repent."

While I have memory and thought, let his goodness dwell on my soul. Let me not forget the depth of my distress, the anguish and importunity of my vows. When every human help failed, and all was darkness and perplexity, then God was all my stay. Then I knew no name but his, and he alone knew my soul in adversity. "Bless the "Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his bene"fits."

"Long as I live, I'll bless thy name,

I have yet a thousand, and ten thousand deliverances to recount, ten thousand unafked-for mercies to recall. No moment of my life has been

destitute of thy care. No accident has found me unguarded by thy watchful eye, or neglected by thy providence. Thou hast been often found unsought by my ungrateful heart, and thy favours have surprized me with great and unexpected advantages. Thou hast compelled me to receive the blessings my foolish humour despised, and my corrupt will would fain have rejected. Thou hast stopped thy ears to the desires which would have ruined and undone me, when I might justly have been left to my own choice, for the punishment of my many sins and follies. How great my guilt! how infinite thy mercy!

Hitherto God has helped, and here I set up a memorial to that goodness which has never abandoned me to the malice and stratagems of my infernal foes, nor left me a prey to human craft or violence. The glory of his providence has often surprised me, when grepping in thick darkness. With a potent voice he said, "Let there be light, "and there was light." He has made his goodness pass before, and loudly proclaimed his name, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious." To him be glory for ever.

Amen.

L

XXXVI. Some daily experiences of the gracious methods of divine providence, to me the least and most unworthy of all the servants of my Lord.

FIRST WEEK*.

I.

EVERY day's experience reproaches my unbelief, and brings me some new evidence of thy faithfulness. Thou hast dispelled my fears, and, to the confusion of my spirttual foes, thou hast heard the voice of my distress. But a few hours ago, I was trembling and doubting if thou wast indeed a God hearing prayer; and now I have a fresh instance of thy goodness, which, with a grateful heart, I here record. May the sense of thy benefits dwell for ever on my soul.

11.

66

Thy mercies are new every morning. Again thou hast given me an instance of thy truth. [ "trusted in God, and he has delivered me. I will "love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of "my supplication: therefore will I call on him as "long as I live."

*Note. The division of these meditations into sevens by the pious writer, seems to tell us, that these were the devout thoughts of six weeks of her life.

III.

"As for my God, his way is perfect; the word "of the Lord is tried; he is a buckler to all them "that put their trust in him." He has punctually fulfilled the word on which I relied. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

IV.

Thy bounty follows me with an unwearied course; language is too faint to express thy praise. No eloquence can reach the subject. My heart is warm with the pious reflection. I look upward, and silently breathe out the unutterable gratitude, that melts and rejoices my soul. I staggered at thy promise through unbelief, and yet thou hast graciously performed thy words. If we sometimes doubt or faulter in our faith, yet he abideth faithful who has promised.

V.

With the morning-light my health and peace are renewed. The cheering influence of the sun, and the sweeter beams of the divine favour, shine on my tabernacle-Lord, why me? why am I a ransomed, a pardoned sinner?Why am I rejoicing among the instances of sovereign grace, and unlimited clemency?

VI.

I boasted in thy truth, and thou hast not made me ashamed. My infernal foes are confounded, while my faith is crowned with success.