19.

TR RY me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart prove me, and examine my thoughts. Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.

O Thou, to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light,
Search, prove my heart; it pants for Thee;
O burst these bands, and set it free!

Wash out its stains, refine its dross;
Nail my affections to the cross;
Hallow each thought: let all within
Be clean, as Thou, my Lord, art clean!

20.

EVERY good gift and every perfect

gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James i. 17.

There's not a strain to Memory dear,
Nor flower in classic grove,

There's not a sweet note warbled here,

But minds us of Thy Love.

O Lord, our Lord, and spoiler of our foes,

There is no light but Thine: with Thee all beauty

glows.

I

21.

CAME down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.

St. John vi. 38.

Mortal! if life smile on thee, and thou find

All to thy mind,

Think, who did once from heaven to hell descend
Thee to befriend :

So shalt thou dare forego, at His dear call,
Thy best, thine all.

22.

LORD, to whom shall we go? Thou

hast the words of eternal life.

Lord, to whom except to Thee

St. John vi. 68.

Shall we go when ills betide?

Who, except Thyself, can be

Hope, and help, and strength, and guide?

Who can cleanse the soul from sin,

Hear the prayer, and seal the vow?

Who can fill the void within,

Blessed Saviour! who, but Thou?

23.

Go thou thy way till the end be: for

thou shalt rest, and stand in thy Dan. xii. 13,

lot at the end of the days.

O Paradise! O Paradise!

Who does not crave for rest?
Who would not seek the happy land
Where they that loved are blest?
Where faithful hearts and pure,

Released from sin and pain,

For ever rest secure,

Till Christ shall come again.

24,

St. John Baptist's Day.

THE voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isa. xl. 3.

Thus from the Baptist let us learn,

For Thee, sweet Jesus, to prepare,
And others of their sins to warn,

However for the same we fare:

So Thou to us, and we to Thee,
Shall, when Thou comest, welcome be.

25.

I

N quietness and in confidence shall be
Isa. xxx. 15.

your strength.

When sorrow all our heart would ask,
We need not shun our daily task,

And hide ourselves for calm;
The herbs we seek to heal our woe
Familiar by our pathway grow,
Our common air is balm.

26.

RDER my steps in Thy word.

Ps. cxix. 133.

And Thou wilt turn our wandering feet,
And Thou wilt bless our way,

Till worlds shall fade, and faith shall greet
The dawn of lasting day!

27.

HE fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord Prov. xvii. 3.

trieth the hearts.

My soul, thy gold is true, but full of dross;
Thy Saviour's breath refines thee with some loss;
His gentle furnace makes thee pure as true;
Thou must be melted ere thou'rt cast anew.

H

28.

E showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious. Rev. xxi. 10, II.

Thy mystic wall is garnish'd
With amethyst unpriced:
The saints thy golden fabric,
Thy corner-stone is Christ.
Thou hast no shore, fair ocean!
Thou hast no time, bright day!
Dear fountain of refreshment
To pilgrims far away.

29.

St. Peter's Day.

AND the Lord turned, and looked upon

Peter. . . And Peter went out, and

wept bitterly.

St. Luke xxii. 61, 62.

He loves and weeps-but more than tears
Have seal'd Thy welcome and his love-

One look lives in him, and endears

Crosses and wrongs where'er he rove :

That gracious chiding look, Thy call

To win him to himself and Thee,

Sweetening the sorrow of his fall,

Which else were rued too bitterly.