He died for us, who is the Lord God Almighty, we scarce will live for others. He suffered for us, the ever blessed Son of God; we make others suffer through our misdeeds. He toiled and laboured for us, the King of heaven's vast armies; we are at ease too often, and think others have no claim upon our service. He fasted and prayed for us, the innocent and pure and harmless One; we who need all helps, will not even use them for ourselves, much less for the good of others. He was in the ways of the poor, at the pallet of the sick, in the house of mourning, in the scenes of sorrow, the Lord of life and happiness; we are for the places of mirth, for the houses of joy, for the comforts of the rich, for laughter and for merriment. Oh! if it may be so, grant me to be active for the good of others, as all Thy servants have been, O my God, but chiefly and most of all, Thy Son!

PSALM LXIII. 1--9.

1. O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee.

2. My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh also longeth after Thee: in a barren and dry land where no water is.

3. Thus have I looked for Thee in holiness, that I may behold thy power and glory.

4. For Thy loving-kindness is better than the life itself: my lips shall praise Thee.

5. As long as I live will I magnify Thee in this manner; and lift up my hands in Thy name.

6. My soul shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatness, when my mouth praiseth Thee with joyful lips.

7. Have I not remembered Thee in my bed, and thought upon Thee when I was waking?

8. Because Thou hast been my helper; therefore under the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.

9. My soul hangeth upon Thee: Thy right hand hath upholden me.

COLLECTS.

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; grant unto Thy people that they may love the thing which Thou commandest, and desire that which Thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, from whom all good things do come,

grant to us Thy humble servants, that by Thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by Thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

II.

THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE IMITATION OF CHRIST.

Ir is not honour, nor wealth, nor any earthly substance, it is not natural excellence, nor art, nor science, which can satisfy my soul or bring comfort to my heart: but Thy love only, Thou Lover of men, Thy consolation only Thou merciful Saviour of mankind, is able in the midst of all this world's changes to insure an inward peace.* Thou art "the true riches" of the soul; Thou art the true honour, the real glory, the lasting comfort, the purest joy. Oh! let me but have Thee, most gracious Lord, and behold all things else are mine!

And is not this self-love, O my God? Yes; but it is a self-love which Thou lovest in men, because that only is our true love of self which

* John xvi. 33.

loves Thee first of all, and desires Thee more than all. Oh! for this true self-love, which begins and ends in Thee! I would love Thee, O my God; I would love Thee more and more, with ever increasing earnestness, with ever heartier warmth. Grant, O Lord my God, that I may truly say "My soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God."* Grant that I may love Thee as much as I would, and as much as I ought. What have I said? as much as I ought, not as Thou oughtest, for Thou art infinite, and oughtest to be infinitely loved. But I am little, and can never love Thee as Thou oughtest to be loved. Give me then to love Thee as most and best I can, to love Thee with my whole self.

Alas for my past selfishness! How often have I followed in my heart other gods besides Thee! Oh! how many idols have I set up in my soul, and so striven to divide my narrow affections between Thee and them! How have I loved the ease and comfort of this life, when I should have foregone much in Thy service! How have I followed the voice of man, when Thou hast spoken in my conscience! How have I sought for favour, or for love, in the eyes of mortals, and rested my hopes in them whose breath is in their nostrils, *Ps. xlii. 2.

who dwell in houses of clay, whilst Thy word was near me, and the still small voice spake within my ear, "It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man!" *

Alas! how little has been the good which I have ever done! how small the amount of profit which others have gained from me! What peace have I spread around me? what happiness, or what joy? What comfort have I brought to the afflicted? what smiles to the mourning family? What needs have I relieved? how acted that "when the ear heard me it should bless me, or when the eye saw me, it should give witness to me?"

Oh! blind selfishness, which "seeks its own, and not another's." Oh! folly of human nature, which thinks to love itself before it loves its God. How have I been found to hate myself because I loved not God. Learn me then, oh! learn me true understanding and knowledge, † that I may love Thee, and possess Thee to my soul's joy, O God of my life, my Saviour, and my Comforter.

O God most merciful and most holy, Thou beginning and end of all; Thou well-spring of life eternal, and joy of all things that live, Thou

*Ps. cxviii. 8.

Ps. cxix. 66.