March 23

Psalm i. — 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Jeremiah xvii. — 5. Thus saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.

The contrast here so forcibly put, between the righteous and the ungodly, does not always appear in their outward temporal condition; but it is to be found in their internal sources of happiness. It becomes more and more marked in the development of character as life goes on, and is often strikingly manifested in the close of life. There is a gradation in the terms of the first verse, such as often, in fact, marks the career of those who make companions of the wicked. He who begins with looking for pleasure to the example and counsel of men who disregard God, and adopting their suggestions, will presently be found standing in the way of sinners, frequenting their haunts, and lingering in their society, and by and by will deliberately sit among those who make a mock of serious things.

Many a young man, who begins, by yielding to the solicitations of irreligious companions, to throw off the outward

6. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

10. I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

11. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

restraints of religion, ends in habits of profaneness and vice that shock the very degencies of life; but, in the midst of his reckless career, he may be driven away like chaff to receive the judgment of his deeds.

The best safeguard against a life so foolish, wasteful, and ruinous, is to make the word of God the counsellor, the companion, the delight, of the soul. He who does this shall be like the fruit-trees planted along the rivulets that flow through the gardens of Damascus, — always fresh and flourishing, and, in the season, yielding ripe and wholesome fruit. At peace with conscience, satisfied in his own soul, and approved of God, such a man is forever blessed. The roots of his life are nourished by the unfailing source of all life; and so the vigor and beauty of his piety are perennial. No outward changes can affect him whose life is planted in the life of God.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 52, 162, 165.

We adore thee, O Lord our God! that thou hast not only revealed to us a heaven to come, but hast assured us that there are yet good things in store for this earth which we inhabit, and which has so long groaned under the curse of sin. We pray that thou wilt shorten these days of ignorance, wickedness, and folly, and hasten the reign of the Lord Jesus. Help us, O Lord our God! that we may not merely pray, but may also labor to the utmost to spread thy gospel and extend thy dominion.

Oh! fill us with the love of Him who went about doing good. May we glorify thee by bringing forth much fruit! Thou hast commanded and encouraged us, O Lord! to make prayers and intercessions for all men. We commend to thee the members of this family, present or absent. May all be partakers of thy grace! Help us rightly to fulfil the duties of our several stations, always so exercising

ourselves as to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.

[Bless the children. Cause them to remember thee, their Creator, in the days of their youth. Sanctify them by thy grace. Guide them by thy Spirit, and enable them in all things to prove themselves thy faithful and obedient children. Preserve them in health and strength, if it seem good in thy sight; but oh! above all, save them with an everlasting salvation.]

We commend ourselves to thy merciful protection and kindness throughout this day. Preserve us from all evil; and, in all our thoughts and words and actions, may we remember that thou, God, seest us!

And unto Him who hath been with us all our life long — our Creator, our Preserver, our Benefactor, and our Redeemer, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — be glory both now and forever. Amen.