March 27

Romans viii. 28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God; to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Our salvation in Christ is a divine plan founded in divine love. Did it depend upon our goodness, our resolution, our faith, we should certainly fail through the weakness of the flesh, the temptations of the world, the trials of life. But the love of God, which led him to give his own Son to die for us, will not be baffled in our recovery to holiness and heaven, either by our weakness or by the combinations of evil against us. That love is committed to our salvation.

When God sent his Son for our redemption, he foresaw all the hindernances to our recovery in ourselves and in the world, and planned to overcome these, and to carry through our salvation to the end. Christ bore every trial that meets us; conquered every enemy that assails us; and in his arms we are safe; we are strong. His love has undertaken to bear us through; and nothing outside of ourselves can wrest or divide us from that love. This is our encouragement to faith and hope, to courage and patience, in conflicts and trials; and, when we have fallen into sin, this, too, is our encouragement to return with penitential trust to the unfaltering love of

34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christ. Nothing can truly harm us if we cling to that love. He who controls all events will order incidents the most adverse in their seeming to work out some real good, either in our circumstances, our feelings, or our Christian character and life; and, in the end, we shall find that He who bore the cross for us will conduct us through all crosses and trials here, to be glorified hereafter with himself.

The children of God should live not merely in the hope of a final salvation, but in the present comfort of a salvation accomplished and made sure. All things are even now working together for their good. Events taken singly may seem untoward; but the overruling providence of God can combine these hostile agencies for the service of his people. Thus, in the case of Joseph, the jealousy of his brethren, their selling him into slavery, his imprisonment in Egypt, the neglect of the butter, each in turn seemed a hopeless evil; yet all these things worked together for good to him and to the house of Israel. "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever! O God our Father! how shall we praise thee for thy love in Jesus Christ thy Son? Oh love eternal, infinite, past finding out! O Lord! fill our souls with thankfulness to thee, that thy love may constrain us evermore. May we walk as thy redeemed ones! May we follow the guidance of thy blessed Spirit! Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, may we do all to thy glory!

Thou God of love, teach us by thy Spirit of love, hear us through the Son of thy love, while we make our intercessions for all men.

For all in authority in our land; for thy Church and her ministers, — we pray thee, good Lord.

For all whom we love, and all who love us; for our dear relations now absent from us; for all connected with us in business or in society, — we pray thee, good Lord.

For all who have wronged or slighted us; for all

Prayer.

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whom we have wronged or slighted; for all who hate us without a cause, and all of whom we are disposed to think or speak uncharitably, — we pray thee, good Lord.

For all who are infirm or sick or dying; for all who have lost dear friends; for all aged persons, and all little children, — we pray thee, good Lord.

For all who are under sore temptation; for all who are doubting in faith, or distressed in conscience; for all who are under dejection, and hiding of thy countenance, — we pray thee, good Lord.

We thank thee, as a family, for thy constant goodness to us; for all the way in which thou hast led us; for the home which thou hast given us; for our means of support and of enjoyment; for the loves and hopes that brighten our way, and for all the dealings of thy providence with us. O Lord! unite us all in the faith and hope of the gospel, and in the family of thy redeemed, through Jesus Christ. Amen.