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PREFACE.

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PREFACES are seldom read, unless the reading can be done with a mere glance of the eye. order that this may be done, they must be short. The Author of the following pages is anxious that this Preface should be read, and to secure that, will therefore make it very short. But why anxious that it should be read? Simply that the reader may know the history of the book, and why and wherefore it is published.

First, then, these Reflections, for the most part, have been written some few years, and are, indeed, the substance of sermons which have been preached by the Author during twenty-five years of pastoral ministrations.

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They were laid aside for a year or two, and then taken down and read in the Author's own family, as forming part of the morning's domestic service. brother minister and other friends have occasionally been present, and have expressed their judgment and opinion about them, and have advised their publica

tion.

In the hope, therefore that the good and gracious Lord will abundantly bless them to the souls of the "household of faith," I send them forth with many prayers. I have advertised them in the title-page as a Short Sermon and a Short Song for every day in the year, for such they really are. Reflections are the leading thoughts originally put forth in the Sermon, and the Song will be found to

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consist of the Reflections carried on in verse. I put them forth as aids to private and domestic worship, and heartily pray that they may prove so. Some will say, But why not give a short prayer as well as a short sermon and a short song? Simply because I think it best for every one to express their own feelings in their own way, and as the Spirit gives them ability. Something, no doubt, will be found in the Reflections as directive to prayer. All I would add here is, that in praying we should think of the following things: 1st. The Object of prayer-the Father of mercies. 2nd. The Medium of prayer -the Lord Jesus. 3rd. The Inditer and Teacher of prayer-the Holy Ghost. 4th. The matter of prayer, namely, confession, importuning, acknowledgment, thanksgiving, lamentation, praising, adoration, and acclamation of joy. Some one or other of these will be the experience of every living soul; and about one or other of these the living soul will have occasion daily to go to God in prayer during his pilgrimage in this world. Having said thus much, I now send this forth my book, with the humble hope that the THREE-ONE JEHOVAH will own and bless it to many souls.

G. W.

N. B.-The book was originally brought out quarterly. It is now complete, and may be had of the Author, post free, 197, Downham-road, Islington, London, N. It is bound in Four Volumes, price 2s. each; in Two Volumes, at 3s. 6d., each; and in One Volume at 7s. ;-containing nearly 900 pages, in which there are 365 Reflections, and 365 Original Hymns and Poems.

REFLECTIONS, &c.

REFLECTION I.-JANUARY 1.

"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested:" 1 Chron. iv. 10.

PRAYER presented in faith, is prayer presented in agreement with the will of God; and all prayer in accordance with the will of God is prayer indited by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of prayer. Jabez called on the God of Israel-blessed and honourable employment this: whoever honours God, God will honour. It is attested of Jabez that he was more honourable than his brethren. We honour God when we acknowledge him in all our ways, and he honours us by directing our steps. Come, ye saints, let us begin this new year with the prayer of Jabez, that we may be accounted honourable too; for prayer is always binding upon us, although we are not always alive to the performance of it. The more holy the employment, the less, by nature, we are inclined to it. But what does the name of Jabez import ?—Sorrow. ful a name truly applicable to the children of God; but oh the mercy, they have not to sorrow as those without hope;" for they sorrow after a godly sort ; and they that so sorrow, will assuredly sing another day. It is better to sorrow now, and to sing hereafter; than to sing now, and to sorrow hereafter. Sorrowing on account of sin has a good look with it. All God's children have so sorrowed; and to sorrow after an enjoyment of God in his word and ways, betokens the life of God in

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the soul. Every Jabez shall finally become a Juda, which signifies praise. Cheer up, then, sorrowing one; thy sorrows may be great, yea, even to overwhelming; they may accompany thee all through life; but they shall

come to an end.

"And then, oh how pleasant the conqueror's song!"

"But Jabez called on the God of Israel."-Sanctified sorrow will bring the sorrowing ones to God in prayer. To call, is to pray. He "called;" he looked to God"the God of Israel"-the true and living God, the only Lord God, who doeth wonders. He called, saying, “Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed!" The application made was sincere; what he asked for was felt to be -wanted-it was personal. "Oh that thou wouldest bless me." Religion is a personal thing. "That thou wouldest bless indeed." God's blessing is a blessing indeed. Who can tell the extent of it? When God blesses, it is well for time and eternity. He can bless us, though we cannot bless him, in the same sense. "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast"-wouldst increase me. Temporal blessings come from God as well as spiritual; and it is in vain that we "rise early, and sit up late, and eat the bread of carefulness," unless God prosper our endeavours. He succeeds best, and safest, who has God's blessing withal. "That thine hand may be with me,"—to protect me on the way to supply me with all in the way-to conduct me through the way, and to keep me from going out of the way. "That thou wouldest keep me from evil :" from the evil of sin-of affliction-of wicked and wily-disposed men: from the evil of error-in doctrine, in practice, and experience. "That it may not grieve me"-that Í may not be mortally wounded by sin, and the evil of it; in a word, that I may not have overmuch sorrow-the import of my name.

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"And God granted him his request." Then he must have asked in faith; "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." He must have asked with a pure motive. "Ye have not, because ye ask amiss ;" and "that ye may

consume it upon your lusts." Ask, and ye shall receive," said the Lord Jesus. How much there is in this prayer suited to our every-day's necessities! May Jabez God be our God; his conduct and character ours; his requests ours; and his success ours; and we shall have nought to fear. Amen.

As Jabez prayed, so I would pray,-O Lord thy servant bless;
Preserve from evil, day by day, and grant supplies of grace;
Enlarge my coast, and let me live to thine eternal praise :
From thee I every good receive-accept my feeble lays !

And while I live be thou my Guide; and when my body dies,
Then take my soul to thine abode, beyond the ethereal skies,—
Up yonder where the angels dwell, and saints thy glory see;
O there may I thy wonders tell-the wonders wrought for me!

REFLECTION II.-JANUARY 2.

"The Lord knoweth them that are his :" 2 Tim. ii. 19.

WHAT a mercy to be the Lord's, and to know that we are his! Many are his who have no enjoyment of it, who are afraid to think that they are his ; but the Lord knows them, and will not despise them, nor cast them off: since it has been his pleasure to make them his, and his in the best and most gracious sense of the word: his by election; his by redemption; and his by effectual vocation or calling. What a blessed interest and right of possession is this! Oh reader, art thou his, in these senses? If thou art his, in election, redemption, and vocation, thou hast then been made to feel sin to be a burden grevious to be borne ; thou hast then been taught something of thine own helplessness and ruin,—of the vanity of the world, and of thine own performances as utterly inadequate to justify thee in the sight of a holy and a just God, who demands "truth in the inward parts." If thou art his by effectual vocation or calling, then thou art called to love holiness, and to delight in the ways of the Lord, and feel a pleasure in the company of his people. "The Lord knows them that are his :" knows them with a

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