Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/326

 pardon  for  all  the  errors  of  your  understanding  and your heart;  and  for  your  frequent  neglect  of  God's  holy inspirations. Promise Him,  that  for  the  future,  you  will give Him  all  your  actions,  both  internal  and  external, and say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  I  have  gone  astray,  like  a sheep  that  is  lost,  seek  Thy  servant,  because  I  have  not forgotten  Thy  commandments." (Ps. cxviii.  176.)

The life,  which  the  Redeemer  led,  and  the  doctrine which He  taught,  afford  plentiful  matter  for  meditation. But since  we  cannot  examine  every  passage  relating  tothese,  we  will  select  the  chief,  and  shall  not  so  much, follow the  order  of  the  history,  as  the  connection  and similitude of  actions  and  doctrine. Most ascetic  writers have followed  this  plan.

I. "In  those  days,  came  John  the  Baptist,  preaching in  the  desert  of  Judea." (Matt. iii.  1.)  The  preaching of the  Baptist  preceded  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  dawn of the  morning  precedes  the  rising  sun. Of him  it  is said,  "  Behold  I  send  my  angel  before  Thy  face,  who shall  prepare  the  way  before  Thee." (Mark i.  3;  Mal. iii.  1.)  John  was,  therefore,  an  angel  both  as  to  his office and  the  innocence  of  his  life. Such ought  to  be all  priests,  who  are  frequently  in  the  Scriptures  called angels. Such ought  to  be  the  life  of  every  faithful