one.

FEB. 4.-I know whom I have believed.

2 Tim. i. 12.

WE here see what SATISFACTION the apostle derived from his acquaintance with the great Depositary himself:-"I know whom I have believed." But we should remember that the knowledge of which the apostle speaks is not the knowledge which he had of him before he believed in him. Then, indeed, he knew him, or his faith would have been folly, whereas it is "a reasonable service." When the apostle first trusted in him, he saw that there was the greatest reason for it in the world. It is therefore necessary that we should know him; we may love, and may rejoice in, an unseen Saviour, but not in an unknown Dr. Owen remarks that "all the operations of the Spirit of God are commenced and carried on in the renewing of the mind." Why would any person trust in another without some previous knowledge? Would they intrust a very valuable jewel in the hands of a perfect stranger? or would a person walk across a very deep abyss before he knew whether the plank was sound or rotten? Therefore we read that "by his knowledge he shall justify many." How is this? Some may inquire, Do we not everywhere read in the Scriptures that we are "justified by faith"? Surely; but "how can they believe on him of whom they have not heard?" Knowledge, therefore, we see, must precede every thing; and this was the case with the apostle. But then this knowledge is derived entirely from testimony, and from the testimony of the Scriptures. There is a knowledge derived from experience also, and "he that believeth hath the witness in himself." The believer knows these things from his own experience. "I know," says he, "that my poor soul was oppressed with a burden too heavy for me to bear, and I could obtain no relief till I applied to the blood of sprinkling," but by "believing I entered into rest." I know that "without him I can do nothing," and I know that "through his strengthening me I can do all things," for I have made the trial of both. I know that "it is good for me to draw near to God," for "a glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary." He is a tried friend and Saviour. I have often tried him, and the more I have tried him the more I find that he corresponds perfectly with all that is said of him in the blessed book. I know whom I have trusted, and were it to do again I would so trust in him again. I have

repented many things, but the longer I live the less am I disposed to repent of this. My views have changed with regard to many questions.-Oh! how I have been deceived, how I have been imposed upon, how I have been befooled by trifles in many things! But this does not apply to my trust in the Redeemer; here I have full satisfaction in the review of what I then did. The Christian has "tasted that the Lord is gracious;" and no wonder, therefore, having this knowledge, that he is concerned to bring others to enjoy it; no wonder that he speaks so much better on this subject than others,-"his heart teacheth his lips," as Solomon says; no wonder that he speaks with earnestness, and with confidence, and with feeling, and commonly too with success, for he can say, as the first Christians did, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

FEB. 5.—HE IS ABLE to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Tim. i. 12.

WE have seen the states of action generally expressed, but here is a particular reference with regard to it. There is often a bar in the heart to the work of God, and it does not always consist in a contempt of him. There are many who feel fear, who are yet very desirous of being saved by him; and they resemble the father of the lunatic that came to our Saviour, and said, "Lord, if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us and help us." We must, therefore, bring our faith not only to the perception of the Saviour's disposition, but to the apprehension of his all-sufficiency too. We must know that he is "the mighty God;" that he made and upholds all things by the word of his power; that he is all-wise to see the most concealed designs of his enemies against his people, and omnipotent to repel them. We must bring our faith to comprehend, not only his divine sufficiency, but his mediatorial sufficiency, and this peculiarly; that is, that "all power in heaven and in earth is given to him;" that "his blood cleanseth from all sin;" that "his righteousness can justify the ungodly," and give them a title to everlasting life; that nothing is "too hard for the Lord," in the way of renovation; that there is no want but he can supply;

that there is no corruption but he can subdue; that there is no enemy but he can vanquish; so that, however trying our spiritual warfare may be, we may say nevertheless, "in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us;" so that, though errors abound, though apostasies multiply, “the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal,-The Lord knoweth them that are his;" so that under a sense of my daily guilt, under the pressure of infirmities and imperfections, in the weaknesses of my grace, and in the variations of my frame, I may know still that he is "able to keep me from falling, and to present me faultless before his presence with exceeding joy." Now, the last thing that the believer has to trust in him for is the resurrection of his poor body. This will be a miracle, and the greatest of all miracles, and we know who is to be the performer. He whom we have trusted shall "change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." A period is approaching, when he will "come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe," when he will give an account mediatorially of all the trusts which he undertook; and therefore it is called "The revelation of Jesus Christ." Then will this almighty Guardian say, "Here am I, and the children which thou hast given me." Then will he say, Here are all the pupils which thou hast given me to educate, and what scholars have I made them all! here are all the patients that were intrusted to me to cure, and I have flung off them every particle of disease, and I have restored them to immortal youth and endless life; here are all the sheep, my Father, that thou gavest me to feed and to keep; "while they were in the world I kept them in thy name, and none of them is lost," not a lamb of them. And then, turning to believers, he will say, "You trusted me with your eternal all; and did you trust me in vain? I often tried your confidence: did I ever disappoint you? And was not the trial of it found unto praise, and glory, and honour' ?" And they will exclaim, "Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints," "for thou hast done all things well." "To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever."

FEB. 6.-Oh, give thanks unto the Lord. 1 Chron. xvi. 34.

IF we feel gratitude to our fellow-creatures for their favours, surely we shall not forget the boon of our salvation. There is nothing perhaps so vile as ingratitude in man's esteem. It is properly said, that if we call a man ungrateful we call him every thing that is vile. The Lacedemonians made ingratitude a punishable crime. There is nothing that we hate so much in others, perhaps, as ingratitude, especially when it is displayed towards us where we expect love, and therefore we soon show our resentment by discontinuing our favours. Why do we not hate it equally in ourselves when we discover its operations towards the blessed God? For, after all, what is the ingratitude of any one of our fellow-creatures, which we resent, compared with our ingratitude towards the Infinite Benefactor? If he were to discontinue his favours, would his sun any more shine? would his rain any more descend upon us, his mercies any more be new every morning? or should we be daily loaded with benefits? In what a state of destitution and wretchedness should we then be found! But how are we to express our thanksgivings towards God? Gratitude consists in the return of a benefit received. Among men it may be so expressed as that a full equivalent may be made for any favour we have received,-yea, more than an equivalent. But it can never be so expressed between God and man. We can never discharge our obligations to him. But we are to feel gratitude continually; and, though we cannot make an adequate return, yet we may make a suitable one. Gratitude will appear in this. We may be prompted to ask, "What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits?" "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Then this grateful concern will appear in the sentiments of the mind, in the disposition of the heart, in the language of the lip, but, above all, in the language of the life, for this speaks loudest. "Thanksgiving," says Philip Henry, "is good, but thanksliving is much better." When "we show forth his praise, not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to his service, and walking before him" "blameless in love." The best way in which we can show our gratitude is in the degree and the quality of the fruit we bear. What is the best way in which a scholar can testify the honour of his tutor? Why, by his proficiency. And our Saviour, al

luding to both these images, says, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye also be my disciples." It is lamentable to find that there is so little of this thankfulness now. "Oh," says David, "that men would praise the Lord for his goodness!" We are backward to all the duties of religion, but sluggish as to praise. We are backward enough to pray; but our necessities urge us to pray, our difficulties urge us to the throne of grace, and, when we have succeeded, we are far too prone to act like the lepers :-"Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?" Where is Hezekiah? He was restored from his sickness, and was so affected that he wrote a fine hymn, and gave it to the leader of the band, and had it sung in the temple, and said, "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do to this day." But afterwards, it is said, "Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefits done unto him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore there was wrath upon him, and all his children."

FEB. 7.—If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. John viii. 51.

CHRISTIANS are mortal like other men. Will they not therefore die? "No," says the Saviour, "they will not die." Death comes to them so changed, so glorious, so beatific, that we will not use the name. They "shall not see death." What then? They shall go home; they shall be gathered to their own people; they shall depart to be with Christ, which is far better; they shall fall asleep in Jesus. "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." Oh, surely he is a conqueror of death who will be delivered from the state as well as the sting of death; and this is the case with regard to every Christian. Mark, therefore, the language of the apostle in reference to them, when he says, "The body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,"-(here Paul attaches two limitations to the death of the believer, it only affects his poor body,)—" the body is dead because of sin"-the soul is not touched-" the spirit is life because of righteousness," and it immediately joins the spirits of just men made perfect. Then in the next place he says it is only temporary; the part affected will not remain under its grasp; no, the body will be revived, and will live as well as