to and fro, unto the dawning of the day." Here is another picture: (never were there such painters as the sacred writers:) "He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain, so that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat, and his flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyer.” Admitting that this be not the case, allowing the constitution to be ever so vigorous, age impairs it, and loads it with infirmity, so that the man says, I cannot see, I cannot hear: "those that look out of the windows are darkened, the strong men bow themselves, the voice of the grinding is low, there is fear in the way, the grasshopper is a burden, desire fails because man goeth to his long home." And we may observe here, also, that these physical evils often becloud the mind; they often lead us to draw the conclusion that we have no part nor lot in the matter, and that our heart is not right in the sight of God himself. They often, also, deprive a Christian of the public means and ordinances of religion. He is the Lord's prisoner. He can say, "When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me, for I had gone with the multitude that kept holy day." "But we," says the apostle, "look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.” FEB. 12.- When I would do good, evil is present with me. Rom. vii. 21. THE chief sorrows of Christians are those which arise from their sins and infirmities. Paul, who was a great saint, speaks of these as he does of none of his other imperfections. "Oh, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" For a Christian to know that he is under obligation continually to do good, and yet to feel that when he would do good evil is present with him; to know that his progress is necessary, and to feel himself hindered at every step; to feel vain thoughts lodging within him; to feel cold affections in duty,—such as a want of faith, and spirit, and liveliness in devotional exercises, in the closet, and at the family altar, and in the sanctuary,—how greatly it distresses him! for he has a conscience that is living and awake. It is inconsistent with our new and spiritual nature to perceive our deficiencies and not be affected by them; to love purity and feel so much pollution; to have a faithful God and an almighty Saviour who is worthy to be trusted, and not be able to confide in him; to know that the promises "are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus," and yet be unable to believe in them; to have an Infinite Benefactor, and yet cannot praise him; to be eager to go forward in their course, and yet be behind; to wish to be workmen that need not be ashamed, and never be able to put any thing out of their hands that is not marred and spoiled as soon as it is done, and unfit for the Great Master's use; to enter into the presence of a Being they so much love, and come thither with so much that they know he must hate; never to be able to lean on his dear bosom without piercing it. Oh, says the Christian, how wretched I feel! for I have the best of masters, and he has the worst of servants in me; and, still more, so to oblige him to say, "My sun of experience, like Joshua's, is standing still;" or, worse, My sun of experience, like the dial of Ahaz, has been "gone back ten degrees." This leads him to inquire, "Where is the blessedness I knew When first I saw the Lord? And by fresh trials, administered by the providence of God, he discovers fresh corruption, looks again into the chamber of imagery, and inquires, "Lord, who can understand his errors? "Cleanse thou me from secret faults?" FEB. 13.—For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost. 1 Thess. i. 5. We need not be informed that all to whom the gospel comes do not receive it. The Scripture speaks of such persons as these under various awful representations: as neglecters of the grace of God, "as turning away from him that speaketh from heaven," "as treading under foot the Son of God," as making light of the message of his servants, and going their way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. It addresses their eyes, but, alas! they are closed. It addresses their ears, but they are stopped up. It addresses their hearts, but they are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. It addresses their passions, but they are all running mad after the things of the world. But as to the Thessalonians, it came to them in the "demonstration of the Spirit, and with power." They received it therefore as an immediate revelation from God, though delivered by man. To the Thessalonians it was a novelty, even in itself; to us, who are born in a land of vision, it is a novelty only as a matter of experience. But when the ministry of the word becomes the ministry of the Spirit, the man is then "called out of darkness into his marvellous light;" and, however acquainted with the things before, they now impress him as new. Thus he resembles one born blind, who, if his eyes were opened, would not see a new sun, but the same which has been shining from the beginning; but it would be a new sun to him, for he never saw it before. There are some who receive the gospel more feelingly and suddenly; and they resemble Zaccheus in the tree, who, as soon as he heard our Saviour say, "Make haste, and come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house," made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. Some are more slow under admonition. The man is gradually impressed and enlightened; he has to feel and fight his way, and to drop his prejudices by degrees; he sets off, like the dawn, with a few rays, but his "path is like the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Another from no good motive goes to hear the word; he gives the preacher a look half wondering and half frowning. As the preacher proceeds, he begins to feel, and he blushes, as if he were "known of all and judged of all." He is full of alarm and resentment, and yet he cannot leave the place. He goes home, and, being uneasy, is fretful and discontented. He betakes himself to his companions in dissipation, but they no longer please :"miserable comforters are they all." He hates the place where he was made so uneasy, yet he cannot keep away. Again he goes, and learns more of his depravity and danger. He determines, therefore, that he will mend, and that he will not only "turn over a new leaf," but become "a new creature." But soon he feels that he is unable to perform his vow; and now is the danger lest he should be induced to say, There is no hope; lest despair should link him effectually to an unconverted state. He goes again, and now he learns that what hinders his salvation is not his depravity, is not his guilt, is not his weakness, but his unbelief and his pride. He finds that it is unnecessary to build a refuge of his own: there is a refuge already provided; he has only to enter it. Instead of furnishing himself with a righteousness, he has to submit only to the righteousness which is of God. He finds that "to him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness." Obedience he sees is required, but it is already provided for him in that dear One in whom he has not only righteousness but strength. He now regards good works, not as peace-offerings, but as thank-offerings; and, "by the mercies of God, presents his body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God as his reasonable service." FEB. 14.-Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. 1 Thess. i. 6. THE apostle alludes to the persecutions which these primitive believers met with from Jews and heathens, and of which we have some account in the Acts of the Apostles. This magnified their reception of the gospel, for they received it when they were exposed to losses, to imprisonments, to sufferings, and even to death. We know little of persecution; none of it is sanctioned in our happy country by law: but then we well know that law cannot remove the enmity of the human heart. There are many wives, and children, and servants, and workmen, and tradesmen, who hear the word under various menaces, and some privations, and some ill treatment, as far as it can proceed without being actionable. And "the tongue can no man tame." Reproach is a species of persecution. The Ishmaels will mock the Isaacs; and as it was then, so is it now: "he that is born after the flesh persecutes him that is born after the Spirit;" and "if any man will live godly in Christ Jesus, he shall suffer persecution." But we must remember that there may be much affliction when there is no persecution. Oh, how many a private sufferer is there whose heart "knows his own bitterness"! Yes; there are many now who "receive the word in much affliction," personal and relative. Observe, they receive the word, not only "in much affliction," but with "joy of the Holy Ghost." Not a carnal joy, not a worldly joy, but that joy which is the fruit of the Spirit ; that joy which much affliction cannot hinder,—the "joy of the Holy Ghost." Observe, Paul's religion made him suffer, but it did not deprive him of pleasure; yea, he says, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." When he and Silas had been scourged, and thrust into the inner prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks, at midnight they not only prayed but sang praises to God in the prison. “And,” says Paul, "not only so, but we glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope." So we see peace in the Saviour, and tribulation in the world, are very compatible with each other. There must be, therefore, something in Christianity which is very congenial with joy, otherwise these things could not be true; and they are true. It brings us "glad tidings of great joy, which are for all people." Thus it was originally understood and embraced. The Thessalonians received the word "in much affliction," yet with joy "in the Holy Ghost." Ah! they were then "filled with all joy and peace in believing." Nor is the gospel changed; the Saviour is the same now as he was then. There is the same efficacy in his blood, and completeness in his righteousness, and power in his arm, and love in his heart. If, therefore, we do not understand and receive the truth in the same manner as the Thessalonians had received it, there must be a mistake somewhere. "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord." FEB. 15.- We love him because he first loved us. 1 John iv. 19. DR. DODDRIDGE had a very amiable child who died under nine years of age she was a universal favourite among all who knew her. And one day when her father asked her, "How is it that all love you?" she replied, "I cannot tell, unless it be that I love everybody." This was not only a striking answer for a child, but it was even a philosophical one, if I may so say. Seneca has given us a recipe for love, or a love-charm, prescribed by an old philosopher, and the only charm that ever did, or can, or will produce it, namely, "Love," says he, "if you would be loved." Why, love is governed by certain laws, as well as every |