boundless grace of God. And why should they be ashamed that their state should be known? It is desirable that they should know it; to this, their condition, the whole gospel refers, and on this the whole of it is founded. It is also necessary that they should know it, else the gospel will be a repulsive system to them. It will be like offering alms to the wealthy, or announcing liberty to those who are free, or entering a house to couch the eye of a man who can see,—unless they choose to strip the gospel of its fine character, as suited to sinners; unless, as some have done, they would reduce the gospel to a system of moral ethics. But is such a meagre representation the gospel? Does it come up to this representation?" The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Or does it come up to this language? -"God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

FEB. 19.-They shall come which were ready to perish.

Isa. xxvii. 13.

WE have here the ATTRACTION the gospel shall exert. Whatever knowledge the heathen had, they were utterly unable to carry it into effect, both for want of evidence and authority. None of them could speak in the name of that God who calleth the things that are not as though they were. Hence we find Plato complaining that he was unable, by all his instructions, to bring over the inhabitants of a single village. But if we go to Thessalonica, to Corinth, to Colosse, to Ephesus, and survey the character of the inhabitants before they received the gospel, it is largely described by the apostle, and we cannot suppose that the devil himself could make or wish them worse. Yet the apostle stands forth and says, "Such were some of you;" "ye were sometimes far off;" you (( were dead in trespasses and sins;" but "you hath he quickened;" "instead of the thorn came up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier came up the myrtle-tree." "Our gospel came unto you, not in word only, but in power also;" "the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." Accordingly, the gospel is expressed evermore by images which indicate its efficacy. It is called the "rod" of God's power-a "hammer" to break in pieces—a "two-edged sword"—“leaven”

which commences its operations in the centre, and extends them to the circumference until the whole is leavened-" seed" which, though it looks dead, yet fills the earth with its fruit, thirty, sixty, an hundred fold. This success God himself has insured, or we could not reckon upon it. "As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth." The gospel never leaves people as it finds them: it enlightens their understanding; it prevails on their wills; it purifies their affections; it makes them new creatures. How can we honour the gospel so much as by showing what it can do? What has the gospel done for multitudes? If they are as proud, and covetous, and revengeful, after hearing the gospel, as they were before hearing it, where is the change? Where is the conversion? In the passage before us the trumpet is blown, but it is heard, it is answered :—they "come." How do they come? "With weeping and with supplication;" they come eagerly, hastening, running, flying like doves to their windows when they behold the approaching storm. From whence do they come? From the dark dens of ignorance -from the lurking-holes of hypocrisy-from the false refuges of pharisaism-from the service of sin-from the bondage of Satan. To whom do they come? "To whom coming as unto a living stone," "to him shall men come." He is the only resource; and he says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' "Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me." What is faith, what is religion, but the soul in motion to him and negotiating all its affairs with him?

FEB. 20.-But they made light of it. Matt. xxii. 5.

THE charge here made is that of making light of the provision and invitation of the gospel. The Jews did, and they well deserved the destruction it brought upon them. But is this applicable to us? Why not? There are four proofs which will substantiate the charge. The first will be taken from our thoughts. The thoughts are the first-born of the mind, and they always cling to their object as the bees to the hive, and for the

very same reason,-because there they find the honey. "Can a woman forget her sucking child?" "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire ?" "Where the carcass is," says the Saviour, "there will the eagles be gathered together." But now, what a man makes light of he thinks very little of. Let us ask, then, how does this subject engage our hearts? Many persons know that it rarely ever engages them; they know that it never engages them spontaneously, but only by external presentation, and they know, too, that when it does enter them, it is not cherished and entertained; and therefore, like a guest who feels that he is not welcome, he soon looks to the door. The second proof is to be taken from our words. That which we make much of we shall speak much of, for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Hear how those who value these things, instead of "making light" of them, are thus described by inspiration. "All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee; they shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power, to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom." Now, on the other hand, take men who "mind earthly things." Suppose it be money: such persons, like Peter's fish, have money in their mouths; or, if it be the honour which cometh from men, they want nothing to excite them to enlarge. Oh, they seize the opportunity; they are at home here. But they never converse of "the things of the Spirit;" that is, of their own accord; that is, unless they have some purpose to answer; that is, never without irksomeness. Other company is much more relished than the company of those who know nothing "save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." The third proof may be taken from our actions. Those make light of a thing who take no pains and make no sacrifices in order to secure it. And is not this the case here? The man spoken of in the gospel, who found treasure hid in a field, did not "make light" of this thing, for he immediately went, and sold all that he had, and bought it. What are we ready to part with for this purpose? The pride of our reason -our self-righteousness-the possession of the world-the pleasures of sin? The best proof will be derived from our anxieties. It is well known that what we highly prize we shall always recommend, and be greatly concerned to make those we love partake of the same. Now, can our relations or our friends bear

witness that we have urged upon them the care of the soul as the "one thing needful" in all our intercourse with them? Can they bear witness that we have sought to induce them to attend to religion? Have we prayed with them, and for them? Have we admonished them? Have we been anxious that they should be "renewed in the spirit of their mind"?

FEB. 21.-But they made light of it. Matt. xxii. 5.

THERE are four causes which lead numbers to make light of the gospel provision and invitation. First, ignorance. Hear what the Scripture says of this:-"If our gospel," says the apostle, "be hid, it is hid to them that are lost;" that is, it follows that they will be lost hereafter; and it proves that they are in a perishing condition already. There is an ignorance which is unavoidable. This does extenuate and excuse; but these guests could not plead this ignorance, because a succession of messengers had been sent to them. There is also an ignorance which arises, not from the want of means, but the want of improving them. "My people," says God, "do not consider." Now, ignorance never excuses, where knowledge is attainable. And yet there are many who are willingly ignorant: they turn away their ears from hearing God; they close their eyes. And therefore the Saviour says, "Had I not come and done among them the works that none other man did, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin." Another cause is insensibility. There are many who do not feel their need of these things: they are not "poor in spirit ;" they do not "hunger and thirst after righteousness." "Now," says Solomon, "the full soul loathes the honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." "They that are whole," says the Saviour, "need not the physician," and therefore they are not disposed to repair to him. They may not oppose him, especially if he happen to be popular in their neighbourhood; yea, they may even recommend to him some who are very ill; but it is obvious that they will not value him on their own account. But it is otherwise with the sick. The person they want is not the merchant, the philosopher, the poet, the musician; but the man who can bring them "health and cure." Another cause is indisposition. "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject

to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

And the same may

be said of the Saviour himself; men "will not have this man to reign over them." Even in the character of a Saviour, natural men do not love him. David speaks of some who "love his salvation." It is a fine expression, and ever to be remembered; but natural men, they do not love the manner of it, as it is free, and leaves us nothing to glory in before God; as it represents us, if wise, wise in another's wisdom; if righteous, righteous in another's righteousness; if strong, strong in another's strength; if rich, rich in another's riches; and however moral we may be, if saved, saved in the same way with the chief of sinners. And they do not love the nature of this salvation, as it is heavenly and holy. His name was called JESUS, because he should save his people from their sins. He " gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. The fourth cause is worldly-mindedness. This was the case here: they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, and the other to his merchandise.

FEB. 22.-This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John v. 4.

"BE of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Thus did our Lord assure to his disciples the victory over the world, as if he had said, I have found it from the beginning to be an enemy, but it has not conquered me and it shall not conquer you; I have overcome it for you, and, because I have overcome, you shall overcome also; and, "because I live, ye shall live also." But what is the Christian's victory now over the world? It is not fleeing from the world,-fleeing is not fighting, but it is their abiding in the situation and calling in which they are placed by God; discharging with diligence and zeal the duties pertaining to them; bearing with patience, and firmness, and privation, the trials incident to them; avoiding the snares and the corruptions that are inherent in them; resisting the temptations belonging to them, and using all the opportunities afforded them to "do good as they have opportunity unto all men," and to "serve their generation according to the will of God." It is to be undismayed by the frowns of their adversaries, and to pursue their work however