fect in weakness." Am I opposed? "His grace is sufficient for me." Am I destitute? "It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;" and we are "blessed in him with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places." There is no light—not a ray-but beams down upon us from him, "the Sun of righteousness;" there is no living stream that flows but comes from him, the Fountain of "living waters." "If any man thirst," says he, "let him come unto me and drink.” All, and in all.” "He is JUNE 12.-And rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Phil. iii. 3. IF, therefore, Christians cannot for a time rejoice in Christ, we cannot fail to observe, they can rejoice in nothing else. Their friends are "miserable comforters;" ministers are “physicians of no value;" the promises are "clouds without rain ;" the ordinances are "wells without water." Then creatures all look dismal, and, as they draw back, exclaim, "Help is not in us;" "If the Lord help thee not, whence shall we help thee? Out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-fat?" But, on the other hand, "when he giveth peace, who then can make trouble?" When he "rejoices the souls of his servants," every thing is changed around; when he smiles, every thing laughs. Then they learn in "whatsoever state they are, therewith to be content;" then "in every thing they give thanks." Then they can say, with Dr. Doddridge,— "If thou, my Jesus, still art nigh, So, then, "they that forsake him observe lying vanities, and forsake their own mercies." "So will not I," says the Christian; "I have found it good to draw near to God." I forsake him? He has been my help," and therefore "under the shadow of his wings will I rejoice." When, therefore, many who were offended with his doctrine drew back and "walked no more with him," to try the dispositions of his disciples, he said, "Will ye also go away?" Now you have a very good time for it, if you will; now you may go in company; now you need not blush; now there are persons to keep you in countenance: "will ye also go away?" Peter answered, "Go away, Lord," (and this was the sentiment of all his brethren too,) "we go away? to whom should we go?" To the philosophers? they are "vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts are darkened." To the world? that is "vanity and vexation of spirit." To sin? it leads down to hell by the chambers of death." Shall we go to the Scribes and the Pharisees? they are "blind leaders of the blind." Shall we go to Moses? Moses would send us immediately back to thee, for he wrote of thee, he spoke of thee; and every institution he established, and every ceremony and every sacrifice he ordained, was designed to proclaim, "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world." "Lord, to whom should we go but unto thee? Thou hast the words of eternal life." JUNE 13.-Yet, believing, ye rejoice. 1 Pet. i. 8. HERE we have the MEDIUM of the Christian's joy," believing." In the Christian economy every thing is by faith; we read of "the proportion of faith," of "the measure of faith," "the unity of faith," "the law of faith," "the word of faith," "the righteousness of faith," "the shield of faith," "the strength of faith," "the household of faith," "the assurance of faith," "the profession of faith;" we are saved "through faith," we are "justified by faith," we are "sanctified by faith that is in Christ." Our hearts are purified by faith; and yet some wonder that we so extol and commend faith. Every thing is by faith: "the life which we live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God;" "by faith we walk;" "by faith we stand;" by faith we overcome; and yet some persons are afraid lest there should be too much stress laid on faith. Why, every thing is by faith. We read of the "fight of faith,"-" the work of faith,"-of "the prayer of faith," of "the joy of faith." Every thing flourishes in religion just as faith prospers. And here we are told that Christians only rejoice in their Saviour by "believing." Now, this will appear clear and undeniable when we remark two things. First, Faith is the only medium of our acquaintance with him. Now, though we can rejoice in an unseen Saviour, we cannot rejoice in an unknown one. The knowledge of him, therefore, is absolutely necessary. And from whence is this knowledge to be derived? Why, only from testimony. This is the record that God has given us of his Son; and this contains all the information that we can possess concerning him while we are in this world. And those who refuse it, therefore, must remain in darkness. What can I know of his person, of his character, of his offices, of his relations, of his influences, of his blessings, but from the Scriptures, all of which testify of Him? And then, Secondly, This faith is the medium of all our intercourse with him. It is by this, and by this alone, that we deal with him in the solemn concerns of our souls and eternity. Faith is the feet by which we come to him; faith is the wings by which we "flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us;" faith is the eye by which we see him; faith is the ear by which we hear him; faith is the hand by which we receive him; faith is the arm by which we lean upon him; faith is the taste by which we feed upon him. "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man," says the Saviour, "and drink his blood, ye no life in you;". and this can only be done by faith. to us. JUNE 14.-Only believe. Luke viii. 50. have WHAT the Saviour said to the ruler of the synagogue he says "Ah," some may be ready to say, "this is easily said, and the Christian life upon this principle must be a very easy concern." But these are very much mistaken: there is nothing to which we are so naturally averse as this. A legal bias is natural to man; and the reason is, that originally we were placed under a covenant of works, in which doing was every thing, while the gospel places us under a covenant of grace, where believing is every thing. Little, therefore, did the Jews imagine, when they said to our Saviour, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?" little did they imagine they should have such a reply as he gave them. "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." And hence says the Apostle John, "This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." And hence said Paul and Silas to the awakened jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." It is by the exercise of a living faith on the Son of God that we obtain relief for our souls at first from the dreadful condition of bondage to Satan, and that we are brought into "the glorious liberty of the sons of God;" and all our supplies of comfort and support in every after-period and condition must be of faith in the very same way; for, as the apostle tells the Romans, we can only be "filled with all joy and peace in believing." We have reason, therefore, to infer that faith is not a very common thing,-I was going to say, even among believers themselves; and Mr. Newton somewhere exclaims, in one of his letters, "What unbelieving believers are the best of us!" Surely there is very little of this principle even in many Christians, if we may judge from the small degree of their joy in Christ. Surely "if they believed" they would be established, and "the consolations of God" would not be "small with them." Surely if their faith was more clear in its discernments, more firm in its holdings of the promises of God, more simple and entire in its reliances on the Mediator, more lively and powerful in its actings, it would draw them away from those gloomy fears and those anxious suspicions which now dwell upon their comfort, like so many moths "fretting a garment." What is the reason that one Christian rejoices so much more than another? Has he a firmer foundation to build upon? No. All these things are the same in themselves, and therefore the same in their relation to us. But the thing is that some Christians make more use of the Saviour by faith than do others. The well is the very same, but they have nothing to draw with, or they have a very small and leaky vessel. The same feast is spread before them; but, as Hosea says, "the yoke is not taken from their jaws," and therefore they cannot partake of it. But, says our Lord, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." "Believing, we rejoice To see the curse removed; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, JUNE 15.-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Dan. iii. 16, 17, 18. WHAT a scene is before us! God had given all nations into the power of Nebuchadnezzar; even the Jews were not exempted: but he made a difference with regard to his own people. "I will correct thee," says God, "in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." He employed Nebuchadnezzar, not because he was pleased with him, but because he was a fit instrument wherewith to punish his people and to execute his wrath. "God guided him, though he knew it not." He wished to please the gods whom he served, and who had delivered him, as he conceived, from the hands of his enemies. An image was set up in the plains of Dura. This image was large, so that it might be seen and adored by all; it was also made of gold, and was therefore a fit emblem of the covetousness of man, and conveyed an idea of the universal regard which is paid to that root of all evil, -money. It must also be consecrated; and in this service there was nothing omitted which could add to its splendour or render it of consequence. The king attended the dedication, and all the officers of state followed in his train. While all was calculated to please the eye, there was the melody of sound to please the ear. A herald proclaims the mandate of the sovereign, and all must obey on penalty of being cast into a burning fiery furnace. All fall down and worship, excepting three young men, Hebrew captives, who, meek as lambs and bold as lions, with courage that would do honour to a seraph, stand firm and unbending. They are immediately impeached, brought before the king, and asked, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego? Do ye not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image that I have set up?" Let us consider the trial of their obedience. It must be allowed that things good in themselves are heightened in value by circumstances. Why was the liberality of the widow commended, while the rich cast into the treasury? We are told that they cast in |
