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CHRIST MADE SIN FOR US.

Judas confessed, after his crime, "I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood."

Christ's work." He hath made him to be sin for us." He was reckoned a sinner, and by imputation our sins were accounted his. Voluntarily, and without constraint, he became our substitute. "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." "He was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many." He suffered the penalty due to sinners. They deserved to die, and

Jesus died that we might live. They merited the awful curse of God for their sins, but "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Thus the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him, and having finished transgression, and made an end of sin, the law is magnified and made honourable, and all the claims of justice are fully satisfied. He suffered all this for us who were unreconciled, enemies, ungodly, sinners, that through him we might attain to righteousness and eternal life.

The important design.-"That we might be made the righteousness of God in him." "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," and we greatly need a righteousness which can justify us in the sight of God. To this righteousness we can attain through the blood-bought righteousness of Christ; for "even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is unto all, and upon all them that believe." As our sins were imputed to Christ, and accounted his, so Christ's righteousness is imputed to us, and accounted ours. This is blessed

truth, and the very corner-stone of true religion. This righteousness is ours by faith in Christ. There is food to

nourish our souls in the righteousness of Christ, but that food must be received and eaten. O my soul, renounce for ever human righteousness, and seek after "the righteousness which is of God by faith."

THE WISE MERCHANT.

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JUNE 19.

The Wise Merchant.

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls'; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”—Matt. xiii. 45, 46.

THE phrase, "kingdom of heaven," sometimes means the empire of Christ in the world, the empire of Christ in the heart, and the empire of Christ in heaven. Here it means the empire of Christ in the heart. Think of some of these goodly pearls which men seek-the one pearl of great price and the conduct of the merchantman.

Some of these goodly pearls which men seek.-Riches dazzle multitudes, who esteem them the perfection of happiness. Now, there is no evil in riches; there is no evil in the possession of them, if honestly acquired; but there is evil in the heart that is set upon them. Sensual pleasures appear to many goodly pearls. Solomon had a larger share than any other man, and he pronounces them vanity. They resemble the crackling of thorns under a pot-a blaze for a moment, and then all is over. Ambition seems a goodly pearl. The honour and the applause of the world have great attractions, but they are short-lived. Alexander reached the throne of the world, and because he could get no higher, he folded his hands and wept. goodly pearls, so eagerly sought, cannot bring happiness to the soul.

Such

The one pearl of great price.-This is Jesus, the speaker of the parable. He is the one pearl of peerless value. This value is seen in the glory of his person. He is Godman the Mediator. It is also seen in the perfection of his work. All the demands of the law he fulfilled; all the claims of justice he satisfied. His atonement is the sure ground of peace, and the sure covering in the day of wrath. We see his value, also, in the number and variety of his

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THE WISE MERCHANT.

blessings. There is pardon full, free, everlasting. There is peace, which passeth all understanding. There is blessed hope, which pants for heaven; and there is heaven itself, the Christian's home. "He that findeth me, findeth life." As this is the only pearl that can enrich the soul, oh let it be mine-for ever mine!

The conduct of the merchantman." He went and sold all that he had, and bought it." He had been searching after happiness where it was not to be found. He could get no satisfaction in worldly objects; still, he felt his need. At last, in his search, he found Christ. He found him in his word; he found him in his ordinances; he found him on his knees. This was the happiest moment of his life. He bought him-that is, he appropriated and claimed him, saying, "My Lord and my God." And he parted with self-righteousness, with sin, with the world, with all he had of his own, that Christ might be his, wholly his, and for ever his.

JUNE 20.

Food for the Soul.

"I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."-John, vi. 35.

My reader, Christ here says something to you-he requires something of you-and he promises something to you.

Christ says something to you.—“I am the bread of life." Bread is essential to existence-it is the staff of life. So Jesus is the food of the soul; it cannot live, it cannot be happy without him. Bread is well fitted to support life, as it nourishes and strengthens; so Jesus is suited to all. "Wherefore spend money for that which is not bread?" Bread is within thy reach. Few only get luxuries, but all must get bread, and all may get Christ. "If any man eat

FOOD FOR THE SOUL.

of this bread he shall live for ever."

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There is enough for all, and enough for thee. The gospel table is loaded with plenty, and that plenty within thy reach: why, then, inflict starvation on thy soul? If I cannot be rich in this world, let me resolve to be rich in the better world.

He requires something of you." He that cometh to me; he that believeth on me." The object or foundation of faith is Christ himself. He is divine, and able to save thee. He has suffered and died, and given you the best evidence of his willingness. "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Look away, then, from thyself and every other object, that thou mayest look wholly to Christ; for whilst there is salvation in no other, there is salvation in him. The nature of faith is coming or believing. Thy soul must be moved under a sense of sin, and it must come to Christ. Thou must believe the truth of the gospel, and fix thy faith upon him whom the truth reveals. On this rock thy soul is safe. Thy warrant, too, is plain: whoso cometh, whoso believeth, shall be saved. Jesus invites, he pleads, he commands, he urges, and wilt thou resist? If so, how soon may the knell of eternal death toll over thy lost soul! How soon may it be a monument of eternal justice!

He promises something to you." He shall never hunger; he shall never thirst." Here is satisfaction. The believer shall have all his wants supplied; he shall want no good thing. The world cannot satisfy, friends cannot satisfy; but Jesus can. He will fill the soul with pardon, with peace, with hope, with heaven. Here is certainty. He shall do it; he will do it. All his promises are doubly sure, seeing he has all power in heaven and earth. Here is continuance. Never, never shall the Christian lose a Friend; never, never shall the Christian be destitute of supplies. In life, in death, in eternity, he shall find Jesus true to his word; "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

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THE BELIEVER'S GOD AND GUIDE.

JUNE 21.

The Belieber's God and Guide.

"For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death."-Ps. xlviii. 14.

THE believer's God-the believer's claim of him-and the believer's assurance, here require our attention.

The believer's God." This God." He is God in Christ reconciling the world to himself; and because he is in Christ, the sinful world is preserved from destruction, and I am preserved. His love comes down to me through the Saviour, and sinks deep into my heart, because in Christ he is seen to be just, and the justifier of the ungodly. He is called "this God," because he has been the God of his church and people in all generations. He loves Zion; he protects her from danger; he preserves her from destruction. "Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad." He is universally accessible. Willingly does he supply food to the body, and as willingly does he give food to the soul; while the soul enjoys happiness in him, which it cannot enjoy anywhere else. The believer's claim of him.- "Our God for ever and ever." He is the believer's by choice. Moses, and Joshua, and David were so deeply impressed with his love, that they made choice of him as the portion of their souls; and if he is to be ours, we must be consenting parties, and claim and appropriate him. He is the believer's certainly. He says, "I am the Lord thy God;" and the believer responds, "The Lord is my God;" and thus there is a mutual agreement or covenant which cannot be broken. "I will be their God, and they shall be my people." He is the believer's permanently. Religion begun can never end. It cannot be taken on and put off like our clothes. It is a covenant for ever, an agreement that cannot be

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