JULY 1. The Way of Life. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."-John, vi. 47. ERE are a great requirement-an invaluable privilege-and the best security for its enjoyment. The great requirement." He that believeth on me." This sets before us the object of faith. This object is Christ, a divine person, able and willing to save us; Christ crucified, a suitable Saviour making peace by the blood of his cross; Christ alone, for he is the only object and foundation of faith. We may believe the truth of the gospel; but if the truth does not lead us to rest on Christ alone for salvation, we get no further than the threshold of religion. The nature of faith is belief of the truth, and reception of Christ revealed in it. The devils believe, but they cannot receive the Saviour; believes, he credits the truth, and claims and receives the Saviour as his. The language of his faith is, "My Lord and my God." The sinner's warrant to believe is the invitation of Christ: "He that," or whoso, "believeth." Jesus is himself the feast, and his invitation is our warrant to come and partake. If we neglect or refuse, it is at our soul's peril. How kind! when he calls, shall I refuse? but when the sinner The invaluable privilege.-"He hath everlasting life." He has life. Formerly he was dead; but now he is alive. Formerly he was carnally minded; but now he is spiritually THE WAY OF LIFE. 301 minded, and full of life and peace. Formerly he had a cold heart; now his heart is warm with love. Formerly he preferred evil; now he prefers good. "This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." He has life in present possession. He does not require to wait for it till death; he has it even now; he has a foretaste of it now; he is conscious of a great change even now. His soul is fixed within him now, and the fire will burn till its brightness irradiate heaven. This life is everlasting. Once alive, he lives for ever; once a son, he is never more a slave. His new life shall last longer than the sun. When the sun shall grow dim with age, and forget to arise— when the pillars of the world shall tremble, and the last crash of nature summon the dead before the judgment-seat of Christ-the believer, in newness of life, shall survive the wreck of the world, and appear in all the beauty of undying youth. The best security for its enjoyment. "Verily, verily, I say unto you." Christ says it, and he is the unchanging One that will not alter, and the omnipotent One that can carry into effect. He says it pointedly: "I say unto you," O sinner, as if thou wert the only person in the world; therefore take my word for it. I say it solemnly: "Verily, verily." I who am the amen-the faithful and true witness-I make it sure, and doubly sure. All his people in every age have experienced his faithfulness. JULY 2. The Sinner's friend. "A friend of publicans and sinners."-Luke, vii. 34. By way of reproach, Jesus was called "a friend of publicans and sinners;" but the appellation is a great and 302 THE SINNER'S FRIEND. comforting truth, a spring of hope and joy to the poor and needy. He is so called, and truly, because he assumed their nature. He did not take the nature of angels or unfallen men, but "he took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." His nature, though sinless, was our nature; so that every sinner may say, "This man wears my nature; this man is my brother according to the flesh." What encouragement to the greatest sinner to claim him as his kinsman Redeemer. "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." He may be so called, because he sought the company and salvation "of publicans and sinners." Matthew was a publican or tax-gatherer, and Jesus called him to be a disciple and an apostle. Zaccheus was chief of the publicans, and Jesus called him, claimed his hospitality, and justified and saved him. Instead of being a reproach, it is our comfort and our joy that "this man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." They were blessed that sat at his feet and received his instructions. "Blessed are they also that have not seen, and yet have believed." He be so called, because he died for them. may due time Christ died for the ungodly." "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." "Thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also." If we had been righteous, we would have needed no such substitute; but being lost, and ready to perish, he died for our sins and rose again for our justification. Oh that the love of Christ in his death may sink deep into every sinner's heart, and influence his thoughts, his feelings, and his conduct! "In He may be so called, because he invites sinners in the gospel. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but THE SINNER'S FRIEND. 303 have everlasting life." "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." If any class of sinners deserved to be excluded from his mercy, it was his own murderers; yet they had the first offer of pardon, and the first call of his love. The apostles, who were commanded to preach the gospel to every creature, were specially enjoined to begin at Jerusalem. The poor, the hard-hearted, the ready to perish, yea, all the ends of the earth, and every creature, have his kind and earnest invitation. He may be so called, because he has actually saved many "publicans and sinners." He saved Matthew and Zaccheus. He saved Mary Magdalene and the expiring thief. He saved the poor publican and Saul of Tarsus ; and we have reason to believe that many of the three thousand converted on the day of Pentecost cried out, Crucify him, crucify him," and yet were saved. JULY 3. Remission of Sins. "To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."-Acts, x. 43. THE nature-the medium-the terms-and the certainty of remission, demand our attention. The nature of remission.-" Remission of sins." It is free. The sinner comes to Jesus without any price in his hands, and he receives remission freely and at once. "We have forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace." It is full and complete. All his sins, original and actual-sins of omission and sins of commission, sins great and small, and sins past, present, and futureare forgiven. "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities." It is everlasting. God is unchangeable, and "his gifts and calling are without repentance." "My kindness shall not 304 REMISSION OF SINS. depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed." The medium of remission." Through his name," which means through Jesus. Ere sin could be forgiven, Jesus must obey the law of God, satisfy the claims of justice, and exhibit all the divine attributes in harmony. He has done so by his life, sufferings, and death. Every part of the law he obeyed; every claim of justice he met; and the issue is, that he is ready to forgive, and presents in the gospel the offer of pardon. "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." The terms of remission.- "Whosoever believeth in him." Without faith there is no remission, no salvation, and no pleasing of God. The object of faith is Christ. We must believe "in him." The belief of divine truth is only valuable when it leads to Christ, the sum and substance of it all. If faith makes us happy, it is because it is fixed and settled in Christ. The nature of faith is believing in Christ-that is, receiving him as our Saviour, and resting upon him alone for salvation. The warrant of faith is, "Whosoever." A feast is prepared, and a table covered with abundance; and surely our warrant to go and partake is the invitation of the Master. Thus God invites, urges, and commands us to believe in Jesus; and shall we resist? If so, "they who were bidden were not worthy," and must expect the wrath and utter destruction of the great King. The certainty of remission.-"To him give all the prophets witness." David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah, testify God's readiness to forgive sin through Christ. "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities." "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity?" All the apostles testify the same great truth. James and John, |