30 COMFORTABLE WORDS. We have also cheering promises. The sinner has no promise of saving blessings, but the believer has. He has the presence of Christ. "I am with thee." Though afflicted, he is befriended. Though cast down, he is not destroyed. Though sorrowing, he is not without consolation. Though surrounded with enemies, he has One Friend. "I am poor 66 and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me." He has covenant relationship with Christ. "I am thy God." O my soul, he is the object of thy reverence and worship, thy property, thy portion, thy happiness. Thou hast all things. in him. He has strength. "I will strengthen thee." He will do it in weakness-in affliction-in poverty-in temptation. He will do it for the discharge of duty, and for victory over death. He has all-needed aid. Yea, I will help thee." He will do it in difficulty-he will do it in sorrow he will do it in the furnace-he will do it in the hour of death. "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper." He has support. "I will uphold thee." When ready to fall among enemies, or sink into the cold arms. of death, Christ's strong hand and mighty arm will hold His righteousness will cover him, and sustain him up. him for ever and ever. JANUARY 18. The Prince of Life. "And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses."-Acts, iii. 15. HERE we have a dignified Person-his cruel death-his glorious resurrection-and its sure evidence. The dignified Person.- "The Prince of life." He is the author of life. "All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him THE PRINCE OF LIFE. 31 118 was life; and the life was the light of men." Not only is he the author of natural life, but of spiritual life. He is "Christ our life." "I am the way, the truth, and the life." How true is it that in Him I live and move and have my being, both in regard to this life and that which is to come! He has dominion over life. "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen; and have the keys of hell and death." "He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." He is the "He is the Saviour of all men, specially preserver of life. of those that believe." He came to save, and gave himself for the life of the world. His cruel death.-The Jews killed him. His death was violent. The Jews, as a nation, had no power over life; but in defiance of law and justice they clamoured for his crucifixion. At their instigation the unjust judge gave sentence against him, and cruelly and violently was it carried into effect. "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth." His death was cruel, not the death of a condemned Roman citizen, but the death of a slave, or an execrated foreigner. It was slow and lingering, beginning at the extremities, and gradually working its way to the seat of life. It was an accursed death, "for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." His glorious resurrection. "Whom God hath raised from the dead." After his death his body was laid in a new tomb, so that no other body could rise instead of his. A large stone was rolled to the door of the sepulchre and sealed, so that no one could enter and remove the body. A guard of Roman soldiers was set to watch the sepulchre, and it was death by the Roman law for any of the guard to be found sleeping at their post. Notwithstanding all these precautions, he did rise. He burst every barrier, and 32 THE PRINCE OF LIFE. made the banner of hope wave over the citadel of death. The Father was satisfied with his atoning death, and therefore he raised him from the dead. "I know that my Redeemer lives: The sure evidence.-"Whereof we are witnesses." The apostles were credible witnesses of a risen Saviour. They all saw him-saw him often-and had delightful intercourse with him. Mary saw him first, then the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, then the ten, and then Thomas. Besides, he was seen by above five hundred brethren at once, and, last of all, he was seen by Paul; and all these, so far from having any self-interest in view, gave their testimony, knowing that bonds, and imprisonments, and death might speedily be their reward. JANUARY 19. The Fountain Opened. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness."-Zech. xiii. 1. HERE we have man's disease-man's remedy-and free access for all. Happy day when the Sun of Righteousness arose on our world, to bring to light our death and our life! Man's disease is "sin and uncleanness." Alas! sin, like the grasp of a tyrant, has taken fast hold on me. Have I felt its bitterness? Have I realized its danger? Do I know that I breathe in an atmosphere of evil, and that there is no fair spot on earth free from this terrible pestilence? Were I, like Paul, to be caught up to the THE FOUNTAIN OPENED. 33 third heaven, and obtain a glimpse of glory there, and then come back to earth, I would be constrained to acknowledge, "I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Blessed be God, deliverance is at hand, mercy is near. It Man's remedy.-"A fountain" of blood. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." This remedy is called a "fountain;" not a stream or a rivulet which might soon be dried, not a cistern which might soon be exhausted, but a "fountain," ever flowing and ever full. Come then, my soul, and bathe in this fountain, for it is as capacious as it is inexhaustible. It resembles the ocean, which is both the source and receptacle of every tributary stream-ever exhausting, and yet exhaustless still. resembles the sun, that for thousands of years has incessantly poured forth a flood of light, and yet shines with undiminished splendour. Thus the virtue of this fountain is never-failing. Neither ages nor numbers can exhaust it. There is free access to all. It is "opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Its blessings are large, and free, and lasting-large as our wishes, free as our mountain air, and lasting as eternity. Calvary is not like the burning Sinai. No barrier surrounds it. No clouds envelop it. No lightnings blaze around its base. No thunders roll on its summit. No trumpet sounds loud and alarming to keep any one in awe. have free and encouraging access-the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem-the royal family and the common people-men of all countries, all ranks, and all characters. "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." What many prophets and righteous men desired see, but were not permitted, I have seen. They lived in the dawn, but I live in the noonday. They had Moses to C All 34 THE FOUNTAIN OPENED. and the prophets, but I have Christ and the apostles. Blessed are my eyes, for they see; and my ears, for they hear. "There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel's veins ; JANUARY 20. The Promise given to Beliebers. "But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."-Gal. iii. 22. THAT all are under sin-that all should believe in Christ -and that they who believe have the promise of life, now demand our attention. All are under sin.-"The Scripture hath concluded all under sin." We have original sin. We have sprung from a corrupt tree. We have come from an impure fountain. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." We have actual sin. Some own that they have actual sin, while they deny original guilt; but who ever saw a tree growing without a root? All are under sin; so am I, and my sins are numberless as the stars of heaven. I get the knowledge of my sins from "the Scripture." "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "There is none righteous, no, not one." With such sure testimony, why should I puzzle myself about the origin of evil? Facts as well as Scripture prove its existence. I am a great sinner-this is humbling; but Jesus is a great Saviour-this is cheering, and life from the dead to my soul. All should believe in Christ.-We should believe the |