THE PROMISE GIVEN TO BELIEVERS.

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truth revealed in the Bible about Christ. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son." Christ says, "If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?" We should fix our faith on Christ. He is the only object of faith, and the sum and substance of all truth. If we wish to see the truth personified, let us look to Jesus, for he says, "I am the truth." If we believe the truth, this brings us to the threshold of religion; but if we believe in Jesus, and fix our faith only on him, this brings us into the inner-chamber of true happiness. Sorrowing believers, think not of yourselves, dwell not on your inward and outward trials, but look to the Saviour, and the Saviour only, and you will be lightened of your burden! All are warranted, invited, and urged thus to believe on Christ. As Scripture concludes all under sin, so Scripture urges and commands all to believe. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." They who believe have the promise of life.-" The promise is by faith, and given to them that believe." It is a promise of life. The believer" hath everlasting life." It is said to the believer, "Thou shalt be saved." Just as sure as we believe, we have the promise of life and salvation. He who believes in Christ, and does not believe the promise of life, is something like a half-way Christian, and deprives himself of the happiness and hopes of salvation in present possession. The promise believed gives a blessed hope, a sweet foretaste of coming enjoyment. It puts us in possession of the first-fruits; and, as the firstfruits are, so will be the coming harvest. The promise will be fully consummated at death. Now imperfection, but then perfection. Now weary journeying, but then the journey is ended, and home is reached.

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THE GOSPEL CALL.

JANUARY 21.

The Gospel Call.

"Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man."-Prov. viii. 4.

This call is divine.-It comes from him who is "the power of God and the wisdom of God," who was " from the beginning, or ever the earth was." He brought us into being, he preserves us in being, and now he condescends to call us from sin and the world, to salvation and heaven. This call comes from a bosom so full of love, that he would willingly embrace in it the whole world. Shall Jesus love me, and give me evidence of it, and shall I not admit his strong claim to my love? Shall Jesus call to me in a voice of love, and shall I not hear? Shall Jesus seek to hold me, and shall I try to run away?

This call is universal. "O men! O sons of man!" Men of all ages-men of all countries-men of all ranks-men of all characters-rich and poor, young and old, wise and ignorant, are embraced in this call, and there is room in the heart of Christ, and room in heaven for all. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out."

This call is particular.-"Unto you." O reader, it is addressed to you, as well as to all who read and hear the gospel. It is addressed to you because you need it, because you must not lose yourself in a crowd, because you must not commit any mistake, and because, if you neglect it, you must perish. "The Master is come, and calleth for thee." Thee, reader, as if thou wert the only individual in the world. Is not thy name "sinner;" and did not Jesus come, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance?

This call is urgent.-Twice in this text he calls. It is, therefore, a double call. And he not only calls, but pleads. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock." "How often

would I have gathered you, but ye would not come?" Thus Jesus is not only urgent, but his urgency extends over weeks, and months, and years. Long he waits, earnestly he pleads, but he may wait no longer and plead

no more.

This call is authoritative." This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ." His claim to implicit obedience is strong, while the consequences of neglect will be dreadful. "He that believeth not is condemned already."

This call is now." Come now, let us reason together." "Remember now thy Creator." If refused or neglected now, all may be lost. Ere to-morrow, the knell of the second death may toll over thy lost spirit, and thy cry of despair resound through the regions of the lost!

JANUARY 22.

Zion's Complaint.

"But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me."-Isa. xlix. 14.

ZION was the name of one of the hills on which Jerusalem was built. The people dwelling there were called children of Zion; and hence the word Zion came to mean the people of God, and the church of God.

This complaint, though primarily referring to the captive Jews in Babylon longing for emancipation, really refers to Christ and gospel times, as proved by two quotations from this chapter in the New Testament.

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ZION'S COMPLAINT.

This complaint arises from weak faith.-Faith is often real, yet feeble; hence, when trials and afflictions come, the people of God are cast down, and go mourning without the sun. This was the case with Christ's disciples when, tempest-tossed on the sea of Galilee, he reproved them. Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" And this is the case with the church still, when oppressed and persecuted, when her members are few and uninfluential, and when wickedness abounds in the land; but it is not true that the Lord hath forsaken or forgotten her. He only means to try her faith and her patience.

This complaint arises from neglect of duty.-If the church is asleep, and not putting forth efforts to consolidate and extend true piety-if efforts are not made to bring in the ungodly, and send the gospel to the perishing-it is not wonderful that comfort of mind should depart, that love should cool, and that complaints should arise. How can the church, or any member of it, expect to enjoy the sweet light of Christ's countenance, if duty is neglected, and lukewarmness indulged?

This complaint arises from adverse providence.-The Jews had long been captives in Babylon-there was no appearance of immediate deliverance-the harp was still hung on the willow-and there was no heart to sing the Lord's song in a strange land; but the darkest hour is that which precedes the dawn, and man's extremity is God's opportunity.

This complaint arises from personal and relative afflictions. A diseased body has frequently a most depressing influence on the mind, and the loss or misconduct of friends gives a wound to the spirit. Wearisome days and troublesome nights hide sunshine from the soul; but the sun is still in the heavens, though the atmosphere be moist and gloomy.

This complaint arises from delay in answer to prayer.—

God is the hearer of prayer, but he answers in his own time and way. "He is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness." And what we imagine is injurious to us often turns out for our benefit. What a grief to Jacob was the loss of Joseph, yet that loss was the preservation of himself and his household!

Notwithstanding such complaints, Zion says, "My Lord.” Though apparently forsaken and forgotten, he is my Lord still. Even Christ, when he complains, still says, “My God, my God." This is my sheet-anchor. I will hold the Saviour fast, and refuse to let him go.

JANUARY 23.

Zion Remembered.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." -Isa. xlix. 15.

THINK of the greatness of a mother's love-the possibility of its failure-but the impossibility of Christ's love to his church ever failing.

The greatness of a mother's love to her infant." Can a woman forget?" This love is natural. Owing to an infant's helplessness, and its essential dependence on its mother for nourishment and warmth, she has an instinctive attachment to it, and this attachment is the strongest in nature. This love is very tender. The infant is part of the mother, and, once possessed, there is a fear of losing it; hence the tenderness of a mother's love. It is persevering. However busily occupied, however sound asleep, an infant's cries find a response in a mother's love, and her care and anxiety extend over weeks, and months, and years.