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ZION REMEMBERED.

The possibility of its failure.-"They may forget." There are some unnatural mothers. Drunkenness and vice have quenched a mother's love. Even poverty and affliction have rendered a mother indifferent to her infant's cry. In heathen lands a mother sometimes exposes her infant child, and leaves it to die; but these are rare instances. They nevertheless prove the failure of a mother's love, and give us a sad picture of human depravity. Think of a mother deserting her child, or neglecting it in sickness and distress, or leaving it to die without pity or relief, or actually taking away its life. Some mothers thus forget.

The impossibility of Christ's love to his people ever failing. "Yet will I not forget thee." Who says this but Christ, of whom it is said in the context, "I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth?" He is faithful and true, and his word cannot pass away. He is unchangeable ; the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. "He rests in his love." There can be no failure of resources with him. "All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth." Of whom does he say, "I will not forget thee?" Of the church and every individual believer. Had he preserved the Jews in Babylon during their long captivity; and now that the seventy years were nearly finished, would he forget them? It was impossible. Is not Christ's love to the church, to me, stronger than death? Did not Christ preserve her from many bitter foes, and through many fiery trials, and will he desert her now? The fires of persecution have burned and consumed, but new witnesses have risen from the ashes of the dead. Declension and division have wrought sad havoc among the Christian ranks; but the Great Captain shall revive and collect his scattered forces, and lead them on to victory and glory. The desolations of death have thinned the ranks; but the death of one may be the life of two, and death cannot destroy the church. "I will

ZION REMEMBERED.

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not forget thee" in adversity and poverty, in sickness and sorrow, in captivity and oppression, in weakness and helplessness, in life and death.

JANUARY 24.

Zion greatly Lobed.

"Behold, I have graven thee upon (the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."-Isa. xlix. 16.

HERE we have the strong evidence of Christ's love to his church—the certainty that she shall be remembered-the knowledge he has of her 'defences-and the nearness of these being renewed and strengthened.

The strong evidence of Christ's love to his church. "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." It was common for Jews who lived far from Jerusalem, when they visited it, to make indelible marks, by means of punctures on the hand, representing the temple or city of Jerusalem, in token of their affection; and these marks were daily looked at after their departure, to remind them of their visit, and of Jerusalem the joy of the whole earth. Even the pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre still get themselves marked with what they call the signs or picture of Jerusalem. But more indelible still is the engraving on the hands of Christ. The prints of the nails testify the deep-rooted love of Christ to his people. However far from the land of their fathers, he is not far from them. However forgotten of friends, he does not forget them. They are indelibly marked on the palms of his hands.

The certainty that she shall be remembered.-The pilgrim Jew, however far from Judea, looks on his punctured hand, and remembers that place to which the tribes went

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ZION GREATLY LOVED.

up. So did the captive Jew in Babylon. "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!" And will not Jesus remember his children, when he presents his once bleeding hands, and intercedes for them at the right hand of God? How dear to Jesus is Zion! Its outlines are delineated on the palms of his hands, and he looks on and remembers. Poor Mungo Park, robbed of his earthly all, and left to perish in the desert, looks on the solitary piece of flowering moss, and is comforted. Does Christ remember that, and will he not remember me?

The knowledge he has of her defences.-"Thy walls are continually before me." The walls of Zion were broken down, but they were not overlooked nor forgotten. Her servants took pleasure in her stones, and favoured the dust thereof. So her broken walls were dear to Christ. He constantly looked upon them, and regarded them with interest for his people's sake. "Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come."

The nearness of these being renewed and strengthened.The captivity was near an end, when Christ would prepare a way, a highway for his people to go up to Jerusalem, and rebuild her fallen walls. The Great Captain was only waiting for a fit opportunity to march at the head of his chosen Israel, and bring them back to Canaan. And as soon as back they would begin to build. Opposition they would encounter, for all great reformations have been cradled in a storm and nursed through a tempest. "The

builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded."

ACCESS TO THE HOLIEST.

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JANUARY 25.

Access to the Holiest.

"Having, therefore, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."-Heb. x. 19.

LET us attend to the place of purity-the way to it-and the freedom of access.

"Ask

The place of purity is called "the holiest."-This may refer to the presence of God. "Let us draw near with a true heart." He hath erected a throne of grace, to which we may boldly come, and seek and find. All may come to God by prayer; and if we come believingly, importunately, and perseveringly, we are sure of success. and ye shall receive." "The holiest" may refer to the house of God. There Christ's professed followers assemble -there he has promised to be present to bless-and there they experience the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. "The holiest" may also refer to heaven. It is "the holy place," "the holy of holies," the residence of holy beings; holy songs are sung there, and holy service is rendered there. Its unrivalled grandeur, its spotless purity, its delightful employments, its exquisite enjoyments, and its endless duration, may well attract every eye, and ravish every heart.

The way to it." By the blood of Jesus." This opened the way to the holiest. Till justice was satisfied and redemption effected, there could be no throne of grace, no holy church, and no holy heaven for sinful men; but Jesus having shed his blood, and done all that law and justice could demand, hath consecrated a new and living way to God, a new pathway to heaven. The blood of Christ brings us to "the holiest." Nothing else can cleanse from sin. If our prayers are heard, and our services accepted, it is only through blood. If we are

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ACCESS TO THE HOLIEST.

members of the body of Christ, it is because we are purchased with blood. And if ever we reach heaven, it will only be because we have washed our robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This blood keeps and comforts on the way to "the holiest." We have no security in ourselves, but we have ample security in Christ's blood. It perfumes all our services and duties, illuminates the path of life, removes the shadow of death and the gloom of the grave, and forms a luminous centre around which faith, hope, love, and all the graces perpetually revolve.

The freedom of access.-"Having, therefore, boldness to enter." We have boldness from the word of God. It invites, commands, and urges us to come, that we may be saved and happy. Surely, when a friend makes a feast, his kind invitation is a sufficient warrant for us to come and partake, and shall we stumble at the invitation of Christ? We have boldness from the promises and oath of God. These assure us of pardon and safety, and confirm to us all the blessings for which Jesus wrestled and died. "There's not a gift his hand bestows, but cost his heart a groan." We have boldness from the example of others. A great multitude now around the throne got there by washing their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb; and all who have tried it have felt its efficacy. Let us be followers of them who, through faith and patience, are now inheriting the promises.

JANUARY 26.

Salbation by Grace.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."-Eph. ii. 8.

BELIEVERS are saved persons-they are saved by grace