436 THE BETTER RIGHTEOUSNESS. may be called gospel-righteousness. It has a better foundation than that of the Pharisees. It consists of Christ's righteousness claimed and appropriated, while it excludes human excellence and human merit. The good works of men are not meritorious, but only the evidence of an interest in Christ's work, where all the merit and all the comfort are. This righteousness is from a better motive than that of the scribes and Pharisees. Real good works are performed from love to God, and not to procure human applause, or promote self-glorification. This righteousness has a better aim. It is not to glorify men, but to glorify God. It seeks not to honour the creature, but the Creator. It seeks the good of others, not to please men, but to please God. And it has better effects. The righteousness of man leads to pride and contempt for others; but the goodness of those who are righteous, through the righteousness of Christ, leads to humility. It is a spark from heaven burning in their bosom, which spreads from heart to heart, and house to house, till all feel its blessed effects. The necessity of this better righteousness if we would enter heaven.-The kingdom of heaven sometimes means the church militant, but here it means the church triumphant. Heaven is a holy place for holy people, a home for the children of God. Human merit cannot purchase it, and human glory cannot share it. If ever we get there, it must be through the blood-bought righteousness of Christ. And we must claim it by faith: "The Lord is my righteousness." Without faith, and without this righteousness, exclusion is certain. "I say unto you, ye shall in no case enter." But let us put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, and we will be welcome. THE HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN. 437 SEPTEMBER 26. The Highway to Heaven. "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called, The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."-Isa. xxxv. 8. THINK of the way to heaven-the characteristics of this way-and the persons walking in it. There is a way to heaven.-Sin shut us out of paradise, and we would have been shut out for ever, had not Jesus become Mediator between God and men. He hath opened a new pathway to heaven, and says, "I am the way." He is revealed to us in the Scriptures. There we find him God-man, an able and a suitable Saviour. There we find his atoning blood, the purchase-price of our salvation, and the sure ground of our peace and acceptance with God; and there we find the essentiality of faith, that we may enter on this way, and keep it, and reach its termination in safety. How many are ignorant of this way while we know it! How many are anxious to know where their soul shall go last of all, while we might know it ourselves, and make it known to others! The characteristics of this way. It is an highway prepared for all travellers, sanctioned by the proprietors, and intended for general use. No one has a right to narrow it, or stop it; and the access which it affords is easy and uninterrupted. It is the way of holiness. Holiness is a necessary qualification for those who would travel on this way; for "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." “ "And the unclean shall not pass over it." Is there a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness; and shall I not wash in it, and then walk in the way of holiness? It is a plain way. Many dislike it, and will not walk in it; but no one need err regarding it, if he consult his map and keep his eyes open. So plain and straight is the path, 438 THE HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN. that the simple and unlearned need not mistake it; yes, the ignorant, and the poor, and the despised may easily find it. It is a safe way. No lion or other ravenous beast is there, and no pitfalls or unseen dangers; for God protects all travellers by his presence and his power. The persons walking in it.-It shall be for those who are redeemed. They are naturally as bad as others; but they have claimed Jesus for their Saviour, and keep their eye fixed on him. They have sought, and they have obtained, redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. They are redeemed by price, a price which they plead; and they are redeemed by power, the power of the Spirit, whom they have sought and obtained. Happy travellers! they walk in this way, they rejoice in this way, and they persevere in this way, till they reach the end. They are faithful unto death, and so obtain a crown of life. SEPTEMBER 27. Philip's Preaching. "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them."-Acts, viii. 5. No sooner had the church of Christ in Jerusalem acquired numbers and influence, than a bitter persecution was waged against her; and Stephen fell the first martyred victim. The other lights of the church, except the apostles, were scattered abroad; hence Philip came to Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. He preached Christ, the subject of prophecy. In the first promise, there was hope to our fallen family: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head.” Abraham rejoiced to see his day he saw it afar off, and was glad. Jacob spoke of the coming Shiloh. Moses PHILIP'S PREACHING. 439 foretold the coming of a prophet whom all should hear. Isaiah made known the birth of the Virgin's child, whose name should be Immanuel. David sang of the Holy One, the only begotten Son of God, the stone rejected of the builders, becoming the head of the corner. He preached Christ, the consummation of types. The paschal lamb, whose blood was sprinkled on the door-posts, and whose flesh was roasted with fire, shadowed forth the sufferings and death of the Lamb of God. The brazen serpent raised on high, typified Jesus lifted up on the cross, that whosoever looked to him might be saved. The bleeding sacrifices under the ceremonial law were meaningless and useless, unless they pointed to Christ, the one great sacrifice for sin. He preached Christ, the Saviour of the world. His teaching, his miracles, his atoning death, proclaimed him the true Messiah, the restorer of peace between God and men, and the author and procurer of gospel salvation. He was not only a Saviour for the Jews, but for the Samaritans and the Gentiles; for "the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world ;" and if there were universal faith, there would be universal salvation. He preached Christ, the bestower of saving blessings. In him there is forgiveness of sin, full, free, and everlasting; in him there is peace for the troubled conscience; in him there is good hope for those that are ready to perish; in him there is assurance of pardoning mercy, there is joy in the Holy Ghost; and in him there is the heavenly home, with its fulness of joy, and its pleasures for evermore. He preached Christ, the Judge of all. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. The babe of Bethlehem shall sit on the throne of the universe. He who stood at the bar of Pilate, shall have Pilate and all men standing at his bar; and his impartial sentence shall fix their eternal doom. 440 PHILIP'S SUCCESS. SEPTEMBER 28. Philip's Success. "And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake."-Acts, viii. 6. THEY heard with attention. Philip, in his preaching, did not attack violently Jewish ceremonies, or any prevailing system of error; but he laid the axe at the root of the tree of all error, and preached Christ plainly, faithfully, and earnestly, and his hearers paid deep attention. They heard attentively, because the salvation of their souls depended upon it; and they heard attentively, because the opportunity was favourable for abandoning their sins, and joining the cause of Christ. They heard with faith. They believed the word spoken, and embraced the Saviour revealed in it; and they did so on sure and satisfactory evidence. They felt the power and truth of the word in their own consciences, and the quickening energy of the Holy Spirit; and they saw the miracles and the finger of God in them, confirmatory of all they heard. They could not resist the truth rolled into their hearts by divine power, and they could not resist the miraculous evidence without fighting against God; hence they believed. They heard in great danger. great danger. Persecution against the followers of Christ had just begun with great violence. The blood of Stephen had been shed, and Saul made havoc of the church. Their liberty was in danger, their property was in danger, their lives were in danger; trouble and the loss of all things were before them; yet the Samaritans acted on their convictions, joined the cause of Christ, and preferred the Saviour to all earthly advantages. They heard, resolving to practice. "They gave heed unto those things which Philip spake." When he |