DECISION OF RUTH.

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Her firm resolution.-"I will go, I will lodge, I will die, I will be buried with thee." Naomi, thou art my best friend, and I will journey with you. Though poor, and helpless, and unprotected; though the way be long and rough; though I travel to a foreign land; and though I go among strangers, "I will go." My beloved mother, I will lodge with you. Though thou shouldest dwell in a lowly cottage, in a hovel, or in the open air, I will still lodge with you. Your humble lot shall be mine. Thy people shall be my people, my only companions and associates. I will conform to their customs, when innocent; and their society shall be my great delight. I will serve thy God; for he is the only true God-a God in covenant with his people-and he shall be mine for a possession and a portion: "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul." Death is certain to us both. If thou shalt die first, I shall die in the same bed, in the same faith, in the same hope; and I will die, like thee, the death of the righteous. I will lie in the same grave. Lovely in our lives, in death we shall not be divided. We shall sleep together, rise together, and live together for ever and ever. Blessed Ruth, let my devotion to my Saviour resemble thine to Naomi !

Her solemn oath. -"The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." Death shall part us; but only for a little. Death, which breaks asunder the closest ties which bind us to earth, shall separate our bodies; but in heart and in love we are one for ever. God is my witness, that my attachment to thee is genuine, and that my resolution is unalterable: I will not leave thee. God who is able to save and destroy, to kill and to make alive-God who searches all hearts, and searches mine is my witness, that nought but death shall part thee and me. This God is my God for ever and ever; he will be my guide even unto death.

DECEMBER 1.

Perfect Peace.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee."-Isa. xxvi. 3.

WHAT a lovely character!—what a steady purpose !— and what a sure promise!

What a lovely character!" He trusteth in thee." Is Jehovah-Jesus the object of my faith and trust? How worthy! He is God, able to save to the uttermost. His omnipotent arm is stretched out; not to condemn and destroy, but to save. He is man, to obey in my nature, and feel for me in all my woes. He has done all, and suffered all, that law and justice could demand. He suffered, he died, he rose, and he reigns that I might have peace. He wept that I might smile; he died that I might never die. He is willing to finish what he has so well begun, to perfect that which concerneth me, and take me to heaven at last. And shall all this make no impression on me? Yes; I shall put my trust in him, and rush to the arms of his love. I shall trust in him now; for if I am ever to start for heaven, why not now? I shall trust in him implicitly, and through all difficulties, like Noah, like Abraham, like the Syro-Phoenician woman, and I shall not be disappointed. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

What a steady purpose !" Whose mind is stayed on thee." The worldling has his mind fixed upon the world, and with persevering efforts pursues its gains, its pleasures,

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and its shadows. And shall not I fix Jehovah-Jesus, the treasure of my soul ! heart will be cheerful, and free from the thousand anxieties of the wicked and the worldling. Vain thoughts will be banished, temptations resisted, difficulties overcome, and smiling rays discerned through the darkest cloud. Thus fixed on Jesus, heart to heart, and eye to eye, no danger can move me, no opposition disarm, and no suffering Overcome. The storm and the tempest may rage without, but there is perfect peace within. The winds of adversity may blow, and the waves of death roll, but fixed on the rock Christ, I can smile at the storm, and welcome death, and welcome heaven.

What a sure promise!—"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace." Peace, double peace, perfect peace is mine. I have peace with God, through the peace-speaking blood of Jesus, in whom I have believed. I have peace within, by the answer of a good conscience, and a sense of the pardoning mercy of God. I have peace with all men; for the controller of hearts maketh even my enemies to be at peace with me. And all this is absolutely certain; for Christ's death insures it, and God's promise secures it. Yes, my soul, it is secured now; it is secured in all circumstances, and it is secured for ever. What a rich feast is perfect peace, continual peace! The wicked have none of it. The unstable have none of it. It never dwells in a wandering mind. But the believer has it. He has it direct from Christ; it flows into his heart like a river, and his peace no man taketh from him.

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THE MOMENTOUS QUESTION.

DECEMBER 2.

The Momentous Question.

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"-Mark, viii. 36.

SURELY he whose glance compasses the universe, and surveys all its vicissitudes-surely he whose energy has stamped the soul with immortality, and whose judicial authority shall consign it to imperishable bliss, or imperishable woe, was well fitted to estimate the worth of the soul, and the worth of the world, and pronounce an infallible decision. What is the worth of the soul?what is the worth of the world?—and what is the balanceaccount of both?

What is the worth of the soul?—As to its origin, it is the last and noblest work of God-the ornamental finish of creation, on which the great Creator has enstamped his image. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." In its nature it is spiritual. The body is its house; but like its Creator, it cannot be seen, and it cannot be injured; and it can, swifter than the lightning, hold communion with God. In its duration it is immortal. Every man carries within him an immortal spirit. The body shall go down to the grave, but the soul shall not go down with it. He may sin away his time, but he cannot sin away his immortality. may plunge into wickedness and licentiousness, but he cannot plunge into oblivion. He may dream of annihilation, but the lost soul shall live and burn in everlasting fire. In the price paid for its redemption. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." O my soul! eternity alone can disclose thy worth.

He

THE MOMENTOUS QUESTION.

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What is the worth of the world?-It is little worth, because, though a man had it all, he could not enjoy it. He could only behold part of it with his eyes, a privilege which belongs to others as well as to him. It is little worth, because, though a man had it all, he would not be satisfied with it. Alexander the Great reached the throne of the world; but having no hope of farther conquest, he folded his hands and wept. It is little worth, because, though a man had it all, he could have no certainty of keeping it. He is but a tenant-at-will, and may have to remove without warning, when six feet by two will be his only permanent possession. It is little worth, because, though a man had it all, it could afford him no consolation in death. It can provide a pillow of thorns, but it cannot purchase release from pain, nor ward off for a moment the last enemy. Though a dying man had a wedge of gold in his bosom, what could it do for him?

What is the balance-account of both ?-On one side, uncertain gain; on the other, certain loss. Suppose the world gained, the soul is lost; for whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. On one side, trivial gain; on the other, incalculable loss. The world cannot buy happiness; and what mind can estimate the loss of the soul? On one side, temporary gain; on the other, eternal loss. There is but a step between us and death; and the soul once lost, is lost for ever. O my soul, what is thy decision? Is it Christ or the worldthe blessing or the curse-heaven or hell?

DECEMBER 3.

An Earnest Preacher.

"Behold me, behold me."-Isa. lxv. 1.

In the preaching of the gospel, Christ is set forth crucified,