FEBRUARY 1.

A Sinner in Heaven.

"He was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."-2 Cor. xii. 4.

ERE we have Paul in paradise-what he heard there and why he was not allowed to utter it. Think of Paul in Paradise.-He was caught up, doubtless in a miraculous manner, to the third heaven. The first heaven is the region of the clouds; the second the region of the sun, and moon, and stars; and the third is the palace of the Great King, the residence of angels and the spirits of just men made perfect. It is a dwelling-place of unrivalled grandeur, spotless purity, holy society, ravishing enjoyments, and eternal duration. It is called "paradise," which signifies a garden of delights, like Eden, where our first parents dwelt in innocence. To this "excellent glory," to this palace of the King of kings, Paul was for a time. caught up, and enjoyed a privilege which no mortal ever enjoyed but himself. Who ever before gazed on the golden glories of the better country with a mortal eye? Who ever before heard the music of heaven, and then came back to earth to live, and toil, and suffer, and die?

Think of what he heard there." He heard unspeakable

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A SINNER IN HEAVEN.

words." He heard words, human language, probably words of praise. There are many tongues on earth, and the most learned can only understand a few; but there is one language in heaven, and its numberless multitudes understand it well. The words he heard were "unspeakable." Human language on earth could not express them, nor explain them, nor do them any justice; neither could men understand them, nor derive benefit from them. How could ignorance and imperfection, so prevalent on earth, exist in heaven? How could unsullied purity find a dwelling-place in the midst of sin, pollution, and death?

Why not allowed to utter ?—Because what Paul enjoyed and heard in heaven was a singular favour, which no other on earth so well deserved. Who had faith like Paul? Who laboured like him? Who suffered like him for the cause of Christ? Because we could not comprehend it. The words of heaven are so unlike the words of earth, so grand, so elevating, so Godlike, that they are far above our faculties. The finite could not comprehend the Infinite, the mortal could not gaze with benefit on the Immortal, and the hand of time could not grasp even a fragment of eternity. Because God has already revealed all we need to know about the glories of the heavenly world. We have enough to win us, to guide us, to comfort us, and to excite our loftiest ambition, and if we had needed more God would have revealed it. Because we must learn to walk by faith, and not by sight.

We know

We must

much, but we have not seen the excellent glory. wait and hope till the beatific vision bursts on our disembodied, happy, pardoned spirits. Then shall we know all and see all, and resemble him whose glory irradiates the heavenly world.

SPIRITUAL DARKNESS CURED.

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FEBRUARY 2.

Spiritual Darkness cured.

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God."-Isa. 1. 10.

HERE we have the true character-the strange complaintand the sure remedy.

The true character." He feareth the Lord." This fear is the sum and substance of religion, and includes holy reverence to him who is the greatest and best of beings, holy love, the love of a child to an honoured parent, without any slavish dread, and a fear of offending him who does so much for us, and who will call us to account. "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord." "Happy is the man that feareth always." There is no want to them that fear him." "He obeyeth the voice of his servant." This servant is Christ. "He took upon him the form of a servant." He has strong claims on our obedience, and our obedience to his commands should be sincere, cheerful, and universal. Thus, if our religion is genuine, we will fear the Lord in our hearts, and obey his commandments in our lives. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

The strange complaint." He walketh in darkness, and hath no light." How strange that any Christian should be in such a sad state as this! If we would expect any to be comparatively free from trials, it would be Christians; yet it is not so. The Christian life is a fight, a warfare, a striving, a race. "Ye must through much tribulation enter the kingdom." Personal affliction, severe and protracted, the loss or misconduct of dear friends, unlooked for adversity and deep poverty, fear of death and strong temptations, often produce despondency, and make the

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SPIRITUAL DARKNESS CURED.

Christian go mourning without the sun.

"O that I were

as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness."

The sure remedy.-"Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." The desponding Christian. must renew his claim to the Lord as his God. "The Lord is my God." How much depends on the word " my." It is the way from nature to grace. It is the path from poverty to riches. It is the ladder by which we climb from earth to heaven. He must renew his faith in Jesus Christ. He is "the name of the Lord," for God saith, "My name is in him." Trust in the Lord Jesus, is the grand and only means of salvation and comfort. If I am on the Rock, how can I sink? If my sins are on Jesus, how can they crush me? If I believe in Christ, why should I not believe the promise, "Thou shalt be saved?" He must stay or fix his hope on his God. He must not only look, but he must do so with a fixed look. He must not only rest in Christ, but his rest must be abiding. "Then surely the day will break, and the shadows flee away."

FEBRUARY 3.

Faith and Life.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life."-John, iii. 36.

THESE words are among the last words of John the Baptist. They are his dying testimony regarding Jesus, our duty, and the blessedness of believing. They bring plainly before us the object, the nature, and the result of faith.

The object of faith.-"The Son." He is "the mighty

God," and hence he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him. He is a Saviour, wearing our nature, dying for our sins, and encouraging us to claim him as a brother and friend. He is the only Saviour. There is no other foundation on which we can build for eternity, and no other refuge to which we can flee and be safe. Do we feel that sin has placed us at an immeasurable distance from God? Jesus is the one Mediator, and our only pathway to God and heaven. Do we feel sin to be a burden crushing us to the dust? Then, by looking unto him, we are lightened of our burden. From him alone, as the object of faith, sweet peace, holy joy, and blessed hope, come into our souls; and if our cup of bliss runs over, it is because the water. that fills it flows from the Rock.

All the

The nature of faith.-" He that believeth." truth revealed in Scripture about Christ we must believe, and our faith must fix itself on him, and abide on him. Faith cannot be genuine or Scriptural if it is a mere notion or opinion; for it receives something, whereas a man may see a thousand truths, and hold a thousand opinions, and receive nothing. True faith receives Jesus, and fixes itself on him. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." It claims Jesus, and holds fast the claim. "My Lord and my God." Shall I be invited, and urged, and commanded to believe in the Son, and shall I neglect or refuse? Shall I be without a friend, when such a friend is within my reach ?

The result of faith." Hath everlasting life." What a blessing! What a privilege! What a duration! The believer has life. Once he was dead in trespasses and sins; now he is alive unto God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He has it in present and certain possession. It does not rest on a contingency; he does not require to