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wicked every day, and though he bears and forbears, there is a point beyond which his forbearance does not extend. Oh that the sinner knew, that while God hates sin, He loves himself, and has been pursuing him with his love ever since he was born!

God is ready to receive the sinner. - Though most unworthy, God's love to the sinner is free, unmerited, and persevering. He stretches out his hands all day long to the disobedient and rebellious. His love flows down to sinners through the channel of Christ, whose sufferings and death have removed every obstacle, so that sinners have free access to the Father. God in this gospel has put himself in the sinner's way, and is requiring and expecting his submission. He offers Christ and immediate reconciliation. O my soul, accept this offer, and make a fair start for heaven.

The sinner should lose no time." Agree quickly." God requires, and Jesus urges, the sinner to make haste. He should do so because life is uncertain, death is near, his day of grace is limited, delay will increase the difficulty of reconciliation, and may bring down on his soul everlasting destruction. Commands, entreaties, threatenings, life and death, are placed in the sinner's path; while heaven smiles, and friends pray, for immediate reconciliation.

The consequences of neglect will be dreadful.-These consequences may be imagined from the ordinary procedure of judges in a court of justice. There is the sentence. The impenitent sinner will be condemned; he will be banished from the presence of God and all the good, and he will be shut up in the prison of hell. There are the executioners. The angels will carry the awful sentence of the Judge into effect, and there will be no escape from their power. There is the execution of the sentence. will be cast into prison, from which there shall be no

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egress, and in which there shall be punishment, without mitigation and without end.

FEBRUARY 8.

The Lobe of Christ.

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us." -1 John, iii. 16.

WE have here a great fact-this fact the evidence of love -and our perception of it.

The great fact is, that "Christ laid down his life for us." The death of Christ is the most wonderful event recorded in the history of the world. For thousands of years prophets foretold, sacrifices typified, and, in the fulness of time, wicked men perpetrated it. It was voluntary. He laid it down, not by constraint, but willingly, for he had power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. It was substitutionary, "For us." For us, that he might bear our sins, and satisfy the claims of justice. For us, that he might save us from our sins, and make us enjoy all needed blessings. For us, that we might come to him for pardon and eternal life. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died."

This fact is evidence of his love.-Man's love is evident, if he parts with what is most precious to him; and did not Jesus part with his life? Man's love is evident when he loves disinterestedly, and seeks not his own profit; and did not Jesus seek our welfare, and not his own, when he died on the cross? Every gift he bestows was purchased by blood. Man's love is evident, when it is fixed upon unworthy objects that have no claim upon him; and did not Jesus love sinners and enemies? "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Man's love is evident, if

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it is persevering and permanent; and has not Christ's love pursued us from the first moment of life till now? Even now, his bleeding hands, his pierced side, and his unchanging love plead. "How shall I give thee up?"

We should perceive this love.- How many live a long life, and never perceive Christ's love to them? Perception implies knowledge. Though few on earth care for us, or love us, yet, if we know that Jesus does, how sweet is life, how merry the heart, how bright the sunshine of our souls! Perception implies faith. If we know, we shall also believe the love that Christ hath to us, for God is love. This love should sink deep into our hearts, and kindle a flame there that shall never be quenched. It should quicken us in the discharge of duty, and brighten our prospects for a better world. Perception implies resemblance. The love of Christ should attract our gaze, till we be like him in heart and life. We should muse on it till his love beget love in us. O my soul, think on the love of Jesus till his image be reflected, and till this reflection shed its lustre on the dark world around!

FEBRUARY 9.

The God of Hope.

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."-Rom. xv. 13.

THINK of the blessings specified-the source from which derived the way in which they are obtained-the agency essential-and the intercession employed.

The blessings.-These are "joy, peace, hope." The gospel is essentially "glad tidings of great joy;" and when believed, brings joy to the heart. We have joy from the gospel, because it is true, because it delivers us from great

evils, because it puts us in possession of great blessings, and because it opens to us bright prospects. The gospel did all this to the eunuch of Ethiopia, who "went on his way rejoicing;" and it did all this to the primitive Christians, who "did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart." Peace comes to us through the blood of Jesus, and by faith. There is peace with God, peace of conscience, and peace with all men. Hope is the balm of life. It refers to something future and something good. Its foundation is Christ; it is begotten by faith, nourished by love; its tendency is holiness, and its consummation is heaven. Oh that joy, peace, and hope filled my soul !

The source of these blessings is "the God of hope." He is the fountain of all hope, because he loved sinful men, while he had no love to sinful angels, because he provided a great Saviour for us-and because he has promised the influences of the Holy Spirit to work in us joy, peace, and hope.

The way in which they are obtained.-" In believing." Faith is the parent of all the graces, and joy, peace, and hope are her lovely children. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and impossible to be accepted and saved. The wicked have no joy, no peace, no hope; but all believers have in proportion to the strength of their faith.

The agency essential "Through the power of the Holy Ghost." All graces are the fruit of the Spirit. He convinces of sin-he enlightens the mind-he renews the will-he rolls divine truth into the heart, and produces faith, joy, peace, hope. Reader, thou mayest have his agency, for "the Father giveth the Holy Spirit to them that ask him."

The intercession.-"Now the God of hope fill you." The apostle's prayers and intercessions are the most thrilling of all his writings, and when he prayed for such

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blessings to be given to the Christians at Rome, shall not I pray for them that they may abound in me, and in all Christians?

FEBRUARY 10.

Acquaintance with God.

"Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee."-Job, xxii. 21.

HERE we have a pleasing duty-delightful enjoyment— and abundant reward. What a privilege, what an honour to be acquainted with God! He is my Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, and Disposer. Were I anxious to view the great ocean, I would ascend some lofty mountain, and gaze on its moving waters; but where shall I get a view of the Infinite Jehovah? His works and his word plainly reveal him, and his love flows down to me through the channel of his Son.

The pleasing duty." Acquaint now thyself with him." Know and believe the love he has to thee. To know thyself is good, to know the mysteries of science and art is praiseworthy to have a knowledge of the world is valuable -to be acquainted with the great and good is honourable. "But this is life eternal to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Let not the glittering world-let not the pleasures of life-let not learning with all its honours-and let not ambition with all its attractions, deter thee from making this acquaintance Thus shall thy peace be as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.

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Delightful enjoyment.-" And be at peace." have present peace. This was the legacy which Christ bequeathed to his disciples; and when he says, "Peace, be still," all the troubles of earth should not disturb. Thus