70 ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD. I have peace with God. He is my Father, a forgiving Father, and, being justified by faith, I have peace with him. Thus I have peace in my own soul. The past, the present, and the future sins of my life are covered by the peace-speaking blood of Jesus. Thus I have peace with all men. I shall look on every one as a friend and brother, and strife and contention shall be known no more. shall follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." "I Abundant reward.-" Hereby good shall come to thee" -present good and future good-temporal good and spiritual good. "I will surely do thee good." Good shall come to thee at death. Guardian angels shall watch over thee, and carry thy soul into the bosom of Abraham. Good shall come to thee in heaven. "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Good shall come to thee at the resurrection and last judgment; for this promise shall secure to thee Christ's blessed welcome, and Christ's sentence of commendation. "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." FEBRUARY 11. A Well-furnished Table. "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."Ps. xxiii. 5. HERE we have a table before us-the preparation of it for our use and our enemies looking on. The table before me may refer either to the gospel table or the sacramental table. Christ himself is on it symbolically, and discernible by the eye of faith. "I am that bread of life." "If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever." The atonement of Christ is discernible on A WELL-FURNISHED TABLE. 71 the table. In the gospel and on the sacramental table, the atonement of Jesus holds the most conspicuous place. The sun is the centre of our system, and all the planets which revolve round him derive their glory from him; so the atonement is the centre of our religious system, and all other doctrines derive their glory from it The blessings on the table. which Christ procured by his death are Pardon of sin, peace of conscience, hope of salvation and eternal life, may all be found there, found through Christ, and found now. The preparation of it for our use." Thou preparest." This preparation is wholly of God. It is the fruit of his free love, and provided at great expense. Neither men nor angels could furnish this table, but God has done it, by giving up his Son to die. The provision is most liberal. Everything the sinner needs to complete his happiness here and hereafter, may be found on the table. "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die." There is enough for each one, and enough for all. The whole provision is offered without charge. The blessings of salvation are freely given without price, and without previous qualification. Sinners, great and small, are welcome to Christ, and to all his blessings; and, having accepted of these, they are welcome to the children's bread on the sacramental table. O my soul, look not within, but look without to Jesus, and thy peace shall be like a river! Our enemies looking on." In the presence of mine enemies." Enemies are present in every worshipping assembly. Painful thought! Some have the form of godliness without the power-some are wolves in sheep's clothing-and some are present merely to please themselves and their friends; but all enemies are on the alert to find fault with the provision, the urgent invitations, and the persons relishing the feast. True, the sons of God 72 A WELL-FURNISHED TABLE. are there, but Satan is there also by his emissaries. Let us rejoice that our enemies cannot injure us without our consent. Under the eye of Christ, and under the shadow of his cross, we are safe, and shall soon be more than conquerors over all our foes. FEBRUARY 12. The Mystery of Godliness. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness."-1 Tim. iii. 16. LET us think of godliness-a great mystery-and an undeniable mystery. Of godliness.-Godliness generally means piety or religion, or likeness to God; but here it means the Christian system of religion. Its facts and doctrines are for our instruction. Its precepts and threatenings are for our guidance; and its promises and examples are for our encouragement. Godliness, as a system revealed in the Scriptures, is designed to make us religious, and to make us resemble God, from whom it has emanated. Godliness is a great mystery.—This does not mean that the doctrines of religion are unintelligible, but that they were long concealed from men by types and prophecies. They are now so far revealed that we have enough for salvation. Still there are difficulties which we cannot fully explain, but which will be explained in a better world. Godliness is a great mystery in its doctrines. There are some things hard to be understood, but none contrary to reason. We have mysteries in nature which are above our reason, and need we be surprised to find mysteries in revelation which are at present above our darkened and limited faculties! Godliness is a great mystery in its mode of influencing the mind. Some are THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. 73 easily affected, and gladly receive the word, and are saved. Others are hardened and perverse, and will not take God's word as the rule of their heart and life, their comfort in affliction, and their guide to heaven. Godliness is a great mystery in its limited diffusion among mankind. For eighteen centuries the true light has been shining, yet how many are in the dark, and choose to be so! O my soul, the mystery of godliness has been revealed to thee; and though thou canst not comprehend it all, yet thou hast a plain gospel, and a plain way to heaven. Is this thy light and life, and dost thou thirst and wait for more? That godliness is a great mystery is undeniable."Without controversy." The wisest and the most learned are the first to confess and acknowledge their deficiency, but they make a good use of the light they have, and seek after more. They are also willing to wait, till the day of eternity solves all their difficulties, and introduces them to perfect knowledge. This is wisdom. It would be foolish to cease to study the works of nature, because there are mysteries, and it would be still more foolish to neglect religion, and dispense with godliness, because there are difficulties we cannot master. FEBRUARY 13. God manifest in Flesh. "God was manifest in the flesh."-1 Tim. iii. 16. THIS is the great mystery so long concealed, but now clearly revealed-God manifest in flesh. It informs us that Christ is God-that Christ is man-and that Christ is God-man. Christ is God.-Divine names belong to him, such as God, Jehovah, Lord of glory, the Fellow of the Lord of 74 GOD MANIFEST IN FLESH. hosts, "who, being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God." Divine attributes belong to him. He is eternal, unchangeable, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, "being the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." Divine works were performed by him; such as creation, preservation, miraculous cures, and the raising of the dead to life. Divine worship is received by him. He was worshipped by men, and he is worshipped by angels, and the whole hosts of heaven are honoured in singing his praises. Who, then, can doubt that Christ is God? And what arm but an omnipotent arm can bring salvation to sinners? O my soul, he is thy Lord, worship thou him! Christ is man. He was manifest in flesh, possessed of a body and a soul. He was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh. Hence he was as truly man, as he was truly God. He had a nature that was divine, but he had also a nature according to the flesh. As a man, he was without sin, yet subject to hunger, thirst, fatigue, and injury from others. Though he suffered much, yet he could challenge the world, and say, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Though God manifest in the flesh, his human nature was not mixed up with his divine, but distinct from it; and yet the two natures were inseparably united. O my soul, rejoice that Christ is God, able to save to the uttermost; rejoice that he is man, able to suffer and sympathise, and, having suffered, a suitable Saviour and an almighty friend. Christ is God-man.-Infinite Deity and finite humanity meet in one person, and yet the Deity is not humanitised, nor the humanity deified. He is God-man that he might be a qualified daysman. Man, that he might suffer; and God, that his sufferings might be infinitely valuable. Man, that we might have access to him, and not be consumed with his burning glory; and God, that he might |