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from everlasting." thou prepared me.' came as a Saviour.

WATER AND BLOOD.

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He came in our nature: "A body hast He was "God manifest in flesh." He Hence he is called "Jesus." Hence he is called "Christ," the anointed Prophet, Priest, and King of his church. When he came, the world was groaning under oppression and longing for a deliverer, yet they understood not that this was He. He came sufficiently accredited. As an ambassador comes with the commission of his sovereign, as a Prince comes with the insignia of royalty, so Christ came with signs from heaven, with words of life, and miracles of mercy. O my soul, since he has come, hast thou given him a joyful welcome?

The two characteristics of his coming." By water and blood." He came by water. He publicly appeared on the banks of the Jordan, where John baptized him with water, when the Spirit descended like a dove, and rested upon him, and when a voice came from the Excellent Glory, which said," This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Thus he came by water, indicating his own purity. Thus also he hath appointed baptism by water, as the initiatory rite of his church, and indicative of the purity of his religion. He came by blood. When in the garden of Gethsemane, "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." When in the judgment-hall of Pilate he was scourged and crowned with thorns, the blood streamed from his back and his temples; and when nailed to the cross, the blood flowed from his hands and his feet. In this precious blood we see the antetype of all the bloody sacrifices under the law; we see a complete atonement for sin, and a sure ground of peace and hope.

The necessity of both.-"Not by water only, but by water and blood." May I not be pardoned and saved by water only? No, "not by water only, but by water and blood." Without the satisfaction by blood, there can be no saving influence of the Spirit. Without shedding of

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WATER AND BLOOD.

blood, there is no remission." Without justification on the ground of Christ's blood, there can be no sanctification of the Spirit. Without faith in the blood of Christ, baptism by water, by whomsoever administered, will do no good. He is "Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past." My reader, if thou hast entered the church by baptism with water, see that thou art also under the covering of blood. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

JANUARY 4.

Expulsion from Paradise.

"So he drove out the man."-Gen. iii. 24.

From what was he driven ?-From Eden, his fair residence, his garden of pleasure, whose bowers were ever green, whose flowers were ever blooming, and whose fruits were ever fragrant. Eden was the inheritance of innocence and bliss; but innocence is gone, and the inheritance forfeited. From honour: The prince becomes a labourer. The clothed becomes naked. The rich becomes poor. The invulnerable becomes liable to injury. Many of the lower animals, all standing in awe of man in innocence, are now his enemies. From bodily vigour : Before sin, the body was immortal as well as the soul, but now, it is liable to numerous diseases and accidents, and must speedily return to its kindred dust. O man, how soon may the winds of heaven waft pestilence to thy heart! From divine favour:

EXPULSION FROM PARADISE.

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In innocence, communion free and sweet was enjoyed with God; but now, the understanding is darkened, the affections are degraded, the will is perverse, inward peace and consciousness of God's love are gone, and, if mercy prevent not, the soul is lost. Sad spectacle! Man is now a temple in ruins, a darkened luminary, a broken cistern.

Why was he driven ?-Because he yielded to the temptation of Satan. That cunning foe called in question the goodness of God, in prohibiting our first parents from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He also asserted that by eating, they should not die, which they ought to have known was false, and contrary to the divine threatening. And he reflected on the wisdom of God in withholding from them a knowledge of evil; whereas, if they should eat, they would be as gods, knowing good and evil. So credulous were our first parents, that they believed these falsehoods. Why were they driven? Because they directly disobeyed God. They did eat the forbidden deadly fruit, and in this act of disobedience were concentrated unbelief, ingratitude, pride, rebellion, and soul murder, aggravated by perfect knowledge, no bias to evil, previous warning, and full powers to resist.

What are the consequences to us?-We have the ground cursed and barren, hard labour in cultivating it, and poverty notwithstanding our toil. We have a depraved nature, flying from good, and wholly inclined to evil. We have grief and sorrow in the heart, and envy and misery in the life. We have death certain, solemn, near, and often sudden. We have constant exposure to divine wrath, more fearful and appalling than the concentrated indignation of the universe. "How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed!" What a state of darkness, distance, condemnation, bondage, and death! O my soul! hast thou felt the bitterness of sin, which brought death into this world, and all our woes, and dost thou dread its danger? If so, there is hope. The deepest darkness precedes the dawn.

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PARADISE REGAINED.

JANUARY 5.

Paradise Regained.

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."-Rev. ii. 7.

O MY soul, thou hast enemies to be encountered-a victory to be won-and a reward to be enjoyed!

There are enemies to be encountered.-Thine enemies are numerous and powerful. Thou hast sin: Sin has taken possession of my heart; I naturally love it and cherish it; it reigns over me, and seeks my destruction; it promises pleasure, but it produces misery; it offers large wages, but it pays with death. Thou hast Satan: He is the invisible foe of my soul, suggesting evil thoughts, presenting alluring snares, and plotting my ruin. His numerous agents, with their strong temptations, surround me on all hands; and were there not a stronger than Satan to help me, I am undone. Thou hast the world: It has great attractions, and promises unlimited enjoyment; but its snares, its cares, its smiles, and its frowns have sent many a soul to perdition. Thou hast death: This is the last enemy-sure to all, and sure to me; yet the sting of death may be removed, and the gloom of the grave dispelled. Instead of being to the believer the king of terrors, he is a messenger of peace and love.

There is a victory to be won.-I can overcome by faith. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." I overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and through his blood shall be more than a conqueror. Taking to myself the shield of faith, I shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. I can overcome by prayer. Prayer comprehends the whole of religion. "Ask, and ye shall receive." Jacob wrestled and overcame by prayer. Manasseh prayed in his dungeon, and was restored to his throne. The publican prayed, and was justified. And the dying

PARADISE REGAINED.

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thief prayed, and was received into paradise. I can overcome by perseverance. "The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Steadfast and immovable, wrestling and fighting, valiant and fearless, faithful unto death, I shall obtain a crown of life.

There is a rich reward.—“I will give to eat of the tree of life." This tree in the terrestrial paradise seems to have been reserved for the use of man at the end of his probation, provided he was proof against temptation, and did not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If man had not sinned, the fruit of this tree would have confirmed him in his integrity, and secured eternal life. By falling, he forfeited this. But he that overcomes now, by faith in Christ, shall obtain all that Adam would have obtained, had he never fallen. His home shall be the paradise above, and his enjoyments shall be large as his wishes-equal to the angels' and lasting as eternity.

"O may this heavenly prospect fire

Our hearts with ardent love!
Till wings of faith and strong desire
Bear every thought above."

JANUARY 6.

The Great Gift.

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.-Gal. i. 4.

LET us think on the gift of Christ-the design of itand the reason of it.

The gift of Christ.-The gift is Christ himself. He is the "Lord," a divine person, and having in consequence full power over himself. He is "Jesus," a Saviour, and there is no other Saviour. He is "Christ," the anointed

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