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FEBRUARY 17.

Christ beliebed on.

"Believed on in the world."-1 Tim. iii. 16.

WHO is the object of faith?-What is faith?—To what extent has Christ been believed on in the world?-And how is this a mystery? Let these questions for a moment engage our attention.

Who is the object of faith?—It is Christ. "They looked to him and were lightened." He is God, and on this rock will I build my faith. He is man, and therefore I shall freely go to him, who took my nature and my place, and feels for my lost condition. There is no other object, no other foundation, and no other Saviour; therefore he is all and in all to my soul. Shall others fix their faith on him and be at peace, and shall not I Shall others be ravished with his beauty, unsullied by human mixture or addition, and shall not I?

What is believing ?-It is a firm persuasion that all which God hath revealed about Christ is true, and it is a reception of the Saviour as made known in the truth. The devils believe, but they cannot receive the Saviour, because he is not provided for them, nor offered to them. But he is offered and presented to me, and shall I not receive him, and thank God for his unspeakable gift? The invitations and requirements of the gospel are a sufficient warrant for me to believe on Christ in this sinful world, and shall I not do it? The Jews neglected him, and put him to death, but his blood is on them and their children. Let me flee from their sin and condemnation by believing on him.

To what extent has Christ been believed on in the world? -Not a few merely, here and there, have believed on him, but thousands and tens of thousands in all lands where the gospel has been preached. The preaching of the cross,

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though opposed by some, made rapid progress throughout the world. The enmity of the human heart yielded to its influence, and the power and pride of the world could not crush it. Men of all countries-Jews, Gentiles, heathens -believed in Jesus; men of all ranks-rich, poor, learned, unlearned, kings, subjects-owned Messiah the Prince; and men of all characters--the devout and the blasphemous, the harmless and the persecutors-alike sat down under the shadow of the cross.

How is this a mystery ?—It is so, if we think of the lowliness of Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks. It is so, if we think of the enmity of the heart, so full of pride and prejudice; it is so, if we think of the opposition of worldly powers and wicked rulers; and it is so, if we think of the feeble instruments employed. The world is vanquished by the poor, the unlearned, and the uninfluential apostles and ministers of Christ.

FEBRUARY 18.

Received up into Glory.

"Received up into glory."-1 Tim. iii. 16.

LET us reflect on the glory-the reception-and the design. The glory.-This is heaven. Its grandeur is so great that mortal eye could not look on it. It is Christ's Father's house not made with hands. Its golden radiance, its vast extent, and its unsullied purity, render it a fit palace for the Great King. Its innumerable company, gathered from all ages and all nations, its delightful employments, its untold enjoyments, and its endless duration, constitute a glory of which Christ was worthy, and into which he might well be received, as the joy set before him, as the reward of his sufferings.

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The reception." He was received up." This reception was justly merited. He suffered and died, and finished all the work which the Father gave him to do. He rose from the dead, and left abundant evidence of his resurrection. He instructed his disciples regarding his kingdom to be set up in the world, and he told them to wait for the promised Spirit; so that now his work was done on earth, and his reign must begin in heaven. "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." His ascension to glory was witnessed by his disciples. "While he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." "While they beheld, he was taken up." Their minds had doubtless been prepared for the glorious scene; for instead of being grieved, "they returned to Jerusalem with great joy." His reception was hailed by angels. As the conqueror returns from the field of battle, and receives a military triumph, so angels hail his return to heaven. "God is gone up with a shout: the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels."

The design.-Why was he received up? He was received up to enjoy the reward of his sufferings. For this, the joy set before him, he endured the cross. "Wherefore God hath highly exalted him." He was received up to reign as king in Zion. He sits on his throne gemmed with the stars of eternity, "from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." "For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." He was received up to prepare blessed mansions for all his followers. "I go to prepare a place for you." "Where I am, there shall ye be also." And he was received up to intercede for us before the throne. "He ever liveth to make intercession for us." Our Advocate with the Father, he presents his once bleeding hands, and pleads our cause, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."

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FEBRUARY 19.

God's People comforted.

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."—Isa. xl. 1.

WE are here informed that God has a people-that he desires their comfort-and that the ministers of religion are to impart this comfort to them.

God has a people.-"My people." The whole world consists of two classes-the children of God, and the children of wrath. God's people are a peculiar people. They are chosen in Christ, and distinct from the world lying in the wicked one. Their origin is peculiar, and so are their principles and their conduct. They are a holy people. They are saved by the blood of Christ, sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, and strive to resemble Christ. They are a happy people-happy in their experiences, happy in their possessions, and happy in their prospects. They are an increasing people. There were only eight in the ark, and only one hundred and twenty in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost; now they are numerous, found in all countries, and destined to fill the whole earth.

God desires their comfort.-" Comfort ye, comfort ye." This comfort is needed. God's people have been tried by war, by conquest, by captivity, by exile. They are still tried by personal and relative afflictions, by worldly losses, and by the misconduct of friends; but God pities them, and provides comfort for them. This comfort comes from God himself. "The Lord shall comfort Zion." He loves his people; but those whom he loves he corrects, and corrects for their profit. This comfort is large and abundant. Twice does he say, "Comfort ye;" and this means, "Give them great comfort, double comfort. Speak to them kind words, and speak to their very hearts, where all their sorrow is." The end of this comforting is not

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merely the happiness of his people, but that, being comforted themselves, they may thereby glorify God in comforting others.

The ministers of religion are to impart this comfort.— "Thus saith the Lord" to his prophets and to his servants, "Comfort ye, comfort ye." Ministers are to comfort the afflicted with the assurance of God's love. He puts them into the furnace to refine them. He tosses them on the troubled waters of life, that the anchor of their hope may have a firmer hold. They are to comfort the afflicted by telling them that Christ is near. The prediction of Messiah's coming immediately follows these words of comfort to the captive Jews. And Jesus is still near to the sons and daughters of distress; yea, he is with them in the furnace. They are to comfort them with the precious promises of God's word. "As thy day is, so shall thy strength be." My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest."

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FEBRUARY 20.

Death and Life with Christ.

"It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him."-2 Tim. ii. 11.

HERE we have death supposed-life inferred-and the importance of both.

Death supposed.- "For if we be dead with him." It is

in connection with Christ that we become dead to the law as a covenant of works. The law says, "Do this and live," but all men have disobeyed, and deserve to die; hence, the only thing the law can give us is, not life, but death. What man failed to do, Jesus hath done. By his obedience unto death, he hath repaired the whole breach of the covenant of works; and by identifying ourselves with him, or believ