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It is the Christian's duty to pray for more faith, more love, more patience; and why should he complain of God casting him into the furnace, when it is for the purpose of strengthening and increasing these graces? And we do so when we seek the good of others. By our good conversation, our meek spirit, and exemplary patience, we convince others of the realities of religion, and make our light shine before them.

FEBRUARY 27.

The Crucifixion of Christ.

"And it was the third hour, and they crucified him."-Matt. xv. 25. THE crucifixion of Christ is the most wonderful event recorded in the history of the world. Its prediction-its history-and its mystery, all demand our attention.

Its prediction.—It was shadowed forth from the beginning by typical sacrifices. Abel offered of the firstlings of his flock, probably a lamb, and doubtless looked through this typical sacrifice to the great antitype, the shedding of whose blood procures remission. Every sacrifice under the law pointed to the same object. The brazen serpent was elevated, that the wounded Israelites might look and be healed. So Jesus was lifted up on the cross, and is still lifted up in the gospel, that all may look to him and be saved. It was foretold in prophecy. "He was wounded for our transgressions." "They pierced his hands and his feet." All his suffering and his cruel death were well known to himself, and during his ministry he often predicted them. What an important event must that be for which there was so much preparation!

Think of its history. The crucifixion was a painful death. It had a length, a breadth, a depth, and a height of suffering which made creation groan, and covered the

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face of nature with mourning. The trembling earth, the rending rocks, and the darkened sun sympathized with the sufferer. It was a shameful death. He died the death of a slave or despised foreigner under the Roman law. None of his friends kept him in countenance. "He trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with him." He suffered in his soul as well as his body. On the cross, the consolations of his Father, which supported him during the whole of his career, were withdrawn, and the bitter complaint fell from his lips: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" At last the awful moment came, when the last enemy had a temporary triumph. "He bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." Think of its mystery. In Christ crucified we see the claims of divine justice satisfied, and a new and living way opened to the holiest of all by his own blood. We see Satan vanquished, and a sure foundation laid on which we may be accepted and saved. We see glory secured to God in the salvation of a multitude which no man can number. We see a rock on which we can stand, as well as a lever brought within our reach, by which we may raise ourselves to glory, honour, and immortality. Blessed death! thou art the life of my soul, the balm of my life, the cure of my sorrow, the foundation of my hope, and my ladder to glory.

FEBRUARY 28.

Come! Come! Come!

"And the spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst, come.

the water of life freely."-Rev. xxii. 17.

And whosoever will, let him take

OUR sins have placed us far from God and far from heaven. We are wanderers in a waste and arid desert, without

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strength, without a guide, and ready to perish. But God has loved us, and provided for our refreshment. We have the water of life-the parties inviting-and we are the invited.

The water of life. souls with sorrow.

This is needed, for sin has filled our The merited curse blasts our prospects, and exposes us to incessant danger; while death, watching for his prey, is ready to seize us, and hurry us down to eternal ruin. Thus athirst, and reduced to the last extremity, how great is our need of the water of life, the blessings of the gospel, and the influences of the Spirit! It is invaluable. There is not only water, abundant and refreshing, but it is the water of life. It puts new life into the soul-present life, spiritual life, eternal life. It is free-free as the air we breathe-free as the light that emanates from the sun. No previous qualification, no recommendation, no price is requisite for its enjoyment. We have nothing to give, and though we had, nothing would be accepted.

The parties inviting.-"The Spirit says, Come." That Spirit who shall not always strive with man, speaks in the word, and by the word to the soul. "To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." "The bride says, Come." The Lamb's wife, the church, to which are committed the lively oracles, makes use of them to bring sinners to salvation. Every one of her members is travailing in birth, till Christ be formed in us. Every one urges, every one contributes, every one prays that souls may come and be saved. "Him that heareth says, Come." The hearer himself is in the way to be benefited; and he must not be alone; he must try to bring others with him. Were every one to see his duty in this matter, and perform it, what a mighty Christian phalanx would be formed to fight the battles of Christ, and overcome every foe!

G

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COME! COME! COME!

The invited. The thirsty are invited. They have been convinced of sin, and have discovered their destitution and danger, and a burning anxiety fills their souls; but the stone has been taken from the well's mouth; let them come and draw, and thirst no more. All are invited to "Whosoever will." Whoever has a soul to be This excludes none, and leaves all Let us come now. Let us come as we

come.

saved, let him come.

without excuse.

are, with all our sins. Let us all come, for "him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out."

FEBRUARY 29.

New Heabens and new Earth.

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."-2 Peter, iii. 13.

HERE we have the new heavens and the new earth, and our expectation regarding them.

The new heavens and the new earth are matter of promise. Think of the time of their appearance. It will be after the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. It will be after the burning of the old heavens and the old earth, and the dissolution of the world. It must be a mistake to suppose that we can have the new heavens and new earth during the millennium, or at any period before the last judgment. Think of their reality. A new world may be created instead of this, or a new planet selected as the dwelling-place of man, or this earth may be so renovated as to constitute it a fit and permanent abode for holy beings. Whichever it is, all things will be new. Think of their design. They shall form a suitable habitation for the redeemed; perhaps, one of the many mansions of Christ's Father's house. Geology informs us

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that this earth was once far inferior to what it is now, and occupied by inferior beings, whose remains are visible and abundant. And it is not too much to suppose that God will make it far superior to what it is now, and people it by those who shall be elevated to an equality with angels. Think of their holiness. "Wherein dwelleth righteousness." All the inhabitants shall be holy, and paradise itself will be more than restored.

Our expectation regarding them.-"We look for them." We hope to see an abode for man where sin is not, and where the effects of sin shall not be perceptible. And this hope should excite us to activity to prepare for such an elevated state of being. We look for it because we know that the work of Christ is sufficient to repair all the ruins of the fall. Is it too much for me to say, "I hope to dwell for ever in this world, where I began to live, where my Redeemer lived and died, where I was saved and sanctified, and with whose dust my body shall long mingle; but then it will be a renovated world, with new heavens and a new earth?" The ground of this hope is, "according to his promise." “ "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind." All this John saw in vision. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." What a glorious abode for immortal beings! No sun there, no moon there, no night there, but the Lamb shall be there, and they who are written in the Lamb's book of life.