and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."

God can honour his servants, not only before they are in their graves, but after they are in them. The memory of the just is blessed-and useful, too. Yes; you may be the means of awakening and enlivening persons after your death-not by quickening their mortal bodies; but their souls, which were dead in trespasses and sins: not by your bones; but by your example, which shall still operate; by your instructions, which shall still speak-by the prayers you offered; by the books you gave; by the minister you educated; by the place of worship you built, while you were yet living.

Every thing should lead us to the Saviour. How much any of the Jews, at this time, knew of the Messiah, we cannot ascertain. But we know, that because he died, we shall live-we know, that if we are planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. He made the grave his own, by residence and consecration-Behold the place where the Lord lay! Into this grave, we must descend-but we shall arise from it, not only living, but immortal: not, like this man, to die again, but to die no more; death having no more dominion over us. "Thy dead men shall live; together with my dead body shall they rise. Awake, and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."

Nov. 24.-"The righteous shall flourish." Ps. xcii. 12. PROSPERITY in the divine life is the Christian's duty -and therefore he is commanded to grow in grace,

and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. It is his desire-and hence he prays, Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. It is his privilege-and thus it is provided for, and secured by Divine promise-" The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger." Thus David here tells us, that "the righteous shall flourish." And he tells us―

How he shall flourish-" He shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Of the wicked he had said just before, "When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever." They flourish as the grass, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven. What a contrast-with the worthlessness, the weakness, transitoriness, and destiny of grass, in a warm country too-are the palm tree, and the cedar in Lebanon! They are evergreens. How beautifully, how firmly, how largely they grow! How strong and lofty is the cedar! How upright, and majestic, and tall, the palm tree-The palm also bears fruit-dates, like bunches of grapes. It sometimes yields a hundred weight at once.

He tells us where he shall flourish-"Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." The allusion is striking. It compares the house of God to a garden, or fine well-watered soil, favourable to the life, and verdure, and fertility, of the trees fixed there. The reason is, that in the sanctuary we have the communion of saints. There our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. There are dispensed the ordinances of religion, and the word of truth. There God commandeth the blessing, even life for evermore. "Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." They that wait upon the Lord renew their strength. Hence, from their own experience, as well

from the word of promise, they are increasingly induced to say, with David-"I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

He also tells us when he shall flourish—" They shall still bring forth fruit in old age." This is to shew the permanency of their principles-and to distinguish them from natural productions

"The plants of grace shall ever live;
"Nature decays, but grace must thrive:
"Time, that doth all things else impair,
"Still makes them flourish strong and fair."

The believer does not escape all the effects of years. The eye may grow dim; the ear become dull of hearing. But as the outward man perisheth, the inward man is renewed day by day. The young Christian is lovely, like a tree in the blossoms of spring the aged Christian is valuable, like a tree in autumn, bending with ripe fruit. We therefore

look for something superior in old disciples. More deadness to the world, the vanity of which they have had more opportunities to see-more meekness of wisdom-more disposition to make sacrifices for the sake of peace-more maturity of judgment in divine things-more confidence in God-more richness of experience.

He also tells us why he shall flourish-"They shall be fat and flourishing, to shew that the Lord is upright." We might rather have supposed, that it was necessary to shew that they were upright. But, by the grace of God they are what they arenot they, but the grace of God which is in them. From him is their fruit found. Their preservation and fertility, therefore, are to the praise and glory of God and as what he does for them, he had engaged to do; it displays his truth, as well as his mercy; and proves that he is upright. This cleaving also to him with purpose of heart, and not turning away from him, whatever temptations the world pre

sents-shews that they have found him to be, what he had given himself out to be, and what they had taken him to be. Had he deceived or disappointed them, they would have forsaken him. But he has always dealt well with them-he has surpassed their hopes. They therefore love their Master and his work-and are willing to follow him to prison or to death-to show that he is upright.

David, therefore, attests this from his own experience" Let every one speak as he finds. I cannot but magnify his Name. I cannot but recommend him to those who want a dependence that will not give way. I have tried him, and tried him much, and long. I never served him for nought. I never called upon him in vain. I never trusted in him, and was confounded-HE IS MY ROCK; AND THERE IS NO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IN HIM."

Nov. 25.-" Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"

John ix. 35,

THE question concerns us, as well as the man who had been restored to sight. And it admits of solution. Indeed, the inquiry would be absurd, if an answer were impossible. Some very mistaken notions are entertained of Divine influence. One thing is undeniable. The grace of God, in renewing us, engages and employs us; so that we are not like wood and stone, under the operation of the saw and the chisel, merely passive, insensible, unconscious. God does not work upon us, but in us; and in us, to will and to do of his good pleasure. He is the author of repentance, by enabling us to exercise repentance-And cannot a man know whether he repents of any course or action in which he has been engaged? He is the giver of faith, as he

teaches and aids us to believe. This faith, therefore, does not act in us like a charm. It is not a mysterious, unintelligible thing, of which we give no account-We are always to be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us.

How then is an answer to be returned? Let us away with accidental occurrences, and dreams, and sudden impulses; and repair to the Scriptures at once; and, by their decisions, examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith, and prove our ownselves. Three evidences may be adduced of our believing on the Son of God. First. Much anxiousness and uneasiness concerning it; in distinction from the temper of those who can readily and easily take it for granted. This is not the disposition of awakened souls. They find how hard it is to abound and rejoice in hope. This results from the importance and dearness of the object. It is not true, as it is often said, that it is easy to believe what we wish-Yea, in proportion as we love and value a thing, we become the more apprehensive, and require every kind of proof and assurance concerning its safety. And here the case is interesting beyond all comparison-It is to ascertain my claims to everlasting life! What, if I should be mistaken! And my heart is deceitful above all things, as well as desperately wicked! And I learn, from the Word of Truth, that many are imposed upon to their remediless ruin! And what, if I am informed, but not enlightened!-convinced, but not converted!—almost, but not altogether a Christian! -No wonder, in such a case, solicitudes often revive; and the prayer be daily made-"Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Let me not be ashamed of my hope. These doubts and fears are a token for good; and may be compared to smoke; which indeed is not fire, but proves its existence; and is never found where it is not.

Secondly. The estimation in which we hold the Saviour. Hence, says the Apostle, "To you there