FEBRUARY 21.—" And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."—Acts vi. 15.

THERE was nothing unaccountable in their beholding him as they did. He was a remarkable character; and had excited much notice by his office, and the wonders and miracles which he did among the people, and the victory he had gained over a number of able opponents who had challenged him to the dispute. He also now appeared, upon his trial, under some heinous accusations. When a prisoner enters a court, every eye is naturally drawn towards him; and the judge and the jury frequently observe his countenance, as a kind of index of his conscious innocency or guilt. All that sat in the council looked steadfastly on Stephen, wishing and hoping, perhaps, to gaze him into confusion and tremor. But he could bear looking at-They saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. But filled with envy and malice and fury, grinning horribly, and gnashing upon him with their teeth; how did their faces appear? What a contrast between him and his persecutors! Here was a lamb among wolves, an angel before devils, and the High Priest the chief of the devils!

"They saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." But how could they tell what an angel's face was? They had never seen one. Angels had indeed formerly appeared to men: and many instances of it are recorded. But as the design of the Scripture is to edify, and not to amuse, it tells us little concerning these beings. Yet all it relates goes to establish one thing-their superiority to the human race. Thus we read that man was made a little lower than the angels. They are spoken of as flying very swiftly. They are said to excel in strength. To be exceedingly wise, is to be wise as an angel of God. The glory of their appearance was such as commonly to overpower the senses of those to whom they were sent. At the sight of Gabriel, Daniel's comeliness was turned into corruption, and he retained no strength. The human voice is a wonderful instrument; and we find what it can achieve in singing and eloquence. Yet Paul speaks not only of the tongues of men, but of angels and it would seem that one of these is to awaken the dead; the voice of the archangel is the trump of God. A human countenance is an astonishing display of perfection: yet it is intimated that the face of an angel is much more so. These celestial beings are the flower of the creation; and from our inferiority to them, we see more fully the excellency of God's power, in putting the treasure into earthen vessels, and employing as ministers men, and not angels-The vastness of the Christian's obligation, who is raised from his low estate, and placed above these angels in blessedness and glory-The humility and kindness of these angels, that though now so much higher than we, they are all our ministering spirits, and despise not even our little ones-And far more still, the grace and condescension of the Lord Jesus, who took not on him the nature of angels, but was made in the likeness of men; and because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, also took part of the same.

But what was the nature of this appearance in the face of Stephen? and how is it to be accounted for? The visage is sometimes very impressive and striking by natural beauty. There is

nothing in the world so admirable as "the human face divine." How greatly does it display the workmanship of the Creator, and how often has it been the instrument of his providence in effecting great designs! How much depended upon the life of Moses! But he was hid three months because he was a goodly child. Daniel and his three companions were preferred because they were well formed and there was no blemish in them. Esther was an orphan, supported by her uncle, with no dowry but her charms: yet she becomes the saviour of Israel, and the queen of one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.

The face is rendered powerful and striking by intellectual quaities. The former may be found without these; but the features, however fine and regular, will be tame and insipid, unless something of mind beams through; and the countenance will only captivate fools and sensualists. "Wisdom," says Solomon, "maketh the face to shine." What expression is there in the looks of some speakers when they are animated and lighted up! Much of the force of Lord Chatham's eloquence arose form the fire of his eye, and the majesty of his features.

The face is rendered interesting and striking by social and moral attributes. These constitute the chief grace, the principal charm. It is of these we think when we conceive of our Lord in the days of his flesh, and by which alone perhaps he was personally fairer than the children of men. We imagine his face beaming with peace, gentleness, compassion, kindness, readiness to pardon and relieve, the image of the invisible God who is love. How is a countenance injured by the want of humility, modesty, diffidence, tenderness! How lovely are infants while insensible of their cherub charms! How lovely is youth while they are unconscious of their attractions, and full of innocency and simplicity, and devoid of design and attempt-for the impression is gone when the wearer is perceived to be acting upon it; and study, art, and decoration, are employed and managed as substitutes and expedients. What a difference is there between two countenances, one of which is inherited by vice and bad humour, and the other by goodness and amiable temper! How angelic does one man look! How rude, tyrannical, insolent, unfeeling, and cruel another! How desirable is it that persons should be religious early, while the face is susceptible of impression and improvement, and the features may be modified by its benign and heavenly influences! When they are older, a change of character cannot change the countenance; and if envy, and malignity, and pride, and disdain, have ruled in it before, they will leave deep and dismal traces for life. Religion, we are persuaded, is not only "the health of the countenance," but the comeliness too! But when Stephen's face was seen as it had been the face of an angel, was the aspect natural, or supernatural? He might have had a corporeal loveliness. We know he was at this time full of wisdom and faith. His countenance was not pallid with guilt, nor distracted by care, nor troubled with fear, but full of confidence, serenity, mildness and joy. Yet there was something supernatural here. And why should this be deemed incredible, or even wonderful? The occasion was worthy a divine interposition. It was an age of miracles. A few hours afterward, Stephen said, I see the

heaven opened, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. In the transfiguration, as he prayed, the fashion of his Saviour's coun tenance was changed, and his raiment was white and glistering. It is said of Moses too, as he came down from the mount, that his face shone so that the Israelites could not behold him for the glory of his countenance. And how remarkable was it, that at the very mo ment Stephen was accused of being an enemy to Moses, God should have honoured him in the very same way, shedding a radiance upon him that might serve to remind them, and perhaps did remind them, of the illustrious legislator himself!

FEBRUARY 22.-"And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."—Acts vi. 15.

THE design of the Lord in this appearance was to distinguish and dignify his servant. He saves and pardons sovereignly; but he administers honour according to a rule which he has himself laid down: "Them that honour me, I will honour." Enoch was translated that he should not see death; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. "Come thou and all thy house into the ark," said God to Noah, "for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." Stephen was not ashamed of the Redeemer. He went forth to him without the camp, cheerfully bearing his reproach; and was determined that Christ should be magnified in his body whether by life or by death-and the Lord stood by him, confessing him before men, and putting a visible glory upon him. We are not to look for miracles, wonders, and signs: but the Lord has not forsaken the earth; and the promise is still true, "If any man serve me, him will my Father honour." And he cannot be at a loss fc means to do this, not only beyond the grave, but through life. There is a moral glory in their character and conversation, whic shows that they have been with Jesus. It adorns the doctrine of God their Saviour; inspires beholders with reverence and awe; and more than puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men. He whom they serve has often brought their enemies to their feet; and put such a difference between his people and the Egyptians, as to constrain the most unthinking to say, "Verily, there is a reward for the righteous; verily, he is a God that judgeth in the earth." When they have suffered, especially for his Name's sake, "the Spirit of glory and of God had rested upon them." And how has he owned them in their last hours! A radiance has been thrown around them that has rendered the dying chamber the house of God and the gate of heaven; and induced the exclamation from all beholders, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his !" -What then is the glory that shall be revealed in them, when he shall change even the vile body of his people, and fashion it like unto his own glorious body; and they shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father!

We here see the truth and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus, and how worthy he is of our confidence. He had said to his disciples: "They will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues: but when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in

that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." "For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." And did not Stephen find it so? Perhaps he had his fears previously to his appearance in the council. Nothing is more intimidating than to appear before lawyers, magistrates, and judges. Many well know how they felt when they had to enter a court only to give evidence, and when they had persons to introduce and support them. But Stephen was alone and unbefriended, and his judges were filled with hatred and fury. Yet he had a reasonable and an adequate relief to rely upon; and he found the assurance true; and was perhaps astonished at his own self-possession, and force of argument, and promptness of recollection, and fluency of words. Yea, more was done than was engaged for. The promise only regarded the tongue, not the face; only how they should speak, not how they should look—but behold an irradiation of countenance that draws and fixes every eye-" All that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face AS IT HAD BEEN THE FACE OF AN ANGEL." The Lord is never worse, but he is frequently better than his word. Though his promises are exceeding great as well as precious, they do not exhaust all the love of his heart, or power of his arm. He has yet reserves for extraordinary purposes; and indulges, and surprises. He loves to exceed expectation; and do for us exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. What was the effect of this scene? With regard to Stephen, it does not appear that he was aware of it himself. This too was the case with Moses in a similar distinction. He knew not that his face shone, till he saw the Israelites were dazzled, and he was obliged to take a veil and soften the lustre. Good men are not the first to discover their excellencies: nor are they forward to publish them. But from others they cannot be concealed: their profiting will appear unto all men. Though Stephen was unconscious of the honour, none of the council were ignorant of it; all looked steadfastly, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. And how were they all affected? They were enraged the more: and "then said the High Priest, are these things so?" What a proof was this, of the perverseness and impenitency of these men, that they could go on, and persecute to the death, a man whom God himself was honouring before their eyes! But it is a fact every way instructive. It shows the truth of the declaration, that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. It shows that all belief is not, as some say, influential. It ought to be so, and would be so if we were in a right state: but we are fallen creatures; and the powers of the soul are thrown into disorder. Hence we see and approve better things, and follow worse; and the clearest convictions of the judgment are counteracted by our passions and appetites. We talk of the evils of ignorance: but while some are destroyed for lack of knowledge, others perish by the possession of it. To him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin. Numbers, like these beholders of Stephen, derive from their opportunity and advantages only an increase of guilt and condemnation.

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We talk of miracles. They were useful as evidences and proofs; but as moral means they failed as well as other means. We are

ready to think that those who were not properly influenced by them, could not believe them: but they did believe them. The Pharisees believed our Lord's miracles, but feared to confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. And we find the council at Jerusalem admitting fully the notable miracle that had been done upon the cripple: we cannot say they deny it-yet they apprehend, and beat, and imprison the doers of it, and command them to speak no more in the name of Jesus! Men pretend inability, when only inclination is wanting. They are not strangers to the truth, but hold it in unrighteousness; and will not let it go free in their conduct. They think their irreligion is the creature of circumstances; and that if they had other situations and conditions, they should be godly. Vain supposition! They are ready to wish some overpowering dispensation or calamity may befall them, that what is not done by conviction, may be done by impression; and what is not done by the means of grace, may be done by events. If one came unto us from the dead, we should repent. Vain hope! If you hear not Moses and the prophets, neither would you be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

FEBRUARY 23.-"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."-Matthew xxviii. 20.

IT is needless to ask who is the speaker? Every believer will exclaim, as soon as he hears the words, "It is the voice of my Beloved." His voice is always welcome to the ear of faith welcome when it enjoins a duty; welcome when it demands a sacrificeHow welcome then when it announces that he will never leave us nor forsake us!

But we may ask, on what occasion he spoke? It was on the verge of glory, a few hours only before he entered the joy that was set before him. It was in the nature of a parting address. O, to have seen him! to have glanced at the features and emotions of his countenance just as he was ascending to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God! He could not go without something that should keep from despair even the minds of those who had crucified him. Preach, said he to his Apostles, repentance and remission of sins in my Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Let those that smote the Rock, have the first offer of the stream! Tell those that shed it, that there is redemption in my blood, even the forgiveness of their sins! If such was his concern for enemies, what says he to encourage those who had forsaken all to follow him? No wonder sorrow had filled their hearts. How we feel at the loss of a dear relation, or beloved friend, or useful minister! They were as lambs among wolves. They were left in a world that hated and persecuted them. What will they do for defence, counsel, and comfort, when their defender, and counsellor, and comforter is gone? Ye shall see me again, says he-I will not leave you comfortless-I will come to you-"Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. When you were on the lake, and a storm arose, and you seemed ready to perish, I awoke and rebuked the sea, and there was a great calm. When at another time, the wind was contrary, and you rowed in vain, till your strength failed,