from persons before they have heard the word, so as to understand the importance of it. People do not make sacrifices for a thing they do not value; and they are not likely to value what they do not feel they need. We have seen infants at the funeral of a mother, instead of being affected with the scene, amusing themselves with the emblems of mortality; but nothing can be more affecting than this; and we have been ready to exclaim, Ah! ye dear babes, you little know the loss you have sustained, but as you grow up you will learn from experience. Does the maniac ask our pity and help? He scorns them. He sings in his confinement-it is his palace-he deems himself a king. But is he not the more entitled to our compassion on this very account? So here; none are so worthy of our merciful regard as those who are perishing for lack of knowledge, but are unaffected with their condition and it must be our concern to make them sensible of their want. In the first instance they will not come to us-we must go to them-and we must seek, if we would save, that which is lost. They will not be at the charge of our messengers; others therefore must support them. And on whom are we to call for assistance but on those who have tasted the good work of life, and know by experience that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation. "We ought, therefore," says John, "to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth."

And such was Gaius. He was not one of those that went forth to labour among those who could not or would not entertain and supply them: but when these teachers travelled that way he accommodated them in his house; he forwarded them on their journey after a godly sort; he furnished them with what was needful in their work; and encouraged then to apply to him in their exigences. In this, some may resemble him expressly by attentions and kindness to our evangelists at home and as to our missionaries at a distance, and to whom we can have no immediate access, all can countenance and aid them by helping those societies which engage them and are responsible for their support. To do this is a duty. When persons are drawn in the militia, if they go not themselves, they must procure substitutes. All cannot go forth among the Gentiles, but we should all contribute to those who do. We should consider them as our agents labouring for us-for the work is ours—and the command is binding upon us, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Nothing is to be done even in the cause of God without pecuniary aid. What an honour is conferred on property that it should be employed in the salvation of souls! Who would waste any of his resources? Who would not deny himself, to be able to become a fellow-helper to the truth that has so helped him, and can so help others? Mordecai told Esther that if she refused to exert herself for the deliverance of her people, enlargement should come from another quarter; but then she would lose the honour and blessedness of the instrumentality; and not only so, but be destroyed herself. God allows us to act in his cause; but let us not mistake the principle: he employs us for our sake, not his own. His resources are infinite: and if we decline the work, the work will not be abandoned: but we shall lose the glory and the appiness of the achievement. And who could endure the thought that in this divine undertaking he had never had any concern?

But this is not all. There is danger as well as loss. Our inaction is guilt. We neglect the use of the finest opportunity for usefulness. We hide our talent in the earth. Our indifference is rebellion to the call of God. "Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" "Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty."

APRIL 22.-"If God were your Father ye would love me."-John viii. 43.

SOME are so full of self-conceit and self-sufficiency, that they seem to consider themselves the standard of all worth and excellency; and are disposed to judge of others principally if not only, by their regard to them. If you dislike them, you are worthless; but just in proportion as you esteem and admire them, you rise in value. And such is the injustice of our fallen nature, that we are pleased with commendations which we know we do not deserve; and court praise for abilities and qualities which we are sure we do not possess. It was not so with Christ. He was meek and lowly in heart; and if he spoke highly of himself it was not from pride and vainglory, but from the necessity of the case. He knew himself; he knew his importance to us; and he knew that we ought to be acquainted with it. Therefore he said, "Come unto me"-"I am the light of the world"-"I am the bread of life"-"I am the way, the truth, and the life"-" This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." He knew that God's relation to us could only be determined by our regard to himself, and therefore he was authorized and required to say, "If God was your Father you would love me." There can be no doubt of this; for he that belongs to God will resemble him; he will love peculiarly what God loves peculiarly; and he will love supremely what God loves supremely: and "this," says he, "is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." "Mine elect in whom my soul delighteth." "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand."

It is a great thing to have God for our father-not by creation, in which sense all mankind are his offspring; but by adoption and regeneration. What an honour! What a blessedness! To be the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty! To have free and invited access to him! To share in all the love and pity of his heart! To be authorized to depend upon him for instruction, and correction, and defence, and support! To be heirs of God, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us!

But how are we to ascertain this privilege? By our regard to Christ-if God is our Father we love him. Now this love, though not a passion, is a real, powerful, influential principle; and it is the mainspring of action in the Christian life. There are two modes of determining our love to him. The First is to consider him relatively, and observe how we are affected towards those parts of him, so to speak, with which we are constantly coming more imme

diately into contact. There is "the Lord's day"-Do I love this; and can I call the Sabbath a delight? There is "the word of Christ"-Can I say, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoicing of my heart?" He has a house for his name-Can I say, "I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth ?" He has a seed to serve him-Do I pray, "Remember me with the favour thou bearest unto thy people." They are the excellent of the earth"-Is all my delight in them? If I love him, I shall love every thing that is his.

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The Second is to consider how our attachment to any other object affects us. If I love an object, I naturally, unavoidably, frequently, pleasantly, think of it. Can I love Christ and not have him much in my thoughts? If I love an object, I am led to speak of it: I cannot help referring to it, and recommending it: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. What reason have I to conclude that I love Christ, unless he often enters my discourse; and I feel myself at home while talking of his glory? If I love a friend (I shall desire nearness to him, and communion with him. And how can I love Christ, unless I mourn his absence, and long after intercourse with him, especially in his ordinances-" Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon ?" If I love a benefactor, I shall inquire how I can make suitable returns for his kindness; I shall be afraid to grieve him; I shall be anxious to please him; I shall be willing to make sacrifices for his sake. Do I discover the same disposition towards Christ?

This yields a dreadful reflection with regard to some. They are those who do not love Christ-God is not their father. They are the children of the devil. And the lusts of their father they will do, and with him and his angels, and all who "cannot love," they will have their portion for ever-"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha."

APRIL 23.-"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."-1 Tim. i. 16.

THE Lord Jesus never acts without design; and his purposes are worthy of himself. When we consider its capacity and duration, the evils from which it is rescued, and the blessings to which it is advanced, the salvation of one soul is a work infinitely greater than the deliverance of a whole country from civil bondage; and therefore there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Yet in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus his aim did not terminate in his salvation, all-important as it was. He looked far beyond, and intended that it should bear influentially on the recovery of others to the end of time.

And thus we see the greatness of his beneficence. Men wish to have their goodness known; but it is from self-love, and not from kindness. It is to gain applause, and not to excite and bring others to their door. And therefore they sometimes enjoin those they re

lieve to say nothing of their bounty, not from humility but economy, lest applications should be too numerous. But the Lord Jesus knows his resources; and is not afraid of multiplied importunity. He wishes his favours to be known, that others may come and be relieved; for he delighteth in mercy.

How many principles are involved in the design here expressed.— The subjects of divine grace believe on him to life everlasting.-A · succession of these believers will arise from age to age. They will find it no easy thing to believe on him, and will feel their need of strong consolation.-Encouragement is necessary; for nothing can be done without hope and confidence.-The Saviour is concerned to furnish the relief.-And in doing this he produces actual examples of the freeness and fulness of his grace. Facts strike; they furnish us with sensible evidence. A debtor frankly forgiven an immense sum when going to prison, and having nothing to pay, shows forth most impressively the clemency of the creditor. The goodness of a prince appears in pardoning the greatest crimes against him. This indeed is rarely done among men. In all acts of grace some exceptions are made. The ring-leaders are excluded. Their impunity would seem a connivance at rebellion, and would endanger the safety and welfare of the state. But he saves sinners, says the Apostle, of whom I am chief. Here the ring-leader of the persecutors, who gave unity to their counsels, and stimulus to their zeal, is laid hold of, not to be punished but pardoned-laid hold of too for this purpose in the very act of rebellion and treason-and raade a pattern of mercy to encourage others to trust in him.

We know what effect this kindness had upon himself. It changed his mind. It melted his heart. It softened the lion into a lamb. Behold, he prayeth-prayeth to him whom a moment before he had abhorred-Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And from that moment the love of Christ constrained him to live to him that died for him and rose again.

What effect has it upon us? Do we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. "No man can quicken his own soul." We cannot change our own heart. The Bible is a sealed book till we are enlightened. It is useless for us to pray without the Spirit. If we belong to his people he will call us in due time"-This is the devil's reasoning; and it is not the better for employing the language of Scripture, or of perverted orthodoxy. And what a proof is it that we are not yet sensible of our lost condition-If we were we could not sit still, and thus argue or cavil. We should resemble a Iman who found himself in a house on fire-he must move-he could not avoid striving to escape, though at first perhaps not by the right passage. What a proof is it that we are not really desirous of salvation; else we should say, “I have read Paul's case. It meets my condition. I am unworthy; so was he. But he obtained mercy; and why should I be refused?"

This is the proper use of it-I see in this model his power and his compassion-I wili go to his footstool, and cry, "Lord, save, I perish;" "God be merciful to me, a sinner."

It should equally encourage us with regard to others. Despondency chills our zeal, and prevents our efforts to save others. But why should we cease to pray, and use all the means within our

power? Duty is ours; and none of our fellow-creatures are beyond his reach who called by his grace a Saul of Tarsus.

Blessed Jesus! Thou art fairer than the children of men! But while we admire thee we would also resemble. May thy mind be in us! Art thou so long-suffering towards us, and shall we bear with nothing in our brethren? Art thou so ready to forgive, and shall we be re engeful? Didst thou when rich for our sakes become poor, and shall we be masses of pure selfishness, and never deny ourselves to promote the welfare of others?

APRIL 24.-" And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South. And he went on his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai; unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.”— Gen. xiii. 1, 3, 4.

In this movement of Abram two things are noticed-whence he came and whither he went.

"He went up out of Egypt." But how came he there? He was driven by famine. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. Abram therefore was justified in going thither. We are not to starve if we can obtain subsistence lawfully. We tempt God if we do not avail ourselves of the means and opportunities of relief and assistance which he affords us in the course of his providence. For though we are to cast our care, we are not to ⚫ cast our duty upon the Lord; and it is only in the way of duty that we can trust in him. But we may be found in places and conditions at the call of duty or necessity in which we are not to abide. Naomi and the Shunamite, who had fled to Moab in the dearth, returned like true Israelites when they heard that the Lord had visited his people with bread. And Abram did not settle in Egypt, but only sojourned there. He had succeeded while there, so as to increase in wealth, and Egypt was at this time the most famous country on earth: but it had been to him a place of temptation; it was irreligicus; and Canaan was the land which the Lord had shown himthe land of promise. And what is this world to us if we are the children of Abram by faith, but a temporary residence. It is not our home-it is not our rest. And we must arise and depart hence now, in thought, affection, and pursuit; and by a readiness to leave it actually whenever our change comes. If we are the heirs of promise, Canaan will draw us out of Egypt.

"And he went on, even to Beth-el." There he had dwelt before. It is affecting to return to a place where we formerly resided. Who can help reflecting upon his sins there? (for wherever we have lived we have proved ourselves to be sinners,) and the blessings he enjoyed there; and his trials; and the changes which have taken place, and the progress of his time since! But Abram had not only dwelt at Beth-el, but dwelt there as a man of faith, piety, and prayer. What a difference is there between returning to a place where we lived without God in the world; and to one where 've loved and served God, and walked with him, and said of many a spot, "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"