night. Yea, faith in the sure word of promise, realising not only the nearness, but the certainty, considers the salvation as accomplished" It is done." "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling."

SEPTEMBER 30.-"Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses."-Hebrews xii. 1.

-We should be encouraged to go on in our Christian course, or, as the apostle expresses it, "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.' Let us notice the faet, and see how it bears as an argument. Some suppose that Paul here refers to spectators rather than examples. Persons in running a race had many gazing on them, and the presence of the lookers-on, as well as the prize itself, served to animate them. From hence, if successless, they were mortified as well as disappointed; if crowned, they were not only rewarded but applauded. It is a solemn truth that we are never unseen in religion; many eyes are upon us; and we should pray to be led in a plain path, because, as the margin reads it, of our observers. The world and the Church, our fellow Christians and our ministers behold us; we are a spectacle to angels as well as to men; we are seen by the Judge of all. But though this be a truth, we are persuaded the Apostle alludes not to spectators, but examples. He refers to the characters he had recorded in the preceding chapter, commencing with pious Abel, and reaching down to the close of the Maccabean period of the Commonwealth of Israel.

These he says, 66 encompass us about." Their bodies were long ago laid in the grave, while their spirits returned to God who gave them; and in this state it is commonly, perhaps justly supposed, that they have no intercourse with the affairs of this lower world; Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledges us not. But, rescued from oblivion, their names, words, and deeds are found in the Scriptures; and by perusing these writings we bring them around us from every quarter; they strike us in every direction. We seem to see them looking anxiously on us, and seem to hear them saying, "We were once in the same state with you, and you will soon be in the same glory with us. Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

He remarks their number-" a cloud," "a great cloud of witnesses." They were few compared with their cotemporaries of the same age; but collectively considered, they were a multitude which no man could number. In the most degenerate period, the Lord had a people for his Name; and they often exceeded the estimation of hope. When Elijah supposed he was the only true worshipper in the land, the Lord had reserved unto himself seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to the image of Baal, and whose lips had not kissed him. But if the aggregate was great when Paul wrote this Epistle, what has it become since? And what is it now? How many millions have been added since to the general assembly and church of the first-born ?-In whose fellowship we reckon up

not a few of our own connexions, with whom we have taken sweet counsel together, and gone to the house of God in company!

He gives this number a name-They are a great cloud of "witnesses"-This name God gives to all his people: "ye are my witnesses." According to the Apostle, these glorified beings testified to the nature of faith, and proved it to be "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." They testified to the truth and the cause of God; and they testified by their lips and lives, and especially by their sufferings. They attested from experience that religion was a practicable thing, for they exemplified it, though they had been men of the same nature, passions, and infirmities with others. They showed also from their own experience that religion was not an unprofitable thing; they never served him in vain; but were always more than indemnified for every sacrifice they made. They all found it good to draw near to God. He was always better to them than their fears. He not only delivered but índulged them. They were troubled on every side, yet not distressed. They trod on briers and thorns, but their shoes were iron and brass. They had arduous services and trials, but as their days so was their strength. They always complained of themselves, but never of their Lord and Saviour-They spake well of his name, and have left this confirmed, this inviting testimony behind them, "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." "Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good."

OCTOBER.

OCTOBER 1.-"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness."-Psalm xvii. 15.

THIS is the language of a man whose mind is made up; who has decided for himself; who does not suspend his conduct upon the resolution of others. "This is my choice, my hope, my relief, my comfort. If the whole world should go another way, this is mine. I would draw others, I would draw all into the same course, for I know the blessedness of it-But I dare not be governed by themAs for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness."

It is the language of a man rising in life, and with great prospects before him. From a mere shepherd he had become a hero and a conqueror; he had married into the royal family, and knew he was to fill the throne of Israel. All this he overlooks, like a true son of Abraham, who "by faith sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. The sun conceals the stars, not by a diffusion of darkness, but of superior splendor. To one who has looked within the veil," and seen the glory that shall be revealed, what are all earthly honours, riches and dominion. "Men of the world have their portion in this life-as for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness."

It is the language of a Jew. Though the Jews lived under a dispensation abounding with carnal ordinances, some of them were far from being carnal men. Many of the promises addressed to them regarded the life that now is, and they had an obscurer revelation of a future state than we. Our Saviour tells his disciples that many prophets and kings had desired to see the things which they saw, and did not see them; and Paul says that life and immortality were brought to light through the Gospel. But this is to be taken comparatively, and not absolutely. In Judah was God known; his name was great in Israel. Jacob said, "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord; but what salvation could he look for in death, unless a salvation beyond the grave. Moses "had respect unto the recompence of the reward." And David said, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness."

The source from which he derived his prospect of blessedness was God, in whose presence there is fulness of joy. If we do not make him the strength of our heart, and our portion forever, we may seek happiness, but we shall never find it. Had a capacity to make us happy been placed in any creature, we should have been necessarily attached to idolatry, by the very law of our being.

The beholding of God's face signifies two things. First, the enjoyment of his favour. In the Scripture, to seek his favour is to seek his face: and for God to make his face to shine upon us, is to be gracious unto us. Hence, says David, "there be many that say, Who will shew me any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." What can equal the expression of his love? In his favour is life. Secondly, Intimate communion with him. David was so far reconciled to Absalom as to allow of his return to Jerusalem; but he said, "Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face." Angels are represented as "always beholding the face of our heavenly Father." And thus it is said of the glorified saints, "They shall serve him, and they shall see his face." That is, they shall enjoy the most perfect acquaintance and intimacy with him.

Of this beatifical vision we know very little, and very little can we know till the voice cries, "Come and see." But one thing we know-It is the way in which the blessedness will be realized: "I shall behold thy face in righteousness." Righteousness is not a casual or usual concomitant of the privilege, but an essential requisite to it. It is indispensable in two respects-as to merit or title-and as to meetness or preparation. The former is derived from the righteousness of another, in which Paul wished to be found, and which he calls the righteousness of God by faith; and which is for all and upon all them that believe. The latter is from a righteousness of our own; by which we mean, not that it is ours derivatively, but subjectively, being wrought in us by the influence of the Holy Spirit. The one is the righteousness of justification, the other the righteousness of sanctification: the one is a relative change, or the change of our state; the other a personal change, or the change of our nature. They are very distinguishable from each other, but they are always united, and they are equally necessary. A title to a thing is not a meetness for it: but the Apostle blesses God who

had made them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. That can never make us happy which is not adapted to our disposition. We cannot even hope for an object unless we value it and desire it: but our wishes follow our convictions and our feelings. No one longs for the heaven of a Christian but he who is renewed in the spirit of his mind; and he alone is capable of enjoying it-Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Therefore the decision is, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: without holiness no man shall see the Lord. And the subjects of Divine grace do not feel this a hardship: they do not groan. What a sad thing it is that we cannot go to heaven unless we are sanctified: they love sanctification, and pray to be delivered from all their iniquities. Suppose a man had the promise of an estate, and was assured he should be put in possession of it as soon as ever he was recovered from sickness, would he, while suffering the effects of his vile and painful disease, say, How lamentable it is that I cannot be put into the enjoyinent of my estate till I am well. He would feel that he could not enjoy it while the malady continued; and would long for his health, even for its own sake, if no inheritance followed the invaluable blessing itself.

OCTOBER 2." And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son!"-Luke iv. 21, 22.

This is all we have of his wonderful sermon at Nazareth. And who can fill up the outline? But while we want the matchlessness of his own exemplification, we have the text, and are able to discern something of the truth and force of the words in their bearing on him who spake as never man spake-" And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

It is useless to inquire, because it is impossible to determine, whether this scripture was one of the appointed lessons for the day, or whether he chose it purposely for the occasion, or whether it was the first passage that presented itself to his eye when he unfolded the roll. The latter would seem probable; yet, were this to be conceded, we must remember that he did nothing casually; accidental circumstances subserved his pleasure and were parts of his plan. But he asserts his qualification for his work and the design of his office. His mission was all mercy. He came not to condemn the world, but to seek and to save that which was lost. The statement more than implies the fallen perishing condition of mankind. The truth of the humiliating fact is the dark ground on which alone the glory of the Gospel can be displayed to advantage. If we deny it, the Gospel has nothing to do with us, and we shall have little to do

with the Gospel. But happy are they, however painful the conviction, who feel that they are in the state of wretchedness which the Gospel is intended to relieve. To them it will be indeed glad tidings. They will see that it is every way suitable to their woes and wants, and entirely adequate to their relief.

Draw near, and lay open your complaints. Are you "poor?" Envy not those who have an abundance of this world's goods. Let not your privations induce you to murmur or despair. You may be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. The poor have the Gospel preached unto them and if you receive the message, it will bless your bread and your water; it will turn your humble dwelling into a heavenly palace; it will fill you with all the fulness of God-"He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor."

Are you "broken-hearted ?" pressed down, crushed with fear and sorrow, arising from a sense of sin and guilt? A wounded spirit who can bear? But he healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up all their wounds. In other cases people are said to die of a broken heart; but here they will only die of a whole one. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit-"He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted."

Are you enslaved? There is no bondage like the bondage of corruption no vassalage like the slavery of the soul under the dominion of sin, and when taken captive by the devil at his will. Have you felt the degradation and misery, and do you sigh for deliverance? Turn, ye prisoners of hope, to him who can make you free indeed-He is sent to preach deliverance to the captives."

Are you "blind" as well as bound? This was the case with Sampson and Zedekiah; their oppressors having put out their eyes. We have known persons deprived of bodily sight who were able to see clearly the things of God: but multitudes who have corporeal vision are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. They see no beauty nor comeliness in him who is fairer than the children of men. But he can open the eyes of the understanding, and make us wise unto salvation-He is sent for the recovering of sight to the blind."

Are you not only bound, and blind, but "bruised ?" Here is no tautology or excess-every word adds to the picture. Joseph's "feet were hurt with fetters; he was laid in irons." The magistrates commanded Paul and Silas to be "beaten ;" and they were not only cast into prison, but "had many stripes laid upon them." Who can describe the injuries and sufferings of sinners! But he " sets at liberty them that are bruised."

Or are you in the condition of any or of all those among the Jews who were compassionated by the Jubilee, which returned every fiftieth year; when silver trumpets proclaimed through the land, 66 ye servants, you are now free from your masters. Ye debtors, you are now discharged from your creditors. Ye forfeiters of your estates, you have now your inheritances restored?" How would such an announcement be longed for-how "acceptable" would such a season prove to all who were to be relieved and enriched? "Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound"-He preaches

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