The Lonely Heart. is "THAT which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again."-JOHN iii. 6, 7. "I AM weary of everything." These words were spoken in a tone that left no doubt as to their sincerity. The speaker was a young girl in the possession of all that could give happiness, if earth and the kingdoms of this world could bestow that precious boon, which the Creator of earth's beauty has given from a source above and beyond the changing things of time. "Weary of everything!" repeated the mother of Harriet N.; "What can you mean? weary of the gardens, you would say; how quickly you have found it wearisome!" It was a fair spot. Flowers were in rich profusion; the terrace walks were overhung with vines, with the clusters of the graceful berries that told of a southern climate; beyond plunged the soft falling waters of the fountain, and beneath the terrace the rich groves of olives lent a pleasant shadow, to relieve the brightness of the sunshine that flooded the landscape. Over all spread the cloudless blue sky. "Yes," replied the daughter, "I am weary of the garden and the sunshine-I am weary of everything!" until the harvest day, if I shall find the fair ing the heart that leans on Him! "Come Come and look with me upon this picture. Behold thousands of travellers traverse a wild sandy desert; each one has a vessel, but it holds no water. The contrast of this unrest with the perfect peace and joy of the happy departed lamb we read of last month in these pages, struck me so forcibly, that I hoped the Lord would bless Beside a bright and ever-flowing fountain, even this to some one who may be thinking sparkling like a silver thread along the way, "If I were in such a place," or "If I had there stands a bright and noble Being, who such a thing-if I had more time—if I had has purchased the right to this bright river, less sickness, less poverty; if household cares were not distracting me, if I had not so much perplexing business, I should have rest!" No! there is but one rest, and that remaineth-there is but one fount of peace that cannot be troubled, and that is in Jesus, the Son of God. The greater your trials, the deeper your need; the harder your lot, the louder speaks the Lord Jesus, "Come unto me, and I will give you rest!" and all who are partakers of this stream are not only permitted to bring others, but commanded to do so. For every traveller, there is a new pitcher provided by the Princely Benefactor. But some refuse, even rudely, and others try to mend their old pitchers, and paint and varnish them, until they fancy they look better than the homely clean new vessels so affectionately prepared for them. It is a long and dreary journey over that far sandy plain. The mirage is there, the hot To seek to put nature in the place of grace, sun of noon, and burning days without a has always been one of the subtle snares of cloud. Surely some of these poor people the prince of this world. First, to patch up will have the wisdom of little children, and the old man, and offer himself with his fancied throw away these patched pitchers for new righteousnesses to Him who cannot look upon ones, and drink of the water. Look within iniquity; and, secondly, to offer worship on the pitchers. Some are full of old coins, and to that nature which has felt only curse for and strange time-worn papers; pictures and man's sake. He who made all things beau-old books; artificial flowers and jewels; tiful in their time must thus often behold sin curious garments; title-deeds and account "Not weary of your father and your mother, exalted on the ruin that sin has worked. surely!" said the lady reprovingly. books, but no water! No wonder they look There must be a new heaven and a new weary and heavy laden. Hark! there is one "Yes, I am!" replied Harriet N.; and at earth. Ye must be born again! There must who knows the refreshment in the bright this last question she lifted her face from the be the cleansing and the purging; the work flowing fountain, and invites some; but they marble step on which she rested, and looked of the Redeemer and Sanctifier in the place answer, they are not thirsty, and if they were, up into the bright sky, not with the sweet, of Satan and the Cain-like offering of senti- should they throw away all their precious half dream-like gaze of wonder and enjoyment mental feeling, and works of natural bene-things for a common looking vessel, and a which I have seen in other eyes, as if they volence. A Socinian creed does not rest with draught of water. But He tells them, that would pierce the blue curtain to behold the those only who avow Socinian errors. All glories they believed it shrouded, but in that who would put anything in the place which profound desolation of spirit, that only those Jesus should occupy are offering an insult to know who are seeking for rest where it is not the gracious Saviour, who came to be all things to be found. "I am weary of myself-of to His people, their wisdom, their righteousHarriet N., weary of all;-oh! I long to fitness, their Comforter, Counsellor, and Friend. away into the arms of God!" and the young We know that earth is, as it were, ransacked girl groaned. for peace! Men go to other countries, and in which abode peace can dwell; Christ cannot The mother was silent. Had she spoken, she might perhaps have said that God had made the beautiful garden, and shed abroad scenes;—anything but desiring the new heart the light and warmth, and the lonely child ought to be happy. But she could not have told her of the redeeming power of the Blood of the Lamb slain. She could not have answered that groan, which in the midst of the beauty spread lavishly around her, proclaimed there was more than this for which an immortal soul was created. She could not point her to Jesus-for how can we lead others to the Rock when we know neither the way, nor feel the need of its shelter. So none answered the sorrowful spirit. Yet God was speaking by that very loneliness; the Holy Ghost was striving to win her from the fascinations of life below, which the god of this world was spreading for her young heart, to desire the pure delight of a soul born again from above; with a heritage whose beauties shall never fade, and where joys are every day new. "But did she find Jesus?" Dear reader, I know not: but when I had found His preciousness myself, I did not forget the young weary one; but I may never know "It is all very well for ——," said one, in speaking of a deeply afflicted child who had found the Lord Jesus; "it is all very well for such; they have nothing else!" God for ever be praised, they had nothing else! but what is best, they wanted nothing else! A new heaven and a new earth-oh, blessed new creation! The earth must be burnt up; its cares, and pleasures, and pursuits must go with it; and let it go! Oh my dear reader, if you are seeking to fill a lonely heart with that which shall be destroyed, where will you be? You may long "to flit away into the arms of God," but the day of grace will have passed from you, and the arms so long open to receive you, (the outstretched arms of Jesus) await you no more. He has risen up, and the door is closed! they cannot carry those treasures over to the fair country where that fountain flows for ever, and they cannot go there without new pitchers, for all things are perfect there. And some of these poor people listen, and many go away sorrowful, for they have been long collecting their treasures; nevertheless, some go to the Royal Potter and receive the new pitcher; but, oh! how timid they are! They can hardly believe that they have a right to drink from the bright stream, which is as much the gift of the Potter as the pitcher itself. They kneel down and take one drop, and sit by the stream and mourn because they are so weak; and they are still thirsting, but there are others who let down their pitcher until it is so full that the bright drops sparkle on the brim, and perhaps the soft dew, from its refreshing influence, enlivened some footsore one, and led him to long for a new pitcher too, and a draught of water. Oh, would it not seem folly to you to see men hugging such follies to their breast, when the new vessel, and the life-giving stream, and the loving invitation, were set before them. Come ye, and drink of the bright waters, without money and without price. For he that cometh unto Jesus shall never hunger, and he that believeth on Him shall never thirst! The desert is before you, the stream is still flowing, God's love is still inviting you. "Weary of everything!" Oh! it is the If your heart is lonely now, when earth's time to find One who is never weary of bless-ties and earth's poor miserable joys are around else. after I had accepted Christ as my Saviour, and I read in a book four years ago an account of a convert who, to use his own words, "never felt his need of a Saviour till he found Him!!!" you, what will it be when they are burnt up? | yet either to the two thieves or to any one feel the heinousness of sin till some time where will you flee? to whom will you go? Oh, the loneliness of that day, when no loving revelation shall reach you,-when for the life-giving stream shall flow the lake of fire! Oh, pity yourself! there is a loneliness in the words, "cast out" and "for ever," that hath no comparison! A. S. "What do you Know?" AN aged saint, grown grey in his Master's service, for he was a minister of Christ, was once in conversation with a young man who was very full of himself, and what he had been acquiring at school or college. "Of course, Mr. —, you are acquainted with such an author, and familiar with his works." No" replied the aged man, "I do not know them." Some other subject was started by his companion, and question after question put, to each of which the answer was, "I do not know." Teased at length, and forgetting the honour due to grey hairs, the young man asked, "And what, Sir, do you know?" "Young man," was the reply, "I know HIM, whom to know is life eternal!" The Forgiveness of Sins. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." -1 JOHN i. 9. THAT is to say, He would be un-faithful and un-just not to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Unfaithful and unjust! let us consider these words. Mind, the text does not say, "unmerciful and uncompassionate;" no, the words are as above; meaning, in plain English, that the Lord God Almighty would not be acting honourably towards us. And from whence does this boldness of speech arise? Simply from the fact that Christ has died. There is no undoing this. It is the past, and cannot be undone or recalled. Christ has died. "And what then?" answer, "Everything." When He died, He died for me, and, therefore, virtually I died. "Why did I die?" I underwent the punishment for sin, and as a token that I am now clear," my substitute, Christ Jesus (that is virtually myself again), was raised from the dead on the third day. If I pass down a street in which there is a jail, and I see a turnkey open a lock and let a man out into the town, I naturally infer that that man was a prisoner, upon whom the law had demands; but having satisfied those demands, he is now set free. So with myself. The law of God had demands upon me. They were made good by Christ, my proxy, and as a proof that such was the case, He was not detained in prison (ie., the grave), but was released. Death, as before observed, is the punishment of sin; and God ordained that the manner of it should be so as to constitute it a curse. Therefore my substitute was crucified. (Deut. xxi. 23.) If He had been put to death in any other way, all things would not have been fulfilled. Seeing, therefore, that I have thus already undergone my punishment for sin, and have a sure and certain proof of its having been once accepted, would it not be unfaithful and unjust to make any further demands upon me? Would it be fair to make me pay the same debt twice? And what I have herein said for myself, every man can say for himself also, if he but believes. Christ died for sinners, and wishes sinners to believe it. This is what is meant by "believing on the Lord Jesus Christ," It involves all that I have "faith," &c. above set forth, and much more that will follow after it has been laid hold of, which the Holy Spirit Himself will teach you. No condition is required of you before you can come to Christ. Come with all your sins, just as you are. If you were sick, you would not wait till you were better, ere you placed much yourself in the hands of a medical man, less if you were very sick would you decline doing so for shame's sake. Yet this is the way in which many argue in respect of their soul's sickness, sin! This little If you would like to know how I was led to "change my mind, all that I can say is, that I never rightly understood the way of salvation, until I came across a tract entitled, "How you may know whether you do or do not believe on Jesus Christ." tract made no particular appeal to the conscience in respect of sin; but merely set forth (at least as much as I then read of it) what believing on Christ" really meant: viz., believing that He had done all things for your salvation, keeping the law, leading a life without sin, dying in our place, and in the manner ordained by God as a curse. So that there was absolutely nothing left for us to do on our own behalf, even if we wanted to: all had already been accomplished. The above was contained in the first four pages, and I read no further, for I felt completely stunned. I never thought that was it: my idea was that Christ had died in order to give us another chance of earning heaven by leading a preponderatingly good life upon earth! By God's grace, though I felt some powerful influence attempting to keep me back, I was enabled to go and kneel down by the side of my cot and say, "Lord, I believe! "If we confess our sins," that is, if we help thou mine unbelief," over and over acknowledge ourselves to be sinners, not in again, and even this I felt great, great diffithe shape of a "penance" however; no, but culty in doing, for something or somebody merely if we admit the truth regarding our-made me stammer, and I felt being hurried selves (see preceding verse), which scarcely a off my knees like. Without any affectation, soul does not, whether from conscience sim- I felt perfectly giddy and confused. ply, or whether from conviction, and so feel our need of redemption. The popular impression is, that one must be very sorry for his sins, before he can ask pardon but this is wrong: this is not the meaning of "repentance." "Repentance" simply means "changing your mind." You will find in Wicliff's translation of the Bible, that instead of "to repent," he uses "to after-think," and this is exactly what it means; and this last word is still, I believe, in current use in Lancashire. L Matt. xxi. 28. "A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, Son, work to day in my vineyard." go He answered and said, "I will not; " but afterward he repented and went; that is to say, he "altered his mind" and went. He may have been sorry for having refused his father at the first, and he may not. He may have changed his mind from sordid motives, thinking perhaps there was something to be got by it: or he may have done so through fear, lest he should be a loser in the long run for his disrespectful behaviour, or what not. His motives for "changing his mind," we do not If this had not been the case, I should have had no proof that the death of my proxy had been accepted instead of my own; and my faith would, consequently, be "vain." know. (1 Cor. xv. 14.) I obtained peace, however. The whole transaction, till then from the time I opened the tract, did not occupy more than three quarters of an hour, and on leaving my quarters to go down to my office again, I shall never forget the new aspect everything bore. My office, and everything in it, was the same as I had left it but a short hour ago, and yet everything had a different air about it, I felt no depression of spirits whatever, though certainly "sobered," but I was far too happy to be sorry for anything; and this state of feeling lasted a good time, and it was not till long afterwards (two years) that I felt any deep compunction for the life I had led without Christ, although, whether from training, whether from conscience, I really cannot say, I knew, as far as knowing went, that I was a sinner. And when I did begin to feel sorrow for sin, it was not an overwhelming process, but slow, steady, and gradual, turning the exuberance of my joy into sober-mindedness. In a word, "repentance," in the sense of heartfelt sorrow for sin, was not the steppingstone to my conversion," as it is, I believe, with most people, but an item in my practical sanctification afterwards. So with "repentance:" it may be engenFor it was not the act of dying, simply, dered by motives equally various. That with I have been thus particular, at the expense that proved Jesus to be the Messiah; nor yet the generality of those brought to the foot of of appearing egotistical; because I am anxious the manner of it; for two thieves were cruci- the Cross, it arises from deep penitence I to divest the blessed Gospel of all appearances fied at the same time. No, it was His being freely admit, but not necessarily so, for there of having a price put upon it. It is free; raised to life again, which has not happened are exceptions. I myself, for instance, did not sorrow is no more demanded of you than is. It is, “Believe on the Lord Jesus | self. Many and frequent were the prayers language failing, you are compelled to cry money Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy that were offered up for her, yet was there no out with one of old, "Yea, He is altogether house (Acts xvi. 31); and "He that be- evidence of her having truly passed from lovely." And in joyful confidence to add, lieveth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he darkness to light; and thus month by month "This is my Beloved, this is my friend." that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark passed on. One day, about six months after, Let it not suffice you to realize that His blood xvi. 16.) we first knew her, Miss had been praying has cleansed you from your sins, or that His Believe that Christ has done everything beside her, and beseeching the Lord to mani- dying cry, "It is finished," enables you to that is wanted for your salvation; that when fest Himself to her, and scarcely had she cease from your own works, and to enter into He cried, “It is finished," your salvation was risen, and turned to speak to another dying that rest which is the privileged portion of all accomplished, as proved three days after by girl, when poor Harriet, burst out, "Oh, I have that believe; but go higher, let Jesus be the His resurrection from the grave. Believe found Him, I have found my precious Saviour. all-satisfying portion of your heart's best that God would consequently be "unfaithful" Glory be to His Name." Never, never can I affections, sit down under His shadow with and unjust" to withhold from you admis- forget that scene as we sat beside her bed, great delight, and know that His banner of sion into heaven, should you urge your claim and heard her, with clasped hands and closed love is waving over you. Think not so much on these grounds. And "change your mind," eyes, giving vent to the rapturous emotions of of serving Him, as of responding to the give up the pleasures of sin, and the beggarly her soul. "Oh!" she exclaimed, "He re-appeal, "Give me thine heart," then out of rudiments of this world which you have ceives the vilest, the wickedest sinners; glory the abundance thereof the mouth will speak, chosen; "after-think" it, re-consider your be to His Name! His blood is in me! Oh, the hands be led to work, and the feet to walk choice, and alter your decision; for recollect the Lamb, the bleeding Lamb!" Then in a well-pleasing unto Him. that "all flesh is as grass, and all the glory clear tone she sangof man as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever: and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you." (1 Pet. i. 24, 25.) S. British India. "I love the sound of Jesu's name, adding with mingled joy and reverence, "Glory A Death Bed. Preach Christ. WHEN that faithful minister of Christ, Mr. V—————, was vicar of H in Yorkshire, he told me that a neighbouring minister, the then vicar of H-, one day addressed him nearly in the following words:" Mr. V, I don't know how it is, but I should really think that your doctrines of grace and faith W. B. in the village of were calculated to make all your hearers live a day-labourer, was addicted for many years in sin; and yet, I must own, that there is an astonishing reformation wrought in your parish; whereas I don't believe I ever made one soul the better, though I have been telling them their duty so many years." Mr. V smiled at the doctor's ingenuous confession, and frankly told him, "he would do well to burn all his old sermons, and try what preaching Christ would do."-Deep Things. in Somersetshire, to habits of intemperance; with occasional intervals of deep remorse; accompanied with resolutions of amendment; which failed him in the hour of temptation, was at last seized by that mortal malady to which drunkenness generally leads, and suffered throughout great agonies of soul, amounting frequently to despair; yet calling upon God to save him from the awful pit of eternal fire, on the brink of which he stood. A few moments before his departure, he started up in the bed, bis face reflecting all the horrors of hell, Visitings. No. 4. exclaiming, "And art thou to have me at last, UNINTERESTING and ignorant was poor Har- thou foul fiend?" with other ejaculations of riet; so ignorant that, we believe, not a letter anguish and despair, addressed evidently to could she read, yet was she one in whom God, one whom he saw near; when suddenly a ray in the sovereignty of His grace, had designed from heaven illuminating his whole counteas a recipient of His mercy; surely He hath nance, he extended his arms as he sunk back chosen the foolish things of the world, and on his pillow, exclaiming, "Ah, no! blessed the weak things, and the base things, yea, and Jesus! Glory be-to thee!" and expired. things which are despised and wherefore? "that no flesh should glory in His presence.' Remembrances of Workhouse Christ a Person. Of her early history we know nothing, save A REAL, living person, Christian reader! Let that she had gone astray in an evil path. We me ask you, Is it thus you consider Him? first became acquainted with her in the sum- Is it the Man Christ Jesus you adore? Do mer of 1861, when disease and want had laid you know Him in all His glorious attributes her on a workhouse bed. Great reserve of Perfection and Beauty, the beloved Son marked her character, so that but little could whom God delighteth to honour-before we know of the inward workings of her mind, whom angels and archangels bow, and the yet the awakening interest she manifested at redeemed delight to cast their golden crowns, the Scripture readings, led us confidently to and attune their harps to His praise, while hope that the "good work" was begun, On they unite to sing that song of "Worthy is one occasion being asked, Did she ever pray? the Lamb that was slain to receive glory, and she replied, "No! I am too great a sinner to honour, and power"? Is He to you the do that." To convince of sin was said to be "chiefest among ten thousand"? Can you the Spirit's work, by our Blessed Lord Him- tell of the varied aspects of His beauty, till, THEY'RE DEAR TO GOD. "Beloved, it is a sad thing, and truly so sad, that it may make our very hearts bleed within us, to think of the Lamb's little party, who are in strength the weakest, in riches the poorest, in number the fewest: and shall they be in love the coldest, in judgment the most divided? Is not this sad now, that the little ones of Jesus Christ, that the lambs of Jesus Christians! either lay your malice aside, or else God Christ, should love one another no better? O will lay you aside, as He hath done too many of us at this day, to our great sorrow."Dyer, 1655. 77 O THAT, when Christians meet and part, However wilful and unwise, We'll look on them with loving eyes They're dear to God. O wonder! to the Eternal One, When tempted to give pain for pain,- They're dear to God. When truth compels us to contend, They're dear to God. When they would shun the pilgrim's lot If dear to God. O how return a brother's blow! Oh! who beneath the Cross can stand, How with rough words can we conflict, For is there here no strength in love- Notes and Expositions. No. 3. drink it, thy will be done." It is, however, when wicked hands seized Him to put Him The Brother Born. "A brother is orn for adversity."-Prov. xvii. 17. WHO can this "brother" be but Jesus? at Golgotha His perfect love flows forth, by to death, then "all the disciples forsook Him willingly being made sin and a curse for His and fled." What pangs of grief for a heart "brethren," and setting us for ever free, by of perfect love! But He goes onward still, laying down His life a ransom for us. There till all the flames of adversity are quenched Where can we see such brotherly kindness, He drank the cup. He fully knew the depths for ever with His blood, and He triumphs over or who on earth ever knew such adversity as of ruin and degradation into which sin had all in the power and glory of resurrection. the blessed Son of God? And how precious brought us, and when none else could deliver, His visage so marred more than any man; the thought that He was a "brother born;" and nothing less than His death on the Cross lover and friend put far from Him; His heart that He who dwelt in the full blaze of heavenly could save, His loving heart willingly went lacerated with the lying accusations of false glory, in the Father's bosom, stooped so low down into all its shame and woe, to redeem witnesses, He gives His back to the smiters, as to become man; born for adversity, the us from iniquity, and bring the far-off nigh and His cheeks to them that plucked off first born among many brethren. Glorious to God. When this wondrous work was the hair. His dear back ploughed up and incarnation! Unfathomable mystery! God accomplished, and He raised victorious from smarting with the cruel lashes of the scourg manifest in the flesh! Bethlehem's stable witnessed the "brother born;" and, blessed be His holy name, He is not ashamed to call us (who believe) "brethren." What infinite condescension, what perfect love, what matchless wisdom, the Son of God born of a woman, and called Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins. What depths of humiliation and love to man, that He by whom all things were made, should pass by the shining myriads of angelic hosts, take hold of Abraham's seed, and take part of the children's flesh and blood, that He might be a compassionate brother, a kinsman Redeemer, a merciful and sympathising High Priest. What a Saviour, equal with God, yet found in fashion as a man. God and man in one person, able to feel and suffer for man as man, and able also to give infinite value to all He did, because He was God. Well might the celestial choir usher this blessed one into the world with "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men;" and well may we worship and adore the Father of mercies, for coming so near to us, and shewing such kindness in the person and work of Immanuel. the dead, see with what love again the But this loving, life-giving Jesus was born for adversity. The stable manger cradled the Holy One, for there was no room for Him in the inn; and scarcely had the Son of God been born into this world, which His hands had made, than the power of man and Satan combined to devour, if it were possible, this Holy Child. Herod the king was exceeding wroth, and commanded that all the children that were in Bethlehem, from two years old and under, should be slain. But the malice of the enemy was turned to fulfil the prophetic word, "Out of Egypt have I called my Son." The learned men in Israel knew Him not, neither did His brethren believe on Him, so that His tender heart early felt that He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorsows, and acquainted with grief. But more than this, the foul breath of Satan himself was allowed directly to fall on the holy ear of this spotless Lamb, and what exquisite sufferJesus is a "brother" indeed. Trace Him ing this must have been, what indiscribable in the Gospels and you find Him continually adversity for the Holy One of God to feel. going about doing good. Groaning, sighing," He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted and weeping over the misery around, you of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and see Him feeding the hungry, healing the sick, the angels ministered to Him." But this only casting out unclean spirits, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, stilling the fury of the waves, silencing the raging storm to minister peace and blessing to needy, sinful The perfect Exemplar, the patient Teacher, the faithful Witness, the never-failing Friend, casting out none that came to Him, saving the vilest of sinners, and bringing all who received Him into the dear and unchanging relationship of "brethren," and sons of God (John i. 12). What a brother! Surely in this as in all other things, Jesus has the pre-eminence. But see Him in Gethsemane's shady grove, in awful stillness, and while those around are sleeping, behold the loving Jesus sorrowful unto death, casting But He goes onward still, though the path Himself prostrate on the ground, while a gore be rougher, and more adverse to a loving of blood-like sweat covered His sacred body'; heart. His own disciples seemed seldom to behold, I say, this "brother" there in deepest understand His mind, and sometimes really agony, with all the unutterable woes of Cal- savoured of Satan and of the things of man, vary's cross presented to Him in an unmixed instead of the things of God; many turned cup of immeasurable anguish. His heart is away altogeher, and walked no more with set on us. If He drink not the cup, we must Him, others slept when His soul was in an have drunk it in endless misery. What a agony. One openly denied Him, saying with moment of solemn quiet! But listen to the an oath, "I know Him not," while another accents of His inmost soul, "O my Father, betrayed Him, and sold Him to His murif this cup may not pass from me, except I derers for thirty pieces of silver; and at last, man." brought out more fully His perfect holiness. ing; His face bruised with the rude smiting; His soul overflowing with love and anguish, like a dumb sheep before her shearers, He is stripped and covered with a scarlet robe, a reed put in His right hand, His spotless brow pierced, and torn with a crown of thorns, the people bow the knee before Him, and mock, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" while the stunning cries of "Away with Him! Crucify Him!" rend the air on every side. Onward, however, His heart of ceaseless love propelled Him. He climbs the hill of Calvary, and then His hands and feet are nailed to the tree, when for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, and despised the shame, and cried out for His murderers, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." There He is lifted up, and wounded for our transgressions. There He is made sin and a curse for us. There, not only man derides and blasphemes, and Satan's flood gates of hellish abomination are thrown open, and bruise His heel, but more than this, God forsakes, and spares not His own dear Son. The lightning flashes and thunderings of Jehovah's wrath press heavily npon His inmost soul, so that He cries, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But all the waves and billows pass over Him. He groans and bleeds until the bitter cup is drained, when He exclaims, "It is finished," bows His head, and gives up the ghost. His sacred body racked, His soul poured out unto death, He travailed with the unutterable throes and birth - pangs needed to bring many sons to glory, and to fulfil the testimony of an ancient prophet, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee." But the dreary night is passed, redemption is accomplished, perfect love has been manifested, the sacrifice has been offered and accepted, for Christ is risen, and we are made nigh to God in Him, and by His blood. Jesus is now enthroned at the right hand of God; and we look for His return from heaven, when the Brother who knew such adversity shall have His brethren to share His throne of glory with Him, and when "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven, and earth, and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." RISEN WITH CHRIST. If Satan with poisonous darts Of worldliness pierces the soul; Then swiftly we fly with these hearts, Our burden on Jesus to roll, But do we as children e'er bask, In the sunshine and joy of His smile, Without one petition to ask, Except to abide there awhile? Than angels in heaven above? And rest in His fulness of bliss; This world, with its pleasures and cares, Too often its poison imparts, And leads us away in its snares. Too oft, with his craftiest will, The enemy points us within, But high at the Father's right hand. He points to His blood as our plea ; Declaring "their sins did I bear, That they might be just before Thee." Despairing because of our sin; Mistaken assurance possess; C. L. S. Thoughts on the Epistle to the Romans. CHAP. xiii. 8-14. nature. 66 95 V. 10. "And that, knowing the time," &c. "And that" seems to supply an additional motive to the former duties, inasmuch as "the day" of manifestation is "at hand," "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” We are not here to imply that those to whom he is writing were not in a state of salvation. They were waiting for the salvation of the body on the day of the first resurrection, when that for which they were apprehended should be completed. This was, of course, nearer to them than when they believed to the "saving of the soul." or to die. It could not yield, or give out grace, to man (Matt. xxii. 39, 40), it can never have and hence there was no power. "The law a filling up or completion but in Christ, and was given by Moses, but grace and truth came those who possess His spirit. by Jesus Christ." "Love is of God," not of Every one that loveth is born of God." If we love, it is "because He first loved us." We are under grace, and not under law. But "the righteousness of the law" is, notwithstanding, "fulfilled in (not by) us,' for we are ་་ taught of God to love one another," and without being under covenant which knows of no compromise, we yet, in loving, fulfil the law. Is there not confusion in the minds of many, who, without the least alarm, set themselves to keep the commandments, ignorant that in attempting to do this, every breach is death. But V. 12, 13. "The night is far spent, the day the righteousness of the law is only to be is at hand," that of the Lord's appearing, a fulfilled by those who walk after the Spirit, subject not otherwise brought into the Epistle. and "if we be led of the Spirit, we are not The now time is that of the earth's darkness, under law." (Gal. v. 18.) It being understood, but it will not always be so. (Isaiah xxv. 7.) then, from chap. vii. that the believer is not We are in the light, and expecting the day of under law, the apostle has no difficulty in God, "let us therefore cast off the works of bringing its maxims forward, as those to which darkness, and put upon us the armour of light." God is true at all times. The whole thing (1 Thess. v. 1-11.) The exhortation, as depends upon the difference between a bind- usual, proceeds upon the ground of our being ing covenant with a penalty attached, and a" in the day," that is of our having the light voluntary engagement consequent upon the of God by which to walk in the midst of the inherent principle of a new life. If under surrounding darkness, and it supposes, too, the first, death is the penalty for each and that the propensities of the flesh are still in every breach as the blessed Lord found, us, and have to be battled against in the when "made of a woman, made under law," armour of light. He came, pure Himself, under the judgment of a righteous God as a substitute; if under the second, the reminders of the law may have a happy effect upon us, as being the clear and sententious expression of the mind of God concerning our walk, to which He is true at all times; and indeed, the same precepts, although not in exactly the same language, are expressed over and over again in the New Testament. Nevertheless, those lose much who, being clear of it as a covenant, speak of the law as the rule of life. We may surely say, that the laws of Christ's kingdom go far beyond those of Moses. Which of the commandments would induce us, if our coat were demanded, to give our cloak also, and if compelled to go a mile, to go twain? (Matt. v. 40, 46.) Christ is our lawgiver and our rule," (Gal. vi. 15, 16; Phil. iii. 16,) and, whilst looking at Him, we shall be sure not to infringe law. 66 adultery, thou shalt not kill, &c., (commandVer. 9. "For this, thou shalt not commit ments from the second table)...... is briefly VERSE 8. "Owe no man anything, but to comprehended in this saying, viz., Thou shalt love one another." From the obedience which love thy neighbour as thyself." It is evident we owe to "the powers that be," the apostle God, were meant in love for his good, and if that these demands upon man, on the part of passes on by an easy transition, to the debt he, even in his feeble measure, would have of love which we owe to one another. (1 Jno. kept them, would have been for the exhibition iii. 14, 23.) This, according to the standard of love, and for his blessing. Possibly the of God's love to us (and this is our measure), apostle John alludes to this (1 John ii. 7) as we can never pay. It does not seem pertinent the "old commandment which ye had from to insist from this, that we are never to borrow ment I write unto you; which thing is true, the beginning," but (v. 8,) " A new command(Matt. v. 42) nor lend. Better, indeed, if we in him and in you; because the darkness is never did the former, but here rather the past, and the true light now shineth." The apostle takes occasion from these lower matters old commandment was the expression of the to speak of the great debt which every chris- mind of God, according to the then order of tian has inherited from Christ-to love one things, but the new commandment is true in another, and then all men, though not their Him and in us, that is, it has its source and sins; and looking back perhaps to chap. viii. 4, he introduces the law, "for he that loveth world." The manifestation of love to others is power in Jesus. "As He is, so are we in this another hath fulfilled the law." The apostle, according to God's love to us in Jesus. We whilst arguing in chap. vii. upon the believer's have both the example and power of it in Him. being delivered from all demands of the law He first exhibited it: we may doubt if in as a covenant, yet now brings up its maxims Jewish times it could ever have been said, to our regard, but only to declare that love Who have for my life laid down their own fulfils them. In shewing previously the neces-necks." sity of a christian's being delivered from it, should be read in connection with this little The epistles of John and Gal, v. he did not thereby ignore that it is "holy, and just, and good." What he shewed was, that it had no power to enforce its claims, which were exorbitant and unremitting, and therefore to be under it was death, for there was no other alternative-either to keep them section. V. 14. "But put ye on the Lord Jesus NONE BUT THEE. Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none upon LORD! whom have I in heav'n? None but thyself e'en there! And angels bright and fair, Will cluster 'mid the radiance of Thy throne: None but thyself above, 'Mid saints and angels bright, None else has "spar'd not" his own son for me, None but thyself, my Lord, The glorious Three in one, What more can I require? bour, therefore love is the fulfilling (literally And worshipping exclaim, "I have but Thee!" C. A. H. These words are set to music, and sold for the benefit of the poor Lancashire weavers. |