January 26

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope;

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by

his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13 For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not impaled when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the multitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift; for if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which received abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even

so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, ever, so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The word of God comes to us, not as righteous persons, but as sinners. When God wrote to you, do you suppose He thought you an angel? He knew well that you were not. He sent His Son to you because you were in peril, and because, unless there was Divine rescue, there would be universal ruin.

"How can one who has made the most solemn confession of his sins before God, and then gone away and fallen into the same temptation and repeated the same sins, have the face to go right back and ask God to forgive them again? How can one who rises with the sun, and makes the most solemn promises before God, and then before noonday breaks every one of them, go back at evening, and kneel down again and say, 'O God, it is the purpose of my life to serve Thee?' It is hard for one, so long as he is consecious only of himself, to look up to God and say one word. It is not until we have such a consciousness of the glorious forgiving nature of God as to forget ourselves that we can have hope of forgiveness through Christ. There is something in the boundlessness of God's generosity that gives a man hope. In God's love there is hope. In God's faithfulness there is hope. In your own there is none. The more you look at yourself, the more you feel condemned. I think that every right and well-founded Christian experience comes in the end to this, 'I am in myself unworthy of God's thought, or love, or salvation; but God is good, and in Him is my hope. The grace, and love, and sovereign mercy of God alone save me.'"—H. W. Beecher.

Closet Promise.—Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.—Psalm xxxi. 1.

There is a spot to me more dear Than native vale or mountain, A spot for which affection's fear Springs grateful from its fountain. 'Tis not where kindred souls abound, The ugly that is almost heaven, But where I first my saviour found, And felt my sins forgiven.

Hard was my toil to reach the shore, Long tossed upon the ocean; Above me was the thunder's roar, Beeth, the wave's commotion; Darkly the pall of night was thrown Around me, faint with terror; In the dark hour how did my groan Ascend for years of error.

Sinking and panting, as for breath, I knew that help was near me; And cried, "O save me, Lord, from death" Immortal Jesus, hear me!" Then quick as thought I felt Him mine, My Saviour stood before me, I saw his brightness round me shine, And shouted "Glory! glory!"

O sacred hour! O hollowed spot! Where love divine first found me; Wherever falls my distant lot, My heart shall linger round thee: And when thou earth I rise to soar To my home in heaven, Down will I cast my eyes once more Where I was first forgiven. —Rev. Wm. Hunter, D. D.