January 18

midst of the light of the Gospel. The decisions of the Scripture are so explicit, and the marks and evidences of real religion are so plain and many, that it is not an easy thing for a man to be ignorant or uncertain whether he loves God, or does not; whether he walks by faith or by sight; whether he minds earthly things or sets his affection on things above. Yet a man may be deceived, as well as be a deceiver, as to his spiritual state, and think himself to be something when he is nothing. Yea, it would seem that it is possible for persons to carry the delusion in their favour to the very door at which they will knock with confidence, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He will say, I know you not. Let it therefore be our solemn concern to inquire what character we sustain in the sight of God, on whose decision our destiny depends, and whose judgment is always according to truth. It was the honour of Zechariah and Elisabeth that they were both righteous before God—And of Noah God said, he is righteous before me in this generation. He was not perfect; but his piety bore the eye of God.

JANUARY 18.—“And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy houses into the ark; FOR THEE HAVE I SEEN righteous before me in this generation.”—Genesis 7:1.

WE have viewed the character of Noah’s piety, let us now consider the Divine observation of it. “Thee,” says God, “have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” It means that He had discerned, noticed, remarked him. Men may suppose themselves unobserved; but they are not only God’s creatures, but subjects. He is their moral governor; and inspects and examines them all. His eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. His eyes are upon the ways of men, and He pondereth all their goings.

And what is his aim in the exploring of the human race? Is it to ascertain whether we are rich or poor, bond or free, learned or illiterate? These are distinctions of inferior importance; they will soon drop off from their possessors, and we shall enter eternity only under personal characters. The grand thing is, whether we are wise unto salvation; whether we are free indeed; whether we are rich towards God; whether we are men of the world, or heirs of the grace of life; whether we are wicked or righteous. And He is able to determine this, without the possibility of mistake. He is not far from any one of us. He needs not the aid of testimony to inform Him. All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. He understands our thought afar off. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Him, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to Him. Hence He knoweth them that are His; and sees them, however intermixed with others; and in his eye, they are as separate now, as they will be hereafter.

Here was only one holy man in the world of the ungodly: but the Lord saw that single grain of corn in a heap of chaff; and that particle of gold in a mass of dross: it was too precious to be overlooked or disregarded. And Noah continued to engage his attention. Having seen him, the Lord never lost sight of him. A prince can-

not be acquainted with all the conditions of his subjects. A father cannot always have his children in view. But the Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: their walls are continually before Him. He sees all their external difficulties, and all their inward anxieties. Do they wander? He telleth all their wanderings. Do they weep? He puts their tears into his bottle. Their desire is before Him, and their groaning is not hid from Him.

He is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love. If they speak one to another, He hearkens and hears, and it is recorded in the book of his remembrance. Much of their religion is private. But He seeth in secret. Much is defective. But where there is a willing mind, He accepts according to what a man has. Where the means of execution are wanting, He takes the purpose of the generous heart for the deed. Their wishes lie open to his view, and He judges of their services by them, and thus renders double unto them.

But when He says, "Thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation," He means to express not only discernment and notice, but also approbation. "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. He taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in them that hope in his mercy. They blush and weep over their duties; but He applauds them. The world often counts their life madness, and their end to be without honour; but the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous.

Noah, as a preacher of righteousness, had laboured in vain, and spent his strength for nought among the disobedient; but his work was with the Lord, and his judgment with his God. While the ark was preparing he met with nothing but ridicule and contempt. How often would they go in parties and insult him—"Well, old dotard, how come you on with your folly? So you are going to swim on dry land! Do you intend to make a sea as soon as you have done the ship? Where are your sails and rudder?"—Who knows not the force of cruel mockings?

But the work was the obedience of faith: and while men scorned, the Lord admired. How delicious is the approbation of God! His smile; His voice, saying, Well done, good and faithful servant, is enough to disarm reproach and persecution, to sweeten all the bitternesses of life, and to commence heaven on earth.

JANUARY 19.—"And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation."—Genesis 7:1.

We have seen the character, and the observation of Noah's piety; and here we see the privilege of it—"Come thou and all thy house into the ark." It is needless to inquire how the invitation was conveyed, whether in a vision, or a dream, or by an impulse on the mind, or a voice in the air—Noah knew that it came from God. But the manner of expressing it is observable. He does not say, "Go thou and all thy house into the ark;" but "come," as if God was there. And He was there, and would have his servants and his family with him to be safe in the day of evil."