July 24

Secondly, obedience. He was the ten commandments imbued, and alive, walking up and down the earth for three-and-thirty years—"I delight," said he, "to do thy will, yea, thy law is within my heart." "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me." And as his obedience was cheerful, so it was unvarying. "He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." He relaxed not when the divine pleasure required him to agonize in the garden, and die upon the cross. And therefore he said as he was closely moving towards them: "That the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence." He was sensible to the suffering, but he turned not away his back: he said, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:" but he prayed, "nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." Well therefore could he say at last, "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."

Thirdly, the devoting himself to die for the recovery of sinners. "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." It was an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. God has no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. He delighteth in mercy. He loves to see us relieving the needy, and visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. He is still more pleased to see us reclaiming the vicious, and saving souls from death: and he tells us that they who turn many to righteousness shall shine like stars for ever and ever. How then did the Father of mercies, the God of all grace, regard him who, self-moved, without our desert or desire, interposed to redeem a guilty world from the curse of the law; and gave himself a ransom for all! "The Father loveth the Son"—

—And can we want proof of this? What may we not bring forward as an evidence of it? Witness his expressions. At his transfiguration a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son; hear ye him." At his baptism a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Yea, ages before he said, by his holy prophet, "Behold my servant whom I uphold; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth." Witness all the arrangements he made previously to his birth. All had a designed reference to him. If a succession of prophets was raised up, it was for his sake. "To him gave all the prophets witness;" and "the testimony of Jesus was the spirit of prophecy." If an economy of numberless sacrifices and ceremonies was established, it was for his sake—every thing prefigured him: "the law was a shadow of good things to come, of which the body was Christ." If revolutions convulsed the world or the Church it was for his sake—"I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord." All the dispensations of providence and grace, like so many streams flowed into this confluence, and made his appearance the fulness of time. Witness the supernatural attestations by which he was honoured. In his birth, in his life, in his death, in his resurrection, he "was approved

of God by miracles, and wonders, and signs." Witness the intimate revelations made him, and by which, though he never learned letters, he surpassed all the human race, and had in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. "For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." Witness God's appointment that all blessings should come to us through him, and that we should always implore them for his sake and in his name. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." In your applications remind him of me, and he will never deny you. "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Witness the exaltations to which he has advanced him, and the treasures he has conferred upon him. He has "crowned him with glory and honour;" and "set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand."

Let us then love him, and be followers of God as dear children. He cannot lead us astray; and we must walk in the light as he is in the light. How blind must we be to see no comeliness or beauty in One whom he values infinitely more than the universe! How depraved must we be to feel indifferent to a Being possessed of such greatness and goodness, and who has done and suffered so much for us! What wonder the Apostle should say, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." But if I loved him, should I not think of him? should I not speak of him? should I not love to hold communion with him? should I not love to please and serve him?

JULY 25.—"He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord."—Acts 11:23.

THOUGH Barnabas was the son of consolation, he not only aimed to comfort his hearers, but could say, "I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation." He had seen the grace of God in the Christians at Antioch, and was glad. But he knew that it was not enough to begin well. The end proves and crowns all: he only that endureth to the end the same shall be saved. But if any draw back, God's love shall have no pleasure in him. He believed in the stability of the everlasting covenant, and was confident that he who had begun a good work in them would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; but he knew how to apply his own principles. He knew that the appointment of the end ensured the use of the means, and as much precluded a diversion from the one as the failure of the other. He knew also that those who cannot apostatize may backslide. On every ground he knew warnings and admonitions to be proper, useful, and necessary; and therefore he exhorted them—

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