August 5

Happy they who not only love to walk in woods, and fields, and by running streams, but can refer to spots made sacred by meditation, and in which they have exclaimed, "This is none other but the house of God; and this is the gate of heaven."

Who has not places to which he can advert, in which God has turned the shadow of death into the morning, broken the snare of temptation, commanded for him deliverance, or afforded him some support and consolation which have enabled him to go on his way rejoicing? O! these "little hills;" they are worth their weight in gold! Let them never be forgotten.

"Here to these hills my soul will come,

AUGUST 5.—"I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."

John 17:5.

THIS work was the redemption of the Church. It was no secular purpose that brought him into the world. He came not to act the merchant, the philosopher, the statesman, much less the warrior; but to be the Redeemer of sinners. And "in him we have redemption through his blood."

For to him was the execution of this work intrusted—It was "given him to do." Great undertakings require great qualifications and abilities. And here was an enterprise to which all the angels in heaven, though they excel in strength, would have been found inadequate. But help was laid on One that is mighty. He had every thing that could fit him for the work. It was necessary that he should be human, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh; and "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." It was necessary that he should be innocent; and "he did no sin;" "he was manifested to take away our sin, and in him was no sin." It was necessary that he should be voluntary, for there is no value in undesigned or constrained mercies; and he made himself of no reputation, he laid down his life of himself, he loved us and gave himself for us. It was necessary that he should be divine, his divinity was required to sustain his humanity, and to add value to his doings and sufferings; and "in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

He therefore fully accomplished this work, and could say—"I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." Yet how was this true? For though his active as well as passive obedience was included in his engagement, and though he lived the man of sorrows for us, yet without shedding of blood there was no remission; and it was by the sacrifice of himself that he made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness: but as yet he had not agonized in the garden, nor died on the cross. We answer; the thing was as good as done—It was near at hand—It was absolutely certain. Purpose and fulfilment are the same with God. Hence the language of prophecy and promise announces things future as present, and even as past. "Unto us," said Isaiah, "a child is born," ages before the incarnation of the Messiah; and earlier still, David represented him as saying, "They pierced my hands and my feet: they parted my garments among them, and cast lots for my ves-

ture." Let us, therefore, distinguish between redemption and salvation. Salvation was not accomplished on earth, but in heaven. We are reconciled unto God by the death of his Son; but we are saved by his life. He is exalted at God's own right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour. This work he has not finished, but is still carrying on, and will be carrying on, till all his people are called and glorified. Accordingly it is said, "They shall be saved;" and, "he will appear the second time without sin unto salvation." But redemption was his work on earth: and he said when he expired, "It is finished:" and he "entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

The Apostle infers the inefficacy of the legal sacrifices from their repetition, justly arguing that if they could have put away sin they would have ceased to be offered, and the worshippers once purged would have had no more conscience of sins: but Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and once was sufficient. By the one offering up of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. His resurrection was an undeniable proof of the completeness of his satisfaction; it was, so to speak, a receipt in full, given to our Surety to prove that he had paid our debt, and set us free for ever.

What an indignity is put upon him by any attempt to add to his work! Yet some talk of "filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ." But the Apostle, in these misapplied words, refers to the sufferings of his servants in his cause and for his sake, and not to the sufferings he personally endured, when atoning for our sins he bore our grief, and carried our sorrows. What can be "lacking" here? What can be added to that which is not only perfect, but infinite?

"The death of Christ shall still remain,

We want no penance, no purgatory—His blood cleanseth from all sin. We want no mediator, no patron—but our Advocate with the Father, who is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world—We make mention of his righteousness only.

Let his finished work relieve and encourage us under all our imperfections. We complete nothing; in every thing we come far short of the glory of God; and even our duties would condemn us, as well as our sins, if God should deal with us according to our desert. We ought to be humbled for our deficiencies, and we shall deeply bewail them before God if our hearts are right with him. But the foundation of our hope lies not here. We glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. We live through him. We are accepted in the Beloved. We are complete in him. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

AUG. 6.—"Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me."—Psalms 130:1.

THIS address was a proof of David's sincerity. His aim was not to be heard of men, but of God, "the Judge of all." He therefore VOL. I.