March 14

selves above law, and secret transgressors who have trusted in their concealment, have yet trembled before this monitor of God within. But the chief and the best way in which God restrains us from sin is by the operation of his grace. If a man has a thievish inclination, it is well to put him out of the way of temptation; but this does not make him honest in design, though it keeps him innocent in conduct. The great thing is to have the disposition to sin mortified; and this is the experience of those who are renewed in the spirit of their minds. They are made to abhor that which is evil, and to cleave to that which is good. Some who avoid sin would be glad to indulge in it if their safety or advantage would allow of it. But how shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein? "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

We know not how much we owe to God for his preventing and restraining grace; nor can we know while we are in this world. But we surely know enough for two purposes: to make us candid, and to make us thankful. Who can tell how far we should have resembled those we now condemn, had we been placed in the same circumstances, and been exposed to the same excitements; or had God left us to ourselves? "There goes John Bradford but for the grace of God." "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake."

MARCH 14 — "I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe."—John 11:15.

HERE we see, not only that our Saviour is alive to the welfare of his disciples, but that there is nothing he is so much concerned to promote in them as their faith. Some undervalue faith; yea, they seem to be afraid of it, as if it were injurious to holiness and good works! But we here see our Lord's estimation of it. He knows that it is the source from which flow all the streams of consolation and obedience; the tree which bears all the fruits of righteousness. Every thing in religion flourishes only as this prospers. We are also reminded—that we are slow of heart to believe—and that faith is no easy thing. They who think otherwise evince that they have never yet seriously made the trial. There is not a Christian upon earth, but in the attempt has often cried out with tears, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Even the Apostles, who had been so long with him and had seen his glory, said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. These disciples had already believed, or they would not have left all to follow him: but it seems they did not believe sufficiently. Faith therefore admits of degrees. Accordingly we read of "little faith," and of "great faith;" of those that are "weak in the faith," and of those that are "strong in the faith." We should be anxious that our faith, like that of the Thessalonians, should grow exceedingly, becoming more and more clear in its views, and firm in its reliance, and bold in its professions, and active in its agency, and heroical in its sacrifices—unto the perfect day.

The Saviour can accomplish his purposes in a manner peculiarly his own. "I am glad for your sakes I was not there," to the intent ye may believe. They would have said, he ought to have been

there and succoured so dear an object. All the friends of Lazarus would have supposed that as soon as ever he was informed of his affliction he should have hastened to the scene of distress, and at least have expressed his sympathy. How eagerly did the sisters long for him! How did their hearts bleed over his delay! How often, wringing their hands, did they look out of the window; and send a servant to look down the Galilean way—"Where is he? If he comes not soon it will be too late"—And now he has breathed his last—and the house is filled with wonder, perplexity, and grief. Even when he arrives they can hardly forbear reflection—"Lord," said Martha, "if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died"—Mary also complained in the same way. But hear him. "All has been proper and necessary. I know what I have done and why I have done it. I know it now; and you will know it soon. Then you will be glad with me. Then you will see that it was far better that Lazarus should be raised from the dead after he had lain in the grave four days, than have been only recovered from a bed of sickness."

Thus he brings the blind by a way that they know not. His thoughts are as much above our thoughts as the heavens are higher than the earth. Joseph's case at first seems very hard; and many would have expected that the Lord's love to him would have kept him from being thrown into the pit and sold into Egypt. But I am glad it did not, for his own sake, and the sake of his father's house, and the surrounding countries, and the Church of God in all ages. What would have been lost by the prevention of his calamity? The God they served continually was able to save the three Hebrews from the fiery furnace. But I am glad he did not—and they are glad now—and were glad after their escape—and were glad even while they were walking loose in the midst of the fire with the Son of God. The same may be said of Job. We have seen the Lord, to use his own language, taking him by the neck and shaking him to pieces: but we have also seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercies. And with regard to ourselves—Is it not well for us that things were not always according to our mind? Has he not often advanced our welfare by events which seemed perfectly adverse to it? We were tempted to charge him foolishly and unkindly; yet after a while we perceived how in the dispensation his wisdom and kindness were peculiarly at work for our good. And what we know not now we shall know hereafter. Let us therefore, when our notions and his schemes disagree, distrust our own judgment, and confide in the rectitude of his conduct. Let us not think of regulating his sun by our dial, but our dial by his sun. Let us not judge of his word by his providence, but of his providence by his word. Let us not judge of his heart by his hand, but of his hand by his heart. Where can we find his heart to judge by? In the promises—in the cross—he loved us and gave himself for us. Before we undertake to amend, let us be assured that there is some thing wrong; and before we censure let us at least understand. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? How liable we are to err, from pride, from worldly-mindedness, from impatience, from unbelief! Let us judge nothing before the time. He will give a good account of himself at last; and bring us over to his own mind. But till we walk by sight, let us walk by faith,