April 9

We look on him also, and derive submission from the sight. The Apostle tells us to "consider him" as a sufferer, lest we "be weary and faint in our minds." His cross is the tree by which the bitter waters in the wilderness are healed. His death has redeemed us from the curse of the law; and nothing penal is left in any of our trials. The most painful of them are only the medicines of our heavenly Physician; the corrections of a loving Father. They are blessings in disguise. Are we tempted to despond or complain at our afflictions? What are our endurings compared with his?—

We look on him also to excite and inflame our zeal. Many motives to obedience are mentioned in the Scriptures, and therefore it cannot be improper to be influenced by them. Yet the purest and the most powerful motive is drawn from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the first Christians owned and felt it. The love of Christ, says Paul, constraineth us to live not to ourselves but him that died for us and rose again. The divinity is equal to the poetry, when the bard of night sings—

The true morality is love of thee."

Hear Hervey—In a letter dated Weston-Favell, May 6th, 1748, he writes thus to a person he had befriended. "With regard to the little assistance which I have contributed, and which Mrs. — thinks worthy of her acknowledgments; I beg of her to observe, that it is owing, wholly owing, to her adored Redeemer. To him, to him alone, she is obliged—if there be an obligation in the case, for this friendly donation. He has been pleased to command this instance of my gratitude for his unspeakably tender mercies to my soul. He has been pleased to declare that he will look upon such a piece of kindness as done to his own blessed self. This makes me, this makes all believers, glad to embrace every such occasion of showing our thankfulness to our infinitely condescending, gracious Lord. The action which Mrs. — calls generous, does not arise, as she expresses it, from any innate nobleness of mind. I remember the time when this heart was as hard as the flint, and these hands tenacious even to avarice. But it is Jesus, the quickening Spirit, and the lover of souls, who has made your friend to differ from his natural self. If the flinty heart is melted into compassion, it is melted by a believing consideration of his most precious blood. If the avaricious hands are opened and made ready to distribute, willing to communicate, they are made so by the free grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore not unto me, not unto me, but unto the great and good Redeemer, are all the returns of gratitude due."

APRIL 9.—"Joseph of Arimathea, (being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews,) besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus." John 19:33.

—We may consider this man in connexion with prophecy. Though all the prophets gave him witness, no one so specially testified of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, as Isaiah. Observe the whole of the fifty-third chapter—But it is the ninth verse that bears upon our subject. Bishop Lowth's rendering

has been universally deemed an improvement—"And his grave was appointed with the wicked, but with the rich man was his tomb." Here it is clearly intimated that there would be an instance of overruling providence. Had the common and natural course of things taken place, he would have been buried with other malefactors in Golgotha, the place of a skull. There were thrown the bodies of the two thieves—but had his been thrown there, the prediction could not have been verified. But the word was gone out of God's mouth, and was firmer than heaven and earth. And if we turn from the prophecy to the history, we shall see how, though his grave was likely to have been with the wicked, yet with the rich man was his tomb. "When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed." Let this induce and enable us to confide in the word of God more fully and more firmly. It is a tried word. For near six thousand years it has been continually put to the test; and it has always been found faithful—"The Scripture cannot be broken."

We may consider Joseph of Arimathea in reference to his rank in life. He was "a rich man." How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! Yet we here see the camel drawn through the eye of the needle: for what is impossible with men is possible with God. He was "an honourable counsellor." Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. Have any of the rulers believed on him? Suppose they have not? Is all goodness or sense confined to them? The common people gave much better proof even of their wisdom and taste than those who despised them; "the common people heard him gladly"—But we answer, yes; some of the rulers have believed on him: witness Joseph of Arimathea; and Nicodemus. The wife of Herod's steward followed Jesus; we read in the Acts, of honourable women not a few; and in the Epistles, of saints in Cæsar's household. We find Abraham rich and powerful enough to furnish from his own family four hundred armed men. Godliness once rode in the second chariot of Egypt: and led Daniel, the prime minister of one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to retire three times a day for praise and prayer: and in all ages there have been some instances of piety in the higher walks of life. There have indeed been few enough to show that the cause of Christ has not depended on them, while they have been numerous enough to confute the prejudice that religion is only suited to the ignorant and vulgar.

We may also view this man in connexion with his infirmity and imperfection. The Jews had passed a decree that if any man confessed Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Hence many who believed on him, yet feared to confess him. This was for some time the case with Joseph. He was "a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews." "The fear of man bringeth a snare." It is this that leads many to ask, not whether such a thing be right; but what will people think and say of me if I adopt it?

It is this that keeps many from following their convictions, and acknowledging what they know to be the truth. But we ought faithfully to adhere to the dictates of conscience; and not only be Christians, but appear such, confessing with the mouth, as well as believing with the heart; and remembering that if we are ashamed of Christ, he will be also ashamed of us. We do not therefore justify Joseph in this part of his conduct. Yet let us remember—That some individuals, owing to their stations and connexions, have difficulties in religion to contend with which others know nothing of, or they would feel and pray for those they are now perhaps only disposed to censure and condemn—That grace operates in various degrees—and that between the beginning and the progress of its work in the soul there may be as great a difference as between the mustard seed and the mustard tree. And—That we may hope the Lord has more disciples than we are aware of, only they are kept back from our observation by things blamable in themselves, yet compatible with sincerity. Little did Elijah think, when he said, I am left alone, that there were seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Little did the Apostles imagine their Lord had a secret yet real disciple in Joseph of Arimathea.

Therefore again observe this man in the increase and development of his Christian principle. For he now shows himself openly, and acts a noble and distinguished part. The effect was owing to the death of Jesus—This did more than his miracles and preaching—This does every thing to purpose in the divine life—Hence our strength as well as comfort—"I, if I be lifted up from the cross, will draw all men unto me."—Prudence would have said forbear. You will involve yourself in trouble and expense. You will draw upon yourself suspicion. You will excite prejudice. You will injure your usefulness—Besides, he is now dead, and what good can you do his remains? But Joseph confers not with flesh and blood. It required no little zeal and courage to own a regard for one that had been judicially executed under the charge of blasphemy and sedition—to come forward and publicly ask for his body—to give it an honourable interment in his own garden and his own tomb, which had never yet been used. This was more than identifying himself with the malefactor; it was doing him honour to the utmost. It was far surpassing his Apostles: they had all forsaken him, and disowned their master dying and dead. But this man goes forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach, and braving every danger; for he now feels that perfect love that casteth out fear.

Let us not decide upon the character of persons too soon. Let us not give them up because of some present weaknesses, much influenced perhaps by peculiar circumstances. Let us not despise the day of small things. We have often seen, in the experience of the bruised reed and the smoking flax, judgment brought forth to victory: and we are confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. How delightful to see persons proving better than our fears, and far surpassing all our hopes! What changes in our views and feelings sometimes render us a wonder to