February 18

God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. — EPH. iv. 32.

Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. — MATT. ix. 2.

Thy sins are forgiven. — LUKE vii. 48.

HOW happy the child who knows he has been forgiven! Especially is this true if he is conscientious,—one who has been taught the truth by the Spirit of God.

A Christian is a child redeemed. He has the simplicity, the trust, the joy of a child, not only at his conversion, but often after he hears the voice of Jesus saying to him, "Thy sins are forgiven thee." The moralist, the socinian, the world-ling, the formal professor, knows nothing of this; but the true disciple does.

Let me give an illustration. A theological student just completing his course was a good prey for the adversary. Satan told him he was not a Christian; how then could he consistently preach the gospel? For days he was in darkness. At length his burden became intolerable. This matter must be settled. He shut the door of his study and tried to pray; the heavens seemed to him like brass. In his distress he opened the Bible. The first verse he saw was, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."

Light came, and with it joy. Was it a chance? Was it a delusion? No; forty years have passed, and that student now testifies in this sermonette the Lord is true. They that trust in him shall not be confounded. When Jesus says the word "forgiven," he seals the truth with his Spirit. Has he spoken this word to you?

Peter Shyker

My burden at his feet I laid, And knew the joy of heaven, As in my willing ear he said The blessed word, "Forgiven."

P. STRYKER.