July 10

"The night is far spent." — Rom. xlii. 12.

PERSONAL piety is of unspeakable advantage to its possessor in every situation in life. It leads our contemplations to the joys and triumphs of heaven, and tells us that this is only the embryo state of our existence, that "the night is far spent and the day is at hand." Here is a pleasing contrast between the night of time, and the day of eternity. Let us consider

THE DARKNESS AND DREARINESS OF THE NIGHT. There is a beautiful correspondence between the state of night, and the character of our world. The world is to the Christian

A night of ignorance. How limited is the knowledge of the most eminent believer in this world! What mysteries

18 veil the dispensations of God's providence! Clouds and darkness are round about him. He moves in the whirlwind, and rides upon the storm; his way is in the sea. Do not his dealings with us sometimes constitute an abyss, in which our minds are overwhelmed, and our thoughts drowned? Are there not truths in the Bible which far exceed the grasp of our comprehension, and transcend the loftiest conceptions of our minds? It is yet night with us.

A night of imperfection. Imperfections will cleave to the believer till the day of eternity dawns. As our knowledge is imperfect, so are our graces; our faith, love, joy, hope, and desires. The work of the Spirit in our hearts is only in progress, much more remains to be done. Concerning every thing connected with the Christian's character, life, and experience, it may be said, it is "in part." Our joys, our consolations, and our communion with God, are yet imperfect.

A night of sorrow. The world is a sea of trouble, where one wave rolls incessantly on another. Let us be thankful that it is not an endless night. "The night is far spent;" very far with some. "Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." But how has it been spent? Too often in murmuring rather than in praising. Let the Christian be thankful it is not total night with him. There are some glimmerings of light, some bright rays that foretell the dawning of the day. Let us therefore spend the remainder of the night in a manner that becomes us, as the expectants of a glorious immortality.