I. Believing in Christ. "THIS same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed."-GENESIS v. 29. "THIS is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment."1 JOHN iii. 23. Он, burdened, sinful heart! Heavy with woe, bowed down with guilt and fear, Salvation waits for thee, but only here! From all else thou must part, And come, the promised blessing here to claim, TO JESUS-" for there is none other name!" FIRST DAY. REVEL EVELATION has been given to man, to conduct him from a world of sin and misery back to God. The same voice which speaks of an atonement by the precious blood of Jesus, calls loudly to every soul, to forsake those scenes of idleness and sloth, to which every man is so prone by reason of his corrupt nature. In one word, we must WORK in the vineyard of Christ. The Scriptures show us that Jesus has done all things for the poor sinner; but how can the sinner, in return, do anything for the mighty Saviour? The first work in which such a one can engage is believing in Christ. What can be more in opposition to the true spirit of Christianity than that coldness, inactivity, and sometimes deadness, which we see exhibited in the service of God? Are we not His? Have we not been "bought with a price?" And, more over, does it not follow that we are bound, both from what we owe to Creation and to Redemption, to live for some important end; and with all the powers we possess to glorify Him? And this is one of His commands, "that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ." Now if any man be in Christ-believeth in Christ a new creature." Not more new -he is " in reality was the face of the earth, after that Noah came out of the ark, when the flood had subsided, than is the state into which a Believer has been called, by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus. There is something sublime in this faith in Christ. We are not usually able to give God anything in return for His many gifts bestowed on us; but here we give Him that implicit confidence, which we call FAITH. Herein only, can we make the slightest return for all His goodness and His love. To cast our care upon HIм, knowing that He careth for us; to trust HIM where we can trace none of His mysterious dealings |