ber, and his recovery depends upon the removal of it; now what ne longs for is not the amputation, but the cure; and no one questions whether he wishes to be well because he shudders at the operation. Yet, thirdly, since dying is the way, and the only way, to life everlasting, we should endeavour to rise as much as possible above the dread of it. And faith can accomplish what is impossible to flesh and blood. Let us view the subject under all the softenings given it in the Scripture. Let us remember that Jesus has taken away the sting of death, though the stroke remains: and that the stroke itself will not only be harmless, but beneficial, infinitely beneficial-To die is gain. Keep your eye not on what lies immediately before you, but on the glory and blessedness beyond. If the passage be trying, it opens into a wealthy place--and it is short --and safe-and you will not be alone in it. He has said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." Therefore thank God, an1 take courage, and sing SEPTEMBER 28.-" To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed in1 Peter ii. 4. leed of men, but chosen of God, and PRECIOUS.”. EVERY attentive observer must be led to acknowledge the truth of Isaiah's words concerning the Messiah, "He is despised and rejected of men." When we look around us, we find the multitude rising early, and sitting up late, and eating the bread of sorrow, but not seeking after Jesus. Rejoicing in the work of their own hands, but not glorying in the Lord. This is a faci peculiarly pain ful to Christians, who, ever since the eyes of their understanding were opened, have been praying, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory." But let them remember that he is not universally undervalued. There are some who know his name; yea, they have many and distinguished associates in their estimation of him. They can claim God the judge of all-To him he is precious. "This is my beloved Son," says he, " in whom I am well pleased." "Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul "The Father loveth the delighted." Do we need proof of this? Son, and hath given all things into his hands." He forgives us "for Christ's sake;" and assures us that whatsoever we ask "in his name" we shall receive. They can claim the innumerable company of angels. Though these glorious beings have not been redeemed by him, they know that he is their Maker and Preserver; and they know that he is the Saviour of their younger brethren. He was seen of angels as hi attendants and admirers in the days of his flesh. They rejoice, because it is an accession to his subjects, over every sinner that repenteth. The sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, are the things into which they desire to look. And what is the burden of their songs? "I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, ind thousands of thousands: saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and onour, and glory, and blessing." They claim all the partakers of Divine grace. In whatever age and country they live: and whatever distinctions prevail among them, there is no difference here. Here they are of one heart and of one soul-For to them that believe he is precious. In what degree? This neither the tongue of men or of angels can express. But two things we may affirm. He is universally precious. There are some who may be termed Christ-dividers. They would be made the partakers of Christ, but partially. They like his cross but not his sceptre; his sacrifice but not his service. But a real believer, when he, so to speak, examines Christ all over, acquiesces and delights in the whole of him. He is precious, says he, in his person, precious in his characters, precious in his relations, precious in his offices, precious in his life, precious in his death, precious in his doctrine, precious in his promises, precious in his commands—“Yea, he is altogether lovely." And he is su premely precious. Indeed we do not love him sincerely, unless we love him above all. No other regard becomes his claims. He is the king and the husband of his church; and majesty and marriage allow of no competition of right, or rivalry of attachment. Children are dear, health is dear, life is dear; but they are not to be compared with him. There is no one whose authority sways like his; there is no one whose frown I dread, or whose presence I long for like his. Whom have I in heaven but thee; and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee "All my capacious powers can wish, SEPTEMBER 29.-"Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a tvert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land."-Isaiah xvi. 4. THE Assyrians were going to invade Judea; in consequence of which some of the people would flee for shelter to Moab, a neighbouring country. In the words we have read, God bespeaks protection on their behalf during their exile; and intimates that their distress would be only short, owing to the destruction of the destroyer. There are several things here noticeable and instructive. We see that Israelites may be "outcasts." They are not outeasts from God, for he does not cast away his people whom he foreknew. Fear may indeed lead them to say, "I am cast out of his sight;" and to ask, “ will the Lord cast off for ever, and will he be favourable no more?" But this is their infirmity. What says the promise?" Lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israe among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth." But they may be outcasts with regard too thers. Outcasts by national distress; for in this respect all things come alike to all. Thus it was with the good Shunamite, whose son had been restored to life: Elijah said, "Arise, and go, thou and thine house hold, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years." So in the time of the Judges the same calamity prevailed; and “ a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. The want of employment also, as wel as of provision, may compel to such a step. We have no pity on idlers: they that will not work should not eat: but it is hard to be willing to work, and be able to get nothing to do. A native country is dear, and a trifling cause will not, and should not induce us to leave it. Duty says, Dwell in the land" as long as hope says, Verily, thou shalt be fed:" but necessity has no law. Outcasts by the violence of persecution. Thus when the poor man, born blind, confessed the Saviour, and recommended his Benefactor, the Pharisees, it is said, cast him out;" they drove him from the assembly and excommunicated him. At the time of Stephen's death "there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles." But these, though spared for the time, were also soon dispersed. How many outcasts were there from France upon the infamous revocation of the edict of Nant? And how many, before the rights of conscience were acknowledged, left this country, and fled to America, carrying liberty and religion with them? And though now persecution is entirely unsanctioned not only by our constitution, but government, and no man can be made legally afraid, even when he calls his neighbour under his vine and under his fig tree, yet hardships are still endured by individuals from the carnal mind, that is enmity against God: and we have known wives that have been abandoned; children that have been disinherited; tradesmen that have been deserted; servants, mechanics, and tenants, that have been dismissed from their places, employment, and farms, because they adhered to their religious convictions. Outcasts by reproach. Where the person is not injured, and individuals are not deprived of their liberty or substance, the name may be cast out as evil. They may be viewed as hypocrites, as enthusiasts, as deranged, as melancholy, and be excluded from parties and circles as unworthy of their company, and fit only for scorn or pity. "Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear to your joy." For he that gatheretb the outcasts of Israel— Is not ashamed to own them as his-" My outcasts." Instead of despising them, he is the more ready to confess them when they suffer for his sake, or peculiarly need his favour. And though they may be poor, afflicted, and contemned, yet under every outward disadvantage they are more excellent than their neighbours, and he deems thein his peculiar treasure. "When there were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; he suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." When they were brickmakers in Egypt, he " gave Egypt for their ransom." When they were captives in Babylon, he gave "Ethiopia and Seba for them." Since," says he, "thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give me for thee, and pecple for thy life." But read the language of the Apostle. "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slair with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; they wandered in deserts, an? in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth"-Yet adds he, "Of whom the world was net worthy." He can raise up for them friends even among strangers and ene mies. The Moabites were old, and had been often very cruel foes to Israel-yet says God, "Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; and be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler.' The people of the world ought to be kind to the people of God, for they owe much to them; they derive many exemptions and many advantages from their influence and prayers. But the world knoweth them not; and from their principles and dispositions we could look only for hatred and opposition. And yet "the earth helped the woman. The servants of God have often been succoured by persons as unlikely to serve them as the ravens were to bring Élijah food in the morning and in the evening. When you wish to carry a measure with your fellow-creatures, put the case into the hands of the Lord of all. Never limit his power or his goodness. He has not only all events, but all hearts under his controul; and he turneth them like rivers of water. The grand thing is to approve ourselves unto him for when a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh also his enemies to be at peace with him. This Jacob found, after prayer, in meeting Esau. Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven, and the heathen monarch was induced to favour his wish on the behalf of his country. And at the three annual festivals of the Jews, when all the males were drawn to Jerusalem, and invasion seemed easy and inviting, he suffered none of the surrounding nations even to desire their border. Finally, It is not long the Lord's sufferers will need assistance or protection. This was the case here; and we know how it was accomplished. The danger was great; the enemy had taken all the strongholds of Judah, and had encamped against Jerusalem itself. But there he was arrested and destroyed. This God foresaw, for he had purposed and promised it; and therefore he speaks of it as done already: "For the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land." The same may be said of all those that distress or alarm the Christian. He may be delivered from many of his difficulties and afflictions before death. But it is only during life he can want suffer. How short therefore the season of trial! And much of this is gone al ready. Every day and hour your salvation is nearer than when you believed. A few more sighs, and all sorrow and sighing shall cease. A few more tears, and all tears shall be wiped from your eyes. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning; a torn ag obscured by no cloud, and followed by no น night. Yea, faith in the sure word of promise, realising not only the nearness, but the certainty, considers the salvation as accom plished—" It is done.” "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling." SEPTEMBER 30.-"Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses."-Hebrews xii. 1. ---WE should be encouraged to go on in our Christian course, or, as the apostle expresses it, "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." Let us notice the fact, and see how it bears as an argument. Some suppose that Paul here refers to spectators rather than examples. Persons in running a race had many gazing on them, and the presence of the lookers-on, as well as the prize itself, served to animate them. From hence, if successless, they were mortified as well as disappointed; if crowned, they were not only rewarded but applauded. It is a solemn truth that we are never unseen in religion; many eyes are upon us; and we should pray to be led in a plain path, because, as the margin reads it, of our observers. The world and the Church, our fellow Christians and our ministers behold us; we are a spectacle to angels as well as to men; we are seen by the Judge of all. But though this be a truth, we are persuaded the Apostle alludes not to spectators, but examples. He refers to the caracters he had reorded in the preceding chapter, commencing with pious Abel, and reaching down to the close of the Maccabean period of the Common vealth of Israel. But, These he says, 66 encompass us about." Their bodies were long ago laid in the grave, while their spirits returned to God who gave them; and in this state it is commonly, perhaps justly supposed, hat they have no intercourse with the affairs of this lower world; Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledges us not. escued from oblivion, their names, words, and deeds are found in the Scriptures; and by perusing these writings we bring them around us from every quarter; they strike us in every direction. We seem to see them looking anxiously on us, and seem to hear them saying, "We were once in the same state with you, and you will soon be in the same glory with us. Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unte you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." He remarks their number-" a cloud," a grea cloud of witnessThey were few compared with their cotemporaries of the same age; but collectively considered, they were a multitude which no man could number. In the most degenerate period, the Lord had a people for his Name; and they often exceeded the estimation of hope. When Elijah supposed he was the only true worshipper in the land, the Lord had reserved unto himself seven thousand mer. who had not bowed the knee to the image of Baal, and whose lips had not kissed him. But if the aggregate was great when Paul wrote this Epistle, what has it become since? And what is it now? How many millions have been added since to the general assembly and church of the first-born ?-In whose fellowship we reckon up es. " 16 |