knowledge for thyself; wisdom and knowledge | wisdom of God.' Its doctrines are 'the word of is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, wisdom;' its precepts are 'the ways of wisdom.' and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings All who believe and obey it have been made have had that have been before thee, neitherwise unto salvation.' The voice of Christ shall there any after thee have the like.' Thus speaks in every part of it, and in every part it appears that 'godliness is profitable unto all it speaks the language of true wisdom. Obthings, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.'

Wisdom comprehends all that is essential to the spiritual and eternal interests of man. It is another name for real and saving religion. In principle, it is faith; in experience, it is peace; and in character, holiness. It is the pearl of great price; it is the one thing needful. Other things may be desirable, this is indispensable. Other things may be needful to some, but all stand in need of wisdom, whether learned or ignorant, high or low, rich or poor.' 'Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to compared unto her. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her.' And as wisdom is necessary to all, so it is attainable by all. 'Wisdom crieth aloud; she uttereth her voice in the streets, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.' But wisdom is God's gift; as he confers the blessing, so he claims the glory. Let us then live in the spirit of dependence and gratitude, daily asking, 'So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.'

'Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.' Amen.

NINETEENTH DAY.-MORNING.

• Wisdom crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors,' Prov. viii.

3.

serve

The

The publicity of its announcements. heathen oracles uttered their responses in secret, and with studied ambiguity. Error shuns the light; but wisdom crieth' that all may hear. She comes forth to the gates of the city, or the streets, and other public places, where all classes of the people usually congregate in the greatest numbers. Thus did Jesus in the course of his personal ministry. In the last day, that great day of the feast, he stood and cried, saying, 'If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.' To Pilate, who asked him of his disciples and of his doctrine, he could say, 'I spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.' He had not one doctrine for the rich, and another for the poor; but addressed to the people without distinction and without exception the word of truth and salvation. That which he did in his own person, he commanded the disciples to do in his name, 'What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house tops.' It is his will that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth, that they may be saved. Still he cries, 'Unto you, 0 men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.' The gospel is recommended by—

The kindness and impartiality of its administration. Wisdom crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city,' in the hearing of a large and promiscuous multitude, comprehending persons of every variety of rank and character. No where is the preaching of the gospel so much needed as in places of public resort, frequented as they usually are by the most ignorant, depraved, and worthless of mankind. The master of the feast commanded his servants, 'Go out into the high ways, and as many as ye shall find bid to the By wisdom Solomon intends the Son of God. His marriage.' In him there is enough and to spare; people may be wise, but he is wisdom. He is and as the provision is sufficient for all, so it is the essence, the source, the perfection, the per- offered to all without money and without price.' sonification of wisdom. The term wisdom may, There is no respect of persons with him. He conhowever, be understood to represent that system demned the proud Pharisees who felt no need of of divine truth which was taught by him, and by repentance; but kept company with the publithe apostles in his name. The gospel is emi-cans and sinners, who confessed their guilt, and nently entitled to the appellation of wisdom. 'It desired instruction. The gospel is remarkable is the wisdom of God in a mystery; the manifold for

Plainness and simplicity. It speaks not only | have refused, and the means of grace which they have despised, and the opportunities of improvement which they have neglected, and the capacities of usefulness which they have misapplied, will form so many bitter ingredients in their cup of misery. But now is the accepted time.' Let the cry of wisdom, calling to repentance and promising forgiveness, be responded to in the prayer of the publican, who smiting on his breast, and not daring so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven, cried, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' Such a cry will assuredly come up with acceptance into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth, who is not only compassionate and merciful, but faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'

to the multitude promiscuously, but particularly to individuals. All the knowledge of it which is necessary may easily be obtained even by the most illiterate inquirer. Wisdom crieth not only at the gates, at the entry of the city,' but also at the coming in at the doors.' Thus Christ taught both publicly, and from house to house. Not only has he placed the word of salvation within our reach, he has brought it to our very doors. He has made it not only accessible, but intelligible to all, so that every man may read and can understand it for himself. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.' The gospel is characterised by

The urgency of its calls and invitations. Accordingly wisdom crieth' with an earnest and importunate voice. And she does not wait to be applied to, but goes forth to meet the people at the entry of the city,' and there solicits their attention. She perseveres in the attempt, and continues to press upon them with her importunities, following them from the gates' of the city even to the coming in at the doors' of their houses. Truly the Lord 'is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' He not only waiteth to be gracious, but employs positive means in order to persuade sinners to turn and live. He addresses them by his word and ordinances, by his ministers and people, by the remonstrances of conscience and the dispensations of providence. He speaks to them in the language of kindness and terror, of promise and threatening, of expostulation and entreaty. Instead of leaving them to the consequences of their criminal resistance, he bears with their indifference and renews his solicitations; he raises another and a louder cry; has recourse to more urgent importunity and more powerful means to enforce their compliance. With some the means prove successful; and when sinners repent and turn to the Lord, he sees in them the travail of his soul, and is satisfied. Others continue impenitent; and over them he utters the lamentation of unavailing sympathy: If thou hadst known, even thou, at least, in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes!'

NINETEENTH DAY.-EVENING.

'Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!' Deut. xxxii. 29.

THE Jews were proverbially inconsiderate. Isaiah complained of them saying, 'The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.' Moses had witnessed many sad proofs of their forgetfulness and folly: and at the close of a long and laborious life, spent in their service, his heart's desire and prayer for them was, 'that they would consider their latter end. The subject was not more important to them than it is to all. It teaches us that to 'consider our latter end' constitutes true wisdom. By our latter end he means death. But it cannot be profitably considered unless it is properly understood. We understand it to be—

The

The end of our present state of being, of its joys and sorrows, its duties and dangers, its possessions and pursuits, its comforts and cares. hand then forgets its cunning, the tongue is silent, the pulse ceases to beat, and the lungs to breathe; the whole frame becomes a lump of cold and senseless clay. The ties which bind us to our nearest and dearest friends, and to every thing earthly, are then broken asunder; for they that have wives shall be as though they had none; and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that buy as though they possessed not; for How fearful, yet how just, will be the con- the fashion of this world passeth away.' And demnation of those who turn a deaf ear to the the change is final. There is hope of a tree if it try of heavenly wisdom! They are without ex-be cut down, that it will sprout again. But man case; and the invitations of mercy which they dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the

ghost, and where is he? We understand our lat- | cern. All who are truly wise will consider their ter end to belatter end. Wisdom requires them to consider it with

The commencement of a future and eternal state of being. The 'dust shall return to the earth as it was; but the spirit shall return to God who gave it.' After death cometh the judgment, which shall try every man's work; and the sentence of the Judge shall admit of no appeal, nor can the consequences which follow, whether happy or miserable, be ever altered, or reversed. They that are Christ's, made perfect in holiness, shall immediately enter on the full and everlasting enjoyment of God; whilst the enemies of his cross and his cause shall be cast into outer darkness, 'where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.' We understand death to be

The universal destiny of man. The stroke of death cannot be resisted by force, nor evaded by artifice, nor set aside by the influence of rank or wealth. One event happeneth to the righteous and the wicked, to the king and his subjects, to the philosopher and the fool, to the man of wealth and the child of poverty, to the sinner of fourscore and the infant of yesterday. 'I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. We understand that the event of death may come

Soon and suddenly upon us. It cannot be far off, and it may be very near at hand. This night thy soul may be required of thee. How often are children carried off before their parents, the scholars before their teacher, the physician before his patients. Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.' We understand death to be

The penalty of guilt. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.' In Adam all die, even those who never sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. But as death is the wages of sin, so 'the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.' To understand death aright we must view it in connection with

The remedy which has been provided for it in the sacrifice of Christ, who by dying took away sin, which is the sting of death, and destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, and who are enabled to say, 'Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.' How awfully momentous is the event of death, when thus understood! How unaccountable, how fatal the infatuation which treats it as a matter of trifling or of distant con

Serious attention, as a subject in which they are deeply interested, and with which they must very shortly be brought into personal connection. Fools may altogether exclude the thought of death; but instead of being resisted as a presumptuous intruder, it ought to be welcomed as a friendly monitor, and permitted habitually to influence our feelings and conduct. It is not more calculated to alarm the sinner and bring him to Christ, than it is necessary to humble the believer, and excite him to duty. They who are wise will consider their latter end—

Practically, and in the way of diligent preparation, by cultivating a state of mind and character suitable for meeting death. This includes the exercise of a simple and steady reliance on the work of Christ; connected with the cultivation of exalted spirituality, unfeigned and universal repentance, enlarged and active benevolence. Our lamps must not merely have oil in them, they must be filled with it, and exhibit a bright and vigorous flame. Nothing but the privilege of union to Christ realized by faith, evinced in the purification of the heart, and in the victory which overcometh the world, can prepare us to meet death with safety, or warrant us to meet it with confidence and comfort. 'Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They who are wise will consider their latter end

Without delay. The Bridegroom may tarry, but the delay cannot be long; and the suddenness of his coming may be such as to take even those who love and long for his appearance by surprise. Then 'whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.' 'Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.'

TWENTIETH DAY.-MORNING.

Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you,' Prov. i. 23. WISDOM has a word in season for persons of every variety of character and circumstances. For the ignorant, she has a word of instruction; for the sorrowful, a word of consolation; for the

secure, a word of alarm; for the fearful, a word of encouragement. She speaks here to sinners, to simple ones' who 'love simplicity,' to 'scorners' who 'delight in scorning,' to 'fools' who hate knowledge;' that is, to wilful, daring, and obsti-awakened conscience? By nature conscience is nate transgressors, and for them she has a word of reproof. Her reproofs are conveyed through many different channels. One of these is—

Conscience is a reprover. The sinner may shut his eyes to the light of scripture, and his ears to the voice of the preacher; but where can he find a retreat from the lash of an

defiled; and it may be blinded through ignorance, or misled by error, or seared as with a hot iron by sensual excess. But the force of natural conscience cannot be altogether subdued; and when its testimony is heard condemning the sinner, and setting before him the terrors of a coming retribution, as in the case of Belshazzar whose 'knees smote one against another' when he beheld the hand-writing on the wall; or of Felix who 'trembled' when Paul 'reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come;' what is this but a message of reproof from heaven? How precious are the reproofs administered by the counsels of—

The word of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for reproof. It points out the evil nature and ruinous consequences of sin, and declares the certainty of a coming judgment, by which 'the wrath of God shall be revealed from heaven against all unrightcousness and ungodliness of men.' At the same time it deals with the peculiarities of individual character; it holds up to sinners of every description a mirror which reflects the image of their own depravity, and it comes home to the conscience of each in language which reproves alike the indifference of the careless, the duplicity of the hypocritical, the pride of the self-righteous, the impiety of the profane, and the excesses of the Voluptuous. For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' Ministers are reprovers. They are traitors to the cause of Christ who speak smooth things,' saying, 'Peace, peace, when there is no peace,' and seek to please rather than to profit and edify the people. Their commission runs in these terms, Cry aloud, spare not; lift up thy voice Fike a trumpet, and show my people their transressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.' John the Baptist did not flatter Herod the king, bat reproved him as he deserved without fear or frour. Of Jesus it is said, that he taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes; and his Divine influence. This is graciously provants are commanded to 'preach the word, be mised; for wisdom has said, 'I will pour out my Estant in season and out of season, reprove, re- Spirit unto you.' Repentance is man's duty, but ke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.' God's work. We may change the conduct, but he Popular errors must not be countenanced, but renews the heart; we may avoid the act of sin, but rrected; prevailing sins must not be connived he destroys the love of it; we may go through but condemned; unwelcome truths must not be the forms of duty, but he implants the principle cealed, but declared; the vices both of indi- of obedience. To the commandment which says, viduals and communities must, without distinc-Turn ye at my reproof,' let us therefore reply, tion of rank, or sex, or age, or circumstances, beTurn thou me and I shall be turned, for thou Farlessly exposed; the people must be addressed art the Lord my God.'

Christian friendship! Faithful are the wounds of a friend.' David held them in high estimation, 'Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head.' Such reproofs ought to be received as tokens of affection, and listened to as the dictates of wisdom.

in vague generalities, but in plain, pointed, el searching appeals to the conscience and the art. He is a bad preacher who makes the bearers forget themselves in their admiration of Discourses which give greatest offence frently do most good.

The afflictive dispensations of providence speak the language of reproof. Manasseh had been one of the chief of sinners, but solitude and suffering brought him to repentance, and he found mercy. We are prone to complain of our trials, but if we viewed them in the proper light we should see cause to be thankful for them. We ought always to bear in mind that to improve them aright is to be reproved by them. The reproofs of wisdom all aim at one practical object, it is to awaken repentance.' But reproofs cannot produce this effect without the operation of—

Reproofs must be understood in order to be effectual. Wisdom has provided and promised all needful instruction. She therefore adds, ‘I will make known my words unto you.' The Spirit has given the word, but he must also give the capacity to discern its meaning. In his light

ghost, and where is he? We understand our lat- | cern. ter end to be

The commencement of a future and eternal state of being. The 'dust shall return to the earth as it was; but the spirit shall return to God who gave it.' After death cometh the judgment, which shall try every man's work; and the sentence of the Judge shall admit of no appeal, nor can the consequences which follow, whether happy or miserable, be ever altered, or reversed. They that are Christ's, made perfect in holiness, shall immediately enter on the full and everlasting enjoyment of God; whilst the enemies of his cross and his cause shall be cast into outer darkness, 'where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.' We understand death to be

The universal destiny of man. The stroke of death cannot be resisted by force, nor evaded by artifice, nor set aside by the influence of rank or wealth. One event happeneth to the righteous and the wicked, to the king and his subjects, to the philosopher and the fool, to the man of wealth and the child of poverty, to the sinner of fourscore and the infant of yesterday. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. We understand that the event of death may come

Soon and suddenly upon us. It cannot be far off, and it may be very near at hand. This night thy soul may be required of thee. How often are children carried off before their parents, the scholars before their teacher, the physician before his patients. Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.'

We understand death to be

All who are truly wise will consider their latter end. Wisdom requires them to consider it with

Serious attention, as a subject in which they are deeply interested, and with which they must very shortly be brought into personal connection. Fools may altogether exclude the thought of death; but instead of being resisted as a presumptuous intruder, it ought to be welcomed as a friendly monitor, and permitted habitually to influence our feelings and conduct. It is not more calculated to alarm the sinner and bring him to Christ, than it is necessary to humble the believer, and excite him to duty. They who are wise will consider their latter end

Practically, and in the way of diligent prepara tion, by cultivating a state of mind and character suitable for meeting death. This includes the exercise of a simple and steady reliance on the work of Christ; connected with the cultivation of exalted spirituality, unfeigned and universal repentance, enlarged and active benevolence. Our lamps must not merely have oil in them, they must be filled with it, and exhibit a bright and vigorous flame. Nothing but the privilege of union to Christ realized by faith, evinced in the purification of the heart, and in the victory which overcometh the world, can prepare us to meet death with safety, or warrant us to meet it with confidence and comfort. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They who are wise will consider their latter end

Without delay. The Bridegroom may tarry, but the delay cannot be long; and the suddenness of his coming may be such as to take even those who love and long for his appearance by surprise Then whatsoever tiry hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device,

The penalty of guilt. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.' In Adam all die, even those who never sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. But as death is the wages of sin, so 'the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. To understand death aright we must view it in nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

connection with

The remedy which has been provided for it in the sacrifice of Christ, who by dying took away sin, which is the sting of death, and destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, and who are enabled to say, 'Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.' How awfully momentous is WI the event of death, when thus understood! How ev unaccountable, how fatal the infatuation which t treats it as a matter of trifling or of distant con