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How then ought we to hear the instruction which WISDOM hath revealed and teaches in the word? Let the Messiah himself answer; 'watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.' The gates of the Messiah, and the posts of his doors, are any means which he has appointed for obtaining a knowledge of his will; but chiefly they are the places of public worship, and the ordinances in which men unite to praise the Lord, and receive instructions from his word. And how is attendance to be given there? Blessed is the man that heareth me,' saith Jesus Christ, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Can the systematic halfday hearer lay any claim to the blessedness of which the Messiah here speaks? It is quite enough, he says, to go to church once a-day. He goes because he thinks it decent to go. He goes not to be made wiser or better, to enter into communion with God, to delight himself in Jesus and his salvation. Is there anything like watching at WISDOM's gates in such an attendance on ordinances?—anything like waiting at the posts of WISDOM's doors? Verily of waiting and watching there is none. And consequently of the blessedness which WISDOM mentions, there can be none.

every day-to search into its meaning-to ponder what it breathes. But you regularly attend to the nourishment of the body; is it absolutely impossible for you to do so with regard to the soul? Nay, the busier that you are with worldly occupations, you need so much the more frequently to apply to the word of God. For the more business you have to do, the more need you have of guidance and direction; and the more you are occupied with worldly labours and pursuits, the more you need to come in contact with the scriptures, to prevent you from becoming altogether worldly minded, and utterly forgetting your immortal interests. But then the time,-where is the time to be found by the labouring man, or by him who is exceedingly occupied with an extensive business? Find thou the will, my friend, and I shall have little difficulty in finding thee the time. If you are to have time for any thing, you should have time for taking counsel of God in his word. Say not that the scriptures are full of mysteries, and that you cannot understand them. To almost all those who allege this as an excuse for neglecting it, the bible is a mystery just because they do not search it. There are indeed in it mysteries which none of the people of God have ever fathomed, and the opening up of which is perhaps intended to minister to the enjoyments of the saints along the ages of eternity. But much that you deem mysterious would become clear as noon-day, and beautiful as the truth of God, if you were daily, and diligently, and hum-ance there may be neither watching nor waiting. bly to search the scriptures.

FOURTEENTH DAY.-EVENING.

Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors,' Prov. viii. 34.

But a man may go a step farther in hearing, and yet come short of the blessing which Messiah connects with hearing. All the sabbath instructions may be attended, and still in that attend

The sabbath comes weekly round, and as a matter of course men dress themselves in their sabbath

attire, and go forth and occupy, with due regularity, their accustomed pew in the house of God. But with that they rest satisfied. Some popular day. But as for going to receive instruction, or to preacher may sometimes draw them out on a week worship God in Spirit and in truth, on a week day, that is a thing for which they have no inclination, THE WISDOM Who speaks throughout this chap- and which they deem altogether unnecessary. So ter, and in various other parts of the book of they think. Can they claim the Messiah's blessing? Proverbs, has generally, and beyond question--the blessing of those who hear him, watching rightly been understood to be the Messiah. daily at his gates, waiting at the posts of his WISDOM is one of the Messiah's names. And there is plainly good reason for that name being given to him. For the scriptures tell us that in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom;' he reveals to us the character and the will of God, and thus makes us wise unto salvation; and he is expressly called the WISDOM of God.' It is Jesus Christ who speaks to us in all the scriptures, whatever the instrument be which is more immediately employed, whether it be priest, or prophet, or evangelist, or apostle.

doors? Let themselves give the answer. Watching daily and waiting imply earnest desire and diligent endeavour. Where there is earnest desire, it will not be pent up within the limits of one day. It will often be going forth in search of its object, and be watchful to discover and embrace every opportunity of obtaining its gratification. And whilst the Lord's day is chiefly honoured by the believer, he will seek, as he has opportunity, his daily spiritual bread; he will certainly prefer an hour in the Lord's house,

before one spent in worldly vanity; and he will | Messiah speaks not of me when he says, 'Blessed strive to redeem from his business a small por- is the man that heareth me, watching daily at tion of time for his soul's refreshment. When my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.' you look at the thin attendance at most of our week-day sermons, and see the multitudes of idle saunterers who meanwhile throng our streets, and the similar multitudes who, though occupied with business, might ofttimes redeem an hour for their soul's good, think ye that Messiah speaketh of any of them when he says, Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.'

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But then, there are numbers who think that their acquaintance with bible truth is great, and that there remains little farther for them to learn. When the things that Messiah, in the word, teaches, are stated to them fully and plainly, they reply that they know all that. But hast thou peace of conscience? Is thy soul at rest? Hast thou found a satisfying portion? If not, then there is something in the scriptures which thou hast not yet learned. There is a knowledge to be drawn from them to which thou hast not yet attained. There is an acquaintance with the bible to which thou art yet a stranger.

How much carelessness and indifference is there in the ordinary hearers of the word, through an opinion that there is little more for them to learn in regard to divine truth! And yet such an opinion is utterly groundless. Who of the most learned has exhausted human knowledge, or any branch of it. Strange folly, then, to think of having learned all divine truth! In the bible there is food for babes, and strong meat for strong men. There are truths which those who have only just been born of the Spirit can easily comprehend, and there are things into which the angels desire to look. Diligent waiting on ordinances, careful study, prayerful meditation, and honest obedience, lead to continued progress in divine knowledge, grateful to the understanding, and exercising a sanctifying influence on the affections and the life. Hence the blessedness of which the Messiah speaks, and which consists in the life, the light, the vigour, the holiness, the happiness of the soul.

What is my character? Am I a half-day hearer, and think that I do very well indeed in being so. Or am I one who confines my waiting on religious instruction to the sabbath day, and has no relish or desire for spiritual refreshment at other times? Or do I think that I already know enough, or all that is to be known of these matters, and am therefore indolent or indifferent about farther knowledge? If such be my character, then let me understand and reflect that the

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FIFTEENTH DAY.-MORNING.

Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent,' Acts xiii. 26.

THESE words of Paul, addressed, through the Spirit, to the people of Antioch, embrace also us, and persons of every age and country. Abraham's spiritual seed, and whosoever feareth God,

to them is the word of this salvation sent. The salvation spoken of is that of which Paul had been discoursing, and of which Jesus Christ is the author. It includes all the benefits which flow from Christ's death-all the blessings which by him, and through him, are bestowed on the children of men-all the precious and glorious things promised in the scriptures. The way to get clear, powerful, practical, comforting views of this great salvation, is to take up its promises, its declarations, and its blessings separately; and to remember that God writes beneath each promise or declaration this text, To you is the word of this salvation sent.' Let us select a few of the glorious truths of the gospel, and add to them the faithful declaration of God, kindly encouraging us to appropriate an interest in them to ourselves.

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Jesus Christ saith, 'ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.' And it is written, 'God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.' 'He hath chosen you in Christ, before the foundation of the world.' Are not these glad tidings. to such as see in themselves no merit before God? God hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began.' Now, whosoever among you feareth God, to you

is the word of this salvation sent.

Our sins are more numerous than the hairs of our head, they are various, and in some instances they are very aggravated. To give real peace, pardon must extend to all our sins: it must be full and complete, applying to every thing which we have done, and reaching to every place in which we can be found. It must be free, for we have nothing to merit it. It must be irreversible, else we will always be in the dread that it may be recalled, and the awful punishment of our sing

at last overtake us. Now, such a pardon as this, | The Christian may go over each and all of the God bestows on sinners, through faith in his blessings of the gospel in the same way-the Son Jesus Christ. How delightful to think of adoption of sons, the resurrection from the dead, it! How inspiriting to go forth, lightened of the the happiness and glory of heaven, with all the load of divine wrath-to pass on one's way promises given in the scriptures, and respecting through the things of this world, and at last each one of them God says to him, 'to you is the enter into the world of spirits, possessed of the word of this salvation sent.' well-grounded belief that, at no period, and in no place, shall any of our sins find us out-that go where we may, through the universe of God, or enter how far soever into the depths of eternity, immunity from suffering on account of the sins that we have committed shall attach to us still? Yet such is actually the precious, the glorious pardon purchased for us by the death of Christ. It extends to all sins, of all kinds, for ever. For thus saith the Lord, 'The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth from all sin.' 'I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more! Whatsoever reader of this feareth God, to him is the word of this salvation sent.

The Holy Spirit takes away the hard and stony heart, which the most affecting manifestations of redeeming love could not touch or move, and he gives a heart of flesh, which feels every word of God, and receives an impression from it. He cleanses the fountain whence the affections arise, and then they flow forth pure and spiritual. He enters into the most secret chambers of the soul, and detects and mortifies the corruption which attempts to hide itself there. He presents to the mind clear and delightful views of the divine character as revealed in the scriptures, and awakens into lively exercise the sweet sentiments of love and gratitude. This great work of the Spirit, in creating man anew, and renewing him in the spirit of his mind, appears to the Christian to be exceedingly marvellous. He can scarcely believe that God will condescend to dwell in such a polluted abode as the soul of man-that he will condescend to take so much notice of a polluted worm-that he will indeed give his Spirit, his own Spirit, to dwell in the sinner, and to work in him a new spirit and a new nature. Nevertheless, it is found so written in the word of God. Read, believe, wonder, and adore. new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.' This is the precious, the glorious truth. Our God saith to those who fear him, 'to you is the word of this salvation sent.'

And what is the conclusion to be drawn from all this? Is it not that the gospel salvation is to be estimated by what God has revealed of it in the scriptures, and not by what we have embraced of it? It is too commonly the case with believers that they count on what they have in hand, and not on what they have in the promise and in the word. When the believer accepts of Christ, can he stumble at any blessing of salvation on account of its greatness, or of his own unworthiness? When Christ is given to the believer, what good thing will God withhold? He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?' The whole of the gospel salvation is offered to the saints. Judge not, then, O friend, of God and the gospel salvation by what thou sensibly feelest, but by what is revealed and recorded in the bible. The salvation that is by Jesus Christ is not the narrow stinted thing that thy unbelieving heart would contract it into. It is the broad, free, glorious thing that the declarations and promises of scripture set it forth to be. Exercise, then, a vigorous and comprehensive faith. Take the word of God in its divine simplicity, and as it presents to thee another and another feature of the grand scheme of thy redemption, remember that God hath said, 'to thee is the word of this salvation sent.'

FIFTEENTH DAY.-EVENING.

'Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live,' Isa. lv. 3.

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THUS saith the Lord, Incline your ear, and come unto me.' God speaks; let us attend. does not say, 'depart, ye accursed:' not yet. A But he says, 6 come unto me.' And wherefore are we to come? Is it to be informed that there is no hope, no place for repentance, no pardon for us, no love for us even in the breast of Infinite Love? Is it to hear God telling us of the future miseries appointed for us? Were it for such a purpose that we are called to come to God, well might we be unwilling to obey the summons. When Adam and Eve had committed their first sin, soon as they heard the voice of the Lord God

walking in the garden, they hid themselves. And when the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? a consciousness of his transgression doubtless made Adam tremble, and linger among the trees of the garden.

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hear, and thy soul shall live. Those who come unto him, God will in no wise cast out. He does not speak to them as their offences deserve. He instructs them in the way of life and peace. One comes under an almost overwhelming sense of sin: to him the Lord says, Hear my word, and let thy soul live; though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' Another comes in almost despairing weakness, and to him the Lord says, Hear thou my word, 'my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Another comes fainting, and sorely tempted to murmur by reason of severe trials and afflictions; and to him the Lord says, Hear my word; 'there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.' Cast thy burden on the Lord, and he will sustain it.'

But it is not as an offended being that God here addresses us. It is not as a king speaking to rebels against his authority. It is not from a judgment-seat that the voice comes. It is from God sitting on a throne of mercy. It is from our Father in heaven, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our covenant God, and gracious Father, who has just been saying, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat: yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.' Therefore let us draw near to him, not as crouching slaves, not as trembling criminals, against our will; but with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father. The character of God as revealed by Jesus Christ, inspires confidence. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abun-is quick and powerful. It is full of love to every dant in goodness and truth'-when he says, 'come unto me,' why should we be afraid or unwilling to go?

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But how are we to come to God? What is it to come to him? When we have come to a person we are near him, we have some knowledge of him, and more or less intercourse with him. To come to God means that we have a true knowledge of him, which is to be obtained only from the bible; that our minds realize his existence and presence; that we believe what he reveals to us regarding himself; and that we have such intercourse with him as it becomes creatures to have with their Creator, and as it becomes sinners to have with their Saviour. Naturally our soul is alienated from God-far off by wicked works. It has him not in its thoughts. It gives him none of its love. It has no intercourse with him. But in obeying his invitation, and coming to God, the soul, in the exercise of its renewed powers, thinks about God, knows him, loves him, trusts in him, communes with him, listens to him.-0 my soul, hast thou so come to God? He saith, • Incline thine ear, and come.' Hath thine ear been open to that word? and are all thy motions now toward the gracious and ever blessed God? Hast thou already, to thy great comfort, approached him? and art thou drawing closer and closer? thy knowledge, thy reliance, thy desires, thine affections becoming more and more exercised about God?

For after God invites the sinner to come to him, he has something farther to say to him:

O when there is the hearing ear, there is life to the soul in the word of the Lord. That word

one who having come to the Lord, opens his ear to receive it. It gives liberty, it enlightens, it enlivens, it comforts, it guides, it sanctifies. The Lord says to us, 'Hear, and your soul shall live.' Faithful is that promise. No one ever heard as the Lord here invites us to hear, and failed of life.

But have I inclined my ear to the gracious invitations of God calling me to come to him? Have I rightly heard what he saith to the children of men? Have I seriously considered the duty which the invitation imposes on me, or have I rejoiced in the promise which is joined to that invitation? Life, how sweet! Eternal life, how desirable, amazing, glorious? If I come not to God, if I receive not, believe not, obey not his word, that life never can be mine. Eternal death, and all the misery included in these awful words, must be my portion. And let me remember that it is only over this earth, and to earth's inhabitants, that this invitation goes forth, and this promise is addressed. It reaches not to hell. Between those who have once gone to that place of torment, and the blessed God, there can be no intercourse. Between them and life there is a great impassable gulph fixed. My soul, what art thon doing? Is there spiritual life in thee, spiritual affections, spiritual desires? Art thou rendering to God spiritual homage, and spiritual services? Art thou receiving from him spiritual comfort? O Holy Spirit, enable me to be deeply sensible of my God's condescension and kindness, when he says to me, 'Incline thine ear, and come to me; hear, and thy soul shall live.'

SIXTEENTH DAY.-MORNING.

'Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble,' Jam. ii. 19.

its combination with the body, willing, directing, unable to ward off disease, or command the degoverning; yet in some things utterly powerless, parture of pain, or forbid its own separation from the body at last! Did this soul of mine make itself? No! In the most decided manner it refuses to advance any such claim. It adopts the language of the poet, 'I am; and since I am, conclude something eternal;' and the still more full and explicit language of scripture, 'Know ye that the Lord, he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves.'

THERE are various truths of religion necessary to be known and believed, in order to salvation, and yet many come short of salvation who know and believe them. Of these truths the existence of a God is one. To be saved, it is absolutely necessary that a man believe that there is a God; but he may have that belief, and yet perish eternally. Nay, rising above the belief in the existence of many gods, which sunk the nations in idolatry, and laid the foundation for so many gross immoralities, he may believe that there correspond; and who can interrupt and suspend is but one God, and still live and die under the ordinary established course of things. This the wrath of that God. These views will come Being must be God. more fully out in a meditation on this passage of the word, 'Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble.'

1. 'Thou believest that there is one God.' We do not see God. No man hath seen God at any time. But that is no reason for not believing in his existence. The works of creation and providence conduct the mind to the belief that there is, that there must be, a Worker of these works. The watch which tells me the hour, must have had an intelligent maker; no one, even for a moment, supposes that it made itself. But the world in which I live is a far more complicated machine than my watch; and I am irresistibly led to believe, that the world, too, has had a Maker of Almighty power, of infinite wisdom and intelligence. The apple does not fall from the tree in consequence of a deliberate determination to do so; the tree does not take counsel of itself how, and when, it shall grow, or with what fruit it shall be covered; nor the flowers how they shall unfold their beauty, and send forth their fragrance. And yet these, and similar things, are evidently directed by an intelligence existing somewhere, with a precision, a regularity, and a power which far surpass human.

I myself am fearfully and wonderfully made. My body-how numerous are the parts of it; how nicely fitted these parts are to one another; the most tender of them how carefully protected, how wonderfully preserved! None of these things come of myself. And I know not to what other conclusion I can arrive, than that a most powerful and wise Being contrived and fashioned my frame, caused and watched over its growth, and preserves and guards it with a constant care. And then my body's mysterious tenant, my soul! the living, thinking, intelligent, reasoning principle

Prophecy and miracles also testify that there is a Being who knows the future; who arranges all things, so that his word and events entirely

Indeed the evidence for the existence of God is complete. Wherefore, O my soul, thou believest that there is one God. In believing this—

2. Thou doest well.' For such a belief lies at the foundation of all religion. 'He who cometh unto God must believe that He is.' It is absurd to talk of coming unto God, unless we believe in the existence of a God. It is the first step towards saving faith to believe that there is a God, for saving faith has a regard to God's testimony; and there can be no belief of the testimony of a Being of whom we know nothing, or whose existence we deny. This belief is also a step towards true religion, because by it we acknowledge a Being above us who challenges our worship, and has an undoubted title to our adoration. Ignorance of God, or a denial of his existence, thoroughly shuts a man out from all religion. And, therefore, it is said, Thou doest well, when thou believest that there is one God. But

3. 'The devils also believe, and tremble.' By this I am taught, that a belief in the existence of God is a principle common to true Christians with those who are entirely destitute of religion. Many wicked men have it. The very devils have it. There are no atheists in hell. The inhabitants of that awful place are convinced, by experience, and without doubt, of the existence of God, and they tremble under a dread of his displeasure, and of the punishment which their wickedness merits at his hand.

And hence none are entitled to think well of themselves simply because they believe in God. Even where this belief is followed up by a regard to God, and a delight in sundry of his attributes, it comes far short of saving faith. I may talk about the greatness and goodness of

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