If, words, and went upwards to the throne in prayers | impossibilities would become easy. Their fewand supplications continually. They remembered ness, and their lack of strength, would prove no that Jesus had said, 'Ask, and ye shall receive,' bar at all to the victorious issue of their labours. and had taught the doctrine that men ought When an angel came and fought for Judah, in always to pray and not to faint.' They acted days of Hezekiah, an hundred and eighty-five accordingly with all their hearts. Not from their thousand men fell in one night before him. closets alone did their supplications ascend. Jesus then, not an angel, however mighty, but the unhad said, 'If two of you shall agree on earth as created and Eternal Spirit himself, were on their touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be side, and wrought with them and for them, what done for them of my Father which is in heaven. enemies had they to dread? What obstacles For where two or three are gathered together in could stop their progress? What possible commy name, there am I in the midst of them.' For bination of hostile powers could hinder them from this reason they frequented their upper room, and, the triumphant execution of the errand on which with united voice, and one accord, sent up their they were to go forth? And had they not a petitions. O it is pleasing to the Lord when promise that the Spirit should be given? Such his people thus sue him, and press him hard! a promise they had. To that promise they now Did he not confer a glorious title on Jacob as clung, and for its fulfilment they sued at the the reward of his bold importunity and wrest- throne of grace. ling? Did he not signify his approval of the unsubdued and indomitable urgency of the woman of Canaan by granting all that she asked, and, over and above, pronouncing a memorable eulogy upon her? And does not the language, in which the command to pray is couched, imply, that he requires and expects us to be importunate, to adopt every plan which a holy ingenuity can suggest, and, if we may say so, to leave no stone unturned, to carry our point? Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' The infant church had a great work before it. It was about to enter on the duty of evangelizing the world, and holding forth the word of life to all nations. The apostles and their associates could not look forward to what they had to do, without a deep sense that their success was entirely dependent upon the power and grace of God. They could not fail to discern and feel the utter disproportion between that which was to be achieved, and the ability of the selected instruments. How were they, that feeble and timid band, to encounter the storm of opposition with which the enterprise, on which they were soon to go out, was sure to be received? And if there was no hope of their being equal to the shock of such opposition, how much less reason was there to cherish hope of bringing the enterprize itself to a prosperous conclusion? They, a few obscure and terror-stricken fishermen, haunting an upper-room for fear of the Jews, The disciples of old, then, had a promise of the Spirit. Is there no such promise to the church now? Assuredly, the grace, that was formerly required by the church, is necessary to it still. We have a great work to do. We, too, like Christ's followers in primitive days, are called to contend for and to propagate the faith. We must resist the devil, renounce the world, and display our banner for the vindication and advancement of the gospel. To ministers now as of old, the care of souls is committed, and the duty of seeking their salvation. What then? Is there less inherent weakness among Christians than was wont to be? Have we more sufficiency than Peter and John, than Stephen, Apollos, and Paul had? Can we of ourselves perform duties which were too much for them, and by our own strength accomplish objects, which they accomplished only by the power of the Holy Ghost? The need is great as ever. Without Christ-without that grace of Christ, which it is the Spirit's office to impart-we can do nothing. If the church, then, has brought her need of grace down the stream of time along with her in all its magnitude, what has become of the promise of grace? Has she left it behind? Was a fixed and abiding need provided for merely by a passing and temporary promise? Not so. The way of the Lord with his people lies open to no such objections. The dispensation under which we live is the dispensation of the Spirit. When Jesus said, 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the were they to go and attack Satan in his strong-world,' he put the stamp of perpetuity upon the holds? Yes, it was their duty. And, under a promise of the Spirit. feeling of their total insufficiency, they were now in the continual exercise of prayer and supplication for the pouring out of the Holy Ghost. If God gave his Spirit, difficulties would disappear, In the wisdom of God.' The apostle either refers to the wisdom or science which treats of ‹ For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world God, and which is called theology, or to that wise by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the plan according to which God conducts the adminfoolishness of preaching to save them that be-istration of sublunary things. If the former be his lieve,' 1 Cor. i. 21. meaning, it is as if he had said after that, in its THE most excellent of all kinds of knowledge is theology, the world by wisdom knew not God.' the knowledge of God. The knowledge of nature And, if the latter be his meaning, we may underis good. It is not, however, so good as the know-stand him as saying that God, in the exercise of ledge of nature's Author. Man is an important his wisdom, let the world alone for a while, withobject of knowledge; but the wonderful Being holding his revelation in order that it might be who created man is infinitely more so. The laws seen whether men could do without it; and that and qualities of matter and of mind are most the issue of the experiment was to show that worthy to be explored; but a still more advan-human wisdom was an erring guide, that could not tageous study is that which relates to the purposes and attributes of him from whom all things proceed, by whose decree all laws are fixed, and by whose hand all qualities are bestowed. This inestimable knowledge we cannot acquire for ourselves. However sagacious we may be, however powerful the force of our genius, and however great our industry and perseverance, we cannot search it out. Human wit and toil may and do create and enrich other sciences, but here they are baffled. Time was when they were left to try what they could do. God gave opportunity for man's reason to do its utmost. Before Christ came, no gospel was preached among the Gentiles. lead to the knowledge of God. Yes, God 'made foolish the wisdom of this world.' He put it upon its trial, and showed it to be, in spiritual things, but weakness and folly. In two ways does the apostle subject the wisdom of the world to disparagement. First by showing how unavailing it is in the discovery of the knowledge of God. And, secondly, by exalting above it the foolishness of preaching. What an affront to wisdom, when foolishness succeeds where it has failed! 'It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.' The wisdom of the world had been tried and found wanting. In that The nations were not dis-emergency it pleased God to interpose. It was turbed with any message from heaven. Free his will that the saving knowledge of himself scope was allowed them to discover the truth, if should be communicated; and when that could they were able. If it was in them by searching not be through the wisdom of the world, he to find out God, no hinderance was cast in their conveyed it by an instrumentality of his own. way. What, then, was the result? The words He appointed the preaching of the cross. He before us announce it: the world by wisdom made that his ordinance for saving souls. knew not God.' All the wisdom that the world possessed was found ineffectual. Egypt, and Greece, and Rome, had brought their talent and philosophy to the task in vain. Their knowledge was extensive on many other matters, but here all was ignorance and darkness. Much as the world by its wisdom unquestionably knew, it did not know God. The facts and circumstances regarding him, which the world had guessed at, were too few, and too limited, and too vague, to serve the end of a manifestation of God. The knowledge of them was not the knowledge of Him. The preaching of the cross may be contemned. It was contemned of old. The proud Jews and the conceited Greeks could not suffer it. To the former it was a stumbling-block, and to the latter it was foolishness. It may still be contemned. Doubtless the Jews and Greeks have successors in our day, inheritors of their pride and self-sufficiency, who do contemn it. But what of that? Their contempt does not deprive it of its character as the ordinance of God, not of the might and efficacy with which God has endowed it. There is a terrible saying in the context. "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish fool It is an imperative and most urgent duty to observe, with anxious care, the rules, to adhere to and maintain the principles, to acquire and cherish the feelings and habits, of an exact and unblemished morality. And it is unscriptural and dangerous for any to busy themselves exclusively with points of belief, and to go upon the notion that they are thereby sufficiently providing for the uprightness and purity of their conduct. Their error resembles that of him who should content himself with putting the seed into the soil, and deem it unnecessary to do anything thereafter for the tender plant that sprang from ishness.' It is true, then, that the preaching of the cross is an object of ridicule. It is true that the great theme of Christ and him crucified is set at nought; and that they who expatiate upon it as involving the glory of God and the salvation of man are despised. But who are the scorners? They are the children of perdition. One of the marks by which unconverted men may be distinguished is, that they see not the divine excellency of the cross. They can understand when they are told that Jesus was persecuted, and cruelly, and wickedly slain; and they may comprehend the contrary, when we say that law was magnified, that the demands of justice were satisfied, it. Faith is the powerful instrument which God and a righteous debt was paid, by his sufferings and death; but when we tell them that both these views are true, that Jesus died both justly and unjustly; against law, and yet according to it; we announce a mystery which the world reckons foolishness. And the world likes not the connection which the gospel propounds between The second injunction is, 'receive with meekthe blood that was shed on Calvary and the sal-ness the engrafted word, which is able to save vation of men's souls. It seems foolish to ascribe your souls.' 'Receive the word.' Do not turn a it to the virtue and preciousness of that blood, deaf ear to the word. Throw open all the avenues that Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, and Jacob, of the mind for its admission. Cordially welcome and Moses, and David, and Job, and Daniel, and it into your hearts. Study the word. Mark Nehemiah, with the rest of the godly who were well its doctrines, its lessons, its warnings, its before the day of Christ, as well as those that precepts. Obey the word. Do not question its have since fallen asleep, are now reposing in para- authority or its truth. Confide in its wisdom, dise, and awaiting a blissful resurrection. The and yield yourselves to its guidance. spiritual glory of the cross is hid from them that perish, and they think it exaggeration and folly to discourse of it as the preachers of the truth are accustomed to do. FIRST DAY.-EVENING. Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls,' James i. 21. Two weighty injunctions are embraced in these words. The first is, 'lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.' That is to say, renounce and discard all the lusts of the flesh, the vile propensities of a fallen nature, in all their forms and manifestations. Lay apart all filthiness;' cast it aside as a garment that is spotted and loathsome; banish from the mind all impure conceptions; watch against the rise and outbreak of lawless desires. 'Lay apart' also the superfluity of naughtiness,' in other words, the overflowings of wickedness.' Licentious excesses are altogether scandalous and abominable on the part of persons pretending to be Christians. has appointed for purifying the heart; but let no man, on that account, heedlessly consign his heart, if we may so speak, to the charge of his faith, as though it did not devolve upon him to use the instrument, and to watch, with continual solicitude, over its operation. Yes, Receive the word—the word of God. Shall God speak, and shall the creatures he has made, and endowed with the faculties of hearing, understanding, believing, and obeying, pay no regard? Shall God give forth his word, shall he send it out in quest of hearts to dwell in, and rule over; and shall the access to our hearts be obstructed, shall our hearts be closed against it? Shall men tell him that their hearts are pre-occupied, that they have no room, and that therefore they can give his word no entertainment? this is what many must say, if they told the truth! There are many who do not receive the word of God. And the reason of their not receiving it is, that another word, which they love better, is already in possession of their hearts. What is that other word! It is the word of an arch-deceiver. It is the word of one who was a liar from the beginning. It is, substantially, the very word which, by the arts of him from whom it came, supplanted the living word of Jehovah in the hearts of our progenitors in paradise! There are the two opposing words of the God of heaven, and the god of this world. All men receive, and have in their hearts, either the one or the other. In consequence of our depravity, we naturally prefer the word of the wicked one-that word which says we shall not surely die, although we sin against the Lord; which speaks peace, peace, when there is no peace, and proclaims peace and safety, when destruction is at the door. God demands a reception for his word: he requires that our sinful and infatuated preference for the word of the father of lies should be abandoned, and that his word be welcomed and obeyed-be allowed to have free course and be glorified! It is the ingrafted word' that we are required to receive. The meaning is that the word must be fixed in our souls, as the graft is fixed in the stock of a tree. The word may be in us theoretically, historically; it may be in us as the doctrine of Mahomet is in the Christian who has acquainted himself with the contents of the Koran, or as the inventions of the Shasters of Hindostan are in the missionary who spends his life in refuting them; but something different is necessary; it must be in us practically and powerfully; it must be ingrafted into us, and bring forth fruit. When we are told to receive the ingrafted word, we are called to agree that the word shall have a fixed ascendency over us, and that it shall be allowed to have the formation of the character of our lives. But how is the word to be received? With meekness.' There is much in the word of God that is distasteful to perverse man. Views are therein presented for our adoption, which human pride naturally recoils from, and wishes to be concealed. It is painful to hear the truth fully told about one's own misdeeds. Where is he that likes to have the slumbers of a guilty conscience broken, or to have the secrets of his own breast pourtrayed to him under the light of day? Is there no risk, at such a time, of giving way to the sentiment of anger? No doubt there is; and therefore are we here warned against it. Receive the word with meekness, it is said. Beware of taking umbrage at the word. It will arraign you for sin; it will not spare your lusts; it will cause your consciences to quake. See that ye be not offended. The word is as a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces: it smites with resistless force the hard and stony heart of impenitence. The word is as a sword; it is sharper than any twoedged sword; and it pierces the heart of enmity and rebellion against God. Receive the stroke of that hammer, receive the thrust of that sword, with meekness. Why ought the word to be received by us? The reason is stated; it is able to save our souls.' It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Herein lies a distinguishing excellency of God's word. The word of man may communicate knowledge-much valuable knowledge; but saving knowledge can be derived only from the word of God. This gives it a surpassing preciousness, and invests it with a peculiar and paramount claim to the cordial and eager consideration of all men. This was the ground of Paul's encomium on Timothy, his son in the faith-' from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.' SECOND DAY.-MORNING. 'Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word,' Psal. cxix. 9. DIRECTION is here given how to lead a holy life. A 'young man' is spoken of, because of the strong temptations of youth, and the great obstacles to holiness which are then encountered. It is an infallible rule that the psalmist inquires after—a rule that will meet the most difficult cases, and serve under the most unfavourable circumstances. He therefore asks, 'Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?' Into heaven will go nothing that defileth. Neither the corrupt heart, nor the polluted hand, will be there. The feet that tread the paths of folly and sin, cannot enter into it. Yet it is the fact, that mankind are generally in a state of apathy on the subject, and care not to know by what means they may be sanctified. They have lost the divine image; and they do not seek to have that image restored, although without it there can be no admission to the rest above. A sad indifference extensively prevails; and there are few who think it worth their while to propose the psalmist's question: 'Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?' Miserable error! Men will ask by what means they can increase their worldly goodsthey will eagerly inquire how they may gain earthly distinction and fame-they will be on fire to know the lesson, which is to teach them what must be done for securing a brief and uncertain gleam of temporal prosperity and happiness; but they will feel no concern in ascertaining how they may reach that moral condition which is necessary to the life of their souls; or how that great change is to be wrought in them, without which, when this short drama is over, they must become the food of the worm that dieth not-the fuel of the fire that is not quenched! What, then, must we do that we may be upright in our walk, and holy in all manner of conversation? Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?' We are not left to guess at the answer. By taking heed thereto, according to thy word." This rule may be resolved into two parts. One is an injunction to watchfulness. We are required to take heed to our way. The importance of this may be seen from the frequency with which the call occurs in scripture. Keep thine heart with all diligence.' 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways.' Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.' 'Let us watch and be sober.' Be sober, be vigilant.' Being prone to sin, strongly prone to it, we need to be ever on the watch, lest our natural bias lead us astray. The circumstance, too, that we are exposed to innumerable seductive influences, renders watchfulness indispensable. The rule before us, moreover, embraces in it an injunction to have respect to the word of God as the great directory and instrument of sanctification. By taking heed thereto, according to thy word.' In the word all that constitutes holiness is fully described. Holiness may be defined to be the walking in Christ's steps. It is in the word that the steps of Christ are exhibited, and his example is displayed. holiness may be also defined to be the putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to the word that we must go for the discovery of the Lord Jesus; it is in the word that we must find him. Likewise there belongs to the word a sanctifying efficacy. Our Lord spoke of this when he prayed, It is a happy omen when one begins in right earnest to inquire how to become holy. There is much more of favourable promise in it, than in a desire to escape from the wrath to come. The misery that is justly connected with sin, may be, and often is, regarded with apprehension and alarm, when sin itself is clung to. Without renewal of heart there may be a fearful looking for of judgment, and dread of the curse of the Almighty; but there cannot be hatred of sin, and pantings for conformity to the image of God. The reason why it is so difficult to prevail on men to embrace salvation is, that deliverance from sin, spiritual cleansing, makes one of the elements whereof salvation is composed. To submit to this, to accept of it as a boon, eagerly to seek for it, is what the carnal mind never will do. A great step, therefore, has been made, when not only is the punishment of sin thought of with dismay, but sin itself is abhorred, and freedom from its power is desired. Then has conviction passed into conversion, and natural terror into godly fear. All the instincts and propensities of the new creature are contrary to sin, and towards holiness. There are also rational considerations, which have great force with the believer in inducing him to follow holiness. One of these is the authority of the divine law. He adverts to the fact of his subjection to it, and has a vivid sense of the duty of obedience thence arising. There are in him realizing views of the greatness of God, and of his sovereignty over all, and of the consequent obligation that lies upon all to keep his commandments. Another of these considerations is, the debt of gratitude which the believer owes to God. When Christ urges his people to holi-Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is ness by the tender appeal, 'if ye love me,'-if ye count me worthy of your love-if I have done any thing for you that entitles me to your affection; the believer feels it to be irresistible. A third consideration is, that holiness is necessary to qualify for heaven. Christ said to his disciples, 'In my Father's house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you.' Why, then, should it be in vain that these mansions exist, and that the glorified Saviour is preparing a place for his people? In vain it must be, if Christians are not sanctified. In vain have bright abodes been fitted up for the children of men, if none of the children of men are holy; in vain is a place prepared for the followers of Jesus, if they are not prepared for it. Without holiness none shall see the Lord. 'Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.' And truth;' and when he said, 'Now are ye clean, through the word which I have spoken unto you.' SECOND DAY.-EVENING. 'But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ,' Eph. iv. 15. As there is a spiritual birth, so is there a spiritual growth; as there are babes, so are there perfect men in Christ Jesus. The continual endeavour of God's people ought to be to make progress in the divine life; and their steady aim to reach Christian maturity. We ought ever to be growing. Is it the case that we are growing? We ought to be growing in all things.' Are we growing in any thing? We shall do well to examine. We ought to grow |