taken up with, talk more about, and seem more in love with the image of their own holiness and perfection, than Christ's glorious righteousness. Yea, they think their holiness can effect more for them than Christ's righteousness, even secure their own salvation. Thus Christ's imputed righteousness is cashiered out of their faith and affections, to make way for their pretended holiness. This is the very essence of a pharisee. But 'being made free from sin, (the power of pride within, as well as sin without,) ye become servants of God, have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life," Rom. vi. 22.

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Nov. 6. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.-Prov. xvii. 17.

We have a striking instance of genuine and uninterrupted friendship, which mutually subsisted between David and Jonathan. How affecting is that pathetic, mournful exclamation of David, when friendship's sweet bands were dissolved in death! "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of woman," 2 Sam. i. 26. Who can read this plaintive note without sympathy? But, though their love and friendship never abated in the dark scenes of adversity, but was alike at all times, yet death put a period to its existence. Natural friendship extends not beyond the confines of the grave. But we have a Friend who ever lives and always loves. The most exalted friendship, compared to his, diminishes in glory, as the light of the brightest star when the sun appears. Is not Jesus "this Friend who loveth at all times?" Yea, before time commenced, his love existed to his church. Every member was loved by him, and given to him of the Father. When, in time he saw them polluted in their blood, defiled with sin, and loathsome in their persons; yet, (Oh, wonderful!) that was

the time of love; he passed by, his eye saw, his heart loved, and his lips said, Live. Dost thou live by faith on the Son of God? This is the effect of love, known and manifested. But, dost thou find daily thou art a poor sinner? therefore art grieved, and thinkest thou shalt weary out the love of thy Friend? No; that cannot be, he loveth at all times; "whom he loves, he loves to the end." Jesus is "the Brother born for adversity," to comfort in and support under it. Now, thou art in an adverse state. The world, the flesh, and the devil are against thee. But thy Friend is above, engaged for thee. He is stronger than all. Though in dangers oft, yet always safe. Jesus was born to suf fer adversity for his brethren. A friend, and a brother, makes one's sorrows and sufferings his own. So did Jesus. Our sins were his, "he bore them in his own body." "He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." And did he love before time? Does he love at all times? Then, what shall separate from his love? Nothing; for "in all things we are more than conquerors, through him who loved us." As Jesus' power is equal to his love, death, which parts the dearest friends, and dissolves the sweetest friendship below, shall introduce us to the nearest enjoyment of our best Friend and dearest Brother above: for he says, "Father, I will, that they whom thou has given me, be with me where I am," John xvii. 24.

Nov. 7.-The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.-Isa. liii. 6.

Here behold the transaction of the glorious Trinity in the covenant of grace; the display of grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Jehovah, the Father, lays, or causes to meet, all the sins of his people upon the Surety of the covenant, the Son of his love. He undertakes to bear them. The Holy Ghost publishes and bears witness to this joyful truth unto sinners. He

works faith in their hearts, and bears witness with their spirits of salvation hereby. Thus the three glorious persons in the Godhead agree in one, even this one truth, salvation by Jesus. Happy the man who believes it. Faith looks to the purposes of grace, and rests upon the accomplishment of covenant love.

When one undertakes to be surety for another, the debt is reckoned to him, and he accepts it. Thus, our blessed Surety engaged in our behalf. All our iniquities were imputed to, laid upon, and charged on his person. "He bore them in his own body on the tree." He fully satisfied, perfectly atoned divine justice for them. "By the one sacrifice of himself, he hath taken them all away, and made an end of sin." So that justice itself proclaims its own faithfulness to forgive sin, 1 John i. 9. Grace reigns. Mercy triumphs. Sinners are pardoned. Believers rejoice. O believer, thou art blessed of thy God, who is just, therefore doth not, cannot impute sin unto thee. True, thou hast committed sins innumerable; but it is as true, they were all laid upon Jesus. True, thou dost commit sins; it is equally true that Christ hath borne them. Thou wilt commit sins; it is perfectly true, thy Saviour hath atoned for them all. Thou hast nothing to plead, but guilty in thyself, and perfectly righteous in Christ. Every charge the enemy brings from the law against thee is just. Own it. But ever plead in thy conscience, and before the throne, Jesus hath satisfied for all. There is now no condemnation to me. This is a most precious truth of God. Not thy faith, thy repentings, not anything thou canst do; but Jehovah laid iniquity upon Christ: this is his sole prerogative. Let devils rage against it, men oppose it, yet will this truth be found true in its nature, most happy in its consequences, to God's children. Hence flow their peace, holiness, and heaven. Hear their song below, "The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge,-that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them, and rose again," 2 Cor. v.

14, 15. Hear their triumph above, Salvation to our God and unto the Lamb, who hath "washed us from our sins in his own blood," Rev. i. 5.

Nov. 8.-By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.-Eph. ii. 8.

Sleep is the image of death. Every morning we awake is a kind of new life. In sleep, how insensible of danger! how unable to prevent it! The Lord's mercies are renewed every morning. His watchful providence is our safety. Reflect, O my soul, upon the unmerited love of thy God! Happy, daily to awake, and arise from our bed, with the sense of free grace and sovereign love upon our heart. Temporal mercies are heightened and improved by a sense of spiritual and eternal blessings. Disciple, thou livest in a space of time, in which thou mayst look back upon eternal love, look forward to eternal glory, and look upon thyself and see what wonders grace hath done. Thou art this day called to consider, how thou art saved. 1. In the purpose of thy God. Ere thou hadst a being, everlasting love decreed thy salvation. 2. In accomplishment, grace provides a Lamb for thy ransom. In the fulness of time, the Saviour is born in human flesh. He lived for sinners, died for sin; "made an end of sin; made reconciliation for iniquity; brought in an everlasting righteousness;" his expiring breath proclaimed, Salvation work is finished. But thy poor soul lay in nature's darkness, in the sleep of death; and would have slept on till the archangel's dreadful trumpet awakened thee to everlasting shame and confusion. But impossible this. Being saved in love's decree, re deemed by blood divine, grace challenged thy soul. Therefore, 3. Thou art saved in enjoyment, "through faith." Called by the word of truth, quickened by the Spirit of grace, Jesus' salvation becomes the desire of thy soul. God gave his Son for thee. The Spirit gave

faith to thee. Hence Jesus became precious; sin hateful; thyself vile; holiness lovely to thy heart. Thus sinners are saved by grace, through faith. They have no hand, no share, no glory at all in this matter. In believing views of this grace, this salvation, consist allour peace, love, joy, holiness, heaven. Why then, O believer, art thou not perfectly, uninterruptedly happy and holy? Verily, because thou art still in the flesh; thy old man is yet alive. Nature's pride and sinfulness. daily resist the glory of grace and the exercise of faith. But in opposition to all, abide confident in the truth, and study the love of God thy Saviour. This sinks thee in humility. Our deserts are hell. Adore the riches of sovereign grace. Salvation "is of faith, that it might be by grace," Rom. iv. 16.

Nov. 9.-Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.-1 John iii. 1.

If a poor, insolvent debtor, who sees no hope, but to end his miserable life in a loathsome gaol, is yet unexpectedly called to hear the will of a loving friend, whereby an ample provision is bequeathed him, fully to satisfy all his wants; how must this rejoice his heart! How, in the ecstasy of his joyful mind, would he be ready to call upon every one around him, to behold the delightful testament! This is but a faint view of the inestimable riches of glory and honour, bequeathed to ruined sinners by New Testament love, ratified and sealed by the blood of Jesus. Upon a view of this, how should we be filled with wonder, fired with ecstasy, and our transported hearts should not keep silence! Angels, see and admire; saints, behold and adore, the marvellously great, the inexpressibly glorious, the wonderfully discriminating love of the Father of Jesus! Amazing to tell! Comforting to believe! Transporting to feel! Love, the love of