2. But what is it, in the spiritual sense of the words 'to be athirst?' It is to feel the misery and danger of our natural estate, as an estate of sin and estrangement from God. In their unawakened state, men think very little of their sinfulness at all. But no sooner does the Holy Spirit, whose office it is to convince of sin, let in the searching light of Divine truth upon the soul, than the painful and terrifying discovery is made, that the heart is not right with God. And the longer and the more steadily the sinner continues under this divine guidance to look within, the more does he find to disturb his peace, and to fill him with anxiety and fear. The deadness of his heart to all things spiritual and divine, the worldliness of his affections and desires, his habitual neglect of God; these, and many similar marks and fruits of indwelling corruption, of which, previously, he had taken no account at all, stand out every day with more alarming clearness. Until at length, when he has sought up and down every corner of his soul for one spot untainted by sin, when he has examined every action of his life, to find one deed that will bear to be measured by the requirements of God's holy law, and finds the search to be fruitless and vain; it is then the humbling confession is extorted from his lips, that there is no health in him, that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 3. And how richly, how generously are the sinner's wants supplied out of that fulness which is treasured up in Christ. 'He that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat,-yea come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price.' And why without a price? Because a gracious and compassionate God knew the sinner had no price to pay. Had it been so that a price were demanded, what could man have offered? His heart! It is full of enmity to God. His service! It is contempt and rebellion. His life! It is not his own. But though the sinner had 'no money,' nothing whatever wherewith to purchase admission to the fountain of the water of life; think not that without a price that admission was secured. Why was it that he 'who made the worlds,' was found by the shepherds of Bethlehem as a helpless infant cradled in a manger? Why was it that he who was 'the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person,' took upon him the form of a servant? Why was it that he who was 'in the bosom of the Father from all eternity,' was heard exclaiming in the agony of his soul, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' Why ence, his sufferings, his crucifixion, were the ransom price of the sinner's soul. For we were redeemed, not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot. Oh! the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. Herein indeed was love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us; sparing not his own Son, but freely giving him unto the death for us all. TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY.-EVENING. 'Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,' Rev. iii. 17. ALREADY the church of Laodicea, though so recently planted, had suffered a lamentable decline. The sin which is so apt to creep into and overspread churches of long standing, the sin of lukewarmness and indifference,—had taken complete possession of this church even in its carly youth. The heart-warm fervour of genuine piety had given place to a lifeless form; the humbling conviction of utter unworthiness in the sight of God, to proud notions of self-sufficiency. The love of Christ to the love of this world. And as the necessary consequence of this total decay of religious principle and feeling, a mere show of respect for the outward ordinances of the gospel was all that remained in the room of vital godliness. They had not yet reached that point at which a religious profession is altogether laid aside, and entire apostacy from the faith is openly proclaimed. On the contrary, they still scrupulously retain all the external insignia of a Christian church, but it was a shadow without the substance; a body without the soul. Though Christian in name, spiritually considered it was a Christless church. That such a church must have become utterly distasteful and offensive to him who looketh not on the outward appearance, but who searcheth the heart, it can need no argument to prove. It cannot, therefore, surprise any one to hear the awfully emphatic expression of aversion and abhorrence with which their state and character were regarded by the Lord. But it may well excite feelings of admiration and amazement to find with what tender compassion, notwithstanding of all their defections and provocations, the Saviour still entreated them to return unto him and live. Full of whose person and work had been thus dishonignorant, presumptuous, and carnal self-confi- oured and disowned, is still waiting to be gradence they felt no real need of, or dependence cious.' 'I counsel thee to buy of me gold,' white on Christ. And yet, so far from giving them raiment,' eye-salve,' all that the soul requires over to their own reprobate mind, he earnestly for its complete redemption.' Men must not presses upon them anew all the rich treasures of think to mine this gold, to weave this raiment, his grace; I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried to compound this eye-salve, by any efforts of in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white their own. They must seek all in Christ. In raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that him it hath pleased the Father that all fulness the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and should dwell,-and out of his fulness we all may anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou may- receive, and grace for grace. None but he can be est see.' made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption. He offers us the 'gold,' 'gold tried in the fire.' Surely this must be his own everlasting love. Like gold, it is most precious, for it redeems us from death and hell; yea, it is like gold ' tried in the fire,' for it endured the cross. He offers us the white raiment,' what is this but the spotless robe of his own perfect righteousness, which is unto all and upon all them that believe? He offers us the 'eye-salve,' wherewith to anoint our eyes that we may see. Is not this that unction of the Holy One,' which they who have know all things;' that divine illumination, which Paul earnestly sought for the Ephesians, when he prayed that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give unto them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, that they might know what is the hope of his calling, and what the The self-complacency which continues to characterize so many lukewarm' disciples, rests, as in the case of the Laodiceans of old, on an entire misapprehension of their actual condition and prospects in the sight of God. Vainly confiding in names and forms, they know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Were these words intended to be taken in their literal acceptation, the statement they contain would indeed be passing strange. The evils which these various expressions denote are, in that view, all of them too palpable to sense, to be either unnoticed or unfelt. But it is one of the marks of a fallen nature to be keenly alive to those physical disorders which afflict our bodily and temporal estate, and to be all but utterly insensible to those spiritual maladies which destroy the immortal soul. In this sense the natural man knows not that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 'Wretched,' as being in a state of spirit-riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ual death. C Miserable,' as being devoid of all true peace and happiness in the life that now is, and having nothing awaiting him in the life to come, but that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. 'Poor,' as being totally destitute of the graces of the Holy Spirit, and without part or lot in the inheritance of heaven. 'Blind,' as having no right or realizing apprehension of the things that belong to the soul's peace, and going on heedless and headlong down the broad way that leadeth to destruction. Naked,' as being exposed, in all the vileness of a sinful heart and an unholy life, to the searching scrutiny of him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and who cannot look upon sin. But how long-suffering is the Lord! He whose salvation, bought at the price of his own precious blood, they had treated with neglect or scorn; whose grace they had despised as a gift of no value; whose righteousness they were too proud to put on; whose Spirit of saving light and health they had spurned away; that very Saviour and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wronght in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand,' Eph. i. 17—20. TWENTY-NINTH DAY.-MORNING. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory,' Matt. xii. 20. THESE words, spoken originally by the prophet Isaiah, are truly and touchingly descriptive of the gentle and compassionate spirit of Christ; and were graciously designed to re-assure and comfort every lowly and contrite sinner. He who in his own personal ministry was ever so full of meekness and benignity,—who did neither strive nor cry, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets, who endured so patiently a countless multitude of wrongs,-who bore with a long Two promises are here given, and both of them full of encouragement. The one has respect to the Saviour's treatment of his people in the time of their greatest depression and weakness. The other to the certainty of the accomplishment of his own gracious purpose in their full and complete salvation. suffering so marvellous the manifold indignities | appropriately does this figure describe the spiritto which he was daily exposed,-who laboured ual state of many a soul. There is not the absolute with a perseverance so inexhaustible to turn the coldness and stillness of spiritual death. The divine disobedient to the wisdom of the just,-who fire of the Spirit has touched the heart though loved and cherished with a care so watchful and as yet no flame appears, though little even of a tenderness so endearing the little flock of his warmth, and no light at all, can be yet discerned. disciples, neither worn out by their slowness of At times there may be convictions of sin filling the heart to understand, nor offended by their petu- mind with a sense of the misery and danger of a lance, nor alienated by their temporary desertion, state of estrangement from God,—a painful feeling —shall he, can he turn a deaf ear to any penitent of the emptiness of the world's pleasures, of the believer? He is the same yesterday, to-day, and vanity of its joys,-a longing after the more for ever. 'A bruised reed shall he not break, and enduring riches of divine grace and love. The smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send soul is stirred with motions and desires of which forth judgment unto victory.' till now it had been altogether unconscious,— and occasionally it would seem as if a great change, on its whole frame and spirit, were about to ensue. And yet after all it is but the 'smoking flax. The damp and chilling influences of a corrupt nature, of the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life, have not yet been so far overcome as to suffer the divine light of the quickening Spirit from on high to shine forth. There is a contest going on,-the flesh is lusting against the Spirit, and nothing but smoke can yet be seen. Even the smoke oftentimes seems to have all but disappeared. The spark, feeble and faint, stifled beneath the load of the heart's corruption, seems ready to be extinguished. How little would suffice to put it out for ever! Let temptation a little longer have its sway,—and let the breath of the divine Spirit be withheld, and darkness and death would again regain dominion in that soul. But the watchful, the gracious Redeemer, quenches not the smoking flax. The latent fire may be suffered to smoulder for a time unseen, almost unfelt,—but he will not suffer it to be extinguished. And at length in his own time and way, he so orders the events of his providence, and so blesses the ordinances of his grace, as that a fresh impulse is given to the divine life within. That Spirit who cometh like the wind, fans the embers with a stronger impulse, the fire at length bursts forth,-the deceitful lusts and passions are consumed by the increasing fervour of the heavenly theme,—until at length the soul, full of light and full of purity, is made ready to shine as the stars in the kingdom of heaven. Whom he loves-he loves to the end. He who hath begun a good work will assuredly carry it forward to the day of the Lord. And this brings us to notice briefly the 1. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench.' How beautiful, how expressive, how just is this imagery! What can be a fitter emblem of a soul broken by repeated strokes of some heavy and crushing affliction, or saddened and oppressed by a strong and overwhelming sense of guilt and helplessness, —than a 'bruised reed.' Instead of serving as a support to others, it cannot support itself. The disconsolate language of the psalmist alone can suitably pourtray its condition. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh; I am feeble and sore broken; my heart panteth, my strength faileth me; as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.' But the bruised reed he shall not break,' for 'the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken-heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit,' Psal. xxxiv. 18. As their day is, so shall their strength be.' 'He who knows our frame is touched with the feeling of his people's infirmities.' He keepeth all their bones; not one of them is broken. 6 But while the Saviour is thus tender and compassionate in his dealings with the afflicted, when they feel as if all things were against them, as if all the waves and billows of divine displeasure were going over them, not suffering them to be tempted above that which he enables them to bear, and with the temptation making for them a way of escape, so does he manifest the same gracious and benignant spirit in cherishing and feeding the feeblest spark of the 'new life' in the soul. He quenches not the smoking flax.' How 2. Promise that in the face of all difficulties and discouragements the Lord will not fail to prosecute his own purpose of mercy in the souls of his people, till he send forth judgment unto victory. He shall be justified in his sayings, and will overcome when he is judged.' 'Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity; for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and withered like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day,' Psal. xxxvii. 1-7. TWENTY-NINTH DAY.-EVENING. 'He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young,' Isa. xl. 11 THE preceding context contains a clear and joyful announcement of the coming of Christ. His people who had long been waiting for the consolation of Israel,' were at length to be gladdened and comforted by the voice of his forerunner, crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.' Zion and Jerusalem were to lift up their voice and to say unto the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God.' He who had spoken to their fathers at 'sundry times and in divers manners by the prophets' was himself personally to appear. Behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold his reward is with him and his work before him.' Had his church no cause for disquietude in the prospect of his advent? Had they not been oftentimes provoking him to anger with their 'unthankfulness and evil,'-their ingratitude and disobedience? And was there no reason to fear lest the 'strong hand' with which he was about to come, should be stretched out to visit and chastise them for these things? But his name is 'the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,' Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. He is to come, indeed, with the resistless authority of omnipotence, but that omnipotence is to be thrown as a shield and safeguard around his people. 'He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.' What infinite condescension, what inexpressible tenderness do these words display! us. 1. To himself he takes not here the name of Lord and Sovereign, but that of Shepherd,-a name descriptive of all that is faithful and gentle, loving and kind. 'I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep,' John x. 11. It was he of whom the Father spake these mysterious words, ‘Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd,' Zech. xiii. 7. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins,' 1 John iv. 10. God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 'Much more then being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life,' Rom. v. 8, 9, 10. He is the 'great shepherd of the sheep,' Heb. xiii. 20. For when the God of peace brought him again from the dead, he set him at his own right hand, far above all principality and power, and every name that is named,—and there, with a vigilance that never slumbers, and a power which no adversary can withstand, he orders all things so as most effectually to secure the salvation of his people. He is the chief shepherd,' 1 Pet. v. 4. Who hath given commission to 'pastors and teachers' to feed his sheep,-to feed his lambs. 2. To his church and people he hath given the appropriate and endearing name of 'his flock.' They are as 'lambs in the midst of wolves,— continually exposed to peril and persecution from an ungodly and unbelieving world. Of themselves they are feeble and defenceless, for they have neither numbers nor power to cope with the vast and powerful array of the unconverted and disobedient, who being themselves at enmity with God, hate and oppose his people. But let them not, on this account, be dismayed. 'Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom,' Luke xii. 32. Of old, he led 'his people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron,' dividing the sea before them and causing them to pass through: in the day-time leading them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire: 'cleaving the rocks in the wilderness, and giving them drink, as out of the great depths." And still he is their shepherd,—making them to lie down in green pastures, and leading them beside the still waters. He 'feeds his flock' with the provision of Zion. His blessed word, with its exhaustless treasure of 'great and precious promises' He sets open before them,-inviting earthly parents ever knew. He will 'gently lead' those who are thus striving to bring their children to God,—and cause their labour to be not in vain in the Lord. them daily to search the scriptures, which testify | love for these 'little ones,' infinitely deeper and of him, and in which they have eternal life. The more enduring than the heart of the best of ordinances of his grace,-secret meditation, and prayer,-domestic devotion,-the public services of the sanctuary,—all are means of his appointment, designed and fitted to build up the souls of his people in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation. By these he strengthens the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, enlightening the ignorant, comforting the mourners in Zion, bringing back the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,-and thus training them for glory, honour, and immortality in heaven. 6 THIRTIETH DAY.-MORNING. 'But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life,' Rom. vi. 22. By nature all men are in bondage to sin, and consequently are, in that wretched and miserable state, the servants, or rather slaves of Satan. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey,' ver. 16. And till we are truly convinced of the guilt and danger of this our fallen condition, we can neither appreciate nor embrace the deliverance which the gospel brings. For this reason, it is that in the opening chapter of the Epistle to which the text belongs, Paul is at so much pains to stop every mouth and bring in the whole world as guilty before God. That humiliating fact must be first understood, believed and felt, before a way can be made for the preaching of Christ crucified. It is the prophet's roll, written within and without with lamentation and mourning and woe, which the sinner must eat, and with the bitterness of which he must be filled, before ever Christ can become, in his mouth, as honey for sweetness.' It is the dry and parched land through which he must pass ere he can ever know what it is to pant after the water brooks of a finished and a free salvation. It is the voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, like the noise of a mighty thunder, proclaiming the terrors of avenging justice, that must first rouse him from his death-like slumber, that his ear may be ready to welcome the gentler sound of the harpers harping with their harps,' that he may be moved to listen with gratitude and joy to the messengers of mercy proclaiming 'peace on earth and good-will to men.' 3. But while his care and kindness extend to all 'the flock,'-while he follows after every wanderer from the fold,-seeking diligently until he find him, laying him on his shoulders and bringing him in safety home, not leaving even so much as one single individual of those whom the Father hath given him 'to stumble on the dark mountains' and perish,-while the Saviour's love and faithfulness thus reach to all who believe in his name, he feels and manifests a peculiar interest in young disciples. They are 'the lambs of his flock.' He gathers them with his arm, and carries them in his bosom.' He knows their tender frame,-how ill able they are to withstand the rude blasts of temptation with which the devil, the flesh, and the world combine to assail them. But as their day is so shall their strength be. 'I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me,' Prov. viii. 17. Even in earliest infancy he desires and commands that the young should be given unto God. Suffer,' says he, the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven,' Luke xviii. 17. What encouragement is there in such language to Christian parents, to travail, as it were, in birth again, till Christ be formed in the hearts of their offspring the hope of glory. If the Saviour himself is so deeply concerned for the spiritual well-being of youthful disciples,—if he watches for their souls with so tender a love,—if he has given them assurances of his fostering care and unwearied kindness so strong and comforting,-why should their earthly guardians fail or be discouraged. He knows, and sympathizes in all their anxieties, he enters But these good news and glad tidings' of with more than paternal solicitude into all their great joy which it was Paul's chiefest delight 'to feelings, he hears their most secret prayers, publish unto all people,' the perversity and imwhen in silence and solitude they are wrestling piety of man, not content with despising and with God in fervent supplications that the objects setting them at nought, strove to cover with of their affection may be kept from the evil that reproach and dishonour. The doctrines of free is in the world, and saved with an everlasting grace,-the glorious and marvellous scheme of salvation. The Good Shepherd, the Great Shep- redemption through the righteousness of Christ, herd, the Chief Shepherd, is 'touched' with a without works of the law,-was vilified and |