That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God....Rom. iii. 19.

In our natural state we are ever most backward to take guilt to ourselves, most skilful at self-excuses, most averse to self-examination, because we dread self-condemnation; hence we are ever prone to pass judgment at the bar of pride and carnal reason upon the truths of God, because we think they are against us. O what is there in such stout-hearted rebels, who are far from righteousness, to invite down the blessed Spirit to enlighten our minds! It is by his special mercy we see the spirituality and extent of God's holy law: though in it we see nothing but justice with a drawn sword, and mercy with a veiled face, yet it cuts off all glorying in the flesh, stops the mouth of pride and arrogance, and leaves the poor sinner under a sense of guilt, and subjects him to the judgment of God. To such, the sound of mercy how welcome! the proclamation of grace how joyful! the name of Jesus how precious! the way of salvation by him how acceptable! How willingly do such desire to be eternally indebted to free grace! How dead do such become to former legal hopes! Expectation from their fulfilling terms and conditions is cut off; grace freely given, mercy richly bestowed through Jesus, becomes the subject of all their hope, the matter of all their glorying. Now it is not, What have I done? How have I behaved? but, What hath Jesus done! What a glorious salvation hath he wrought! 'I am a poor sinner, stript of all, now bow to the sovereignty of God, adore his electing love, admire God's salvation, sit humbly at the feet of Jesus, dwell on the wonders of his love and sufferings on Calvary's mount, thankfully receive the testimony of Jesus from the Spirit, and give the ever-gracious THREE all the glory of what I am in time," and of what I hope to be in eternity.' When the soul is become guilty in its own sight, the mouth is thus stopped: every self-righteous plea is silenced. When the sinner thus sees himself, he is quite out of conceit with himself.

Thus the law is good if a man use it lawfully; but if the Lamb's wife seek to the law, as a woman to her husband, to get comfort from it, and life by obedience to it, verily this is not continuing a chaste virgin to Jesus. We shall then cease to bring forth fruit unto God; but we shall be, as God complains of Israel of old, "an empty vine, who bringeth forth fruit unto himself."....Hosea x. 1. We shall grow delighted with ourselves, and imagine we have that within us to talk of and glory in, instead of the work of Jesus, for us. But thus saith the Lord, "Thou shalt remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou hast done."....Ezek. xvi. 63.

Jesus said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.... John xi. 4.

IT frequently happens, that intervening occurrences seem to contradict the truths of God. Therefore if we judge from sight and appearance, we shall be often deceived. God's word alone is the rule of faith; what he has declared shall certainly come to pass, however repugnant it may seem to carnal reason. Thus our Saviour declares of Lazarus, "This sickness is not unto death:" yet he afterwards told his disciples plainly, "Lazarus is dead:" and Jesus found him in the grave, where he had lain four days. But Jesus, who had power over death and the grave, knew his own intention of raising him, both for the glory of the Father, as well as glorifying himself. This was the great end of his coming into the world; therefore in the life, and by the death of Jesus, glory redounds "to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good-will to men."

Did Jesus love Lazarus? Did his compassionate eye drop a tear of affection over his friend's grave? O what an innumerable company of poor sinners did his loving eyes behold, who, like Lazarus, were not only to all appearances past hope, but actually "dead in trespasses and sins!" but he says of them also, "This sickness is not unto death." Eternal death shall not have the dominion over them; but he would get glory to God, and glorify himself in quickening and raising all God's chosen ones, all his dearly beloved members.

On the death of Lazarus "Jesus wept: he groaned within himself;" and he cried to his Father. How must the heart of Lazarus be inflamed with love to his dear Lord for giving him a second life! O believer! the raising thy soul from a death of sin to a life of righteousness, cost thy Saviour not only a sigh, a tear, a groan, a prayer; but agonies, sweats of blood, tortures beyond thought, sufferings beyond expression. His immaculate heart's blood he freely poured forth for our sins, to procure the life, and to obtain the salvation of our souls. Canst thou think of this love without reflecting on thy misery? O hard heart! O cruel unbelief! How little affected with such love as none but God could shew! Is this thy pain and sickness? Come, then, that the Son of God may be yet more glorified in thee, bring thy hard heart to the feet of Jesus, and confess thy unbelief to him with this humble cry, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." '.... Mark ix. 24.

Come, happy souls, approach your God So strange, so boundless was the love

With new melodious songs;

Come, tender to almighty grace

The tribute of your tongues.

That pity'd dying men,

The Father sent his equal Son

To give them life again.

Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not.... Jer. xlv. 5.

THE glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the noble army of martyrs, every member of the church of Christ in every age, were called to deny and mortify self. In this there is no difference: all are equally clothed with the same corrupt nature, are men of like passions, and are therefore in danger of selfseeking, and of having their affections attracted from Jesus, to the alluring objects of this present evil world. The scripture has recorded a very short chapter of the prophet Baruch's conduct. On reading this we may truly look within, around us, and then look and cry, "Lord, what is man?" and with astonishment may add, "that thou art mindful of him."

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Yea, what is every Baruch (i. e. blessed man) who bends the knee to Jesus, and is renewed in the spirit of his mind? Alas! he is still of the earth, earthly, prone to cleave to the dust, ready to seek great things for himself, from the objects of time and sense. have thought, just at a time when the prophet had been reading the dreadful roll, full of mourning, lamentation and woe, which were shortly to come upon the kingdom, this would have entirely curbed every carnal desire after selfish views and earthly glory. But no; the lusts of the flesh can only be mortified by the power of the Spirit. Jeremiah is sent with a loving warning and tender prohibition to Baruch: Is this a time for self-seeking, instead of thy master's glory? What! aspire after worldly honor and dignity in a time of threatened ruin: be wise; know thy station; act in character.'

Here, O Christian, see the picture of thy own corrupt nature. Know thyself; consider, thou also art in the body: remember, "in thy flesh dwelleth no good thing." Though under threatened ruin and destruction, yet it will lust after such things which are agreeable to its carnal state. Never say with Hazael, "Am I a dog that I should act thus and thus?" Beware of the deceitful reasonings of the flesh. It has ever plausible pleas to urge for its gratifications. Selfseeking is one of the lusts of the flesh. All views that arise from self, centre in self, and tend to please self, are contrary to fellowship in Jesus. If self is indulged, it will prove like a pampered steed, to run away with thy spirit from thy beloved. Therefore he asketh, "Seekest thou great things for thyself?" he forbids; "Seek them not." What will it profit thee if thou couldst gain the whole world and lose sweet peace with God, comfortable communion with Jesus, and the joyful fellowship of the Holy Ghost?" "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon....Matt. vi. 24.

Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me....John xiv. 1.

JESU Comforted the heart of a sorrowful widow by restoring her dead son to life again. Could he not also, by the power of his Spirit, consolate the hearts of his dear disciples, without preaching outward rules and directions to them? Plainly he will be heard as our prophet. Those disciples only, who obey the word of his doctrine, shall enjoy the consolations of his love. So it seemeth good to our Lord to teach; so it is necessary for us to believe. Troubles are the common lot of God's dearest children: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." ....Psalm xxxiv. 19. They feel and groan under heart troubles, which strangers know not of; inward disquietudes, which carnal men are utterly free from, are oft amazed to hear of; and are ready to hug themselves, and thank God they are not troubled about. Ah, this inward insensibility is a bad sign! But disciples' troubles are Jesus' concerns. He has a remedy against them: he will give comfort under them. Believing in an absolute God will not do this. Nay, the glory of his majesty, the greatness of his power, the perfection of his justice, &c. appear in dread array against us. We dare not think of God out of Christ, knowing ourselves to be poor sinners. Therefore, says Jesus, "Believe also in me." Believe my humanity: that I became MAN for your sakes, died for your salvation, and am risen again in your nature to pray for you. Remember the covenant that is established between the Father and me on your account. When thoughts arise in your mind, and your poor hearts are troubled. with finding you are still but "unprofitable servants," you see much cause for sorrow, mourn and complain that there are many things amiss in you; that you do not believe so perfectly, love so comfortably, obey so cheerfully as you wish; yet ever remember, I am your Mediator before the throne; you stand not in the Father's love for your works' sake; but the Father is ever well pleased with me. He loves you, and is well pleased with you for my sake. Do not distress your poor hearts. Sorrow not as without hope; but believe in me and be comforted. You have no sin, but my blood dearly atoned for; you want no perfection, but what my righteousness supplies; you stand in need of no holiness and conformity to me, but what the blessed Spirit bestows. Thus believe on me as your living head, thus daily look on yourselves as my dear members, thus live on me and honor me as your Lord, and glorify me as your only Saviour. This is to obey Christ's command. Thus is the troubled heart comforted. This is our sweetest privilege. We should be concerned to make this our daily employ on earth. Shortly all our troubles and sorrows shall end, for "we shall meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord: wherefore comfort one another with these words."....1 Thess. iv. 17, 18.

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible. for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before .us....Heb. vi. 18.

It is the glory of the gospel that it reveals glad tidings to hopeless, helpless sinners. It finds nothing in us to entitle us to the favor of God: but it brings all hope and consolation to the soul, founded upon the most absolute promises, and the strongest assurance of an immutable God. As verily as it is impossible for the God of truth to lie or forswear himself, so is it impossible for any of the heirs of promise to perish. Such is the blessed hope before us. Happy'souls, who have fled to Jesus for refuge, and have laid hold of this hope! Henceforward nothing but consolation, strong consolation, ariseth to such poor sinners from the word of truth. This hope can never fail them; whatever within or without fluctuates or changes, this never can.

This hope is ever to be held fast, even though appearances wear a gloomy aspect, sense of comfort declines, feelings of joy seem dead, and all hope from ourselves forsakes us. But, Father, thy mercies never die; thy counsel shall stand; thy oath cannot fail. Hope in these is an anchor to the soul. Whatever storms or tempests are without, or when the swelling waves of corruption lift up their voice within, yet the God of hope is mightier than all, and the christian hope riseth above all; therefore is it sure and steady. It is cast out of sight within the veil. By this blessed hope of the gospel, poor, sin-condemned, soul-distressed sinners, are kept steady to Jesus, and find a comfortable and secure refuge. And that precious Spirit, who shews them their danger, and guides them to safety, causeth the joy of hope to spring up in their souls. They enjoy hope in themselves concerning their own state towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ, even a good hope through grace: and they are made to abound in hope by the power of the Holy Ghost. O this is a comforting, operative grace! it leads the soul to expect all that God has promised, even all the blessings of the everlasting covenant of grace, which flow to us from the life and death of Jesus; all are secured by the immutable counsel and solemn oath of an unchangeable God, both for time and eternity. And as a fruit and evidence that it is a holy, godly hope, it influences the soul in obedience to all the Lord's commands. "Every man that has this hope in him, purifies himself even as God is pure.".... 1 John iii. 3.

Thus Jesus is the only and alone object through whom God reveals the hope of salvation. His work is finished. It is our happiness to believe this, and to rejoice in the hope it affords us. Christ is therefore ever to be looked to, and daily trusted in. And the more thou art exercised in this way, so much the more inward hope and joyful consolation will be experienced in the soul. thee:"....Psalm xxxix. 7.

"My hope is in