tianity and its fundamental doctrines, are almost persuaded to renounce idolatry, and cast in their lot with the people of God. But there, alas! to the grief of those who are thirsting for their salvation, they deliberately

and persistently pause. And why? Not because of

lacking evidence, or any remaining doubts, but simply because they shrink from the cross and the shame and persecutions that would follow. They have light enough to be almost persuaded, but not strength enough to be thoroughly decided.

With multitudes in our own land, alas! it is just the same. Their faces seem Zionward, their convictions are frequent, and many an anxious inquiry comes from their lips. But they never get beyond this. They are almost, but never altogether Christians. There is always something they will not give up. Though expressly told that they cannot both close with Christ and continue in sin, they still attempt the impossibility. Some evil things, perhaps, after considerable struggle, they might surrender; but to give up the wedge of gold, the Babylonish garment, or, to speak without figure, to give up besetting and longcherished sins, would be like rending asunder body and spirit; and rather than consent to such a severance, they go on risking their eternal all.

With others the hindrance is not so much something they will not give up, as something they will not accept, and that something is salvation as a gift-free, full, and absolutely unmerited; and so, when the door is finally shut, it is not within that they are found, but without.

In the life of a tree, one sometimes sees a little ivy shoot gradually entwine itself around the stem. For

years they grow together, and the stately tree seems almost to be more luxuriant clad in the green foliage of the ivy. But at length the vital resources of the tree become exhausted; it withers and dies. Many forget that sin is an ivy more fatal still; for what it ruins is an immortal soul. To spare the one is eter

nally to destroy the other.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.-ACTS xxvi. 28, 29.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.-MAtt. vi. 24.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.-ISA. lv. 6.

February 12.

IN SPITE OF ITS DARK LOOK, TEMPTATION OFTEN
SERVES A BRIGHT END.

OF

the many temptations and trials which beset God's children, some are light and transient in their nature, others severe and prolonged; some are mainly outward in their character, others inward and spiritual; some peculiar to youth, while others belong exclusively

to age.

Though often linked together, there is yet a difference between temptation and trial. With the former we invariably associate the idea of incitement to sin, through the wiles of our adversary, but not with the latter. It is true that every trial is in one sense a temptation to murmuring, hard thoughts, and distrust. It is true, besides, that every temptation is a trial of the sincerity of our profession, and the thoroughness of our loyalty to our

great Lord and Master. But whatever the difference in these respects, this much can be said of all of them, that though never in themselves joyous, but grievous, they are yet divinely permitted, and can be so graciously overruled as to work together for highest good. Indeed, for a good man anything is good that strips the world of its charms, abases his pride, teaches him the meaning of Scripture, exercises his faith, brightens his hope, and thereby makes him long more ardently for his heavenly home. Accordingly, James, when writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, said, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

It is said of a saintly man in medieval times that in a season of temptation the great adversary suggested to him that he was a reprobate, and persuaded him to take his fill of all the pleasures of this life, because he was excluded from every future joy with God in heaven. "No," replied the good man; "not so, Satan. If I : must not enjoy God after this life, let me enjoy him as much as I can in this life."

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.-Matt. xxvi. 41.

Lead us not into temptation.--MATT. vi. 13.

God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.-1 COR. x. 13.

February 13.

OUR FAITH MAY FAIL, BUT NEVER GOD'S WORD.

OUR

UR blessed Lord put great honour on the word. It received special mention from him in prayer: "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are......I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world...Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." It was his chosen weapon in conflict; and by a simple "It is written" he foiled the adversary in every assault. Besides, it was his daily delight to expound it to men, and apply it to their hearts, and carefully to note its varied fulfilment.

So should it be with every disciple. They should love the word, and meditate on it, and treasure it up both in memory and in heart; for it is only as they obtain a growing knowledge of it, and a growing faith in it, that they can rightly do the will of their Father, and go on their way rejoicing. But it is here where so many come short. Wanting faith, instead of taking God at his word like Abraham, and thereby glorifying his name, they are like Cleopas and his friend-" slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken."

Samuel Rutherford says: "We too often believe the promises as the man that read Plato's writings concerning the immortality of the soul. So long as the book was in his hand, he believed what was said; but as soon as he laid it down, he began to imagine that his soul was only an airy vapour that perisheth with the expiring of the

breath. It would greatly help to preserve us from this, and strengthen our faith, if we oftener compared Scripture with Scripture, and prediction with fulfilment."

Two rabbis, we are told, approaching Jerusalem, observed a fox running up the hill of Zion. Aged Rabbi Joshua wept, but Rabbi Eliezer laughed. "Wherefore dost thou weep?" demanded Eliezer. "I weep because I see what was written in the Lamentations fulfilled: 'Because of the mountain of Zion which is desolate, the foxes fall upon it.'" "And therefore do I laugh," said Rabbi Eliezer; "for when I see with my own eyes that God has fulfilled his threatenings to the letter, I have thereby a pledge that not one of his promises shall fail, for he is ever more ready to show mercy than judgment."

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.-ISA. xl. 8.

Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.JOSHUA Xxiii. 14.

February 14.

THROUGH INTENSITY OF unbelief, GREAT JUDGMENTS ARE USUALLY GREAT SURPRISES.

GOD has no pleasure in the death of the sinner, and

therefore he is slow to anger; yet being righteous as well as gracious, holy as well as loving, though he bears long with transgressors, he will not bear always. Judgment is his strange work, yet it is his work, as will be clearly seen when the fitting time has come.

The saying, that it is the unexpected which happens, is