laid upon Christ the iniquity of us all, and that the trusting soul therefore has nothing to fear. He is the true Sin-bearer, at once divinely chosen and divinely willing; and it was when feeling the weight of his people's iniquities, and the hiding of his Father's face, as he hung on the cross as their substitute, that he uttered the bitter cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" How infinite the love that could so have suffered that we might be saved!

In ancient times there were some sins for which no sacrifice was appointed, and which therefore could not be purged away by any ceremonial oblations whatever. But there are no sins, blessed be God, however deep their dye or millionfold their number, from which we may not be justified by faith in Jesus. As all the iniquities of the children of Israel which were confessed and laid upon. the head of the goat were borne away and heard of no more, so all the sin and guilt laid in faith upon Jesus he taketh entirely away. To mark the blessed completeness of this, the sin-laden goat was not merely sent away beyond the camp, but even beyond all sight and track of man, into a land wild and uninhabited, there to remain unseen and forgotten till it finally perished.

Could brighter picture be given of the full and enduring pardon so graciously secured to us? It is no mere respite we get through Christ, but an eternal acquittal. On believing, our sins are for ever put away, and so effectually that even death and judgment, however nigh, should awaken no fear.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.-JOHN i. 29.

We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.-EPH. i. 7.

Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.-REV. i. 5, 6.

W

April 27.

IN SOUL-WINNING BE SLOW TO DESPAIR.

HEN the Great Physician came to the land of Gennesaret, it is recorded not only that the men of that place sent out into all the country round about and brought unto him all that were diseased, but also that as many of them as touched him were made perfectly whole.

Now, we are repeatedly and emphatically told that what our Lord did then for the bodies of men, he is able and willing to do for their immortal souls. This great fact, however, is often but half believed, even by Christian men who would fain be soul-winners, especially when difficulties arise, and longed-for results do not at once appear. In connection with the young, it may be, they show little or no despondency; but when addressing themselves to the aged, with their confirmed habits and rooted prejudices, hope seems to fail them altogether.

But why should this be? The aged at Gennesaret were sick and diseased as well as the young when the Great Physician was there; yet, when brought to him in faith by kindly friends, they were healed, and effectually, even as others. So it may be with the aged still. In spite of long years of alienation from God, the hoaryheaded and infirm, if only brought in faith to Jesus, may become blessed monuments of saving grace.

It

may be mainly in early life that souls are savingly won, nevertheless there are well-known instances of true conversion at seventy, eighty, and even ninety years of age. It is said of the late Lord Lyndhurst, that his saving enlightenment came in his ninetieth year. Not till then did he really bow the knee to Jesus and pass. from death to life.

Those, therefore, who would be eminently successful in soul-winning must be slow to despair. This is the testimony of one who recently died in the faith of the gospel: Under God, I owe my conversion to you; not through anything special that you said, but because you never would give up hope of me."

Even if inquirers should turn wholly away from us, we may reach them " by the way of the throne."

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.-1 TIM. i. 15, 16.

God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.— MATT. iii. 9.

THERE

April 28.

ENLIGHTENED GRATITUDE.

HERE are few, save avowed Atheists, who do not sometimes thank God, but for what?-a safe voyage, it may be, a good harvest, a recovery from sickness, an increasing prosperity, or an extending fame; and there they stop, never in any case going beyond the circle of time and sense.

With enlightened believers, however, it is otherwise.

While grateful even for the least of God's mercies, it is ever the graces of the Spirit and the grand blessings and hopes of the gospel that mainly evoke their warmest thanksgivings. "We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," says the apostle, "praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven."

His thanksgiving was first of all for "faith in Christ Jesus." Faith regards all the truth revealed by God in Holy Scripture. This is its general object. But the object of justifying faith is Christ Jesus as set forth in the gospel. "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son." Faith, therefore, has principally to do with the Saviour; and moved and influenced by it, we not only trustfully look to him, but we build upon him as our foundation, and enter him as our refuge, and glory in him as our righteousness and strength, yea, and as all our salvation, and all our desire.

There is thanksgiving also for "love to all the saints." "We must," says Matthew Henry, "bear an extensive kindness and good-will to good men, notwithstanding lesser points of difference and many real weaknesses." This is true; but, alas! many fail to do this. They can love within their own circle, but not without it. They can love in the absence of defects, but not in spite of them. They can love the great and eminent among saints, but not the lowly and obscure. These are sad shortcomings, and we must carefully guard against them. Finally, there was thanksgiving for "hope." This is a grace in which some are greatly wanting, and therefore,

though safe, they never have the comfort of their safety, and too often they go on their way songless and with harp untuned. Another reason for this joylessness is, that instead of casting every burden on the great Burdenbearer, they go climbing upwards with some of the heaviest of them on their own shoulders. Cast off thy burden now:

"So shalt thou climb yon hill

Up to its steepest height,
Like eagle of the rock,

With easy, joyous flight;
So shalt thou bear the toils

Thy God appoints to thee;
So shalt thou serve thy God
In happy liberty."

I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.-Roм. i. 8.

Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints.-PHILEMON 5.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. -1 COR. XV. 19.

IN

April 29.

THE LOVING INTEREST OF LARGE HEARTS.

N their views and feelings, some are so restricted and narrow that they can think and speak of family and kindred only. This is their world; and little though it be, it bounds all their vision, and they have not a thought beyond it. Others, again, are so diffusively wide and general in their sympathies, that though professedly interested in mankind, they do nothing whatever for individual men. But the great apostle of the Gentiles fell into neither of these extremes. His vision was such that it could take in the distant, and yet not miss the