life and immortality to light; and in every age thousands of the greatest and best of men have openly acknowledged its claims, bowed to its authority, and rejoiced in its utterances. Moreover, it invites, yea, earnestly urges, the most thorough examination. It says, "Search the scriptures "—" Prove all things," and, " Hold fast that which is good."

Such being its character, and such, too, the scrutiny it demands, we might well be justified in expecting that all men would give it a fair and candid perusal. Nevertheless, it is a startling fact that of those who reject the Bible the vast majority have never even once read it through from beginning to end, nor any part of it otherwise than with hasty and thoughtless glance. It is not thus they deal with other books widely approved and professedly of value. They do not read a few pages here and there hurriedly one week, and afterwards at random a few pages more another week. On the contrary, with patience and care they read them through and through, and it may be again and again, before they venture to pronounce a final and authoritative judgment. If men would but so deal with the Word of God, humbly praying at the same time for promised help and guidance, avowed unbelievers would be hard to find.

"I have spent most of my life," said one, "in reading and expounding the Bible, but every time I read it through it seems as if I had never seen it before; it is so new, so rich, so varied-the truth flashing from a thousand unexpected and undiscovered points above the brightness of the sun. If any one does not believe the Bible, he has never read it through; he may have read a little here and there, with general commentaries and criticisms between, but he

has not read the whole. Once two men said, 'We will disprove the conversion of Paul.' They read it through, and wrote a book in proof of it."

"He alone who hath

The Bible need not stray;

But he who hath and will not give
That light of life to all who live,

Himself shall lose the way."

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.-PROV. xxx. 5.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.-Ps. cxix. 130.

W

September 12.

THE TROUBLERS AND THE TROUbled.

HEREVER God has a people to serve him, there will always be some inclined and stirred up to trouble and afflict them; for it is plainly made known beforehand that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." It has been so in the past, and it will continue to be so till the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.

Such times are both trying and perilous, for they sorely test faith as well as patience. This is especially the case when believers not only see truth and righteousness openly trodden under foot, but evil men in full prosperity and ease. Instead, however, of allowing themselves to doubt a present providence on this account, they should only thereby be made the more fully assured of a future and righteous judgment. Accordingly, an old divine says:

"The saints' sufferings are an ocular demonstration of a future judgment, wherein all their wrongs shall be redressed, and all their labours of love recompensed. This held John's head above water, when else he had been overwhelmed with his flood of affliction." In the end it shall go hard with the wicked; and as certainly in the end also it shall go infinitely well with the righteous. For their comfort it is expressly written, "To you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels."

The rest of Canaan was only a shadow of good things to come a dim type of a grand reality. The real restsure, perfect, and abiding-is yet in the future, and will only be experienced in its fulness at the coming of the Lord. And when he comes it will be a rest shared in by all the redeemed, and be all the sweeter on that very account. They do not rest apart, but together. It is "rest with us," says the apostle.

Christ and his cross," said the saintly Rutherford, “are not separable in this life; howbeit, Christ and his cross part at heaven's door, for there is no room for crosses in heaven. One tear, one sigh, one sad heart, one fear, one loss or thought of trouble cannot find lodgings there; they are but marks of our Lord down in this wide inn and stormy country on this side of death."

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted.— MICAH ii. 10.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.-HEB. iv. 1.

IN

September 13.

THE SAD ALIKENESS OF MEN.

N the third chapter of the Epistle to the Romans it is the express design of the apostle to prove that not only the lawless Gentile, but the law-breaking Jew, is guilty before God. "What then?" he asks; "are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin "-"There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

It is not said that all have equally transgressed, and are equally guilty. There are degrees in sin, and the Bible recognizes the fact; for while it represents some as owing but fifty pence, it speaks of others as owing five hundred. And as there are degrees in the guilt, so in the end will there be degrees in the punishment. This fact, too, Scripture recognizes; for it speaks of a beating with few stripes in the case of some, and a beating with many in that of others.

But whatever the difference in these respects, all are alike in this,-in being convicted offenders, proved violators of the divine law. From the absolute perfection of his nature, God could not give other than a perfect law. And so perfect is it, that, as one says, "It stands on earth a pillar of light and glory, a specimen of God, to tell us that he himself is holy, just, and good. And nothing short of a complete fulfilment can meet its requirements; for thus it is written, 'Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.'" Obviously, therefore, any failure, great or small, in heart

or life, involves us in guilt, and brings us under condemnation. And as, more or less, such failure is universal, salvation by the law is utterly impossible. But, through the riches of divine grace, what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God has done by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and "for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

"Thy pains, not mine, O Christ,

Upon the shameless tree,
Have paid the law's full price,

And purchased peace for me."

"No," she

"Ah, you will "Christ did all

Some time ago, a valued Christian friend was visiting a poor sickly widow woman. After conversing for a little she asked her if she had found salvation yet. replied; "but I am working hard for it." never get it in that way," my friend said. the working when he suffered and died for us, and made complete atonement for our sins. You must take salvation solely as a gift of free, unmerited grace, else you can never have it at all." The poor woman was at first amazed beyond measure at this, and felt for the moment as if all hope had been taken from her; but very soon the enlightenment came, and she was enabled to rest joyously on Christ alone. When speaking afterwards of the friend who had been so helpful, she said, "Oh how I will welcome her into heaven, for she guided me to the Saviour."

God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,...that we might receive the adoption of sons.-GAL. iv. 4, 5.

By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.-ACTS xiii. 39.