JANUARY 4.

And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.— LUKE XXIV. 27.

If the loss of any works is to be regretted, surely, the loss of these discourses of our Saviour in the days of his flesh, is more to be regretted than any other that can be imagined. What would we not give, for instance, for this exposition of the prophecies, wherein was explained their whole application to himself? So we think within ourselves; and yet how little do we value those discourses which we really have, and which have been transmitted to us just as our Lord delivered them, his sermon on the mount and on other occasions. How little do we value them in proportion to their real merit, and to the value we should have set upon them, had we been told, that such a discourse had been delivered and lost. Let us learn hence to esteem the word of Christ, remembering that there is quite enough left for us to enlighten us in the way of salvation; and that anything more would be rather for the satisfaction of our own curiosity, than the confirmation of our faith. If they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe any further revelation. We want no new truths, but only a further experience of such as we know. We want no new testimony, but a more confirmed belief of that which we have already received, "that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners," of whom each individual should think himself chief.

JANUARY 5.

It is the Lord !-JOHN XXI. 7.

How much is implied in these words! The grand difficulty in all our experience, is, to realize the hand of God. When we can do this, whether in evil or good, it reconciles us mightily to the one, and enhances the other. It is only as his gift that anything is really good, or can do us good; and, therefore, when we can say, "It is the Lord," that gave me this thing, we have said all that can be said to give it value. The giver is the continuer. He is of one mind, and none can turn him ;-no, not we ourselves, to withdraw his mercies from us. His gifts and calling are without repentance, even as he himself is without variableness or shadow of turning. When, again, any evil, or apparent evil befalls, how much does it enable us to bear it patiently, when we can believe that the hand of the Lord is in it. This is true, whether we believe it or not; but the comfort is in the apprehension-in believing that God takes notice of us-that nothing befalls us but by his divine permission, and that he will permit nothing but for our good. Nothing shall by any means hurt you. No; let it appear ever so hurtful in itself, yet shall it not hurt the people of God. His eye is ever upon them, and his ear is open unto their prayers. To him be glory.

JANUARY 6.

He knew what was in man!-JOHN II. 25.

IT is matter of great consolation to us in all our exercises, that the Lord knoweth exactly whereof we are made. He can be "touched with the feeling of our infirmities, having been tempted in all points like as we, yet without sin.' But not only so he knoweth all the motions of our hearts, he knoweth that we have in us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, and therefore he hath made provision for us in the covenant of grace, that we should not turn away from him. Yea, he hath promised to put his fear in our hearts, and to keep it there; and however deceitful they may be, yet he knoweth all things, and knoweth their deceitfulness. "He knoweth what is in man;" and, notwithstanding all this, he hath undertaken for us, to bring us safe to glory, and to keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation. Neither does he know only what is in our hearts, but also what is in the hearts of others towards us; he knoweth all their designs however secret, and is able to frustrate them in our behalf. In short, he knows exactly our situation and circumstances, both outward and inward. He sees us at all times, and he can look into our hearts, and read our distresses; and, what is more, he can remedy them.

JANUARY 7.

And his raiment became shining; exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.-MARK IX. 3.

Is not this emblematical of that righteousness which exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, as much as the whiteness of Jesus' raiment exceeded that of any earthly raiment? It is indeed the righteousness of God, and is as glorious as the Divine nature can make it. Every action depends much for its value on the dignity of him who performs it. The same act, for instance, which would be an act of condescension in the one, would be an act of presumption and impertinence in another.What value then does it put on the righteousness of Christ, that it is not the righteousness of a creature only, but that the created nature of Christ was in union with the everlasting Godhead; that being in the form of God, not thinking it robbery to be equal with God, he yet took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death, and that the death of the cross. Who would not rather rest his salvation on this obedience than on any righteousness of the creature, however refined who would not rather appear before the throne of God in this raiment, whitened as no fuller on earth can whiten it, than in the miserable rags of his own righteousness.

JANUARY 8.

Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.-PSALM LXXVII. 19.

How marvellous are the providences of God, and by what unforeseen ways does he bring about his purposes. Every believer, on looking back, may trace the footsteps of Divine Providence, in the ordering of his affairs, so far beyond any contrivance of his own, that he may well exclaim with the prophet, "His footsteps are not known." They are only to be known, indeed, by looking back upon them, for we cannot possibly anticipate the means by which his providence will accomplish his ends, but on the contrary, he generally makes use of such means as we had no conception of; so making foolish the wisdom of the wise, and bringing to nought the understanding of the prudent. The mysteries of providence are only surpassed by the mysteries of grace, which indeed surpass them as much in their admirable nature as they do in their importance, so that out of death comes life, and righteousness instead of sin; nor do we ever perhaps, appear, farther off the divine end, than when righteousness is first revealed to our souls. "The law entered that the offence might abound,”—and so difficulties in providence enter that the deliverance may appear more conspicuous, and that the blessing coming by a contrary wind, we may know to whom to refer it.