A Goodly Heritage

The freedom of God's calling and drawing men unto His Son; that it follows not the track of human appearances and external engagements. Strangers are brought from far to worship Christ, and are glad at his birth. His own, amongst whom, and those particularly for whom, he was born, were not rejoiced, yea, were troubled at it; so far were they from receiving him as their king, and worshipping him. And strange, that having resolved the Magis question, they all sit still, for anything we find, and not one is so taken with it, as to take share of the small latter end of their long journey, and to go some miles off, to see so great and matchless a wonder! Thus, many who are far off in their ways, are humbled and brought to Christ, and those who in external profession seemed always near to him, are still far off: arest the church, (as ye say,) farthest from God. My brethren, rest not on your outward relations, your interest in the ordinances and profession of religion, but see how your he

A Sermon On Religious Revival Psalm 118:25 C. Short What is a revival of religion? In general terms it is synonymous with the prosperity here prayed for; or the wider salvation implied in the "Save now, I beseech thee!" If this was a psalm composed for the opening of the second temple, as is likely, after the return from exile, we can see plainly what the "saving" and "prosperity" mean - a renewal of more than the faith and heroic words of the patriarchs, warriors, psalmists, and prophets of former days - a renewal that should embrace the whole of the people. I. A REVIVAL, WHETHER INDIVIDUAL OR NATIONAL, SUPPOSES AN ANTECEDENT RELIGION, THE POWER OF WHICH HAS DECLINED OR BEEN LOST. The spirit of our relation to Christ has evaporated, and left little but the forms of Christianity. "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love; Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead;" "Thy works are not perfect before God;"

The word calls, but the Spirit draws, not severed from that word, but working in it, and by it. It is a very difficult work to draw a soul out of the hands and strong chains of Satan, and out of the pleasing entanglements of the world, and out of its own natural perverseness, to yield up itself to God,—to deny itself, and live to Him, and in so doing, to run against the mainstream, and the current of the ungodly world without, and corruption within. The strongest rhetoric, the most moving and persuasive way of discourse, is all too weak; the tongue of men or angels cannot prevail with the soul to free itself, and shake off all that detains it. Although it be convinced of the truth of those things that are represented to it, yet still it can and will hold out against it, and say, Non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris—You shall not persuade me, even though you convince me. The hand of man is too weak to pluck any soul out of the crowd of the world, and to set it in amongst the select numbe

The Old Testament is proved by the New. Christ divides the whole Old Testament into Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms; and thereby declares them all to be canonical, Luke xxiv. 44. That was then the usual way by which the Jews did divide the Old Testament. And here in the text Abraham sends Dives' brethren to Moses and the Prophets. And Christ, mentioning a place out of the Psalms, bears witness to the whole Old Testament under the name of" The Scripture:" "The Scripture cannot be broken," John x. 34, 35. And we find particular parts of the Old Testament proved in the New. In Matt. v., Christ confirms the Law of Moses, as to its divine authority, when he explains it; beside other places, in which he speaks of some particular laws. In Matt. xii. 38-42, and Luke iv. 25-27, and especially Heb. xi., the historical part of the Scripture is confirmed. And how many testimonies have we out of the Psalms and Prophets everywhere which do the same! The twelve lesser prop

The height of this our Saviour’s glory will appear the more, if we reflect on the descent from which he ascended to it. Oh! how low did we bring down so high a Majesty, into the pit wherein we had fallen, by climbing to be higher than he had set us! It was high indeed, as we were fallen so low, and yet he, against whom our sin was committed, came down to help us up again, and to take hold of us, — took us on; so the word is, [ἐπιλαμβάνεται] Heb. ii. 16. He “took not hold of the angels,”—let them go, hath left them to die for ever—“but he took hold of the seed of Abraham,” and took on him indeed their flesh, dwelling amongst us, and in a mean part. He “emptied himself,” [ἐκενωσε], Phil. ii. 7. and became of no repute. And further, after he descended to the earth, and into our flesh, in it he became “obedient to death” upon the cross, and descended into the grave. And by these steps, he was walking towards that glory wherein he now is: “He abased himself; wherefore," says the apostl

The grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men. Titus 2:11. Here are three blessed and glorious truths. They demand the constant attention of our minds: they tend to sink into the deepest humility of heart, to excite the greatest joy of spirit, and to inspire the most ardent love and gratitude of soul. (1st.) Salvation. This was the council of heaven; the work of the Son of God; the wonder of angels; the envy of devils, and the glory of apostate, rebellious sinners—sinners, who were born with enmity of heart, rebellion of will, and hatred of affections against God: and who have manifested the enmity of their mind by wicked works; the rebellion of their will, by taking arms against the Lord; and the hatred of their affections, by refusing to lay them down, and submit unto him. O that precious word! full of wonder, grace, and love; “God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; when we were enemies, we yet sinners, Christ

Isa. xxii. 13. Let us eat and) drink, for to-morrow we shall die. A strange argument. Approach of death usually mars the taste of pleasure. The handwriting on the wall, even when not known, marred Belshazzar cheer, Dan. v. This is a very miserable and sinful case. It springs from men's being ignorant of the true remedy, when they were sick of sin; and because all the physic and physicians they used and tried did them no good, they conclude their sickness is unto death. But let such know, that there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Only come and see, and try what may be done. Beware of despair; it is the devil's sin, But he hath reason for it: for he is condemned; and all doors of hope are eternally shut upon him, or rather none was ever opened to him. But for a man that hath the riches of God's long suffering, forbearance, and patience, (Rom. ii. 4.), daily laid out upon him; that hath the door of grace set open to him, and the Lord calling, entreating, promising

In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of red wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs!" Psalm 75:8 It will help greatly to the right apprehension of this solemn subject, to notice that Christ is the speaker of these sober truths. They cannot, then, have been spoken harshly; they must have been uttered in all tenderness. This shall be in the day when He returns to judge the earth. It is He, meanwhile, who upholds all by the word of His power; He keeps the world from falling into ruin; He it is who sustains that blue firmament, as well as earths foundations, "I bear up the pillars thereof" — and were I to withhold my hand, all would tumble into ruin. Oh that an unthinking world would consider! Oh that fools would learn wisdom, and the proud fall down before their Lord. For the Judge shall surely come, with the cup of red wine in His hand — a cup of wrath, of which every rebellious one must drink to the dreg

There was no breath in them.* — Ezek. xxxyti. 8. This scene has two aspects (it contains an event and a troth) : the prophetical, which specially points to Israel's restoration in the latter day ; the spiritual, pointing to the case of individual souls, or churches, or congregations. There are four stages presented to us : (1) The bone -heaps in the valley, 'very dry;' (2) The gathering and reconstruction of these bones ; (3) The clothing with flesh, sinews, and skin ; (4) The infusion of breath, or life. It is through the last of these that the living man is constituted; and without it there is but the picture or statue of a man. The 'breath' is manifestly the 'life,' communicated by the Spirit of life. This life may have different stages ; but wherever it is, there is a true and complete man. The disciples had life before our Lord breathed on them, but then they obtained more. They had life before Pentecost, but then they obtained more. It was life that

"And O that all had taken this method ! for then there had been fewer apostacies. The religion of the land, and zeal for the land's engagements, are come to nothing but a supine, loathsome, and hateful formality; and there cannot be zeal, liveliness, and rightness, where people meet with persecution, and want heart-renovation. My soul trembles to think how little of regeneration there is amongst the ministers and professors of Scotland. O the ministers of Scotland, how have they betrayed Christ's interest and beguiled souls ! ' They have not entered in themselves, and them that were entering in, they hindered.' Tiiey have sold the things of Christ and liberties of His Church for a short and cursed quiet to themselves, which is now near an end ; and they are more one and at peace with God's enemies, after they have done all their mischiefs, nor than they were at first when they had but put hand to them. And I much fear, that though there were but one minister

When the time of his death drew near (which was in the month of August 1631), through age and infirmity he was mostly confined to his chamber, where he was frequently visited by his friends and acquaintances; and being on a certain time asked by one of them, How matters stood betwixt God and his soul? He made this return, "When I was young, I was diligent, and lived by faith on the Son of God; but now I am old, and am not able to do so much, yet he condescends to feed me with lumps of sense." And that morning before he was removed, his sickness being mostly a weakness through age, he came to breakfast and having as usual eaten an egg, he said to his daughters "I think I am yet hungry, ye may bring me another egg." But instantly thereafter, falling into deep meditation, and after having mused a little he said, "Hold, daughter, my Master calls me." With these words his sight failed him; and called for his family bible, but finding his sight had failed him, h

BIBLE. The internal character of this book, arising from its comprehensiveness, simplicity, majesty, and authority, sufficiently prove, to every enlightened mind, that it is given by inspiration of God. They who are competent judges of this evidence, are no more disturbed by the suggestions of some men reputed wise, that it is of human composition, than if they were told that men had invented the sun and placed it in the sky. Its fullness speaks its Author. No case has yet occurred, or ever will, for which there is not a sufficient provision made in this invaluable treasury. Here we may seek (and we shall not seek in vain) wherewith to combat and vanquish every error, to illustrate and confirm every spiritual truth. Here are promises suited to every need, directions adapted to every doubt, which can possibly arise. Here is milk for babes, meat for strong men, medicines for the wounded, refreshment for the weary. The general history of all nations and ages, and the particular experience

“Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee; or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?” --Job xii. 7-9. O for an understanding heart and a spiritual mind to read God’s book of nature as Job read it, deriving holy instruction from every page written on it by its Creator’s hand! We have received not only such “handwriting on the wall” of creation as Job saw, but the “interpretation thereof” in the “volume of the Book;” how diligent, then ought we to be to grow in grace and knowledge by all those means which God has so richly bestowed on us! All the objects of nature may remind us of teachings in God’s Word, if we have but the heart to receive them. The beasts of the field, the sheep and lambs, may remind us how we “like sheep have gone astray,” or may speak to us of Him who is “the Lamb of God.” The raven

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 E. Hurndall I. WITH FAITH. Many preach with despair and prepare the way for failure. We should reflect that the preaching of the gospel is the divinely appointed way for saving men. We are likely to have success if we lay hold of God when we seek to lay hold of men. Our own salvation furnishes abundant evidence of the Divine power to save. "God shined in our hearts" (ver. 6); "We obtained mercy" (ver. 1). What God has done for us he can do for others. And we have the Divine promise that the Word shall not return unto God void. "Light shall shine out of darkness" (ver. 6). We must seek a faith which will prevent us from fainting even when the outlook is darkest (ver. 1). If we have not faith, how can we expect our hearers to have it? II. WITH COURAGE. We must not faint because of foes. Many an assault upon strongholds has failed because of half-heartedness and cowardice. Preachers should be very bold and very brave. We have nothing to

Ephesians 4:26 W.F. Adeney I. ANGER IS A DUTY. 1. It is natural. The man who is never angry is lacking in moral fiber. Christ was sometimes angry (Mark 3:5). God is angry with the wicked (Psalm 7:11). 2. It is just. We cannot rightly rebuke evil without anger. Lies and cruelty should not be treated mildly. Christ would not have been faithful to righteousness if he had not shown indignation in response to hypocrisy. 3. It is useful. We may save a man by first being angry with him. A mild complacency may be the greatest cruelty to a bad man. Even when we cannot rouse the conscience of the guilty by anger we may protect the weak and wronged who claim our first sympathy. II. ANGER BRINGS A DANGER. It is the most perilous of duties even when it is obligatory. 1. It is in danger of being indulged for our own satisfaction instead of the resistance and checking of moral evil. Personal revenge is likely to usurp the place of righteous indignation. 2. It is in danger of running into excess

On sickness When any disease severely attacks us, we are ready to imagine that our trouble is almost peculiar to ourselves; attended with circumstances which have never been before experienced. So we think, but we are deceived. The same complaint has been formerly made; others have exceeded us in sufferings, as much as they have excelled us in patience and piety. There are disorders which make our beds uneasy. Some circumstances render the night particularly tedious to those who are sick. 1. Its darkness. Light is sweet. 2. Its solitariness. In the day the company and conversation of friends help to beguile the time. At night we are left alone. 3. Its confinement. In the day change of place and posture afford temporary relief. At night we are shut up, as it were, in a prison. 4. Its wakefulness. If we could get sleep we should welcome it as a very desirable blessing. It would render us, for a time, insensible to pain. Sometimes we cannot sleep. Suggest some useful reflections-- (1) Be

I will return to my place, saith the Lord by His Prophet, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face. In their affliction they will seek me early. Hos. v. 15. The Father of Mercies hides Himself from His children, not to lose them, but that they may seek Him, and may learn, having found Him, to keep closer by Him than formerly. He threatens them, to keep them from punishment: if His threatening work submission, it is well; if not, He punishes them gently, to save them from destruction. He seeks no more but that they acknowledge their offence, and seek His face. Wonderful clemency! For who- can forbear to confess multitudes of offences, who know themselves? And who can choose but seek Thy face, who ever saw Thy face, and who know Thee? In their affliction they will seek me early. He that prays not till affliction comes and forces him to it, is very slothful; but he that prays not in affliction, is altogether senseless. Certainly, they that at this time are not more than ordin

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise, Psalm 17. But we must always remember these three things about all our spiritual sacrifices: 1. That as they must be all of his requiring, so they must be of his providing. We have nothing to offer to God that he will accept, till he give it to us, and till he first work it in us. David's broken heart was first given to him. Dreadful sins first lay quiet in his hard heart, till God broke it. 2. That a broken heart is always a humble heart. It begins to grow whole again (and quickly it will, unless the breaker of it keep it broken) when it begins to be proud. Such as have a good opinion of their own hearts, know not what a broken heart means. He that hath a broken heart, is broken with his vile heart; as the Lord speaks of his grief at mend whole hearts, Eek. vi. 9. 3. That all our spiritual sacrifices, and a broken heart, must be offered to God for acceptance on the right altar, and by the right High priest, Jesus Christ.

THE COVENANTERS. [HARVEY'S PICTURE OF COVENANTERS WORSHIPPING AMONG THE HILLS OF SCOTLAND.] It came from out the silent glen, The mingled prayer of armed men; Their swords in sheath for one calm day, "And let us worship God," they say. ⁠They met—in fear, but not of man; ⁠In hope—but not of human aid; ⁠In faith—that dreads no mortal ban; ⁠In trust—mid perils undismayed. As wearied travellers seek the brook, They ask refreshment from "the Book!" The fountain gives them strength for strife, And Freedom will be bought with life. No Temple made by human hands Is that in which the Pastor stands; Around him mighty mountains rise, Pillars to yon vast roof, the skies; ⁠But Freedom consecrates the glen; ⁠And girlhood, boyhood, age, and youth, ⁠Utter or breathe a stern "Amen" ⁠To words that Reason stamps with Truth; For God and Nature bade them be All—like their free forefathers—free; Such message yon good Pastor brings— A message from the King of kings! Say,

Hugh Binning points out that the most profound thing that we can say about God is also the simplest. “The Lord gives a definition of Himself”. It is short and we may not think it says much—”I AM” (Exodus 3:14). When people seek to exalt themselves they want to be described in grand and majestic ways to flatter themselves. But there is more majesty in this simple title “I AM” than in all others. This is spiritually discerned. To compare God with others and say that He is best gives too great significance to the things which we use for comparison. Thus, the Lord calls Himself “I AM”, meaning “I am as if nothing else were”. Not, “I am the highest, the best and most glorious that is”. This assumes other things have some being and glory that is worth taking account of. Rather it is “I am, and there is none else; I am alone”. Nothing else can say, “I am, I live, and there is nothing else”. Everything else is dependent on God. Thus, nothing besides God, can say, “I am”. All things are only b

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "And He bearing His cross."—John 19:17. When did Jesus bear the cross? Not that moment alone, surely, when the bitter tree was placed on His shoulders, on the way to Golgotha. Its vision may be said to have risen before Him in His infant dreams in Bethlehem's cradle; there, rather, its reality began; and He ceased not to carry it, until his work was finished, and the victory won! A cloud of old, hovered over the mercy seat in the tabernacle and temple. So it was with the Great Antitype—the living Mercy-seat—He had ever a cloud of woe hanging over Him. "He carried our sorrows." Reader! dwell much and often under the shadow of your Lord's cross, and it will lead you to think lightly of your own! If He gave utterance to not one murmuring word, can you complain? "If we were deeper students of His bitter anguish, we would think less of the ripplings of our waves, amid His horrible tempes

Strong indictment of Christian countries Who has not felt as Jeremiah? "This is a Christian country." Why? Because the majority are as bent on self-pleasing, as careless of God, as heartlessly and systematically forgetful of the rights and claims of others, as they would have been had Christ never been heard of? 1. A Christian country? Behold its meaningless shibboleths, its two hundred forms or fashions of Christian belief! How this disunion dishonours Christ. 2. A Christian country? Behold the worship of mammon, the rage of avarice. Look at the wonderful baits which the company monger throws out day by day to human weakness and cupidity! The lying advertisements, the countless quacks, raising hopes never to be fulfilled. 3. A Christian country, and God denied on the platform and in the press! Where atheism is mistaken for intelligence, and agnosticism for logic and reason! Where flagrant lust walks the streets, and gambling reigns! 4. A Christian country: where the ri

—Revelation 2:4 In the verses preceding Revelation 2:4, eight signs are mentioned that show the zeal and activity of the church at Ephesus. But there was one bad sign, and the Lord said, “I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (v. 5). And what was this sign? “Thou hast left thy first love.” We find the same lack in the church of the present day. There is zeal for the truth, there is continuous and persevering labor, but what the Lord values most is still missing: the tender, fervent love for Himself. This is a thought of great significance. A church, or even an individual Christian, may be an example in every good work, and yet the tender love for the Lord Jesus in the inner chamber is missing. There is no personal, daily fellowship with Christ, and all the manifold activities with which people satisfy themselves are nothing in the eyes of the Master Himself. Dear brother or sister in Christ, this book speaks of the fellowsh

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, - All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18) WHAT an empire is this! Heaven and earth – the Church militant – the Church triumphant – angels and archangels – saints and seraphs. At His mandate the billows were hushed – demons crouched in terror – the grave yielded its prey! “Upon His head are many crowns.” He is made “head over all things to His Church.” Yes! Over all things, from the minutest to the mightiest. He holds the stars in His right hand: – He walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, feeding every candlestick with the oil of His grace, and preserving every star in its spiritual orbit. The Prince of Darkness has “a power,” but, God be praised, it is not an “all power;” potent, but not omnipotent. Christ holds him in a chain. He hath set bounds that he may not pass over. “Satan,” we read in the book of Job, “went out (Chaldee paraphrase, ‘with a license’) from the presence of the Lord.” He wa

There are several thoughts in mens hearts about Christ's dying. 1. Some think of Christ's death as brought about by the wicked hands of sinners. This is a poor thought, if there be no more. This thought is natural to any that read the history of his death. Carnal men may hate Judas that betrayed him, Pilate that condemned him, the priests that cried Crucify Him, and the people that did it. If this be all, I may say, the devils have a higher thought of Christ's death, and that which comes nearer to the truth, than this sorry one. 2. Some go further, and think of Christ's death as it was a fulfilling of the purpose and word of God concerning him. This Christ teacher us in Luke xxi y. 26, 44, 46.; and the apostles frequently in their preaching of Christ. 3. There is a higher thought of Christ's death; and that is, That Christ died, by the stroke of God's law and justice, for his people. Justice roused itself against our Lord: Czech. xiii. 7. Awake, O sword, against

J.R. Thomson In the verses from the tenth to the sixteenth, the bride sets forth in detail the excellences and the attractiveness of her spouse. In similitudes according with Oriental imagination she describes the charm of his person, and accounts for the fascination he exercises. And she sums up the characterization by the assertion that he is "altogether lovely" - "totus est desiderabilis, totus est amor." Augustine, in language dictated by the fervour of his heart, expresses the spiritual truths enshrined in this exclamation: "My soul is a sigh of God; the heart conceives and the mouth forms the sigh. Bear, then, my soul, the likeness of the heart and of the mouth of God. Sigh thou for him who made thee!" I. CHRIST IS ALTOGETHER TO BE LOVED AND DESIRED FOR WHAT HE IS IN HIMSELF. In his Person and character Christ is a Being who commands and attracts the love of all who are susceptible to the charms of spiritual excellence. There is beauty beyond that w

There is a story told of a good old preacher in Wales, in those early days when preachers used to go about Wales from one end of the country to the other. The custom among Christians who realized their privileges and responsibilities was, when a man had preached the Gospel on one side of a mountain, and had to preach it the following night on the other side, that some kind friend accompanied him a large part of the way, if not the whole way, and thus showed him the path to take. But there were some who begrudged this kindly service. The preacher of whom I speak came on one occasion into contact with one of these. He was a wealthy farmer in the district. The preacher stayed the night at this man’s house. On the following morning, when the preacher was about to start, the farmer took out a bit of a slate and traced on it the way over the mountain to the other side, and said, “Now follow this. Here the road divides, and there a path turns to the right,” etc. etc. The good old man tried t

The doctrines of Christ’s incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension and intercession in heaven for us. And these are the main pillars both of our faith and comfort. Take away these, and take away our lives too, for these are the springs of all joy and comfort to the people of God, . His incarnation was necessary to capacitate him for his mediatorial work: It was not only a part of it, but such a part, without which he could discharge no other part of it. This was the wonder of men and angels, . A God incarnate is the world’s wonder; no condescension like this, , . The death of Christ has the nature and respect of a ransom, or equivalent price laid down to the justice of God for our redemption, . . It brought our souls from under the curse, and purchased for them everlasting blessedness, , . The resurrection of Christ from the dead has the nature both of a testimony of his finishing the work of our redemption, and the Father’s full satisfaction therein, . and of a principle of our res

One Sunday morning," said Mr. Spurgeon, in an address at Mildmay Hall, June 26, 1890, reported in the Christian of July 4, "I preached from the text, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' I could not tell why I should be made to preach it. I felt while preaching as if I were myself forsaken. On the sabbath evening, there came into the vestry a man of about sixty, whose eyes were bright with a strange lustre. He took my hand, and held it, and cried. He said to me, 'Nobody ever preached my experience before. I have now been for years left, deserted, in a horrible gloom of great darkness; but this morning I learned that I was not the only man in the darkness, and I believe I shall get out!' I said, ' Yes; I have got out; but now I know why I was put in.' That man was brought back from the depths of despair, and restored to joy and peace. There was a child of God, dying in darkness. He said to the minister who spoke with him, 'Oh, sir, though I

Think you not that you make many prayers? You both think it and say it, as you use to say, I pray both day and night. Nay, but count after this rule, and there will be found few prayers in Scotland, albeit you reckon up both private and public. Once scrape out of the count the prayers of the profane and scandalous, whose practice defileth their prayers; and again, blot out the prayers of men’s tongues and mouths when hearts are absent, and again, set aside the formal, dwyning,(318) coldrife, indifferent supplications of saints, and the prayers that carry no seal of God’s name and attributes on them, prayers made to an unknown God, and will you find many behind? No, certainly,—any of you may take up the complaint in behalf of the land, “There is none that calleth on thy name,” or few to count upon. You may say so of yourselves, if you judge thus,—I have almost never prayed, God hath never heard my voice; and you may say so of the land. This would be a well-spent day, if this were but ou

Malachi 1:13, 14 Vain oblations L. O. Thomson. (taken with Isaiah 1:13): — Each age has its characteristic. No two are just alike; and though history repeats itself, yet there is progress. Its processes are those of a spiral. I. In the age of Isaiah the Jews were full of religiosity. Sacrifices were not neglected — a multitude were offered. They brought the best of all kinds, not as in the days of Malachi, the lean and the poor, but abundantly they brought the blood of bullocks, of lambs, and of he-goats. Clouds of incense arose; they carefully kept the new moons, the Sabbaths, the assemblies, and the solemn meeting, not only all appointed feasts, but even others they observed in an intense devotion to the forms of religion. Why were their oblations vain? Why were they not regarded in their sacrifices and accepted in their persons? 1. As in the days of the Saviour, so now, whilst they were careful to tithe, mint, anise and cummin, they omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgme

"For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish — but have everlasting life!" — John 3:16 Here is what Cyprian calls "an ocean of thought — in a drop of language!" Who can sound the depths of this "thought of God?" It will form the theme and the mystery of eternity. Manifold and glorious are His thoughts regarding His people. But this is the center and focus of all — around which all the others cluster. It is the jewel of which all the others are the setting — the thought of thoughts — the gift of gifts. We may well say, "How precious!" There is no measuring that love; it defies all human computation. Christ Himself, in speaking of it, can only intimate its indescribableness. He puts the plumbline into the hand — but He does not attempt to gauge or fathom — all He can say of the precious thought and the precious love is, "God SO loved!" And His redeemed Church in Heaven wil

Psalm 22:24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,.... That is, Christ, who was afflicted by men, both by their tongues, and by their hands; by devils, by the temptations of Satan for Christ suffered being tempted, though he was not overcome; and by his attacks upon him, both in the garden and on the cross; and by the Lord himself, Jehovah his Father, who laid on him the iniquity and chastisement of his people, bruised him, and put him to grief; awoke the sword of justice against him, and spared him not: his afflictions were many, both in body and soul; in body, being scourged, buffeted, bruised, pierced, racked, and tortured on the cross; in soul, being made exceeding sorrowful, and an offering for sin; sustaining his Father's wrath, and seeking and enduring affliction by the rod of it; see Isaiah 53:4;

What is a revival of religion? In general terms it is synonymous with the prosperity here prayed for; or the wider salvation implied in the "Save now, I beseech thee!" If this was a psalm composed for the opening of the second temple, as is likely, after the return from exile, we can see plainly what the "saving" and "prosperity" mean - a renewal of more than the faith and heroic words of the patriarchs, warriors, psalmists, and prophets of former days - a renewal that should embrace the whole of the people. I. A REVIVAL, WHETHER INDIVIDUAL OR NATIONAL, SUPPOSES AN ANTECEDENT RELIGION, THE POWER OF WHICH HAS DECLINED OR BEEN LOST. The spirit of our relation to Christ has evaporated, and left little but the forms of Christianity. "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love; Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead;" "Thy works are not perfect before God;" "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold

There are five natives of the parish of Uig who were enlisted when a regiment was raised on the island, and having gone with the army to Egypt, lost their sight by ophthalmy, and after their return have become acquainted with the doctrines of the gospel. It is common with them to bless God for having taken away their bodily eyes, since they regard that as one of the instruments in his hand for opening the mental sight, which was before in a state of darkness. Three of them are active fellow-helpers in the extension of Christian truth and consolation. One is a most efficient and zealous elder in the parish of Uig; of another we shall have occasion to relate a curious circumstance under the head of liberality ; and of the third we present the following well authenticated narrative, under the head of prayerfulness. This blind man, whose name even is unknown to us, had the affliction of losing a wife who was a very pious character. She left a daughter old enough to distinguish the excellen

The Rev. Alex. M'Leod commenced his exertions as Minister of Uig in 1824. The people attended public worship tolerably well from the time of his admission; but he describes his painful conviction that the fixed gaze with which they beheld him was not an intelligent but what Wesley used to call " a stupid attention." This lasted but one month, when he began to observe one and another melt into tears, and a tender wistful listening, a "living ear'' substituted for the former stupid one. Presently enquirers came to obtain private instruction, and the exigencies of the people led to the extension of religious opportunities—such as a lecture on Thursdays and many regular prayer meetings, which still exist, and are attended with avidity. In 1827, upwards of 600 pupils, of various ages, attended the schools—and in 1834, mention is made of 13 Sabbath schools in that one parish. Auxiliaries were required to aid the teachers and catechists, and every thing seemed to be

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. I. Consider what we have to understand by THE WELLS OF SALVATION. 1. We are not to be content with any shallow and narrow interpretation of either idea in that phrase. No doubt "salvation" in the Old Testament often means merely outward deliverance from material peril. We shall not strain the meaning here, if we take salvation almost in the fully developed New Testament sense, as including, negatively, the deliverance from all evil, both evil of sin and evil of sorrow, and, positively, the endowment with all good, good both of holiness and happiness, which God can bestow or man receive. 2. Then if so, God Himself is, in the deepest truth, the Well of Salvation. The figure of our text does not point to a well so much as to a spring. It is a source, not a reservoir. So we have but to recall, the deep and wonderful words of the psalmist": "With Thee is the fountain of life, and others