land; and they had led him to see that the God whom the Jews worshipped was the "only living and true God;" and he had gone up to Jerusalem to worship at His temple. But as yet he knew God rather as a God of holiness and truth than as a Father of all mercies; and as he read the Scriptures he must continually have felt that, though God's commandments are all "holy, just, and good," yet that man has it not in himself to keep them perfectly. Day by day he would find himself coming short of them, yea, a miserable transgressor; and though in the inner man he would feel the excellency of God's laws, and delight in them, yet every attempt he made to fulfil them unblameably would convince him that they ministered to his condemnation, and brought him under the curse of disobedience. How distressing, how perplexing to a devout soul seeking after rightNevertheless he would find in the word of God many scattered promises of mercy, which would keep him from despair, and make him long for the dawn of some more perfect light which might show him how a sinner, when confessing and forsaking his sins, and fighting manfully against temptation, might obtain pardon and peace.

eousness!

When, therefore, he came to hear of "the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world," by bearing in his own spotless person the punishment due to our sins, the cloud would seem to break away from his soul, and beams of joy shine in upon him. Here, he would think, I can see how sinful man may still be saved. Here I behold a sure pledge of God's tender compassion. Now I know of a truth, he would say, that God desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live. By the sufferings of Christ for us we are delivered from the burden of our sins and the fear of God's wrath, and a way of life and joy eternal is opened to the true believer

1 Rom. vii. 12.

2 John i. 29.

Now I have "found the pearl of great price." All that I can give is nothing to its value; and by God's grace no force or persuasions of men, no power of temptation, shall wrest it from me. Thus the pardon of his sins through the blood of the cross, and the sure hope of God's abiding Spirit to guide and support him through every trial that could await him in this world, would impart such relief, such comfort, such holy confidence, that his heart would overflow with gladness and he would go homewards full of love to God for His unspeakable mercies, and resolved to make known to His unenlightened brethren these good tidings of salvation.

The same joy and peace in believing may be experienced by any one who will seek God as truly, and receive the gospel as teachably, as the eunuch did. Be diligent then in reading the word of God. Let the ministers of the gospel ever be welcomed as they come to show you more perfectly of the way of salvation. As long as you are blessed with health and strength, go up to the house of God. There pray for light and grace. There hearken reverently to the voice of God's ministers setting forth Jesus Christ and Him crucified for you. There with faith receive the ordinances of grace, and set yourselves with God's help to walk in newness and holiness of life after the Spirit, and not after the flesh,—as men "dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." 2 So shall you soon have for your comfort a joy which no man can take from you-a token and foretaste of the "joy unspeakable and full of glory," reserved for the faithful in heaven.

PRAYER.

Blessed God, give us grace always to receive Thy holy word with meek heart and due reverence, and so to rejoice in Thy redeeming love that we may live to

1 Matt. xiii. 46,

2 Rom. vi. 11.

Thy praise and honour, having our conversation such as becometh the gospel, and recommending it both in word and deed to the ignorant, and careless, and unbelieving, that they may repent and be saved. And this we pray for Jesus Christ's sake.

VII. THE GRACIOUS HELP OF THE SPIRIT.

Rom. viii. 26.—The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. How gracious is the assistance of God's Holy Spirit ! What strength, what comfort, does He impart! What light does He pour into our darkened souls! It is He who helps us to pray. It is He who opens our minds to the truth. It is He who makes us see the hatefulness and the danger of sin, and tears off the veil that hides the emptiness and unsatisfactoriness of the world, and leads us to Christ, the only Saviour, the Fountain of life and peace. He gives us power to break asunder the bonds of iniquity, and take upon us the yoke of God's service, which is perfect freedom, and endues us with might in the inner man to love and follow Christ, and to persevere in well-doing even unto the end.

Look now at man. What weakness there is in him! what sinfulness! what irresolution! what changeableness! what proneness to worldly imaginations and cares! what indisposition to fervent prayer and heavenly meditations! What could he do if the Spirit of God did not help his infirmities? How would he ever be able to take the cup of salvation offered him by Christ, and walk in those holy ways ordained for every Christian? Mark how the Scripture speaks of our helplessness. "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. "We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God." 2 66. We do not know what we should pray

991

1 Jer. x. 23.

22 Cor. iii. 5.

991

for as we ought.' cious gift of His Holy Spirit, in whom we have a light and guide, a comfort and support, a quickening. and sanctifying influence, enabling us to lay hold of that eternal life which God has given us in His dear Son, Jesus Christ. What can we render unto the Lord for this unspeakable benefit?

Blessed be God for this most pre

Account this an inestimable blessing. Pray with all the fervency you can that God will be pleased to put His Spirit into your hearts, that He will guide you thereby into all necessary truth, and sanctify you wholly unto His service. Ever honour this heavenly Inmate, that He may more abundantly condescend to dwell with you. Grieve Him not by corrupt imaginations and desires; provoke Him not by any wilful transgressions or ungodly heedlessness; but ever willingly follow His godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, and apply yourselves manfully to all your duties; assured that He is with you, and that while you rely on His help, He will bring you safely through all your temptations and trials. By His power you will prevail-by His support you will be sustained-by His holy comfort you will be cheered in your heavenward course-and by His renewing grace your soul will gather meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light, obtained for us through the merits of Christ Jesus.

By the fruits of the Spirit it shall be known whether He dwells with you or not; by substantial works of righteousness, done in the faith and love of Christ, not by mere longings and desires after holy and heavenly things;—even by those fruits which St. Paul enumerates: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. "Whatsoever things therefore are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things

1 Rom. viii. 26.

2 Gal. v. 22, 23.

are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think of these things," and do them; and then there can be no doubt what spirit you are of, even of the spirit of Christ, and that you are His.

PRAYER

Blessed God, who knowest our necessities and hast compassion on our infirmities, mercifully bestow upon us the light and comfort, the strength and sanctification of Thy Holy Spirit, and dispose us evermore gladly to follow His heavenly guidance, and patiently to bring forth the fruits of all righteousness to Thy praise and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

VIII. THE NEED OF WATCHFULNESS AND PRAYER. Matt. xxvi. 41.-Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.

THE weakness of human flesh makes strong defences necessary. Such are watchfulness and prayer, the surest guardians of the soul of man against the power of temptation. In these combined, we have the best that man can do, and the Divine blessing to prosper it.

How needful is watchfulness! You have a heart prone to evil, easily deluded by fair appearances, readily alarmed by present fears, apt to catch at every gain or pleasure that offers itself nigh at hand, soon drooping in all its attempts to muse upon heavenly things. And what a world we live in! How we are surrounded with evil examples! How seldom can we find any one in whose steps we may safely tread! How hard it is to join in any of the affairs of this life, and not feel ourselves in danger of swerving from the strict line of duty through the influence of others! How unweariedly too does Satan

1 Philip. iv. 8.