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and we exclaim, Lo! these are parts of his waysBut how small a portion is known of Him.

"And will this mighty Lord
"Of glory condescend;
"And will he write my name,

"My Father and my Friend?"

Yes, for his mercy equals his majesty-and the same Lord who is over all," is rich unto all that call upon him." His goodness has three characters.

First. It is plenteous-He is rich unto all that call upon him. Some, if they are bountiful, are poor in bounty. And this appears not only in the smallness of their gifts, but in the mode of giving. It seems done by constraint, not willingly and of a ready mind. It does not drop from them as honey from the comb, or flow like water from a spring-it seems an unnatural effort. You feel no more respect when they give much, than when they give little-every thing like nobleness is destroyed by the manner: the meanness of the disposition is betrayed; and the poor-spirited mortal can no more give kindly and generously, than a clown can dance gracefully. But the Lord God is a sun-He gives grace and glory; and no good thing will he withhold. He is abundant in goodness and in truth. He abundantly pardons. And while he gives liberally, he upbraideth not.

Secondly. It is impartial. He is rich unto all that call upon him. For there is no difference between Jew and Greek. And the same will apply to sex, and age, and calling, and condition, and character. The proclamations of divine grace exclude none, whatever be their circumstances—and it is well they do not. If any were excluded, awakened souls would be sure to find themselves among the exceptions. But what exceptions can any find when they read-"Preach the Gospel to every creature;" "Whosoever will, let him take

of the water of life freely!" Evangelical mercy is like Noah's Ark, that took in the clean and the unclean-only with this difference in favour of the truth above the type! there all the beasts came out as they went in; whereas, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. He changes all he receives, and sanctifies all he saves.

Thirdly. It is wise-He is rich unto all that call upon him. This is required, and cannot be dispensed with. Not because God wills it; but because it seemeth good in his sight. He knows that we should never praise him for blessings which we do not value; and that we never could be made happy by themfor that which gratifies, is something that relieves our want; fulfils our desire; accomplishes our hope; and crowns our endeavours. God's way, therefore, is to make us sensible of our state, and to cause us to hunger and thirst after righteousness-and then we shall be filled for whoso asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

God reveals himself, not only for our encouragement, but imitation; and vain is our confidence in him, without conformity to him. Therefore, says the Apostle, Be ye followers of God, as dear children. How? In what?-and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. Men would be like God, as the greatest of beings; but we are to be like him, as the best of beings. They would resemble him in his natural perfections; but we are to resemble him in his moral. They would, as He is, be over all, and gladly have every thing at their own disposal-but we are to be holy, and true, and patient, and forgiving, and tender, as He is; and, according to our resources, to be rich unto all that call upon us.

MARCH 18.-" Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the Acts iii. 1.

ninth hour."

We

THE associates here were Peter and John. should not have noticed this particularly, did we not find them so frequently and constantly together in the Scripture. The instances will readily occur to all attentive readers of the New Testament. But the reasons of this peculiar intimacy are not mentioned. Each of the two had a brother among the Apostles. But there is an amity superior to relationship: there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. It is commonly supposed, that those who attract each other and unite, very much resemble each other: whereas, Peter and John seem to have been more dissimilar than any other two of the Apostles that could have been selected. But may

not the unlikeness be considered as one of the causes of this friendship? Peter knew the excellencies of John were the opposites to his imperfections, and would tend to rectify them. Peter was eager and severe. John was more patient and affectionate. Peter was the hand, John the eye-but they were the more mutually necessary to each other.

Peter had denied his Lord, and rendered his attachment to him questionable. Perhaps John had been more compassionate towards him after his fall, and more ready to restore him in the spirit of meekness. David, after his backsliding, prayed, "Let them that fear Thee turn unto me"-and some do this much more freely than others.

But connexions and intimacies are not always accountable. They often depend on things impossible for us to describe. They come from God, who has peculiar purposes to answer, and link us together by invisible chains. See an instance of this: "It came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was

knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle." Though an heir apparent, Jonathan was at once attached to a man who was to exclude him from the succession. But the thing was of the Lord. How often do we read of God's giving a man favour in the eyes of another!

We have here a word in recommendation of friendship. It is sanctioned by Scripture and example. It is not good for man to be alone; but we are not required to put even every one we love into our bosom. Peter had many colleagues, but one companion, one friend.

Their friendship was religious; and instead of leading them to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful; it took them to the House of God in company. Those connexions are the most valuable, in which the Bible is a witness between us; in which another world is not forgotten: in which we are bound by faith and love which are in Christ Jesus: in which we walk together as heirs of the grace of life, that our prayers be not hindered.

We see that public devotion has claims upon us. God has commanded us not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;" and he has said, "In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." The worship of the Sanctuary enlivens our feelings; endears us to each other; and keeps the distinctions of life from becoming excessive-There the rich and the poor meet together; and seek and serve a Being, with whom there is no respect of persons. Happy they who love the place where His honour dwelleth! Let me always avail myself of the duty; the privilege; and be glad when they

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say unto me, Let us go up into the House of the Lord.

MARCH 19.- Ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee."

Deut. xxxii. 7.

THERE is much truth in the proverb, He that will learn of none but himself, is sure to have a fool for his master. The way to advance in knowledge, is to be sensible of our own deficiencies, and willing to avail ourselves of assistance. The cause of all errors is pride; for though we are ignorant, and unable to guide ourselves, there is an infallible Instructor, under whose teachings we may place ourselves"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;, and it shall be given him."

And there are others that may be subordinately consulted; they possess, and can impart a little of His judgment: for in His light they see light.— The priests' lips should keep knowledge; and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the

messenger of the Lord of Hosts. And not only ministers, but-private Christians may be useful yea, and unlearned Christians, and poor and afflicted Christians, who walk much with God, and draw in their irradiations immediately from the Scriptures. Indeed, there is hardly a being, however inferior to ourselves in some respects, but, being better versed in others, can teach us something. A wise man will learn more from a fool, than a fool will learn from a thousand wise men.-The Scripture sends us even to the brute creation: "Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee." "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise."

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