into temptation-The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

MARCH 29." God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Thess. v. 9.

-No: "He has not appointed us to wrath." He might have done it. We deserved it; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. But He has delivered us from the wrath to come. We have trials, but there is no curse in them. They come from a father who corrects, not from a judge who punishes. We may sometimes fear his wrath, but this is our infirmity. Flesh cries, Do not condemn me: but faith cries, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

-But "to obtain salvation." We are often said to be saved already. We are so, as to our state; but not as to possession and enjoyment. This is a future blessedness. It is, indeed, begun here: but that which is held up to the hope of the believer, is the accomplishment of all that God has promisedthe reception of the soul at death; the resurrection of the body at the last day; the glorification of the whole man for ever. Oh! what an object of expectation! How poor and pitiful is every thing seen and temporal, compared with this! Some are destined to shine in courts; some to stride over the heads of others; some to amass heaps of shining ore-but, if a Christian, thou art destined to inheritance beyond the skies, and a crown of glory that fadeth not away. What is life? However indulged and endowed, it is, at its best estate, altogether vanity! What are the pleasures of sinfor a season! What are riches and-death! a title

and-damnation at the end of it! And what are losses and afflictions to a man who is going to obtain SALVATION!

But by what medium will he acquire it?"Through our Lord Jesus Christ." To seek it in any other way, is a vain pursuit. There is salvation in none other. I am the way, said he, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Yea, it is not only useless, but sinful. It opposes God's revealed will and express command: it robs the Lord Jesus of his highest glory; it frustrates his grace, and makes him to be dead in vain. Much comes to some, through others. We have had friends and benefactors-but, after all, what have they done for us? What self-denial have they exercised? What sufferings have they endured? But he knew what would be required of him in opening for us a passage to glory. Yet he readily consented, and said, Lo! I come. Behold, and see if ever there was sorrow or love like his-He became poor, that we might be made rich. He died, that we might live.

The Apostle does not forget to tell us, that we are appointed to obtain this salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. As men, we are not the creatures of chance. There is an appointed time to man upon earth; and he has appointed the bounds of our habitation. And, as Christians, are we the offspring of contingency? Is conversion a happy accident? It is the work of God; and he does nothing without foreknowledge and design. Four things may be observed, with regard to this appointment. The earliness of it-in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.-The freeness of it-it was not founded on the foresight of any worthiness or works of oursHe hath saved us and called us, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world

began.-Its efficiency-it will not, cannot fail-the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."-Its appropriationblessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righte ousness. Go back from effects to causes. Prove your calling, and thus make your election sure.

And remember one thing-be simple, and receive the kingdom of God as a little child, not only as to doctrines, but as to its invitations and promises. The writer, one day, attended the dying bed of a young female. I have little, said she, to relate, as to my experience. I have been much tried and tempted-but this is my sheet-anchor-He has said, Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. I know I come to him-and I expect that he will be as good as his word. Poor and unworthy as I am, he will not trifle with me, or deceive me-It would be beneath his greatness, as well as his goodness. I am at his feet; and you have often said

""Tis joy enough, my all in all,

"At thy dear feet to lie;
"Thou wilt not let me lower fall,
"And none can higher fly."

MARCH 30.-"When they saw him, they besought him that he would depart.

Matt. viii. 34.

He had now entered the country of the Gadarenes, and cured two demoniacs. The people should have deemed themselves honoured by his presence; and

have thanked him for relieving their wretched neighbours from the most dreadful malady. But he had, in correction of an unlawful traffic, destroyed their swine. They, therefore, preferring their sins to their souls, feared and hated him, and-desired him to withdraw. He took them immediately at their word -and went-and returned no more. Oh! when he comes to us, and convinces us of sin, and reproves us for our evil passions and vile courses; when he comes and makes us uneasy, by the admonitions of conscience, of friendship, of Scripture, of Providence; and instead of yielding to his merciful design, we regard him as an irksome intruder, and entreat him (and he hears our meaning without speech) to leave us-he will comply with our desire-and say, They are joined to idols, let them alone-and woe unto them when I depart from them! This is an awful truth

But it is an equally pleasing one, that if we desire his presence, he will indulge our wish. And, therefore, when the two disciples, going to Emmaus, reached the village whither they went, and he made as if he would have gone farther; they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent. And, it is said, he went in to tarry with them. So when the woman of Samaria had persuaded many of her neighbours to come to the well to see him; they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

Saviour Jesus! cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Thou art all in all. Come and dwell in our country -Come and dwell in our Churches-Come and dwell in our houses-Come and dwell in our hearts for ever!

"I cannot bear thine absence, Lord;
"My life expires if thou depart :
"Be thou, my heart, still near my God,
"And Thou, my God, be near my heart."

MARCH 31.-" But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence." John xiv. 31.

WHEN he says, "Arise, let us go hence"-he shews

his readiness to suffer. "I will not wait for the enemy; I will go and meet him. I will go to the place where Judas will look for me. I will go to the garden of Gethsemane, where I am to agonize -and from thence to Calvary, where I am to die. I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straightened till it be accomplished!" We always see in him this disposition-a proof that he was not compelled to engage; that he did not undertake the case from ignorance; that he did not repent of his work, even in the sight of enduring all its expensiveness of woe-He loved us, and gave himself for us.

ence

Yet this alacrity was not rashness, but obedi"As the Father gave me commandment." Though in his higher character he had the disposal of himself; in his human nature, and in his mediatorial office, he was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He felt no inconsistency in this, and why should we? No man taketh my life from me. I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it againThis commandment have I received of my Father. So mistaken should we be in supposing that the Father was less disposed to save us than the Son, or that his love was purchased by that death which was really the effect of it, and designed to be the medium through which it should operate. Herein God hath commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. And therefore did the Father love him because he laid down his life that he might take it again: and for the suffering of death, he crowned him with glory and honour.