the Apostles received the intelligence from them; but they received it from an angel. At first, these pious visitants were afraid. And what wonder, when we consider that they were females-that all their sensibilities were alive-that they were in another's garden-that they were alone-that the earth was reeling under them-that the guards were fleeing, and perhaps shrieking-that it was early in the morning-and the remaining darkness rendered more visible and awful the Divine Messenger sitting at the door of the tomb-his countenance as lightning, and his raiment white as snow! But, says the angel, "You have nothing to apprehend from me. He is my master, as well as your Saviour. I serve him whom ye seek; and having attended his resurrection, I now announce it to you. He is not here; he is risen, as he said-Step forward-Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

And it is true in its most extended application, that they who seek Jesus Christ which was crucified, have really nothing to fear, whatever at first may dismay them.

But who are entitled to this assurance? Do you feel your need of him as once you did not, for all the purposes of salvation? Have you desires after himso peculiar that nothing else can satisfy them-so powerful as to make you willing to part with whatever stands in competition with him? Are you determined to press through all difficulties; and be found in the use of all the means which he has appointed? Are you submissively asking, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? depending on the aid of his Holy Spirit? and looking for his mercy unto eternal life? If you can answer these questions in the affirmative, I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified.

- And I also know, that ye have nothing to fear. "Fear not ye."-Fear not that you have a graceless heart-the very seeking is a token for good. It cannot be the effect of Nature-that which

Did any

is of the flesh, is flesh; but that which is of the Spirit, is spirit. They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.-Fear not that your search will be successless. Had he a mind to kill you, he would not have shewn you such things as these. His aim in making you sensible of your condition, was not to render you miserable, but to endear himself; and to draw forth your souls after him. You shall not be disappointed. You may be tried, but he will appear to your joy. ever seek him in vain? Can he deny himself? They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.-Fear not, that you shall fall under the power of any evil. From what are you not secured? Is it temporal want? The young lions may lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Is it the penalty of the Law? He has redeemed you from the curse of the Law, having been made a curse for you. Is it sin? Sin shall not have

dominion over you; for ye are not under the Law, but under grace. Is it the world? This is the victory that overcometh the world; even our faith. Is it Satan? The God of peace will bruise Satan under your feet, shortly. Is it death? He has abolished death. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

APRIL 22.-" And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." Numb. x. 35, 36.

WE We might have expected that Aaron would have done this, as he was the high priest. But Moses was the leader and commander of the people; and he was not offering sacrifice, or burning incense— in which he would have offended; but performing a duty of natural, as well as revealed religion. This is binding upon all; and especially upon public men. Thus Solomon, though a king, kneeled on a scaffold of wood at the dedication of the temple; and led himself the prayers of the nation. Princes, officers, magistrates, masters of families, should all be men of prayer. Relative, as well as personal claims, press on them.

It would seem that Moses, always on these occasions, employed the same terms. Our Lord also, in the garden, prayed three times, saying the same words. It is obvious from hence, that whatever advantages extemporaneous prayer possesses-and it has many-yet forms of prayer cannot be in themselves improper, in public or in private.

As Moses thus addressed God at the commencement, and the conclusion of every march-does it not behove us to acknowledge Him in all our ways? and with prayer to begin and end every day? every meal? every ordinance? every enterprise? every journey? every going out and every coming in?

Especially let us think of these short and sublime addresses in our travelling heavenward, through this wilderness-world.

Here is the marching prayer-"Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them

that hate thee flee before thee." That is-"Before we move, we commend ourselves to thy guidance. and guardian care, and almighty agency. We are passing, not only through strange, but hostile regions. There are foes, open or concealed, which would hinder our progress-rob us-wound us-destroy us. But we are thy charge, and engaged in thy cause. They that hate us, hate thee; our enemies are thy enemies. And formidable as they are, Thou canst as easily vanquish them as the sun rising in his strength can disperse the shadows that seem to oppose his march." Let us realize this, and we shall feel enough to animate us to go forward, though men, though devils, beset our path. "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."

Here is the resting prayer-" Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." That is"If Thou goest on, in vain we are left. What can we do without thee in our encampment, any more than in our march? Thy presence is our security, our treasure, our glory, our joy. What is any station without thee?-How can its duties be discharged? its trials be endured? its comforts be sanctified? But every residence with thee, is ennobled and blessed. Heaven is only the tabernacle of God with men. Thus the two disciples, when the Lord made as if he would have gone further, constrained him, saying, It is toward evening, and the day is far spent-and-did he refuse? He went in to tarry with them. Do we thus prize him? Do we thus pray that he would go where we go, and dwell where we dwell? If not, we have a poor prospect before us. If we can live without God with us in this world, we must live without him in another. But if our souls cleave to Him, and cry,

"Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me"-we may rejoice in the promise, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

But let me not here overlook two things. First, The number of his people-"The many thousands of Israel." "For," unless we send out ignorance and bigotry to count them, "who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel?" And the Lord add to his people, how many soever they be, a thousandfold! Secondly, We should be concerned for the whole Israel of God. They all belong to us. They are all fellow-citizens of the same community; branches of the same household; members of the same body. They are more intimately related, and ought to be more endeared to us, than any earthly friends, or natural relations.

Pray therefore for the peace of Jerusalem. For your brethren and companions' sakes, say, Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.— "Return, O Lord-not unto our family, or tribe; not unto the thousands of Episcopalians, or dissenters -but "unto the many thousands of Israel." "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." And, "As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."

APRIL 23.-" From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For thou has been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." Ps. lxi. 2, 3.

He does us the most important service, who instructs us to pray. We may here learn much from the example of David.