like Stephen you see Jesus ready to receive you, and wipe away all your tears; if you are assured that your afflictions will work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory-then, though you will not be deprived of feeling, you will be raised above despondency and depression-Then, though troubled on every side, you will not be distressed-Then, though sorrowful, you will be always rejoicing-And not only so, but you" will glory in tribulation also."

APRIL 30.-"The desire of all nations."-Haggai i. 7.

THAT this refers to the Messiah is unquestionable. Yet there seems some necessity for explaining the title given him, as it apparently disagrees with the language of other parts of Scripture, and with fact. Is he not despised and rejected of men? He was in the world, and the world was made by him; and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. How then can he be called the desire of all nations? The character is justified five ways.

First, by the general expectation that prevailed in the world previously to his advent. It is well known that there was such a looking out for some great deliverer and benefactor as nigh at hand. Divines have collected many testimonies from heathen authors, and have peculiarly remarked a little poem of Virgil's, written a few years only before the birth of Jesus, and which contains a kind of prophecy, foreshowing that some extraordinary personage would shortly come, and restore the peace and plenty and blessings of the fancied golden reign. The sentiment had been conveyed down by tradition, but it was originally derived from a divine source, the early and repeated promise of "him that should come."

Secondly, by the need all mankind had of such a Saviour as he was to be. The whole world was lying in wickedness. Darkness covered the earth. They knew not the supreme good. They found only vanity and vexation of spirit in their pursuits and attainments. They had no support under the troubles of life. Their uneasiness arising from guilt, death, and futurity, made them often willing not only to offer thousands of rams, and rivers of oil, but to give the firstborn for their transgression, the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul. But no remedy could they find to remove the doubts and fears of their consciences-The Lord Jesus meets the condition they were in; and therefore though they had no revelation of him, yet they were groping ignorantly after what alone he could impart; and therefore he deserves to be called the desire of all nations, just as a physician, able and willing to cure all diseases, is the desire of all patients.

Thirdly, by being entirely attractive in himself, so that all would actually long after him if they knew him. He has every excellency in his person, every perfection in his character. There is nothing in creation that will afford a proper image of his glory. All the loveliness of men and angels shrink from a comparison with his charms-"How great is his beauty!"-" Yea, he is altogether lovely." Do we esteem riches? His riches are unsearchable. Do we admire friendship? He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Do we applaud benevolence? His love passeth know

ledge. He comes down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax will he not quench. He delivers the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper

"His worth if all the nations knew,

Sure the whole earth would love him too."

Fourthly, by his having had admirers in every country. Wherever believers have been found, they have been all distinguished by the same convictions and dispositions with regard to him. Abraham in Canaan rejoiced to see his day, saw it, and was glad. Job, in the land of Uz, said, I know that my Redeemer liveth. Moses in Egypt, esteemed his reproach. Wise men came from Persia and paid him homage. Devout men from every nation under heaven came to the temple at Jerusalem, and joined in the ceremonies and sacrifices of which he was the substance and the end. And John heard his praise from a multitude which no man could number, out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. For,

Lastly, he is so named, because in due time he will be prized and gloried in by all the ends of the earth. To him, said the dying Patriarch, shall the gathering of the people be. He is the salvation, says Simeon, prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel. All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him; all nations shall call ' him blessed.

But let me not lose myself in general reflections. How does this desire of all nations appear to me? Has he been revealed in me the hope of glory? Is he all my salvation and all my desire? Can I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord? Do I love the people who resemble him? Do I value the ordinances in which I can enjoy communion with him? Will it complete my happiness to be like him and see him

as he is?

MAY.

MAY 1.-"Judas saith unto him, (not Iscariot,) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?"-John xiv. 22.

JUDAS ISCARIOT had already sold his master, and was now busy in betraying him into the hands of his enemies. We are sometimes ready to wonder by what potency of diabolical agency he could be carried to such a degree of wickedness. But when we are informed that he was covetous, the mystery is explained. Then we have a cause fully adequate to any effect: "for the love of money is the root of all evil."

But there was another Judas among the Apostles. He was the brother of James; the author of the last inspired epistle of the New Testament; and a faithful follower of Jesus-He was the present inquirer. We may be good and happy under any name. Yet there are names that seem ominous and odious. It must have been painful for this excellent man to be called by the name of the infamous wretch who had sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. John therefore distinguishes him. We should learn from his example to

be careful, in relating facts, not to confound persons. For want of an attention to this, what is only true of one individual is applied to another; and not only mistake but mischief frequently ensues. You can never talk safely after some people: they are sure to suppress, or omit, or perplex. How little is circumstantial truth attended to! It is not always easy to determine the principle of an action. We commonly look for a single cause, when perhaps several exciteA late popular senator, ments have operated, though not equally. Mr. Whitbread, often said, no man ever acted from a single motive. Whence sprang the question of Judas?

"How is it that we Was it the language of grateful surprise? should be selected? and thus honoured and indulged?" This is the disposition of the subjects of divine grace. They do not think more highly of themselves, because they are made to differ from others. Not unto us, O Lord; not unto us. Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my father's house?

Or was it the language of doubt? He seems to question whether the Lord could come and manifest himself to them without others seeing and knowing it. If he really thought so, it was very weak and foolish; but he spake in haste, and without reflection. He cases, of might easily have known the possibility, in a thousand communicating ourselves to a friend, while every one else remains ignorant of the transaction. And if others could not do it, was it becoming in Judas to measure the Saviour by their capacity? What is marvellous in their eyes is not marvellous in his. It was enough that he had said it. He never promises what he is not able to perform-And never should we ask, after any of his declarations, "How can these things be?"

Or was it the language of curiosity ? He might have admitted the reality of the thing, but wished to know the circumstances, and the mode of the manifestation. There is too much of this tendency of mind in all of us, so that we leave what is plain and useful, to pry into what is dark and unprofitable; and wish to explore the secret things which belong unto God, instead of being satisfied with those which are revealed, and which are for us and for our children. Thus time is wasted, the attention is drawn off from the main concern, the temper is injured by dispute, and the words of the Apostle verified, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." Jesus therefore would not gratify the inquirer after the number of the saved: and when Peter asked him after the destiny of John, he reproved him, saying, "What is that to thee? follow thou me:" and when his Apostles would dive into prophecy, he said, "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put into his own power."

But let us always take things in their most charitable construction. He felt the conPerhaps it was the language of allowable desire.

descension and kindness of Jesus; he considered the privilege as an inestimable favour: but having little acquaintance with it, he wished to know more of it, to regulate himself accordingly, so as not to lose, but secure and improve the privilege. This is the more probable, as our Saviour does not blame him, but gives him an answer. This he would not have done had Judas spoken supercilicusly or impertinently; and not in the spirit of a learner.

He

did not answer Pilate; nor indulge Herod; nor suffer those to remain in the room who laughed him to scorn when he raised the ruler's daughter. But he favours and satisfies Judas: "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

Hence, while we oppose a doubtful, curious, and speculative turn of mind, we should not repulse humble and useful inquiries. There are difficulties of an experimental and a practical nature with regard to duties and privileges which it is possible and desirable to remove. And there is no one to whom we can carry them so proper as he to whom this inquirer addressed himself—and not in vain.

MAY 2.-"Ye were a curse."--Zech. viii. 13.

WHEN Elihu asked Job, with regard to the Supreme Being, "If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him?" he adds, "Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art." The injury one man is capable of doing to another is incalculable; and it will never be known in this world what a curse the sinner has been. The corrupt always become, as Isaiah calls them, "children that are corrupters." They are concerned to bring others into the same course and condition with themselves; and as, owing to the depravity of our nature, we are much more accessible to evil than to good, they are rarely successless in their endeavours. In addition to their invitations and enticings, and, if they have power, their frowns and menaces; how impressive is the force of example! and how does the presence of vice familiarize it to the mind, and weaken the restraints of fear and shame! "One sinner destroyeth much good."

It seems hard that the wife and children of Achan should have been stoned and burnt with himself. And nothing could have been more affecting than the sight and cries of these victims of his guilt, especially if he had any feeling, to the man himself. And the Deist here rages against the Bible. But the Bible only records the fact; and the Deist is perpetually meeting with similar things in his own book of nature. He sees what his Omnipotent Goodness does not interfere to prevent,-one suffering from the vileness of another. He sees the wife and children reduced to want, beggary, infamy, disease, death; by an idle, drunken, stealing, licentious husband and father. This should be one of the greatest preventions of sin, that it always injures, not only ourselves, but others: and it would be so, if we had any ingenuous, noble, relative feeling. But what filial affection has that youth who can break a mother's heart, and bring down the gray hairs of a father with sorrow to the grave? Whatever be his politics, what real patriotism has he who endeavours to arm Providence against his country, and promotes "that sin which is a reproach to any people?" "I cannot exercise a better charity towards others," says Adam of Wintringham, "than by avoiding all sin myself."

As the wicked are "a curse" by injuriousness, so they are also by execration. How many suddenly curse their habitation! How are they cursed often by those who are ruined by their pride, luxury, and

speculations! How will children, when they meet their ungodly parents, rise up against them in the judgment, and cause them to be put to death! How in the world of torment will the seduced execrate the seducer! the murdered the murderer! and the pupil of infidelity the wretch that led him into the paths of the destroyer! How dreadfully did the writer of this article once hear a fine young man, while dying, exclaim, again and again, "O curse you, Voltaire!"Angels curse them: "Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof"-The Judge of all will curse them-He "will say unto them on his left hand, Depart, ye cursed"

And, Christians, were you ever in danger of this? Were you ever once a curse yourselves? How humbling is the review! What godly sorrow does it call for! It seems enough to make you weep, if possible, tears of blood, to think that there are some in hell, and others going thither, whom you have led astray and encouraged! You, surely you, can never forgive yourselves! But if God has forgiven you, you ought to love much; and be concerned, as you have been a curse, to become a blessing.

MAY 3.-"Ye shall be a blessing."-Zech. viii. 13.

WHAT a difference is there between the state of nature and grace! The transition from the one to the other verifies and explains the words of the prophet: "Instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir tree; and instead of the brier, shall come up the myrtle tree." Hence says God-"As ye were a curse"-"Ye shall be a blessing."

For the change affects them not only personally, but relatively. It begins with themselves, but it extends to others; and a zealous concern for the salvation of their own souls is always accompanied with a benevolent anxiety for the salvation of their fellow-creatures. Their exertions for this purpose are indeed often ungrate fully received; and they are reproachfully desired to keep their religion to themselves. But this is enjoining upon them an impossibility. They cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard-If these should hold their peace, the stones would cry out-The fire must burn-The spring must rise up. Others are not only excused, but commended-even if they err in the manner, who strive to heal the sick, to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry but Christians are called intermeddlers when they would exercise the noblest charity of all, which is spiritual mercy. Not that they neglect the body-Jesus himself did not. But he that converteth a sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

David therefore said, "I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee." What a blessing was Andrew to his brother Peter! and Philip to his friend Nathaniel! and the woman of Samaria to her fellow-citizens !-" Many believed on him for the saying of the woman." In this way God carries on his cause. He makes us the subjects of his grace, and then the mediums and the instruments. He could call fifty at once in a village. But what is commonly the case? One is called first. He soon pities the condition of others; and he goes to the minister by whom