the favours we receive from God, to their proper end, and let us look upon him whom we have pierced, and look upon him until we mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and are in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. O, Holy Spirit, do thou attend the goodness of God, both in providence and grace with thy blessing, that so we may thereby be led to repentance, that we may so sorrow for sin, as to hate it, turn from it, and heartily forsake it. Reader, what effect has the goodness of God had upon you? You have enjoyed health, you have received food and raiment, you have found shelter and the accommodations of home, you have had the Bible, the Sabbath, the ministry of the gospel, and many good things beside. Have you realized that all these were favours? Favours conferred upon you by God? That you did not deserve one of them? That on the score of justice you could not claim one of them? Have you perceived that they all come from that God, whom you have grieved and dishonoured by your sins; and that the design of them is, to make you think kindly of him, sorry that you have offended him, and concerned so to live and so to act as to please him? If God's goodness does not soften, it will harden you; if it does not draw you to him, it will drive you from him; if it does not attract you to heaven, it will sink you lower into hell. The greater his goodness to you, the more aggravated, because the more inexcusable, are your sins against him. O Jesus, thou Son of God Most High, art thou not exalted to give repentance and the remission of sins, let it please thee to give deep and abiding repentance both to the writer and reader of these lines! Let us believe in the love of God, be deeply affected by the goodness of God, and be ashamed and confounded that we have so grossly, so frequently, so unfeelingly sinned against him. O for that repentance which is unto life, and that needeth not to be repented of! Is this the kind return And these the thanks we owe? Whence all our blessings flow? To what a stubborn frame What strange rebellious wretches we, And God as strangely kind! 2 Break, sovereign grace, these hearts of stone," THE Lord Jesus is the object of the heart's love of every believer. None can, for one moment, compare with him. He is the chief among ten thousand. He is the altogether lovely! Every thing in Christ is precious, and every thing connected with Christ is esteemed. His name is as ointment poured forth, and his presence is felt to be a real heaven. We could go anywhere with Christ. We could do anything for Christ. We feel an interest in all that belongs to Christ. These thoughts have been awakened by the language of the song, "Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves." Song vii. 11, 12. THE INVITATION. "Come, my beloved." The first word is taken out of Christ's mouth. He always invites first. Invited by him, we come to him-coming to him, we are saved by him-being saved by him, we realise union to him, and communion with him-and realising union and communion, we long and . seek to be always with him-desiring and seeking to be always with him, as we cannot go to him as yet, we invite him to come and dwell with us. "Come, my beloved." Jesus has won the heart. He has gained the soul. There is, therefore none like him. He is the beloved One. The object of desire, the source of joy, and the centre of the affections, "Let us go forth into the field." The field is the world. It is a field that needs cultivating. There is much work to be done there. The beloved claims it, but an enemy has seized it. It has run waste. The desire is to recover, reclaim, and make it fit for the Lord. She was willing to work, but wanted her Saviour's company and sanction. She would labour, but desires to be a labourer together with God. "Let us lodge in the villages." The parts adjacent. Let us begin home missionary work first. preach the gospel to the poor. Let us seek to win the illiterate, the neglected, the despised. Let us seek the simple ones. Let us lodge with them for a time, not merely pay a hasty visit, that we may save the more. "Let us get up early into the vineyards." The little churches. Little separated, cultivated, fruitful spots. The representatives of the one vineyard of red wine, where grow the Lord's pleasant plants, where the great husbandman loves to work, and walk. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field," where there is so much to be done. 66 Let us "Let us lodge in the villages," among the "Let poor who have been so long neglected. us get up early into the vineyards," the little epots inclosed by grace, and planted with the plants of the Lord's right hand planting. THE DESIGN. "Let us see if the vines Aourish." Let us see if sinners are converted, if believers are added to the church, if the saints grow in grace. God's plants have life. They are planted in a good soil. They are expected to grow. Not merely to grow, but to flourish, to look healthy, become vigorous and strong; be ornamental and fruitful. "Let us see if the tender grapes appear." Let us look for the blossoms of hope, the fruits of faith and love. Let us see if there are indications of love, joy, peace, long-sufOr fering, gentleness, goodness, and faith. the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and to the glory of God. "Let us see if the pomegranates bud forth." If those who have gifts, use them for the good of the church. If ministers preach Christ, set forth the great atonement, and keep the nourishment of the church before her. Let us see if the church is healthy and orderly, if believers are fruitful and happy, if ministers are holy and use ful. Let us see by personal inspection, by active examination. THE INDUCEMENT. "There will I give thee my loves." There will I afresh surren der my heart to thee, fix my affections upon |