'We shall all stand before the judgment-seat of throne, who, with beaming countenances and enChrist,' Rom. xiv. 10.

Should we forget that there is an event fast But who is this Judge? It is Christ the Son coming which brings us individually to judgof God. How august the Judge! How sublime ment? That event cannot be far distant, for here what is writtten by him who, in prophetic vision, we cannot abide long. Every thing around us beheld the judgment! And I saw a great white is subject to decay. The flowers bloom and throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face wither; the verdant foliage of the forest soon

shrivels, and by the first rude blast is strewed | he was thus setting them an example of injustice on the ground. Man, the child of mortality, and cruelty which they were too much disposed withers as the green herb. With his first breath to follow. Accordingly when he brought him he inhales a poison, which continues to rankle forth, and set him before them, and said, 'Behold till it brings the goodly fabric to the grave. the man!' their relentless cry was, 'crucify him, Friends and neighbours die; and God is saying crucify him.' to us by their departure, Dust thou art, and unto Not less cruel was the conduct of the soldiers, dust thou shalt return.' 'Be ye also ready, for unto whom, when he was scourged and conin such an hour as ye think not the Son of man demned, he was delivered. Though bleeding from cometh.' Should not we each say, Art thou the cruel scourging, to which, though innocent, he ready, O my soul? Art thou prepared to meet had been subjected, their rugged hearts were not thy God? Hast thou fled to the only refuge? softened. Scourging was both a painful, and an Hast thou laid hold of the horns of the altar? ignominious punishment. It dwelt upon the Hast thou cast thyself at the feet of the great Saviour's mind; for in foretelling his last sufferHigh Priest? Hast thou sought pardon through ings he always mentions the scourging to his the covenanted mercy of God? Hast thou ap-disciples. We may learn the severity with plied to the blood of sprinkling? Hast thou which it was executed from the prophetic words washed in the fountain opened? Hast thou been of scripture, 'the plowers plowed upon my back; renewed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit? And they made long their furrows.' Unmoved by his art thou living by the faith of the Son of God? meekness, or by his unmerited sufferings, the If we can give no satisfactory answer to such ruffian soldiers, with wanton and deliberate questions; and if we have reason to fear that we cruelty, sought to add to the sufferings of his are yet in our sins, would it not be the height of body, and of his mind. They stripped him, madness to continue in this perilous state, sus- and put on him a scarlet robe. 'And when pended by a frail thread over the dread abyss, they had platted a crown of thorns, they put when next moment it may be snapt asunder? it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; Should we not with prayers, and tears, and and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked groanings that cannot be uttered, implore mercy him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews! And they to pardon and grace to help? If, on the con- spat upon him, and took the reed, and smote him trary, we think that we have passed from death on the head. And after they had mocked him, to life, and that there has been an outpouring of they led him away to crucify him.' With what grace on our souls;-then let us remember that studied contempt and cruelty was he treated! grace is not shed abroad in the heart that it may The crown, we doubt not, was intentionally of remain dormant, but that it may stir us up to thorns, that its spikes might pierce his temples, live more and more to the praise and glory of when they pressed it on his head. These soldiers God. That if we are Christians, then are we were the subjects of a state in which honorary the lights of the world; the salt of the earth; crowns were often bestowed as the reward of some the good leaven to leaven the lump. Whatever distinguished action, such as the saving of the life our hand findeth to do, let us do it with our of a Roman citizen, or being the first to scale the might;' for the night cometh when no man can walls of an enemy's city. How glorious the crown work; and after death, the judgment." which He deserved to wear, whom they insultingly crowned in cruel mockery! He came to pull down the strongholds of Satan; and he will lay the loftiest of them at last in the dust. He was engaged in a work which was to save the whom no man can number, whom he is to rescue life, not of one, but of many; of a multitude from misery, to raise from earth to heaven, and to crown with eternal blessedness. How resplendent the crown he now wears! Jesus,' saith the apostle, 'who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour.' For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.'

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY.-MORNING.

‹ And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head,' Matt. xxvii. 29. How bitter were the ingredients mingled in that cup which the Redeemer drank for the guilty sons of men! Jews and Gentiles combined in loading him with ignominy and insult. Pilate, though he declared that he found no fault in him, commanded him to be cruelly scourged; and it was scarcely a palliation that he did it to gratify the hatred of the Jews, and to move them to pity; for

We see

In contemplating such heinous wickedness, can | committed himself to Him that judgeth rightewe fail to be struck with the wonderful forbearance ously.' Let us consider him who endured such of God? The Jews had been highly favoured contradiction of sinners against himself, lest we be by him of old, and often had they tried his long-wearied, and faint in our minds.' Let us 'humble suffering. He had sent to them his servants the ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he prophets; but they beat one, and killed another, may exalt us in due time; casting all our care and stoned another. Last of all he sent to them on him, for he careth for us.' 'If we suffer with his Son, saying, 'They will reverence my Son.' him, we shall also reign with him.' If we seek But in the language of the parable, when they to bear up under the trials of life in such a mansaw his son, they said among themselves, This ner as shall redound to the glory of God, then is the heir, come, let us kill him, and let us seize the God of all grace, after we have suffered a on the inheritance; and they caught him, and while, will call us to his kingdom and glory, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.' wil bestow on us that crown of righteousness What forbearance was it that he did not instantly which fadeth not away. Let us put on then as miserably destroy these cruel murderers! the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven us. Let us seek so to live that when the end of our warfare is near, we may, like the apostle, say, 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'

6

But let us consider how often we ourselves have tried his long-suffering. He has raised from the dead this crucified Redeemer, and has exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And yet, are there not thousands in a land of light who are not only unthankful, but with all the malice and hatred of the Jews, set themselves against the Lord and his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast their cords from us?' Though God may for a time spare, is he not saying to every one who acts thus infpiously, 'Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.'

And should we not, from the patience and forbearance of the Son of God, learn patience and humility in the day of trial? He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted; yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.' When visited with unmerited reproach or injury, let us look unto Jesus, and learn patience and humility. 'Forasmuch as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, let us arm ourselves likewise with the same mind.' 'For even hereunto were we called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, but

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY.-EVENING.

'Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life,' Rev. ii. 10.

THIS exhortation is given by the first, and the last,
and the living One, to those who had already shown
themselves faithful in his service. Neither the
exhortation nor the promise were intended to be
limited to the saints at Smyrna; but may be
considered as addressed to believers in every age.
'Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee
a crown of life.' We are left in no doubt as to
the person giving this exhortation to be faithful;
for who could give a crown of life but the Son
of the Eternal, who alone could say, 'I am the
first and the last, I am he that liveth, and was
dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and
have the keys of hell and of death?' And what
is it to be faithful? Would we be faithful were
we to be ashamed of him in the company of the
ungodly? Would we be faithful were we to put
our hand to the plough, and then to turn back?
Would we be faithful were the dread of suffering
to induce us to deny him, and to swerve from
the path of duty? Would we be faithful to him
as the Captain of our salvation, were we to
hold treacherous communication with those of the

most as soon as the fading leaves of his crown. But here is a crown given by the Son of the Eternal, along with a kingdom that cannot be moved, and everlasting life, and glory, and happiness in the presence of God, and of his Christ.

It is the King of Zion who saith, 'Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.' Thou art fighting under his eye; and dost thou require more to encourage thee? Yes, more is needed, and it is not withheld. Thou

enemy's camp? Would we be faithful were we to spend in idleness, or folly, or riot, the time he has challenged as his own? Would we be faithful were we to spend the talents he has committed to us for our own selfish purposes, or in the service of the enemy? No! to be faithful we must love him, and cleave to him, and serve him; enduring hardness as good soldiers, and living to him through whose goodness and mercy we live. It is Christ's voice that says to us, 'Be ye faith-needest strength for the conflict, and asking the ful.' Then whatever our hand findeth to do, let us aid thou needest, it will be freely bestowed. He do it with our might, as there is neither work, nor will make his grace sufficient for thee, and perwisdom, nor knowledge, nor device in the grave fect his strength in thy weakness. Without this to which we are hastening. It is the voice of the thy heart would sink within thee before the seen blessed Bridegroom that saith, 'Be thou faithful;' array of earthly enemies; and the more dreadful, and should we not give him the first place in our though unseen, array of spiritual foes. Clothed heart, that we may say with joy, My Beloved in the armour of God, and going in the strength is mine, and I am his?' 'Be thou faithful,' saith of the Captain of thy salvation, he who gave the he; and O my soul, what cause hast thou to be stripling David the victory over the uncircumcised faithful! Is he not the chief among ten thousands, Philistine, will make thee conqueror over all that and altogether lovely? Has he not done every can rise up against thee. The enemy may be thing for thee? His was love that many waters allowed for a little to prevail; but fear none of could not quench, neither floods drown, nor those things which thou shalt suffer. Though death destroy. And wilt thou not yield to him Satan, by his emissaries, may spoil thee of thy the love of thy heart, the obedience of thy life, goods, he cannot prevent thee from being rich toand the praises of thy tongue? wards God. Though he may try thee, he cannot torment thee; though he may cast thee into a prison, he cannot shut thee up in hell; he cannot shut thee out from the favour of the Lord. Many may rise up against thee, speaking great swelling words of wrath and vanity; but he who is for thee is more powerful than all who are against thee. He will make his grace sufficient for thee, for he has promised that as thy day is, so shall thy strength be. He may call thee to the field of conflict; but he will be thy shield in the hour of danger. He may suffer thee to be cast into the fiery furnace; but it is that the trial of thy faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, may be found with praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

What encouragement hast thou, O believer, to be faithful! What precious promises he gives! 'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.' Thou art engaged in a warfare then; and from this warfare there is no discharge, for thou must be faithful unto death. 'If any man draw back, my soul,' saith the Lord, 'shall have no pleasure in him.' But the first death shall soon come disarmed of its sting, and thou shalt never taste of the second death. What a blessing! To be saved from the lake of fire, and from lying down in everlasting burnings!

But deliverance from hell would not satisfy him who had loved Christ, and had endured poverty, and reproach, and tribulation for his name's sake. But listen to his voice, Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.' How delightful the words: I will give thee a crown of life! I wore the crown of thorns, yea, I suffered death, that I might give thee a crown of life. I will give it. I, the faithful and true witness, whose promises are all yea and amen, not one failing. How animating this promise! What interest was excited, and what energies put forth at the games of ancient Greece; and when the victor was crowned before the assembled multitude, he seemed at the height of earthly happiness; though the crown was but of leaves, and though the wearer of it might die al

Beloved, examine yourselves then whether ye be in the faith, remembering that true faith purifieth the heart, and worketh by love, leading those who are possessed of it to live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave himself for us. Think of the enemies with whom you have to contend; of their fiery darts, of their countless wiles, and of their cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive and to destroy. But think also of the Master whom you serve; on the aid, which in answer to your prayers, he has promised; and on the rich reward of grace which he assures you he will bestow. Splendid may

be an earthly crown; but little to be envied is he that wears it. Cares lurk amidst its brightest ornaments; and the power of royalty cannot banish them. It brings no comfort in the hour of sorrow; it cannot ward off sickness and trouble; it cannot save from the agonies of death; it cannot justify in the day of judgment. But from the midst of the seven golden candlesticks a voice is heard, 'Be ye faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.' It is the faithful and the true Witness who speaks, and his promises are all yea and amen; and the crown is a diadem of beauty which he bestows on those who are to live, and reign, and rejoice with him for evermore. 'Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain' in the Lord.'

TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY.-MORNING.

'Deep

How astonishing this humiliation! calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.' To have some faint idea of the depth of the Saviour's humiliation, it is necessary to bear in mind his original dignity and glory, even the glory which he had with God his Father before the world began, 'when he was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and was daily his delight, rejoicing always before Him.' 'He was in the form of God;' and, as his 'taking upon him the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men,' means that he really became man, and appeared in a humble station as the servant of all; so, his 'being in the form of God,' means that he was really God:-and that no doubt might remain, it is added, and 'thought it not robbery to be equal with God.' 'I am the Lord,' saith the Almighty, and my glory I will not give unto another;' and yet it is declared respecting the Redeemer, that he was the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person. In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.' He is very God of very God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory; so that all should honour the Son even as they honour the Father. How incomprehensibly great his glory! Who by searching can find out God? Who can find out the Almighty unto perfection? 'What is man,' might we say, 'that He should be mindful of him, or the children of men that he should visit them?' Or if he did visit them, we might have expected that it would be in wrath, to overwhelm by his mighty power his enemies in a rebellious province of his empire. But he beheld them with mercy; he said, 'How shall I make thee as Admah, how shall I set thee as Zeboim?' He vailed his glory, and he

'He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,' Phil. ii. 8. WELL-fitted are the sublime doctrines of our most holy faith to have a practical influence on the hearts and lives of believers; and therefore does the apostle say, 'Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.' 'Stand fast, in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; in nothing terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.' Does he wish them cheerfully to bear up under those trials to which they were called, 'for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ?' He teaches them to regard tribulation endured on this account as an honour, and a privilege, and a cause of thankfulness; for unto you,' says he, it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.' Does he wish them to avoid strife and vain-glory, and to cultivate peace, and brotherly-kindness, and low-through his poverty, might be rich.' It is a liness of mind? He points to Him who said, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart;' and he says, 'Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the

cross.'

came to save.

Great had been his humiliation, had he stooped to take on himself the nature of the brightest of the angels of God. But 'though rich, for our sakes he became poor, that we,

principle of our nature, that we feel more acutely for those who, from exalted stations, are plunged into the depths of distress. The very same afflictions are in reality more grievous to them than to those in humbler life. How trying is poverty to those who have known nothing but affluence! And how grievous are neglect, and scorn, and insult, to them who have long been accustomed to honour, and who have ever been treated with deference, and regarded with respect! And yet what is their humiliation to that of the Son of