A them and smitten them.' | state. buy und the honey comb.' any measure our views of its They may be known to us hereafter, and they may now be known to principalities and powers in heavenly places; but they are utterly beyond the reach of our present apprehension; 'it is high as heaven, what canst thou know; deeper than hell, what canst thou understand?' There are other 'deep things,' or at least 'secret xxx and preciousness, let us see that we things,' which, though possible, it would not be iced thereto according to its words, and suitable or proper for us to know; such as the hearts to receive its converting influence, purposes of God in the works of his providence, un sodorting promises, and holy precepts. Let in the case of nations and individuals, or in our us hold fast by its sure testimony' as the anchor own future progress and condition in this life, or of our souls, that we may neither be weary in in the peculiar manner of our existence in the well doing, nor moved away from the hope of world to come; things which it would be incomthe gospel. Let us be careful to draw daily from patible with the ends in view to make known, or its pages, as from an inexhaustible fountain, fresh which it would be injurious to our own peace to supplies of the living water which it contains; know. It is not for you to know the times and to repair duly to all its appointed ordinances or the seasons which the Father hath put in of grace, as wells of salvation' to our souls. Let his own power.' 'I have yet many things to us prize the written record, the scripture of say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.' truth' as a heavenly mine of unsearchable riches; as the last of our possessions with which we should ever consent to part; as the best gift that we can ever have the power to bestow; as the precious legacy of the Lord, who died for us; as the special conveyance, by his death, of our title to an incorruptible inheritance. So may we be enabled to enter fully into the sentiment of the devout Psalmist, and to say with unceasing and increasing thankfulness, the law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.' 'Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY.-EVENING. 'The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law,' Deut. xxix. 29. THERE are many deep things of God which no created being can fathom; such as his own essential nature and manner of existence, and mode of acting upon his creatures; and, even to the highest of the angelic hosts, it may be said, 'Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?' 'He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.' There are many 'deep things of God;' at least, connected with his perfections, and providence, and purposes, which, however known by higher orders of beings, we have not the proper faculties and means of knowot possibly know in our present in All such deep things, or secret things,' belong to God; many of them of necessity, as what he alone can know, and all of them as his province, as alone entitled to judge what should be revealed or retained, and so as proving his very preeminence and independence. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing,' and thus his creatures should have reason to adore his sovereignty and sufficiency in himself: 'how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.' Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor? They belong to God as essential to his government of the world, and as training us to due humility of mind in his presence, and submission of our will to his authority, to receive the truth which he is pleased to make known, though we see only a part of it; and to trust in the righteousness of his dealings, though we see not all the reasons on which they rest; and to yield obedience to all his precepts, though we know not all the uses which they serve. They belong to him of right, as his property, to impart to his creatures what portion of knowledge he pleases, and to give them the prospect of more as he may judge best for their happiness. And such, it may be presumed, will be one great source of happiness in the eternal world to all spiritual beings, to be always receiving more and more knowledge of himself, and of his excellencies, and of his glorious works; and yet to feel that the fountain of such blessings is inexhaustible, and that infinitely more yet remains to be learned and enjoyed, receiving eternally out of his fulness fresh light to behold his glory, and farther reasons to rejoice in his love. To attempt to reach those secret things which God hath withheld, is at once a presumptuous | many a single verse, contains the substance of impeachment of his goodness in so withholding what is essential to our peace, and indicative of them, and a rebellious endeavour to attain to them against his will. Such daring inquiries might well provoke the divine judgments, and do ordinarily bring their own punishment in their train; overwhelming often the proud reason which rushes into the depths of God's infinity, or at least swelling the heart with a foolish conceit of superior knowledge, and always involving those who are guilty of them in the most pernicious and perverse disputings, to the subversion often of their own faith, and to the hindrance of all godly edifying. But vain man will be wise, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind;' and there is no small hazard of falling into this snare of the tempter, inasmuch as 'the secret things' which belong to God, and the things revealed' for our use, do in fact border so closely upon each other, that it is very easy to pass from the plain path of the one into the deep abyss of the other. The great truths of salvation are made known simply as facts, without any account of the reasons for their existence, or the manner of their operation. The simplest of these facts, or rather of the ideas which they express, such as the being of a God, is a profound mystery; and every thing connected with the will or worship of an incomprehensible being, must lead into the depths of mysteriousness. To clear up their darkness, we are tempted to penetrate a little farther; and so are plunged into a deeper obscurity, and by all our labours to remove the difficulties in which we are involved, only 'darkening counsel by words without knowledge.' Thus some are fond to be wise above what is written, our duty. The perfections of God, and our obligations to love and serve him; our character as sinful creatures, and our inability to render due obedience to his will; the way of our acceptance in Jesus Christ, and the promised aids of his Holy Spirit; the duties which we thus owe to our heavenly Father and blessed Redeemer, and to one another in our several stations and relations in life; the dangers which beset our souls in the way of life, and the means of grace which are provided for our use and edification.—These things are all plainly revealed and pressed upon our attention, as things which belong to us as a privilege, and which it behoveth us as a duty to know; and to remain slothfully inattentive to such knowledge, as if it was of no value, to be willing to know less than what is revealed, is as insulting to God as to attempt to know more. 'Some have not the knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame.' Nor are they to be regarded as things merely to be known, but as all meant to be practised and revealed, that we may do all the words of this law. 'If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.' 'Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say.' 'If ye love me keep my commandments.' They are revealed that they may be remembered. They are of universal interest, and of perpetual obligation. They are to be held fast as our own high privilege; and to be handed down to our children as their best inheritance. TWENTY-NINTH DAY.-MORNING. wishing to impose along with it their own explan-Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me,' John xv. 4. ation; while others are too wise to receive what is written, because they want along with it a sufficient explanation. But the silence is as instructive as the language of scripture. Its truths must be apprehended by humble faith; 'YE believe in God,' said the blessed Redeemer and they disdain to be comprehended or modelled to his diciples, 'believe also in me;' and it is by our proud reason. They only are truly wise, manifest to all who believe God in his word, that who keep close to that which is written, and it is the will of God and the work of God, that who say of all attempts to go beyond it, in the 'we believe on him whom he hath sent;' this is humble language of the Psalmist, such know- his commandment, 'that we should believe on ledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot the name of his Son Jesus Christ.' God so attain unto it.' But the things revealed com- loved the world, that he gave his only begotten prise all that is necessary for us to know; and Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not nothing is kept back that could be profitable perish, but have everlasting life.' 'Him hath Both the way of salvation, and the God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and rule of life, are most clearly made known, and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and most carefully repeated for our instruction and forgiveness of sins.' This was the work which encouragement. Many a single chapter, nay, was given him to do, viz., the work of man's unto us. redemption; and which he finished on the cross, both by his propitiatory suffering, and by his perfect righteousness. But how is this redemption applied to our souls? and how are we made partakers of the benefits which Christ thus purchased? By the power of his own Spirit in our hearts, 'working faith in us, and so uniting us to Christ.' This faith is the connecting bond or point of contact, if we may so speak, between the Saviour and our souls. 'Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood;' and being justified by this faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are thus found in him, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.' But Christ, as a Saviour, saves his people from their sins; not merely from the debt of sin, but from the death of sin; not merely making them partakers of his salvation, but making them meet for the enjoyment of that salvation; and this he does by the power of the same Spirit, and by means of the same instrument; 'sanctified by faith, that is in me,' 'purifying their hearts by faith.' 'God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.' Not only, then, must we be found in him, but also abide in him, and by the same faith which brings us into this justified state, must we both be preserved therein, while we live here on earth, and prepared for eternal life in heaven. Never must our faith lose sight, or lose hold, of him who is our soul's life; and our connection with him must be as close and constant, as that of the branch with its root. As the branch of the vine can bear no fruit, except by its close connection and continued communication with the root, and the regular supply of nourishment through the stem on which it grows; so neither can our souls preserve a saving interest in Christ's merits, or experience the sanctifying influence of his grace, unless by the exercise of an abiding and living faith in him, as the sacred source or root of all heavenly blessings and spiritual life to fallen man. An abiding and living faith it must be, in order to bear any fruit, for his heavenly Father's use. A dead branch, though apparently adhering to the stem of the vine, yet, having no living principle in itself, nor channel of communication with the root, must remain altogether unfruitful, as well as altogether unseemly; and is doomed to be taken away, and cast into the fire. Thus must our faith, not as a mere outward profession, but as an inward principle, continue to draw from Christ, and through Christ, as our root and stem, a sufficient stimulus for its own support, and a supply of nourishment for the production of fruit. He is full of grace and truth;' and 'of his fulness we must all receive, and grace for grace,' grace after grace. In this way only can we live in the Spirit, and grow in grace, and bear the fruits of righteousness, viz., by the lively and habitual exercise of faith towards the Saviour, as the source of all heavenly blessings to our souls. Faith not only maintains the soul's reliance on the merits of the Redeemer's death on the cross, but carries its views within the vail, to behold what he is still doing on his throne in the heavens. It thus beholds him ever living to make intercession, ever able to save to the uttermost; continually carrying forward his gracious plans, and communicating his heavenly blessings. It thus brings near to the soul all those sanctifying truths and constraining motives, which produce the spiritual fruit of holy affections and grateful obedience. In proportion to the strength and increase of this faith, does the believer abound in such fruits of righteousness to the glory of the heavenly husbandman. Through faith, as the spiritual organ, does the great Sanctifier show to the soul things invisible, and convey to the soul influences from above, thus at once invigorating its graces, and increasing its fruitfulness. Thus, in Christ Jesus 'nothing availeth but faith which worketh by love;' and, in the sight of God, no obedience is pleasing but what is thus a work of faith, and a labour of love shown to his name.' But however we may apprehend or explain the process, such, our Lord declares, is the effect of the union and intercourse with him, which constitutes a genuine disciple: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.' Without him we can do nothing;' but, with Christ strengthening us, we can do all things.' 'So must Christ dwell in our hearts by faith,' and so must we live the life which we now live in the flesh, by the faith of the Son of God.' So must we connect our expectation of any blessing from God with the thought of Christ, as its Author to our souls; and offer every service to God only through Christ, as our Advocate with the Father. So must we continue to look to him, not only for the gift of eternal life, of which we are so unworthy; but also for the preparation to enjoy a heavenly life, for which we are so unfit. So must we look to him, not only for the first principle of spiritual life, but also for the daily support of the life of God in our souls. So must we consider our true life, in all its functions, as hidden with Christ in God; and desire always to say, in all that forms | nature imposing it on his part; no worthiness our Christian life on earth, 'Not I but Christ liveth in me.' So, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.' TWENTY-NINTH DAY.-EVENING. · And I will give them one heart, and I will put THE blessed gospel of Christ, as a dispensation of The source of all, and the cause of all, that is thus done in man's salvation is the sovereign will and free grace of God himself; no necessity of or act of merit attracting it on our part; nothing but his own good pleasure; not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saveth us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.' He thus secures their obedience to his law, not by some external force on his part, constraining them to alter their course, or by some seeming show of conformity on their part in the mere actions of the life; but by an inward principle instilled into the very frame of the soul itself, from which, as from a fountain of living water, shall flow forth a pure and perennial stream. As himself a spiritual being, and the Father of the spirits of all flesh, it can only be by a spiritual worship and service, that any suitable intercourse can be maintained with them as rational and immortal creatures— that they can be formed to be his people, and that he can be felt to be their God. Such a spirit he puts into them, so different in all respects from what is naturally to be found in any man, that it may justly be called, and really is, a new spirit; not new faculties or means of understanding, but a renewing of the spirit of the mind; a new bent or direction to all their powers and pursuits and pleasures, so as to lead especially to new views of all those things that concern our work and well being in regard to an eternal world. Nor is it merely a new train of thinking on these things, a new creed of religious belief; a new course of religious observances; but also a new state of feeling, a change of heart, a heart of flesh; a heart no longer obdurate and insensible to the claims of God, and the concerns of eternity, feeling nothing, and fearing nothing; but a heart alive, and open, and sensitive, and easily made to feel an awe of God's glories, and an apprehension of his mercies, an anxiety for his favour, and a sympathy for other souls, either as already impressed, or as needing to be impressed, by similar thoughts and feelings. Nor is it merely a new train of thinking and a new state of feeling which constitutes this spiritual renovation; but a new course of acting, proceeding from this inward change, and proving its secret influence; 'that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them,' receiving henceforth the whole of the law of God from his mouth, reverencing all its commandments as his, and because they are his; continuing in them, as our walk and course of duty, while we live; and carefully doing them, as he may impart the power and the opportunity. only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. In this duty it becomes us cheerfully to acquiesce, as so clearly the will of God as well as conducive to the good of mankind; and to cherish the principle in our hearts, as in all merely temporal matters invariably binding, rather than to indulge in framing or fancying cases in which we would be warranted to refuse such obedience. In all that concerns only our worldly interests and comforts, it becomes the Christian to exercise such submission to the uttermost, and to take patiently the spoiling of his goods, the infliction of bonds and imprisonment, or even the sacrifice of life itself, rather than to maintain actual resistance and rebellion against those powers, which are ordained of God. Let us mark the plain and pure doctrine of statutes and ordinances to respect the authority, the divine word on this momentous subject of and obey the laws of the civil government under spiritual renovation; and preserve it distinct in which we live; and that civil government, under our minds from all human reasonings and illus- some form or other, is itself a permanent orditrations connected with it. These interpreta-nance of God, and essential to the very existence tions, whether true or false, wise or foolish, affect of society. It is specially enjoined upon his not at all the matter of fact, so explicitly testi- people, that every soul be subject unto the higher fied, namely, that all must undergo a great spirit-powers; and that we must thus be subject, not ual change, which the Spirit of God alone can produce, before they can be numbered among his people, and be blessed by him as their God, 'I will put a new spirit within you, and ye shall be my people. Let us observe also, and remember always, the close connection existing between the several parts of the new nature here described; and guard against the delusion of supposing that we may attain any portion of such a change, without aiming after the whole; that we may observe God's statutes, without undergoing any such change of heart; or that we may have experienced the renewing of his Spirit, while neglectful of his statutes, and inattentive to his commandments. A practical regard to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, is the natural fruit of the heart being right with God, the surest proof that a saving change has taken place, the settled purpose of God in effecting such a change, I will put a new spirit within you, that ye may walk in my statutes, and do them.' All reason, scripture, and experience point to a holy life as the best and fittest evidence of a renewed spirit; and to which the Lord himself, as Judge, hath declared, that he will point the attention of the whole world, as evidencing those who are his people, and who shall be with him as their God, for ever and ever. Whatever other marks may be thought of, this is the highest, and the surest, and has been justly denominated the sign of signs.'All graces do join together but to frame and fashion the soul to obedience. Then, so much obedience as is in your lives, so much grace in your hearts. Therefore ask your hearts, how subject you are to your Lord in your lives.'* THIRTIETH DAY.-MORNING. 'But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, julge ye,' Acts iv. 19. THERE can be no question among those who believe the word of God, that it is one of his Edwards on Religious Affection. But neither, on the other hand, can there be any question, that there is an allegiance and obedience due to God himself, with which no authority upon earth, or fear of man's wrath, must be allowed to interfere; and that we are not only warranted but bound by the same principle of conscience, to carry our resistance, so far at least as to refuse compliance with their commands, when clearly contrary to the divine statutes and ordinances;—when requiring us either to withhold what we believe God has commanded, or to commit what we believe he has forbidden. ‘If a case were supposed, in which a governor were to require one of his subjects to perform an action, which would be a breach of the divine commandments; then the subject, whatsoever consequences might await him, must refuse compliance, because God is at all risks to be obeyed rather than man. Were the governor to require a proceeding to be carried into effect, which the laws of the land forbid, the duty of the subject would be, not to obey: for, under God, the law is sovereign. The governor is bound no less than the subject to tue of these laws, and according to these laws, obey the laws of the land, and it is only by virthat he is authorized to require obedience.' (Gisborne's Sermons). 'God has a prior claim to our obedience, which no human interference, no relation which may be formed between us and others, no promise or contract can invalidate. Those, therefore, who refuse to comply with the unlawful orders of their superiors are not disobedient |