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FEB. 18.-" Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established." Rom. i. 10, 11.

Ar this time Paul had not seen Rome. But how natural was it in a man of his taste and intelligence to wish to see it! Nothing had made such a figure in history, as this imperial city. From a kind of village, it extended in a course of years till it had become the mistress of the nations, and the metropolis of the world. How powerfully must curiosity have been awakened-by its extent, its majesty, its edifices, its institutions, laws, and customs! Paul was also a citizen; and while some, with a great ransom, purchased this privilege, he was free-born. Yet his longing to see it, was not to indulge the man and the Roman, but the Christian and the ApostleHe longed to impart to the beloved and called of God there "some spiritual benefit."

But see the order of divine grace. Before he was useful to them, they imparted some spiritual benefit to him, and established his wavering confidence. For when he had landed at Puteoli, and advanced towards Rome, the brethren came to meet him as far as the Appii Forum and the Three Taverns: "whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." Here we see, that the most eminent servants of God may be depressed and desponding; and that it is possible for them to derive assistance and comfort from those who are much inferior to them in office, condition, abilities, and grace. There is no such thing as independence. Let none be proud. Let none despair. The Christian church is a body; and the body is not one member, but many. "If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?" The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no

need of thee: nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

But how was this prosperous journey, according to the will of God, for which he made so many requests, accomplished? How little did he imagine the way in which he was to visit this famous cityHe enters it, indeed-but in the character of a prisoner, driven thither by persecution; and after being shipwrecked upon a certain island! So high are God's thoughts above our thoughts, and his ways above our ways! So little do we know what we pray for! So often by strange, and sometimes by terrible things in righteousness, does he answer us as the God of our salvation! So fulfils He the promise-"I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight-These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

FEB. 19." And when he thought thereon, he wept."
Mark xiv. 72.

DODDRIDGE supposes that this is intended to express, not only the immediate sensibility of Peter, but his feeling through life; and that he always wept at the thought of his vile and ungrateful conduct. His sin was certainly very aggravated; and, with all his failings, he was a man of very tender affections, and great ingenuousness.

But sorrow arising from such a source is not peculiar to our Apostle. All the people of God should feel a penitent disposition at the review of their sin.

And who, when they look back, can be at a loss for materials of self-accusation and contrition? There are the sins of our unregenerate condition. There are the sins we have been capable of, since we have

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been called to the knowledge of the truth. All these we are to judge of, not by their grossness, but by their guilt. In the number of our sins, we are to rank our omissions of duty; our non-improvement of our time and talents; the defectiveness of our aims and motives; and the departures of our heart in love and confidence, from the blessed God.

Some would prevent the effect of such self-inspections, by the notion, that there is no evil in the sins of God's people. But their sins are worse than those of others, by reason of the nearer relations in which, and the greater obligations under which, they are committed. They have also, in sinning, greater difficulties to overcome. They have not only to sin against greater love, but greater light: and they have been convinced of the evil and bitterness of sin; and have had a wounded spirit which they could not bear. Their sins, also, are more injurious with regard to others: distressing the strong; stumbling the weak; confirming the prejudiced; hardening the wicked; causing the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, and the way of truth to be evil spoken of. And is all this nothing? Micah did not think so. Who, says he, is a God like unto him, who passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?

But suppose the Christian is led to see, that his standing is secure; and that God is pacified towards him. Will he weep then? then? Yes; he will weep the more. The goodness of God will lead him to repentance; and he will sorrow after a godly sort-like a dying saint, who being asked why he so wept? answered, I weep-not that my sins may be pardoned, but because I hope they are pardoned.

Let us, then, never be ashamed or afraid of such tears as Peter shed. Nothing is so becoming and reasonable. Other grief may be excused; but this can be justified. Other sorrow may render us amiable in the eyes of our fellew-creatures; but this is extolled of God: "The sacrifices of God are a

broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." This brings us within the reach of the promises-"They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy;" "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." It is not easy, or perhaps possible, to make others comprehend thisbut there is a pleasure even in the frame itself; and they who are the subjects of it well know, that their happiest moments are their most tender; and, with Augustine, they can bless God for "the grace of tears." Here is a proof of our being under the renewing of the Holy Ghost. If the heart of stone was not taken away, how could I feel and grieve? And if there was nothing in me but nature, how could I feel and grieve for sin? There is nothing more useful in the divine life than this disposition. It endears the Saviour, and his atonement, and his righteousness, and intercession, and his grace. It makes me cautious and circumspect: in this temper of mind I cannot expose myself to temptation, or trifle with sin but be always watchful and prayerful. Blessed is the man that feareth always.

""Tis joy enough, my all in all,

"At thy dear feet to lie :
"Thou wilt not let me lower fall,
"And none can higher fly."

FEB. 20.-" Ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall."

Mal. iv. 2.

THEY were before in darkness and disease; both of which confine. But the Sun of Righteousness arises, and with healing under his wings: and thus, the true light now shining, and health being restored, they become free and active-They go forth andgrow up as calves of the stall.

For even now they have not attained, they are not already perfect. Nor are they to remain what they are, but to increase with all the increase of God. Some tell us, there is no growth in grace-as if Christians could not be more wise, more humble, more patient, more zealous, than they are-as if Paul's commendation of the Thessalonians was a falsehood, when he told them, that their faith grew exceedingly, and the charity of every one of them towards each other abounded-as if Peter enjoined an absurdity, when he admonished Christians to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour-as if God himself mocked or trifled when he said, "The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger!"

We are not to deny what God has done for our souls; yea, we ought to be thankful, if we have only light enough to see our darkness, and feeling enough

to be sensible of our hardness.

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But though we must not despise the day of small things, we are not to be satisfied with it. A day of greater things is attainable; and if we do not aspire after it, we have reason to suspect even the reality of our religion. Spiritual principles may be weak, but if they are divine, they will evince it by a tendency to growth.

The sacred writers express this progression by every kind of growth.-By human-we read of babes, little children, young men, and those of full age, who have their senses exercised, by reason of use, to discern both good and evil.-By vegetable growthThus we read, first the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear; they shall spring

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