Trust Him, ye saints! in all your ways, For sov'reign power reigns not alone, January 27th. "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS."-John xiv. 2. THINK, too, of Jesus, gone to prepare these mansions,—“ I go to prepare a place for you." What a wondrous thought-Jesus now busied in Heaven in His Church's behalf! He can find no abode in all His wide dominions, befitting as a permanent dwelling for His ransomed ones. He says, "I will make a new heaven and a new earth. I will found a special kingdom. I will rear eternal mansions expressly for those I have redeemed with My blood!" Reader, let the prospect of dwelling in this "house of the Lord for ever," reconcile thee to any of the roughnesses or difficulties in thy present path-to thy pilgrim provision and pilgrim fare. Let the distant beacon-light, that so cheeringly speaks of a Home brighter and better far than the happiest of earthly ones, lead thee to forget the intervening billows, or to think of them only as wafting thee nearer and nearer to the desired haven ! Would," says a saint, who has now entered on his rest, that one could read, and write, and write, and pray, and eat and drink, and compose one's self to sleep, as with the thought, soon to be in heaven, and that for ever and ever!" My Father's house!" How many a departing spirit has been cheered and consoled by the sight of these glorious Mansions looming through the mists of the dark 66 66 66 valley-the tears of weeping friends rebuked by the gentle chiding—" If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice because I said, I go unto my Father!" Death truly is but the entrance to this our Father's house. We speak of the "shadow of death"-it is only the shadow which falls on the portico, as we stand for a moment knocking at the longed-for gate-the next! A Father's voice of welcome is heard-" Son, thou art ever with Me, and all that I have is thine." From "WORDS OF JESUS." January 28th. "STAND FAST THEREFORE IN THE LIBERTY WHERE WITH CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE, AND BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE."-Gal. v. 1. SOMETIMES men, either by the power of the Word, or by the sharpness of some affliction, are quickened and inflamed into pious purposes; but presently they are set out of tune again; and the preacher, of all workmen, seldom finds his work as he left it. Nothing but the grace of God doth balance and establish the heart; and holy covenants are an ordinance or means which He hath pleased to sanctify unto this purpose, that by them, as instruments, grace, as the principal cause, might keep the heart steadfast in duty. If, then, Isaiah bewail the uncleanness of his lips, and Job suspected the uncleanness and wandering of his eyes, what reason have we to be humbled for this unsteadfastness of our hearts, from whence the looseness of every other faculty proceeds! If we must bewail the falseness of our hearts, that stand in need of covenants, how much more should we bewail their perfidiousness in the violation of covenants; that they take occasion by restraints, like a river that is stopped in its course, to become more un ruly. To crucify our sins, and in repentance to "put them," as it were, "to shame," and then to take them from the cross again, and fetch them to life-to repent of repentance-to vow, and "after vows to make inquiry," this is very ill-requital unto Christ. He came from glory to suffer for us, and here met with many discouragements, not only from enemies, but from friends and disciples: Judas betrays Him; Peter denies Him; His disciples sleep; His kinsfolk stand afar off; yet He doth not look back from His cross to a crown; and though He be tempted to "come down" from the cross, yet He stays it out, that He might love and save us to the uttermost. But we, no sooner out of Egypt and Sodom, but we have hankering affections to return, at the least to look backwards again, engage ourselves to be ruled by the Word of the Lord, as the Jews did, and, with them, when we know his Word, cavil against it, and shrink away from our own resolutions. Oh, how should this humble us, and make us vile in our own eyes! BISHOP REYNOLDS. January 29th. "COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."-Matt.xi. 28. How sweet the sound! It REST! It is melody to my ears! lies as a reviving cordial at my heart, and from thence sends forth lively spirits, which beat through all the pulses of my soul! Rest! Not as the stone that rests on the earth, nor as this flesh shall rest in the grave, nor such a rest as the carnal world desires. O blessed rest! where we rest not day nor night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" where we shall rest from sin, but not from worship; from suffering and sorrow, but not from joy. O blessed day! when A DUE spiritual consideration of the causes and effects of regeneration, is the ordinary way and means whereby the souls of believers come to be satisfied concerning that work of God in them and upon them. The principal causes of this work are the Spirit and the Word. "He that is born again s born of the Spirit" (John iii. 6) and of the Word: "Of His own will begat He us, by the word of His truth." (James 18). "We are born again by the Word of God which veth and abideth for ever." (1 Pet. i. 23). Wherever, then, man is regenerate, there hath been an effectual work of the pirit and the Word upon his soul. This is to be inquired to and sought after. Ordinarily, it will discover itself: such impressions will be made upon the soul, such a change will be wrought and produced in it, as will not escape a spiritual and diligent search and inquiry. "By grace our souls at first were call'd By grace we're thus far come; To Thee, O God, to Thee alone, For 'tis of grace, from first to last, OWEN. 66 January 31st. THE EFFECTUAL FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILETH MUCH."-James v. 16. PRAYER is the key of heaven, and faith is the hand that turns it. "We cry Abba, Father." "We cry"-there is the fervency. "Abba, Father!"-there is the faith. Fervency in prayer is as fire to the incense; it makes it to ascend to heaven as a sweet perfume. To induce believers to pray in faith, let them remember the bountifulness of God. He often exceeds the prayers of His people. Hannah asked a son: God gave her not only a son but a prophet. Solomon asked wisdom: God gave him not only wisdom but riches and honour beside : Jacob asked that God would give him food and raiment but the Lord increased his riches to two bands. The woman of Canaan asked but the life of her child: but Christ not only gave her that, but the life of her soul also. : The tree of promise will not drop its fruit unless shaken by the hand of prayer. Prayer is a glorious ordinance it is the soul trading with heaven. God comes down to us by His Spirit, and we go up to Him by prayer. Prayer is the arrow |