stroyed. Every fetter will be broken. We shall be free from all temptation. We shall never say, "We are sick;" nor die any more. It is better in its duration. Decay and death are stamped on all below. Desolation will one day cover the fair

est scenes.

new earth.

There shall be a new heaven and a

These shall endure for ever. Heaven is a kingdom that cannot be moved; an inheritance that fadeth not away.

Fair distant land; could mortal eyes

But half thy charms explore-
How would our spirits long to rise,
And dwell on earth no more.

APRIL 19. "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." MATT. v. 4.

RT thou an awakened sinner? Thou shalt be comforted by a believing view of Christ as thy Surety and Redeemer, and the application of his blood to thy conscience. The Sun of Righteousness will presently chase away all the clouds which have gathered over thy soul; and thy heart shall be charmed, as with music, by the voice of Jesus as he says unto thee, "Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven thee." Art thou a returning backslider? Thou hast been stumbling over the dark mountains; and now foot-sore and sorrowful thou art walking homewards again. In the faithfulness, and tenderness, and promises, and pardoning love of God, there is comfort. Noah, and David, and Peter found peace. thyself upon Him who has said he will heal your backslidings; and then you will be able to exclaim, Though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me."

Here
Cast

Art

thou a saint struggling with inward corruption? Be comforted by the promises of Divine strength. The grace of God is sufficient for thee. That grace will at length destroy all thy lusts, and perfect what God wills concerning thee. Thou art travelling towards the inheritance of the sanctified. All thy sins and corruptions, all thy temptations and enemies will have to stand aside as thou enterest into the kingdom, to appear without fault before the throne. Art thou a chastened child? There is blessing in store. The floods shall not drown thee, nor the flames consume. Thou shalt prove the worth of affliction, and shine the brighter, for having passed through the furnace. All thy losses, bereavements, and personal sufferings shall work together for thy good; and in the glory of the New Jerusalem thou shalt find comfort for the afflictions of thy pilgrimage state.

Arise, my soul, from thy distress,

And banish every fear;

The Saviour condescends to bless,
And prove thy Comforter.

APRIL 20. "He ever liveth to make intercession for them." HEB. vii. 25.

A

GENTLEMAN visiting a Sunday School, asked the boys in one of the classes, what was meant by intercession ? After a few moments' pause, an intelligent little fellow, about six years old, replied, "Speaking a word to God for us, sir." Rejoice, O my soul, in the fact that Jesus is speaking to God for thee! In the court of heaven he pleads thy cause. His advocacy silences all the accusations of Satan and the law-secures the bestowment of pardon and grace to help in every

time of need-and will at length obtain for thee an entrance into eternal life. Fear not to commit all thy case into the hands of this Intercessor. He is every way qualified for the work in which he is engaged. He has been appointed by the Father he pleads on the ground of his perfect work, which the Father has accepted-he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, having been tempted in all points as we are, yet without sinand he is immutably faithful; the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. No cause ever yet failed which he engaged to plead. Entrust all thou hast to his care. He will interpret even thy groans; and the poorest service thou performest he will present with the much incense of his fragrant sacrifice.

Great Advocate, almighty friend-
On him my humble hopes depend:
My cause can never, never fail,
For Jesus pleads, and must prevail.

APRIL 21. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found." ISA. lv. 6.

OSEPH the Second of Austria exclaimed, in

bitterness of soul on his death-bed, "Let my epitaph be,Here lies Joseph, who was unsuc cessful in all his undertakings!"" "My life," said John Jacob Astor, the American millionaire, as he was leaving this world, "has been a great failure." Multitudes of men have like the Emperor Joseph been unsuccessful in their worldly pursuits; and multitudes more like John Jacob Astor, although they have succeeded in their plans, and accomplished their wishes, have found that for all the great purposes of happiness and per

But no

manent good they have utterly failed.
man was ever yet unsuccessful in seeking God, if
he sought him aright. He is found of them that
seek him. He does not disappoint the hopes of
earnest souls. He waits to be found; and when
found, no one is disappointed in him. The most
sanguine expectations are more than realized.
The largest needs are supplied. He fills the soul
with satisfaction. The language of those who pos-
sess him is, "Whom have I in heaven but thee?
And there is none upon earth I desire beside thee."
May I constantly seek after thee, O God! And
do thou come, and take up thine abode in my
heart, and satisfy me with thyself!

No good in creatures can be found
But may be found in thee;

I must have all things and abound,
While God is God to me.

APRIL 22. "How then can man be justified with God?" JOB. XXV. 4.

HIS is an ancient question.

Ever since man

fell into condemnation his heart has asked it. He has sought some way through which he might be restored to acceptance and peace. It is a universal question. It has ascended up from all nations. From civilized countries and barbarousfrom crowded cities and the solitary abodes of the desert-from princes and paupers-from the halls of the learned and the huts of unlettered men, the cry of universal humanity has been and is at this day, "How then can man be justified with God?" It is an important question. Every other sinks into insignificancy compared with it. As far as the soul transcends the body and eter

nity transcends time, so far this question transcends every other which the human mind can propose. It is an answerable question. Man's conscience, though it asks it, cannot answer it. Nature cannot furnish the reply. God has given the answer in his Gospel. We are not justified by endeavouring to charge our guilt upon Godnor by performing any meritorious deed-but by exercising faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. answer is most concisely given by the Apostle, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

The sins of one most righteous day

Might plunge us in despair;

Yet all the crimes of numerous years
Doth our great surety clear.

That spotless robe which he hath wrought
Shall deck us all around;

Nor by the piercing eye of God

One blemish shall be found.

The

APRIL 23. "And ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price." 1 COR. vi. 19, 20.

R. DODDRIDGE having on one occasion succeeded in procuring a reprieve for a prisoner who was under sentence of death, entered into his dungeon, and presented it to him. The man fell at his feet, and exclaimed, "I will be yours! Wherever you go, I am yours! Sir, every drop of my blood thanks you; for you have had If deliverance from mercy upon every drop of it." temporal death excited such gratitude towards a fellow-creature, how much more ought deliverance from spiritual and eternal death to excite our gratitude towards the Divine Redeemer? We have been saved by his death-purchased at the price