309 was the severest trial of Abraham's regard for God? Now I know that thou fearest me, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.' How dignified was God's Son! For to which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my beloved Son, this day have I begotten thee?' And again, I will be unto him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son! And again when he bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.' How dear was God's Son! The Son of his love, who always did the things that pleased him; in him his soul delighted! Yet he withholds not him! HE SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON!" Jay. We give immortal praise To God the Father's love, And better hopes above; To die for sins that man had done. OCT. 30. "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." MATT. xxvii. 45. WE learn from this that the same and nature as regulates providence and redemption. In this truth we may find instruction and comfort. This mysterious darkness may be regarded as God's testimony to the darkness and infatuation of the Jewish mind. How blind were the crucifiers of the Son of God. They had the prophecies which foretold Christ; his birth, life, and ministry agreed with those prophecies; yet they rejected and crucified him." Their gross ignorance was their fearful guilt. We may also consider this darkness as emblematic of the darkness which then filled the Saviour's mind. His Father was hiding his face from him. His enemies had done their worst: his friends had stood aloof in the hour of his distress: but this abandonment by his Father was the bitterest element in his cup of sorrow. We know how sore a thing it is to be under the hidings of God's face; but what must he have felt, who said, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And, yet once more, this darkness indicated the momentary triumph of the Prince of hell. Satan was now bruising the heel of the woman's seed. For a moment there was hope in hell; and, if it be possible for joy to be there, there was joy too. It was the devil's hour -the time of the power of darkness. The rejoicing, however, was but for a moment. Satan was vanquished. Man was redeemed. Christ destroyed all his foes. He now lives at his Father's right hand, seated on his Father's throne; and has assured us, that if we overcome we shall reign with him. Love's redeeming work is done; Ост. 31. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." PROV. iv. 19. THE just man may be considered as to his character. He is justified through faith in Christ Jesus; and is just in the exercise of piety towards God, and the discharge of practical godliness toward his fellow-men. His course may be noticed. It is one of beauty and grandeur-one of continued usefulness-and one of progressing excellence and worth. We must not overlook his consummation. He finishes in perfection. He becomes perfect in knowledge—in holiness—and in joy. May this be my character-course-and end! Let deep repentance, faith, and love, Let lively hope my soul inspire; NOVEMBER 1. "We will give ourselves continually to prayer.” ACTS vi. 4. HE following extracts on prayer cannot be read without profit. The first, shews what prayer has effected in a miraculous way; the second, what prayer secures for the believer in an ordinary manner, and every day. Prayer has divided seas, rolled up flowing rivers, made flinty rocks gush into fountains, quenched flames of fire, muzzled lions, disarmed vipers and poisons, marshalled stars against the wicked, stopped the course of the moon, arrested the rapid sun in his great race, burst open the iron gates, recalled souls from eternity, conquered the strongest devils, commanded legions of angels from heaven. Prayer has brought one man from the bottom of the sea, and carried another in a chariot of fire to heaven. What has not prayer done ?"-" Prayer is the bellows that blows up the affections; and a Christian is most active when his affections are most violent. Prayer keeps the trade of religion a-going. Prayer is to the soul what the animal spirits are to the body; the animal spirits make the body more lively and agile; so doth prayer the soul. That the motion of a watch may be quicker, the spring must be wound up. Chris tian! wind up thy heart every day by prayer. Prayer fetcheth in strength from Christ; and when his strength comes in, it sets the soul aworking. Prayer leaves the heart in a good frame; as the morning sun leaves a warmth in a room all the day after. When Christians lay aside prayer, or leave off fervency in it, then by degrees they lose their holy violence. If you would be violent for Heaven, keep up daily fervent prayer.” Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw; Nov. 2. "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." MATT. vii. 12. HERE lived many years ago, in Philadelphia, a celebrated Indian chief by the name of Tedyuscung. He was sitting one evening by the fire-side of a friend; both of them looking silently at the fire, indulging their own reflections. At length the silence was interrupted by his friend, who said, "I will tell you what I have been think ing of; I was thinking of a rule delivered by the Author of the Christian religion, which, from its excellence, we call the Golden Rule." "Stop," said Tedyuscung, "don't praise it to me, but ra ther tell me what it is, and let me think for my. self. I do not wish you to tell me of its excellence -tell me what it is." It is for one man to do દ to another as he would the other should do to him." "That's impossible! it cannot be done," Tedyus❤ cung immediately replied; and taking his pipe, lighted it, and commenced walking about the room. In about a quarter of an hour he came up to his friend, with a smiling countenance, and (taking the pipe from his mouth) said, "Brother, I have been thoughtful on what you told me. If the Great Spirit that made man would give him a new heart, he could do as you say, but not else." The Indian was correct. The rule laid down by our Divine Lord is so excellent, that, it may well be called the Golden Rule; but unless the selfish heart of man is renewed, the rule will not be obeyed. Give me, O Lord, a new heart; that I may love thee supremely, and my neighbour as myself! Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart, Write thy new name upon my heart, Nov. 3. "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so?" ACTS xvii. 11. THEY possessed the Scriptures; that was a great treasure they had in their hands. In this possession they had the fountain of all truth-instruction-law-holiness-and peace. They used the Scriptures. Many possess them, who do not use them. These men were set upon understanding their meaning, and testing the Apostle's state |