marks he retains even after his resurrection, that by these marks thou mightest always know him. Is not the passage to his heart yet standing open? If thou knowest him not by the face, the voice, the hands; if thou knowest him not by the tears and bloody sweat, yet look nearer, thou mayest know him by the heart: that broken, healed heart is his; that dead, revived heart is his; that soul-pitying, melting heart is his; doubtless it can be none but his : love and compassion are its certain signatures. And is not here yet fuel enough for love to feed upon? Doth not this heart of Christ even snatch thy heart, and almost draw it forth of thy breast? Canst thou read the history of love any further at once? Doth not thy throbbing heart here stop to ease itself? If not, go on, for the field of love is large.-Ambrose.

RIGHTEOUSNESS SEEN IN CHRIST'S PROPITIA. TION.

Ponder and weigh these words! "Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which

believeth in Jesus." (Rom. iii. 24—26.) God set not forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare only his mercy in the forgiveness of sins. How? is there any thing but mercy in the forgiveness of sins? Yes, there is something else, there is righteousness also; and therefore, he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation, that he might declare his righteousness: nay, see it repeated, "To declare, I say, his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus;" not that he might be merciful, but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus. This text Luther had a great deal ado to understand, and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it.—Ambrose.

THE LOVE OF GOD.

Mercy moved God's compassion, opened heaven, sent down his Son to be one with us in nature, that he might exchange his merits and blessedness for our guilt and misery. Miraculous love! to make his only begotten Son our brother, to humble him to the condition of a servant, that we, most unworthy to be his servants, should be advanced to be his children: nay, to expose him to the death of a malefactor, equally ignominious and painful, that we malefactors

might obtain life and glory. If ever love de served the title of excess, it is this; for though not without reason, yet it is without all bounds and measure. It is so far above our thought, that it is hard to have a firm belief of it.-Who can resist the sweet violence, the powerful attractives of this love? How can any person that has the use of reason to consider this great love, not be inflamed with affection towards his Saviour? How is it possible that these wide extremes should be found united, the infinite goodness of God, and the equal unthankfulness of men? that they hate and offend him whom they are obliged by the dearest titles to love and serve? Methinks such unnatural ingratitude should only be found in hell; where despair of redemption has blotted out in those lost souls the memory of the love and merits of the Redeemer. But that on earth, where his most precious blood was shed, and is applicable for the salvation of all that will receive him by faith and love, that here injuries are returned for his inestimable blessings, is the most enormous impiety.-Bates.

THE SAINTS' PREPARATION FOR DEATH.

The nearer the saints approach to heaven, the more its attractive force is felt. When the crown of glory is in their view, and they hear the music of heaven, and are refreshed with the fragrancy of paradise, what a blaze of holy affection breaks forth! When Jacob was blessing his sons upon his death-bed, he in a sudden rapture addresses himself to God: "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord!" As if his soul had ascended to heaven before it left the body. "Oh when shall I appear before God?" was the fainting desire of the psalmist. If communion with God in the earthly tabernacle be so precious, how much more is the immediate fruition of him in the celestial temple. If one day in the courts below be worth a thousand, an hour in the courts above is worth ten thousand. Let us, therefore, by our serious thoughts, often represent to ourselves the approaches of death and judgment. This will make us contrive and contend for perfection in holiness. The apostle exhorts the Romans to show forth the power of godliness, from the consideration of the day of grace they enjoy, and the day of glory they expect; "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."

Let us do those things now, which when we come to die we shall wish we had done. Thus doing, we shall be transmitted from the militant church to the triumphant, with a solemn testimony of our having adorned the gospel in our lives; with the victorious testimony of conscience, that we "have fought the good fight, kept the faith, and have finished our course;" and we shall be received with the glorious testimony of the blessed Rewarder: "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of thy Lord."-Bates.

WALKING WITH GOD.

To walk with God is a word so high, that I should have feared the guilt of arrogance in using it, if I had not found it in the holy Scriptures. It is a word that importeth so high and holy a frame of soul, and expresseth such high and holy actions, that the naming of it striketh my heart with reverence, as if I had heard the voice to Moses, "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Methinks he that shall say to me, "Come, see a man that walks with God," doth call me to see one that is next unto an angel or glorified soul. It is a far more reverend object in mine eye than ten thousand