how few believed on him! It is the same still with multitudes. Not long ago an aged Jew said: "I have fasted for seven and twenty hours, praying with all possible earnestness, and trembling too, and after all I feel that my sins have not been atoned for." No; without shedding of blood there is no remission. "The only plank between the believer and destruction is the blood of the incarnate God." To make light of the blood, therefore, is to make light of salvation, and miss it for ever. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.-EPH. i. 7. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.— REV. i. 5. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold;...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.-1 PETER i. 18, 19. February 25. WHERE THERE IS TRUE FAITH THERE WILL BE THE apostle bore beautiful testimony to the Thessa lonians when he said: "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything." This language calls to mind the trumpet blown in the year of jubilee, which proclaimed liberty to the captive, remission of debts, restoration of inheritances, with manifold attendant blessings. It was a joyful sound to all Israel, as the gospel now should be to all the world; for it brings to us the glad tidings of a Saviour's love and a com pleted redemption, and gives freest offer of full, immediate, and everlasting forgiveness even to the chief of sinners. This gospel is here called "the word of the Lord;" and fittingly so, for the Lord is the author of it, and the subject of it, and the dispenser of it, and it is by the efficacy of his grace that it becomes the power of God and the wisdom of God to every one that believeth. It is said to have sounded out from them, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. The central position of Thessalonica was helpful to this; for being a commercial city and a seaport, those who went into it and those who went out could the more readily receive and diffuse a blessed Christian influence. So should it ever be with all who are similarly placed. They should be directly and actively missionary in their efforts, and do what in them lies to carry out their Lord's command," Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Not only should every church be thus missionary, but so should every individual Christian. "As a scented ointment," says Chrysostom, "keeps not its fragrance shut up within itself, but sends it afar; so likewise noble men keep not their virtue shut up within themselves, but through their reputation are of good service to many." The first act of Bunyan's pilgrim, after experiencing the blessedness of pardon, was an effort to rouse the ungodly men whom he saw by the way. Indeed, were good men but thoroughly in earnest, they might each of them become the light and salt of a neighbourhood, and prove, in their own homes at least, blessings unspeakable. When a little boy, the son of a Christian merchant in New York, was dying, he said: "O father, don't weep for me; don't cry, father. When I die I am going to heaven; and when I get there I will go right up to Jesus, and tell him that it was through you I came there." More sweetly soothing words to the disconsolate parent he could not have uttered. Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.-PHIL. ii. 16. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.-PHIL. i. 27. February 26. THOUGH ETERNITY IS NEAR, HOW MANY THINK ONLY OF TIME. THE Scriptures never allow us to think only of the now, but are full of the everlasting. The term ever and ever" very often occurs, and is at once the saddest and the sweetest word in the Bible. When applied to the divine perfections and promises, and our own interest in them, there is no expression like it for comfort: This God is our God for ever and ever;" “They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever;" "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." What could be more cheering than these utterances! "Oh, sweet word, ever!" says an old writer; "thou art the crown of the saints' crown, and the glory of their glory. They want nothing but to have their portion fixed; and lo, thou art the welcome dove to bring this olive-branch in thy mouth, 'This God is our God for ever and ever.'" On the other hand, when the term is applied to those who have made light of redemption and rejected Christ, and deliberately put away from them eternal life, what can be more awful than the thought of their being shut out for ever and ever from the light of God's presence and the glories of heaven! Believers should often ponder the word "eternity" in both these relations-at once to deepen their own gratitude for redeeming mercy, and to intensify their compassionate efforts for those still unsaved. After the serious illness which was the turning-point of the spiritual life of Dr. Chalmers, he said: "My confinement has fixed on my heart a very strong impression of the insignificance of time-an impression which I trust will not abandon me, though I again reach the heyday of health and vigour. This should be the first step to another impression still more salutary-the magnitude of eternity. Strip human life of its connection with a higher scene of existence and it is the illusion of an instant, an unmeaning farce, a series of visions and projects and convulsive efforts which terminate in nothing." The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.-1 JOHN ii. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.-2 COR. iv. 17. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.-1 COR. vii. 29-31. February 27. THE MORE THE HEART IS FILLED WITH GRACE, THE MORE IT GLOWS WITH GRATITUDE. Ν IN multitudes of instances the expression, "Thank God," is only a form of speech, without any corresponding emotion. The mouth says it, but not the heart. In the Temple, the first utterance that came from the Pharisee's lips was a thanksgiving: "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, or even as this publican." Instead, however, of thanking the Lord, he was in reality only praising himself. But with Paul, outward expression and inward feeling always corresponded. Indeed, so real was his gratitude that it was continually welling up in his heart, and flowing over in fervent thanksgiving. Moreover, as he never allowed his own things to shut out the things of others, his gratitude was not only thorough in its sincerity, but all-embracing in its objects. He took such large and loving interest in all the churches and in all believers, that every blessing vouchsafed to them, and every grace seen in them, and every Christian effort made by them, called out expressions of grateful emotion. "I thank my God always," he said, "on your behalf, for the grace which is given you by Jesus Christ." "I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers." And, finally: "We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since the day we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints." "Every night, as I fall on my knees," said Mr. Moody "I thank God for the friends he has raised up in this country. I know that I am speaking to many who will never hear my voice again in this world. If I shall be permitted to return, many of you will be gone; but I pray that you may die, with your eyes on the Master, with your feet on the race-course, and that you may not fall out by the way. There are two lives that every Christian should live: one life he should live alone with |