JULY 3.-My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.-John x. 27.

All our mercies, in time and eternity, flow from Jesus knowing us, as his sheep. To all such salvation is certain; both as to present grace and future glory. As a shepherd knoweth every sheep committed to his care; so doth our good Shepherd. All his sheep were everlastingly beloved of the Father, "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world," and given to him in the eternal counsel. He became Surety for them, he redeemed them to God by his own blood. Hence he calls them " my sheep," mine by gift, mine by redemption. Thus he hath a distinct knowledge of them, and special proprietorship in them. For "died Jesus as a fool dieth?" spilt he his precious blood at an uncertainty? paid he the dreadful debt to law and justice at a peradventure, whether any soul would receive the eternal benefit or not? Surely not; for his undertaking was in infinite wisdom and counsel, as well as wonderful in grace and love. Jesus well knew the nature-state of all his sheep. They were all gone astray, and turned every one to his own way. They would all count their Shepherd an enemy, and fly from him as a destroyer, if left to themselves. But he saith, "I am the good Shepherd." He inclines their ears to hear, and their hearts to believe in him; to come to him as such, and to follow him. They have the properties of his own sheep; they give evidence of it. They live by his word, and feed upon his love. Oh, alas! what deplorable circumstances were we all in, when his sweet voice first reached our ears, when his powerful voice affected our hearts! It was a sound of glad tidings, love and salvation to us, lost sheep indeed. It proved effectual, to recall our wandering souls from the dangerous and destructive paths in which we had lost ourselves. Truly, we also may say of Jesus, "Never man spake like this man." The power of his voice begets obedience; and, like the blind man restored to sight, we

follow Jesus in the way, as the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. We know he hath the words of eternal life. To whom then should we go, but to him? and it is the delight of our souls, to see the footsteps of our Shepherd, that we may tread therein. Though, O soul, thou canst not see whether thy name is written in the Lamb's book of life; yet, in the light of his Spirit, thou mayst read thy name in the book of grace, if thou hast heard the voice of Jesus, and art following him. Thou mayst most safely conclude, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want," Psalm xxiii. 1.

JULY 4.-If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.-1 John i. 9.

Doubtless there are many confessions of sin, made by the lips of men, which are vain and fruitless. Yea, a man may be under a sense of legal terror, and wrath, in his conscience; and, like Judas, in the anguish of his spirit, confess that he has sinned, and yet never obtain forgiveness from God. But, every believer in Christ is made a priest unto God, to offer spiritual sacrifices by Jesus. And, as the high priest, under the law, laid both his hands upon the scape-goat, and made confession of sins; (Lev. xvi. 21;) so the christian, every anointed one, lays both his hands of faith and hope on Christ, confessing the evil of sin, the desert of sin, the sin of his nature, the sin of his life, and pleads for forgiveness. The sacrifice of Jesus is the alone object of his faith; and the blood of the Lamb his only hope for pardon. This will be our daily exercise. For we have daily need both of pardon and cleansing. Dost thou see this? be thankful for the light of truth.

Such souls, thus confessing sin, are not left in doubtful suspense. Do not argue, God is merciful, and perhaps he may forgive sin: but, through the perfection of the one atonement of Jesus, by the word of truth,

they are fully assured, God the Father absolutely will pardon; not merely as an act of mercy, but because he is faithful and just. Faithful to his own word, his oath, counsel, and covenant-promises. Just, to fulfil the engagements entered into with Jesus, and to bestow what the precious blood of his Son hath procured for poor sinners. The blood of Christ was the stipulated price for all our sins. This, Christ, as our surety, hath paid to God. To demand payment for that debt, of the debtor, which his Surety has paid, is not just. But God is just, therefore he doth not this. And thus, through the faith of his heart, the sinner is brought to make confession of sin with his mouth, with godly sor row and holy shame for sin; sincere abhorrence, and hearty detestation of it. And lest such a soul should be "swallowed up with over much sorrow," God the Spirit is just, he will assuredly "cleanse him from all unrighteousness," sprinkle his heart from a guilty conscience, cleanse his mind from every guilty fear and unrighteous hope, through application of the blood of Jesus. So that the soul shall have "the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness," Isa. lxi. 3.

JULY 5.—Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.-1 Pet. i. 6.

Though a christian be not always in a joyful frame, yet he has abundant cause to "rejoice always." Though many things may rob him of his frame, yet nothing can deprive him of the foundation of his comfort. Happily for us, this is permanent, and abiding for ever; for it is founded in the love and truth of an unchangeable God. Those to whom the apostles wrote, " rejoiced greatly." Why? because they were perfectly delivered from the body of death? were not sinners like us? No; but the cause of their rejoicing was, their "elec

tion, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, sanctification by the Spirit, sprinkling of the blood of Jesus;" being "begotten to a lively hope by his resurrection," and assured of being "kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation." "In these comforting truths they greatly rejoiced."

Thus, believer, thou seest the streams, which make glad the citizens of heaven, flow from the ocean of God's everlasting love. The more thou drinkest of this water, it will allay the thirst of pride and selfrighteousness, and make thy soul glory, and rejoice in Christ alone. But here is a full conviction, that these joyful souls were imprisoned in a body of sinful flesh; they had their heavy seasons, were assaulted with manifold temptations; there was a season for them, and a need be also. So there is now. Wilt not thou be content to go the same path? canst thou expect freedom from such exercises? Deceive not thyself. It is all the children's lot; and the Father sees it as needful as our food. Yes, he makes it profitable also. Whilst thou art in the flesh, sin dwelleth in thee, temptations assault thee, heaviness and affliction bow thee down. Soul-exercises are faith's trials. In the issue they are made world-conquering, creature-humbling, Jesus-endearing, heavenly-longing blessings. "I am oppressed," said Hezekiah. What then? doth he sink under it? No; it called forth the exercise of his faith and prayer to the Saviour: "Do thou undertake for me." So the psalmist, "I found trouble and sorrow," Psalm cxvi. 3. What was the blessing of it? Self-despair. "Then called I on the name of the Lord." Verily, thy faith must be tried, thy patience exercised, prayer excited, as well as rejoicing of soul. The government is upon Christ's shoulders. While the wicked, like Saul, seek to the sorcery and witchcraft of the world; here is our mercy, Jesus "the eternal God is our refuge," Deut. xxxiii. 27

JULY 6.-But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.--Matt. v. 44.

Love is the very badge, and characteristic of a disci ple of Jesus. Love is of God. All tempers, and passions which are contrary to love, "are earthly, sensual, and devilish." Let no disciple say, This is a hard saying, who can obey it? Nay, but it is the command of thy loving Saviour; he practised it, he has left thee an example. To this end, thou art born from above, of the Spirit of love; and possessed with that "faith which worketh by love." Therefore, though hard and impossible it may seem to carnal reason, and to flesh. and blood, yet we are under the indispensable obligation to follow the steps and obey the commands of that Jesus, who loved us, and died for us, though his enemies. He hath blessed us, prays for us, and does good unto us, though we have rebellious natures, which are at enmity and hatred against him. Never, never, till thine enemy's hatred and variance against thee exceed thine to thy Lord, art thou at liberty to dispense with this command. It is for the health and profit of thy soul. In keeping this command of love, verily, there is a great reward of inward peace and consolation from the God of love. So shalt thou enjoy the witness of his Spirit, of thine adoption. Tell thy Lord of thine enemies, and pray for them by name. Behold the blessed effects of love upon the heart of a most bitter and implacable foe, 1 Sam. xxiv. See how David, the man after God's own heart, acts; how his faith works by love. When his persecuting foe, Saul, was delivered into his hand, love would not suffer David to do him any hurt. Yea, love smote his heart for only cutting off the skirts of his robe. Hear the pathetic cry of the bloody-minded Saul; struck with astonishment, and melted by love, he said, Is this thy voice, such thy conduct to me, my son David? and he wept. Thou