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mos.

sun,

," * is my sun, my glory, my all. Even in the days of his humiliation, his face shone as the sun, on the holy mount ; " and St. John, who then beheld his glory, recognized it again, when he saw his beloved Master in the visions of Pat

Let my soul rejoice in the certainty that, while

my Saviour is my Sun, I cannot walk in darkness. Clouds may intervene; I may not always enjoy the light of his countenance; but enough light shall penetrate the thickest atmosphere of earth, to guide my steps towards heaven, that heaven which has no need of

any

other sun than the Lamb.t Blessed Saviour, let the whole earth be filled with thy glory!

If all the glowing fires of heaven were one,
And poured their brightness into yonder sun,
One ray of pity from my Saviour's eye
Would pale those flaming splendors of the sky.

I ask no other lamp to guide my way
Through darkest night, or at meridian day;
In death's own shade, my Sun will give me light,
And put the hovering host of hell to flight.

FORTY-EIGHTH MEDITATION.

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TRUTH.

"* but

MY SAVIOUR is the TRUTH. Not only did grace and truth come by Jesus Christ,' he asserted his own personal claim to this beautiful title, when he said, "I am the TRUTH.Ӡ The ceremonial law was a system of shadows, of which Christ was the substance. In themselves they had no virtue, and even no meaning. In reference to Christ, they were instructively typical. They became true only when they ended in him. At the time when my Saviour appeared amongst men, they were all entangled in the labyrinths of error. The most eminent teachers of the Gentile world were as much astray as the blinded crowds that followed them. The various systems of human philosophy, which pretended to the guidance of the human mind, were only like one ignis fatuus chasing another

over the stagnant and pestilential morasses of universal ignorance. The Lord Jesus Christ came to reveal a perfect system of truth, of which he himself, in his person, character, and offices, is the sum and substance; and which is to restore man from the fatal and benighting effects of the fruit of the forbidden - tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

When Jesus was born at Bethlehem, the ancient oracle was fulfilled, — " Truth shall spring

, out of the earth,” — and the multitudes of perishing souls, scattered over the world, “ in wandering mazes lost,” obtained an infallible Teacher and an almighty Deliverer. Thou art no longer, indeed, visible in thy church, but thou art present, gracious Lord. Thou hast given us thy word ; and, like thyself, " thy word is truth." Thou hast promised even more than thou hast given us, though not more than thou art faithful and able to perform. With thy word thou hast left the promise of the Holy Ghost, in these sweet terms : Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” *

ince, therefore, “ thou hast redeemed me,” and undertaken effectually to teach me, “ O Lord

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God of truth,"*

since thou hast inclined me

to choose "the way of truth," "O let thy truth continually preserve me," and "send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacle." Then, whenever the question is started,

by an inquirer, a caviller, or my own heart, "What is truth?" I shall have this answer confidently to make: MY SAVIOUR is the TRUTH.

VINE.

MY SAVIOUR is "the true VINE."*

The vine,

even in our climate, is a beautiful object, for the richness of its fruit, the exuberance of its foliage, and the delicate tenacity of its tendrils, when it is well cultivated and carefully trained. It bears, however, a very humble comparison with the vines of more southern regions, and especially of the good land which the Lord gave to his ancient people. The vine of Eshcol,t one of whose clusters was a burden for two men, affords the most apt emblem of him who condescends to y of himself, "I am the true Vine."

od's former church was often compared to a

ne.

"the

e." When he planted it, it was hoicest vine;" but, when he "looked that it hould bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes." It degenerated, and became as

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