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contrary to every kind and degree of just expectation—yet the bleeding heart here only says, "I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." Imbibe the same spirit, and follow his example. In provocations and complaints dwell not upon the enhancing, but upon the extenuating. Be not implacable, but tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. It is the glory of a man to pass by a transgression. It is the noblest of all victories-Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. So the suffering Stephen, under a shower of stones, cried, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Thus Jesus, as they were nailing him to the cross, prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

FEBRUARY 2.-"Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully know, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."-2 Tim. iv. 17.

Ar his first answer before Cæsar he had been deserted of all those whose duty it was to have appeared for him. But to the loss of his friends he opposes the grace of the Saviour-"notwithstanding the Lord stood by me." He was not visible to the assembly; nor did Paul himself perceive him by the eye of sense. His presence was real, but spiritual; and he was with his servant not as a mere witness, but as a helper-He "strengthened me." He confirmed his courage, and gave him self-possession, and freedom of thought and expression. This was no more than he had reason to expect, from his own promise: "Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." "Ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak."

See how He differs from others! They forsake us when we are in distress: He is a present help in trouble. When human dependence fails, he is sure to hold forth his own arm, and to say, "Trust, and be not afraid." Thus he was with Joseph when sold into Egypt, with Jeremiah in the dungeon, with the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, and with Paul when abandoned of all before Nero !

And what a substitute was he for Paul's friends! They would have been nothing without him; but he was every thing without them. If we walked through the valley of the shadow of death with him, we need fear no evil. He is all in all.

What was the design of this interposition? "That by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear." The preaching intends the Gospel; and the meaning is, that in this trial he had an opportunity to publish it most advantageously and extensively. What he delivered would spread through the palace and the city; and pervade much further. For at this time Rome was the metropolis of the world; so that what his auditors heard would be reported to others, and extended through all the provinces. How true is it, that though his servants may suffer as evildoers even unto bonds, yet the word of God is not bound. It can no more be restrained than the flowing of the sea, or the rising of the sun. Yea, the very efforts designed to injure it, have been over

ruled to aid its progress. Persecution has always turned out to the furtherance of the Gospel.

What was the issue? "And I was delivered from the mouth of the lion." Does he refer to the enemy of souls? He is called a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: and he hoped to prevail with Paul to deny the Saviour's name. Or does he refer to Nero? The Scripture frequently compares wicked men, and especially tyrants, to beasts of prey and it was impossible to disgrace such a monster as now filled the imperial throne-a wretch who killed his preceptor, had his mother ripped up before his eyes, and entertained himself at supper by the burnings of Christians at the corners of his pleasure-grounds. Yet this hardly agrees with Paul's manner of writing, and the respect he considered due officially to his sovereign. The expression therefore is to be considered rather as a phrase significant of a narrow escape from a very pressing jeopardy. Hence David had said, "Save me from the lion's mouth." Paul's case was looked upon not only as dangerous but desperate. He was considered a dead man. Yet the emperor and the senate did nothing against him; but after a hearing, he was sent back simply as a prisoner.

The sufferings of God's servants depend not on the fancies and passions of men, but the providence of God. Their enemies are chained; and wherein they think to deal proudly, he is above them. He restrains or diverts them by his power when he does not govern them by his grace. "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of waters: he turneth it whithersoever he will." He often permits his people to fall into the greatest extremities, and then appears for them, to show his power and glory, and to teach them never to despair. Therefore, ye seed of Jacob, hope in him and wait for him. He whom you serve is continually able to deliver you. He can deliver you not only from the lion's paw, but from the lion's mouth.

FEBRUARY 3.-"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."-2 Tim. iv. 18.

HERE he expresses his full assurance of hope, after the trial he had experienced from the desertion of his friends, and the succour he had received from the presence of his Saviour. What he expected, however, was not exemption from trials. He looked for suffering. He knew that bonds and afflictions awaited him. But he knew also that the Lord would deliver him from every evil work-and that, far from allowing him to apostatize or backslide, he would enable him to resist temptation, to hold on his way, to finish his course with joy and preserve him unto his heavenly kingdom.

What a destination! Nothing less than a kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, his heavenly kingdom, procured by him, prepared by him, the same he himself enjoys, and which his followers are to possess with him, according to his promise: "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father has appointed unto me."

But what is the prospect of such a glorious estate, if we are de

stroyed before we attain it! It is obvious the Apostle believed in his own perseverance and final salvation. The expressions he uses are not the language of a man in doubt, floating between hope and fear; but of a man fully convinced and assured. And it is delightful to find him expressing the same certainty of mind with regard to all the subjects of divine grace: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Yes, Christians; you may equally rejoice in hope of the glory of God. He has provided for all your wants. He will secure you in every danger. Sin shall not have dominion over you. The God of peace will bruise Satan under your feet shortly. You have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than they that are in the world. Yea, in all these things you are more than conquerors.

It is obvious the Apostle derived encouragement in his expectation from his former experience: the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, and I was delivered from the mouth of the lion; and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. The proofs we have had of his mercy and grace should animate us in our dependance; for he is always the same; and one blessing is the pledge of another. The victories of an old soldier feed his courage. David was filled with confidence in his dreadful conflict, by such recollections and reasoning.

But his expectation was founded on the Lord Jesus, as his deliverer and his preserver: the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. He is engaged to do it. He is able to do it. He is able to save unto the uttermost. I can trust him for every period, and with every result. "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day."

What wonder therefore that he should exclaim, "To whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen?" And will you not, Christian, make this Amen your own? It becometh well the just to be thankful. Praise is comely for the upright. It is the most unselfish exercise of your religion; and it will be the most durable. It will be the work, the enjoyment of heaven.

You say, "I hope I am grateful." You hope you are! As if there was any difficulty in determining the thing. Would similar conduct towards an earthly benefactor be deemed grateful? What are the sentiments of your mind? The affections of your heart? The language of your lips? Above all-What is the language of your life? Actions speak louder than words.

Like Paul, he enlarged in your gratitude. Be concerned that his praise may be as lasting as his goodness-that his glory may be for ever. Do what you can to advance it, not only while living, but when dying, and even when dead. I mean, by the institutions you have established or supported-by the examples you leave behind you-by the children you have instructed-by the sinners you have converted from the errors of their ways to be a seed to serve him, and which shall be accounted for a generation, and who shall come and declare his righteousness to a nation that shall be born, that he hath done this.

FEBRUARY 4.-"Then came David to Nob."-1 Sam. xxi. 1.

WHAT an extraordinary character was David! How large a portion of the sacred history do his memoirs occupy. And how profitable are they for "doctrine, and reproof, and correction, and instruction in righteousness."

He was now informed by Jonathan of Saul's determination to kill him. He is therefore compelled to flee for safety. The tabernacle being at Nob, he repairs thither, in his confusion and distress, both to take an affectionate leave of the house of God, which he despaired of seeing again for a long time; and also to obtain succour. He asks Ahimelech the priest whether he can give him any food for his hunger, or weapon for his defence. With regard to the former of these, Ahimelech told him he had nothing under his hand but the sacred loaves. These, however, he gave him; and our Saviour fully justifies the action: "Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?" Teaching us-that the ceremonies of religion are to give place to the substance; that positive institutions are to yield to moral obligations; that God requireth mercy and not sacrifice. Upon the same principle, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath, though the Pharisees condemned our Saviour for healing on this day and we have known some who have opposed Sunday schools as breaking in upon the command of God."

With regard to the latter, Ahimelech told him that he had nothing but the sword of Goliath, which was wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. What a curiosity was here! How highly it was prized we may learn from the preservation of it in such a place and with such care! Nothing could have been more welcome to David than this weapon-"Give it me," says he; "there is none like it." It had been drawn against himself, and had been taken by his own hand-no one therefore seemed to have a greater title to it than David. It would strengthen his faith more than his arm. It would call to remembrance his former victory, and encourage afresh his confidence in God, being able now to add, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear," and— "from the uncircumcised Philistine," will deliver me from every evil work. So he ought to have reasoned always, and so he sometimes did reason: but, alas! two things occurred here worthy of our remark. First, the manner of application was blamable. For, to obtain these supplies, he dissembled, affirming that he was employed by the king in a business that required haste. Is this to be justified because it came from a good man? It is the more to be censured. He should have maintained the character of an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile, and who is always to choose suffering rather than sin. But we see how well afflictions are called trials, and how difficult it is to act consistently in some conditions. How becoming is candour in judging others! Who knows that he should have acted better under the same pressure of circumstances! How necessary the prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Secondly, the issue was tragica!. For while the parties were having this intercourse, a man named Doeg happened to be there "detained before the Lord." This wretch, instead of minding his devotion, observed them, and resolved to ingratiate himself with his master Saul by an impeachment of Ahimelech. And so it fell out. "Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Áhitub. And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." Behold, first, the deceitfulness of this villain. Like other slanderers, he does the business by a mixture of fact and falsehood. He ought to have told Saul that David had deceived Ahimelech, and made him believe that he was acting for the king; and therefore that what Ahimelech did was really in honour of the king. The whole truth would have entirely exculpated the high priest, but Doeg suppresses the most essential part of it. And behold, secondly, the cruelty as well as falseness of this informer. "And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house." There was something venerable in the character and office of a priest, and as Ahimelech and his brethren stood dressed in their sacred robes, Saul's footmen shrunk back from slaying them. "And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword."

But see upon what little occurrences surprising coincidences and great consequences often depend. The word of the Lord had denounced the house of Eli: but the threatening could not be fulfilled without the destruction of these priests: but these priests would not have been destroyed but for the malice of Saul: Saul's malice would not have been excited but for the infamy of Doeg; and Doeg would not have informed against Ahimelech had he not been detained at the tabernacle the day when David entered it. All this seemed accidental; but it was not. All parties acted freely, yet necessarily too. What was unjust in Doeg was righteous in God. He knew how to accomplish his word by human falsehood and cruelty, and yet he was of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Nothing was more certain as well as important than the death of Christ, and he was delivered according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God; yet by wicked hands the Jews crucified him. Ask me not for a solution. I only know the fact. I see the two ends of the chain, but the middle is under water: yet the connexion is as real as it is invisible. By-and-by it will be drawn up. In the mean while, we must walk by faith, and not by sight. Judge nothing before the time. We know that Messiah cometh which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

FEBRUARY 5.-"WHEN I AM WEAK, then am I strong."-2 Cor. xi. 10. CHRISTIANITY is not only mysterious with regard to doctrine, but also experience. Christians are men wondered at. They are a

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