whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee." "My house shall be called the house of prayer for all people."

If the practice here insured is to result from the character here expressed, the character must be known. "For how can they call upon him, in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe on him of whom they have not heard?" Accordingly, it is said, "From the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering."

And, to notice this more personally, we see of what importance it is to entertain encouraging views of God. Confidence in his mercy and grace will alone draw us into his presence. And therefore the ground of this confidence must be firm and obvious.

Much advantage, also, upon this principle, must result from reviews of our own experience of his goodness. All success is animating, especially in prayer. "Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live."

-Let me come to him among all those that are coming. And let me come immediately. For there is a time when he will not hear prayer. "Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer: they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me."

AUGUST 25.-EVENING.

"THE REVELATION of Jesus Christ." 1 PET. i. 13.

THE display of him is every thing. Be it therefore observed, that "the revelation" of him is fourfold: and though the last of these manifestations be here intended, all of them may be properly and usefully

noticed in their order.

The first revelation of him we call Scriptural. This began very early, even in Paradise. There the Sun of righteousness dawned, and from thence shone more and more unto the perfect day. He was announced as the seed of the woman, and the bruiser of the serpent's head-Then, as the seed of Abraham, in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed-Then, as the Shiloh of Judah, to whom the gathering of the people should be-Then, as the Son of David, and his Lord. Of him, Moses, in the Law, and the Prophets, did write. He was held forth not only in words, but types. He was seen in Moses as a prophet, in Aaron as a priest, in Joshua as a conqueror, in Solomon as the prince of peace, in Jonah as dying and rising again. Every bleeding sacrifice expressed him as an offering for sin; the manna from heaven, and the water from the rock, as the bread and water of life; the tabernacle and temple, as the residence of divinity, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This exhibition of him may be likened to a perfect portraiture of a most distinguished and endeared personage, at full length, rolled up on the side of a room, and which the owner gradually opens to the beholders, till the whole figure stands

disclosed-So God gradually revealed the Desire of all nations, while his delighted and wondering Church exclaimed, "He is fairer than the children of men" "Yea, he is altogether lovely."

The second revelation of him is incarnate. "God was manifest in the flesh." "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he should destroy the works of the devil." "We know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him was no sin." Thus he was not only declared, but perceived. He appeared not in vision, but in person. Not tremendously, as in the giving of the Law, when even Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and quake;" but familiarly, "clothed in a body like our own." Not transiently, as when he paid visits to his people of old, but by a continuance of three-and-thirty years-for "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us-full of grace and truth."

The third revelation of him is spiritual. And we call it spiritual because it is produced by the Spirit of God in the spirit of man. It is expressed by sight -Not a carnal sight of him; not a sight of him by the eye of sense, but by the eye of faith, according to the words of our Saviour; "He that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, hath everlasting life." It is such an acquaintance with him as draws forth our admiration, excites our love, gains our confidence, and secures our obedience. It is what Paul means when he says, "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me"-and which he prayed for an increase of when he said, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comformable unto his death."

The fourth revelation of him is glorious. After

all he is now much concealed. There are hundreds of millions of our fellow-creatures who know nothing even of the existence of such a Being. Even where he is professedly known, there are multitudes to whom he has no form nor comeliness, nor any beauty, that they should desire him. Even among those who wear the name of Christians there are many to be found who deny his divinity, renounce his redemption, and ridicule the operations of his Spirit. Thus he is despised and rejected of men. This, to those who know his Name, and put their trust in him, is humbling and distressing. But they are relieved and cheered with the thought that it will not be so always. They believe that the number of his admirers is increasing. They are sure that he will be exalted and extolled, and be very high: that he will sprinkle many nations; that all nations shall fall down before him; and the whole earth be filled. with his glory. They know also that there is a day approaching, called, by way of distinction, "the day of Christ:" "the revelation of Jesus Christ." He will then appear the second time without sin unto salvation. He will come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him. We shall see him as he is. He will be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe. Then his grandeur will be acknowledged. Then his love, power, patience, and truth; his character as a Saviour; his tenderness as a friend; his dominion as Lord of all, will be developed and he will enter, accompanied by a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, a world where he will attract every eye, and engage every tongue; and saints and angels will unite with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that

was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

But what is to be expected at the revelation of Jesus Christ? "THE GRACE THAT IS TO BE BROUGHT UNTO YOU."

AUGUST 26.-MORNING.

"THE GRACE THAT IS TO BE BROUGHT UNTO YOU at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 PETER i. 13.

Two inquiries may here arise.

What does "the grace" here spoken of mean? It comprehends the fulness of the promise, "I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also"-His changing their vile bodies and fashioning them like unto his own glorious body--His absolving and acknowledging them before an assembled world-His commendation; "Well done, thou good and faithful servant"-His invitation; "Come, ye blessed of my Father"-His placing them in a state of blessedness, which far transcends all our powers of expression and conception. After all our knowledge derived from Scripture and experience, it doth not yet appear what we shall be "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." It is a glory which shall be revealed.

But why is it called grace? Why is it not said, "The glory that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ"? May it not be-first, to exclude merit from all share in attaining it? There is only one Being who reigns in heaven by his own