Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and for the precious things of the earth, and the fulness thereof, and FOR THE GOOD WILL OF HIM THAT DWELT IN THE BUSH." The scene, though it had passed forty years before, vividly rushed upon his imagination, and he derives from it the greatest good he could implore, whether for a nation or a man only. What pains we take, and what sacrifices we make, to gain "the good will" of a fellow creature, which, if attained, can do nothing for us in our greatest exigences and interests! But "the good will" of Him. that dwelt in the bush-a tried God, a covenant God, a God who there said, "I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob"-this can sweeten every com fort-soften every sorrow-and take the sting out of death itself. This can accomplish every hope. This can satisfy every desire. "Think upon me, O my

God, for good."

JULY 8.-MORNING.

“But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified.” 1 COR. vi. 11.

WE consider the word "washed" as a general term, comprehending a twofold cleansing; a cleansing from the guilt, and a cleansing from the pollution, of sin. It would be easy to shew that in the Scripture it is used in both these senses. The two added articles, therefore, are explanatory of its meaning here-Ye are washed, that is, ye are sanctified and stified.

What we wish to observe is that both these are found in the same subjects. Justification and sanctification should be always discriminated; but they must never be disunited. Where they are not distinguished, a religious system cannot be clear; and where they are divided, it can never be safe. Where they are not distinguished, Law and Gospel, free will and free grace, the merit of man and the righteousness of Christ, run into a mass of confusion and disorder. And where they are divided, Pharisaic pride, or Antinomian presumption, will be sure to follow.

Be it remembered, then-That the one regards something done for us; the other, something done in us. The one is a relative, the other a personal, change. The one a change in our state, the other in our nature. The one is perfect at once, the other is gradual. The one is derived from the obedience of the Saviour, the other from his Spirit. The one gives us a title to heaven, the other a meetness for it.

But let us not forget their union. It is supposed that this was typified in the dying of the Lord Jesus, when from his pierced side there came forth blood and water; the one to atone, the other to purify. But not to lay too much stress on an historical incident, and which can be physically accounted for, the truth to which we allude is most expressly asserted in the word of God. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." We need one, as well as the other. And if we were not sanctified, as well as justified, we could neither serve God properly, nor enjoy him. Suppose an

unrenewed man pardoned: he would be no more able to see the kingdom of God than before; but would feel the company, the pleasures, and employments, of the state uncongenial and irksome. Or suppose you had a son; and you forbade him to enter a place of contagion, on pain of losing all you could leave him-He goes, and is seized with the infection. He thus is not only guilty, by transgressing your command-but he is also diseased. And do you not perceive, that your forgiving him does not heal him? He wants not only the father's pardon, but the physician's aid; and in vain he is freed from the forfeiture of his estate, if he be left under the power of his disorder.

Let us, therefore, judge of the one by the other; and make our election, by making our calling sure. To be justified freely from all things; to have passed from death unto life; and never to come into condemnation again, is a privilege of infinite value: and there is a possibility of knowing that it belongs to us. But how is it to be known? Not by an audible voice from heaven, as the woman heard-"Thy sins are forgiven thee." Not by a sudden impulse, or working the mind into a persuasion which we are unable to justify. For the very thing to be determined is, whether this confidence be a good hope through grace, or a mere presumption. If the confidence itself were sufficient, the Antinomian would be surer than the Christian; but he has a lie in his right hand. The sacred writers do not consider this certainty of mind as self-proved; nor regard all apprehensions as to our state-unbelief. They tell us to "fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of

it." They call upon us to "examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith :" and to "prove our own selves." "We know," says John, "that we have passed from death unto life—because we love the brethren." "Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." This is the way, walk ye in it-What is the spirit which he hath given you? Does it convince of sin? Does it cause you to hunger and thirst after righteousness? Does it glorify Christ?

It is true that our souls are justified by faith; but faith is justified by works. Has this promise been fulfilled in us-"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judg ments, and do them?" As far as we are strangers to this practice, and to these dispositions, whatever our knowledge, or our assurance, may be, we ought to tremble. For though the grace of God finds us sinners, it does not leave us such. While it "bringeth salvation," it teaches us "that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

3*

JULY 8.-EVENING.

"I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly." ZEPH. iii. 18.

THIS "solemn assembly" was the convocation of the people for worship, especially in the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles. In these, thrice a year, all the males were to appear before God in the place which he should choose. This was Jerusalem. It was therefore named "the city of their solemnities." Here, at such seasons, they were always to "rejoice before the Lord." The services indeed were all of the festive kind; and "joy becomes a feast"—

"But we have no such lengths to go,

Nor wander far abroad;

Where'er the saints assemble now,

There is a house for God."

Yet we have our solemn assemblies as well as they; and surely we have not less reason than they had to be joyful, and to say, "Let us serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with singing." Yea, if we are habitually strangers to pleasure in religious services; if we cannot call the Sabbath a delight; if we are not glad when they say to us, "Let us go into the house of the Lord;" if we do not rejoice at his word as one that findeth great spoil; if spiritual duties are not in some good degree spiritual privileges; there is surely enough to awaken apprehension of our state before God.

We never apply the term "solemn" to any common or merely secular assembly; but only to one that has something in it sacred, and capable of inspiring awe.