appropriation of the grace that He brings, practical quickening by the life that He is.

Everything, therefore, turns upon your individually receiving Christ, upon your religious experience of Christ, linking your life to His life, rooting yourself in Him, as the branch is in the vine. Until you have this experience of Him you cannot, in the very nature of things, know how precious He is; how great, and gracious, and loving a Saviour He is; how "plenteous" His redemption, how freely He forgives the sinful, how gently He speaks to the penitent, how wisely He helps us in our struggles, how patiently He restores us in our falls, how tenderly He comforts us in our sorrows, how radiant with immortal hope He makes our mortal life.

Do you, then, so trust in Christ? Have you so received His atonement? Have you any experimental understanding of the things concerning which I have spoken? Is Christ precious to you above all things else above pleasure, and wealth, and sin, and frends, and life itself? Is He nearest you in thought and dearest in affection-the supreme good and joy of your life?

And in your practical estimates of things, is that desired by you most eagerly which brings you the nearest to Him the converse, the prayers, the hymns, the preaching, the Church, the ordinances? Does that which makes you know the most of Him attract and delight you most?

And if you are indeed His and know His love,

it will be a good thing to try yourself often and ask, If such and such a comfort were taken away, could I stay myself upon His love?

these things, would He suffice?

If I had none of

If He should say,

'Keep all without me," or, "Give up all and keep me alone," which should I choose? If I had now to leave everything and sit at His feet, would this be happiness and joy to me?

Some Christians are satisfied to go on without this-taking as much of the world as they decently can, satisfied with a practical distance from God, without conscious peace and joy, and without anything in the tone, or spirit, or conversation that savours of heaven. Reader, beware of this! If you know and love Him, live for Him. A Christian that leaves not at every turn a savour of Christ is a denial of Him!

"I've found a joy in sorrow,

A secret balm for pain,

A beautiful to-morrow

Of sunshine after rain.
I've found a branch of healing
Near every bitter spring,
A whispered promise stealing
O'er every broken string.

I've found a glad hosanna

For every woe and wail,
A handful of sweet manna
When grapes from Eshcol fail.
I've found a Rock of Ages
When desert wells were dry,
And after weary stages

I've found an 'Elim' nigh

An 'Elim' with its coolness, Its fountains and its shade! A blessing in its fulness,

When buds of promise fade! O'er tears of soft contrition I've seen a rainbow lightA glory and fruition,

So near !-yet out of sight.

My Saviour! Thee possessing,
We have the joy, the balm,
The healing and the blessing,
The sunshine and the psalm;
The promise for the fearful,
The Elim' for the faint,
The rainbow for the tearful,

The glory for the saint."

“HE LOVED me, and GAVE HIMSELF

FOR ME."

GALATIANS ii. 20.

Not my

MARK the expression, "He loved me." sins-not my many transgressions-not my wilfulness, waywardness, and obstinacy-not my past life of ingratitude and provocation! No; He looked upon all these with righteous and holy abhorrence. He hated all these things, but He loved me-He loved my soul. And what proof did He give of this? The Apostle answers, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me." Oh wondrous gift! He gave not His kingdom, not His crown, not His glory, not His boundless wealth! He gave up these indeed; "though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we, through His poverty, might become rich;" but-marvellous grace-"He gave Himself!" He gave Himself to Pilate's judgment, to Herod's mockery, to the soldiers' scorn, to the people's frenzy! And there He hung between two thieves, His piercing cry rending the blackened vault above, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me!" There He hung, His face marred more than any man's, His head, His hands, and His feet pierced and bleeding, torn and mangled, with the iron fangs and the thorny

crown! There He hung, under the frown of Heaven, and cast out by the world; the taunt and sneer of the passer-by, and the song of the drunkard in the street! And He gave Himself to this! Oh, the love of God, the grace of Jesus! Oh that these words were written on the portals of the sky, in the hues of the rainbow and the brightness of the sun, so that every sinner on earth might read them: "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE Gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE."

me, and gave Himself for me."

"He loved Precious, precious words! encouragement to come to

Sinner, dost thou need Jesus? Then here it is. Perhaps you look back on your past life and see it stained with crimes of the deepest dye. You see sins the very thought of which suffuses your countenance with a blush. You see sins against light, wilful sins, secret sins, open sins—a multitude that no man can number, rising like a mountain to your view, and you are ready to exclaim, "Can God love me? Impossible!" Yes, He does; He loves you. He hated all these things, but He loved you, and loves you still. "He loved you, and gave Himself for you." Oh! come, then, to that Saviour, and let nothing keep you back. Wait not till you are better-till you are more fit for Him. Wait for nothing. Come just as you are. and waiting; why should you delay?

He is willing

"This Man

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