The more they afflicted them, the more they_multiplied and grew. And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried; and their cry came up to God, by reason of the bondage. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them. EXOD. i. 12, and ii. 23, 25.

THE

HE more we are oppressed by our spiritual and temporal enemies, the more will the kingdom of GOD increase in and through us. And when distress and dangers oppress us most, GoD hastens to our aid, and makes our necessity itself the means of our relief; for the ways of God are always wonderful. It was an extreme distress when the children of the Israelites were cast into the river; but this was the means of preserving Moses, their intended deliverer. When Moses came, they were not relieved immediately, for their calamities increased. This is God's method. But they cried the more to GOD, and he relieved them by signs and wonders. After this, their distress was greater than ever at the Red Sea; for after GOD has shown his glory in assisting us, he can still send greater trials. But when they were beset on all sides by distress and death, then came the most glorious succour of all, and their enemies perished in the Red Sea. LORD, suffer us not to despair, in any extremity, but enable us to believe and experience that the greater our distress, the nearer and more glorious will be thy aid, and all our enemies will be consumed as stubble before the devouring flame.

What sinners value, I resign;

LORD, 'tis enough that Thou art mine!

I shall behold thy blissful face,

And stand complete in righteousness.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. We love him, because he first loved us. 1 JOHN iv. 10, 19. He that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. We will come unto him, and make our abode with him. JOHN xiv. 21, 23.

WHAT a glorious promise! what manner of love is this! LORD, I would not exchange my cross and sufferings, much less thy love, for the love and honours of the world. Only make it more known to me how great thy love is, and how much thou hast forgiven me, that I may love thee much again, and be thereby still better purged from the inordinate love of temporal things. It is my earnest desire that the gates of my heart should be opened to none but thee, that thou alone mayest dwell in me. Shed thy love

abroad in my heart, quicken and renew all the faculities of my mind and body, and work everything in and for me, that thy love may be my life, and the keeping of thy law my joy.

Love divine, all love excelling;

Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix us in the humble dwelling,
All thy faithful mercies crown.

O! for this love, let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break,
And all harmonious human tongues
The Saviour's praises speak!

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit

Into every troubled breast;

Let us all in thee inherit,

Let us find thy promised rest.

Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 2 COR. v. 9.

THIS

HIS indeed is the true disposition of a soul espoused to CHRIST. She has but one care, which is to please him in all things. And this desire to do his will is, as it were, the ring and seal of her Bridegroom; which she may look upon even in the absence of all spiritual joy, as a token for good, that she is his spouse. Ought not then this day, O my soul, to be a new wedding-day with CHRIST? He is desirous that thou shouldst be betrothed unto him, even now, and waits only for thy consent. Hearken, O daughter! consider, and incline thine ear; be no longer married to the world. Forget thine own people and thy father's house, and take him alone for thy husband, so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty. Wilt thou give the refusal to this glorious and loving SAVIOUR? I hope not. Give it rather to the world, and resolutely say, I have done with thee, O poor world! I break the bonds of my former love; my eyes and feet shall henceforth only be directed to the blessed and eternal city of the new Jerusalem, where my heavenly Bridegroom resides. And O what need I have to be duly prepared, dressed, and beautified against his coming, and the time of his taking me home to himself! LORD JESUS, keep me longing for thine appearance, for the happy day when I shall go with thee to glory.

If CHRIST is ours, we may despise
All rage, though hell against us rise:
His love experienced will impart
Immortal transport to thy heart!

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. HEB. iv. 16.

THAT we were all so wise as to and prepare provide ourselves in due time with the right armour of faith, before the time of need and hour of death approach! Come, my reader, let us begin now, and go directly to the gate of mercy, lest we should come too late and be undone. Behold the encouragement of CHRIST :—“I am the door," says he, "and the way." John x. 1. chap. xiv. 6. Now, by this door you may find the entrance into the heart and favour of God, CHRIST himself sitting on a mercy-seat to receive and welcome the vilest of sinners. there is no drawing near to GOD but through him, and clothed in the righteousness of our only Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate. He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End; nay, the very With ALL in ALL to believers. CHRIST they can never part! and he can never part with them. Col. iii. 10, 11.

Of him who did salvation bring,
I could for ever think and sing!
Arise, ye guilty, he'll forgive!
Arise, ye poor, he will relieve!

Ask but his grace, and lo! 'tis given:
Ask, and he turns your hell to heaven;
Though sin and sorrow wound my soul,
JESUS, thy balm can make it whole!

Guide thou, O LORD, guide thou my course,
And draw me on with thy sweet force!
Still make me walk, still make me tend,
By thee, my way, to GOD my end!

And

God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much

more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him: for, if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reciled, we shall be saved by his life. Rom. v. 8-10.

H

ERE we have much more reason to cry out than Moses had (Deut. xxxiii. 3)., "The LORD loved the people: " but here I must beseech thee too, O LORD, that the infinite gift of thy Son may appear to me greater and greater every day; and that thy love, shining out in his redemption, may go on so to increase in my soul, as to disperse all clouds of darkness, unbelief, and hard thoughts of thy goodness. Whenever this slanderous spirit tries to lift up his head, grant that my faith and love may be quickened and strengthened in such a manner, as heartily to praise thy great love, in spite of all his suggestions: this is the chief desire which I offer unto thee in all my prayers, night and day. The want of faith and love, I am sensible, is still my greatest want; my soul is like a large empty vessel, but I pray thee to fill it speedily, notwithstanding any opposition that may be made by my unrenewed part.

Come, guilty souls, and flee away,
Like dove to JESU's wounds:
This is the welcome gospel-day,
Wherein free grace abounds.

God loved the world, and gave his Son

To drink the cup of wrath;

And JESUS says, he'll cast out none

That come to him by faith.