and This is my Friend." Come, brethren! under the shadow of the cross, "sit down and watch Him there," until yearnings of soul arise towards Him who died to save you, and rejoicing in that blessed truth that God hath 'blotted out as a thick cloud your transgressions and as a cloud your sins;" you henceforth walk in the spirit of adoption, crying, Abba! Father.

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But, further, is it thence, even from Calvary, that strength for our daily warfare is derived? "The life that I now live in the flesh," saith the apostle, "I live by the faith of the Son of God." Is this our life? is this our happy experience-judging of, testing and proving this present evil world by the light thrown upon it by Calvary; estimating the malignity of sin, its exceeding sinfulness, by Calvary; and then, in a deep sense of our utter weakness, living on better strength, abiding in Christ, drawing from His fulness; praying in the spirit of Jacob's wrestling, that "the power of Christ may rest upon us," and thus bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ? Finally, Do our hopes as to the future centre on Him; do they reach forth unto His coming kingdom, looking for that glorious appearing of our great God

and Saviour Jesus Christ? All other hopes, my brethren, are uncertain, fading; your buildings, your trading, your lands, your matches, and friendships, and projects, for how long are all these? their end is at hand, but not so with this Hope, it is "incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away;" because our feeble language of earth hath nothing better wherewith to express it, it is called ETERNAL GLORY. Soon shall it be revealed, but in the short meanwhile be content to take up your cross, to follow Christ, to wrestle with sin, to be separate from the world, and to be looking for the coming of the Son of Man; "the night is far spent, the day is at hand,” watchers at the Cross! you shall then need to watch no more, the song of praise you shall then pour forth shall never end, "Unto Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His Own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen!""

1 Rev. i. 6, 7.

XXIV.

"THE CONTRITE COMFORTED."

JEREMIAH Xxxi. 18-20th verses.

"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus ; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn Thou me, and I shall be turned; for Thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim My dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember. him still therefore My bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord."

WHAT is it, brethren, that wins back the heart to God? what is it that draws out the venom of the soul, displacing hatred by love, rebellion by obedience? It is God's voice of mercy; free, full, everlasting mercy, "without money and without price." This attracts the sinner, melts him, transforms him, comforts him, saves him. . . . What is it that hinders those who are inquiring the way to Zion, keeps

them from peace and joy, prevents the full surrender of the heart to God? Unbelief of His love, doubts of His mercy, fear lest He should reject them. Oh! when we do take God at His word, clouds disappear, there is indeed sunshine on the soul.

We have a blessed exhibition of this love of God, or rather of the God who is "Love," in our text, in His dealings with a contrite one. It is calculated under God's blessing to comfort all that thus mourn; Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south; blow upon the garden, that the spices thereof may flow out!"

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A Broken Heart, and Healing Mercy thus brought together, well deserve our prayerful consideration.

I. A Broken Heart. Such was Ephraim's; he had departed far from God, he had fretted against the Lord, he had refused for a time to submit, but chastisement after chastisement in mercy came, and at length he received instruction; shame and confusion of face were his, secret groans (heard by Him who despiseth not such sounds) told his sorrow,' faith embracing the promises claimed the Lord for his God, repentance with its godly fruits went hand in hand; Ephraim is still "the dear son, the pleasant child."

12 Cor. vii. 11.

1. His froward course is strikingly set forth; "a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:" as the bullock first harnessed is impatient of the restraint, plunges under the yoke, attempts to free himself from the burden, will not be tamed by the strokes inflicted, so Ephraim had spurned the hand that would have guided him. Message after message had come, but he had turned a deaf ear to each and all; chastening had followed, "neither did he set his heart to this also;" heavier judgments came, Ephraim was still the same: untamed, unhumbled, standing afar off.

Brethren! this is the awful course of some who are not "bemoaning" themselves, who are still rushing on in their mad career; God hath brought them low, and again raised them up, and they are as they were. He hath entered into their circle and removed one dear to them, and they are as they were. He hath straitened their circumstances, and their murmurs are more loud; let such take heed, let such "fear the rod and who hath appointed it," lest "He pluck them away, and there be none to deliver them." How different the features in repentant Ephraim.

2. There was insight into, and confession of his guilt. Nothing so fit to describe his state, as

1 Exodus vii. 23.