Yet most

contrast of his own pure and perfect holiness. marvellous of all is it that just such a sinner as God beholds you, his heart is full of compassion toward you, appearing as if the depths of your sinfulness had only made him compassionate you the more. No man can think himself a greater sinner than he really is; yet no man, however great a sinner, is too great a sinner to be the object of the love of God, or to be saved by his Son. No man was ever lost because of the greatness of his sins, for however great they may have been, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sin.' No sins, however deep in dye, are too deep for the blood of Jesus to wash away. Though you, dear reader, are the chief of sinners, yet the blood of the Redeemer is all-available and efficacious for you. Look at Paul. Hear his confession in 1 Tim. i. 15, 16: It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' O, but you say Paul was a chosen vessel. But for what was he chosen? He himself tells us. Howbeit,' says he, 'for this cause, I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.' Here then, the blaspheming, persecuting, ringleader Saul is set before you and all sinners in all time coming an example of the willingness of God and the power of Jesus to save. Suppose that a rebellion rises in a kingdom, and one of its ringleaders is taken, and instead of being put to death, the gracious sovereign bestows upon him a free pardon, and gives him a commission to preach forgiveness to all the rebels, would it not be a triumphant argument for him to be able to say-' Here I am, a ringleader among you, saved by the clemency of our gracious sovereign, and that for the express purpose of shewing to all of you his anxiety and ability to save you one and all.' What could any of the rebels have to say after that? Would it be any argument against any one obtaining pardon, that he was a great rebel? None at all. Neither, dear reader, is it any argument against your obtaining merey that you are a great sinner. Consider yourself to be the greatest of sinners, and still you

are not too great a sinner to be saved by the all-atoning blood of the Lamb of God which has been shed for you.

But more than this, if you really feel yourself to be so great a sinner, this is only another argument why you should throw yourself into the arms of him who is able to save you to the uttermost, for your damnation must be all the more terrible that your sins have been so great. You have only all the more need of such a Saviour as Jesus. Suppose, then, that you are the greatest of sinners, the fact that there is forgiveness for you should only lead you to love him the more who does forgive you. Hear the Redeemer himself on this very point, in Luke vii. 39–48. Here you have two debtors, one owing fifty and the other five hundred pence. But for both there was forgivenessfrank, free forgiveness. Only it was expected that the one who had the most forgiven would love the most. O, then, sinner, appropriate this glorious doctrine to yourself by faith in the Redeemer, and then shall it be true of you that your sins which are many are forgiven you. Then shall God say to you-Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace.

AM I SAFE IN TRUSTING TO JESUS.

Ir, dear reader, you have any hesitancy in committing your soul to Jesus-if you have any thought that you may not be safe in doing so, you must be overlooking some part or other of the gospel testimony. Consider that the Saviour on whom the gospel calls you to rely is a divine Redeemer-consider that his righteousness is no less than the righteousness of God-consider that his sacrifice is infinite in value-consider that the saving work is a finished and a perfect work-consider that Jehovah has declared himself satisfied with it as the ground of your justification and acceptance-consider that the testimony on which your faith rests is that of the Spirit

of the living God-consider that God has raised Jesus from the dead, given him glory at his own right hand, and committed the judgment of the world to him, all in proof of his perfect satisfaction in that great work accomplished for you in common with mankind. Now, can you take all these things into consideration, and have any doubt as to your safety in fleeing for refuge to the hope set before you in the gospel? We do not see how you can-we do not see how any one can fully believe the truth as it is in Jesus, and not feel persuaded of his safety. Allow us to put the matter to you, dear reader-Suppose that you were this moment to be called before your Judge; you appear, and you plead what? You plead that you are a sinner, and that you have nothing of your own to offer in justification, but that the righteousness of that Jesus who died for you is your only hope. Now, would the Saviour deny himself? 2 Tim. ii. 13 says, 'He cannot deny himself. You surely see, then, that it is impossible for you to be unsafe in trusting in Jesus. Say, what can render you unsafe? Why should you imagine that you can be in danger in trusting to the merits of Christ. It is, in short, a contradiction in terms for any one to doubt his safety, and yet be believing in Jesus. Pray, what can he be believing? He cannot be believing the various articles of gospel truth which we have just suggested, and still remain in doubt of safety. Look at them, dear reader, one by one-ask yourself if you believe them; and if you do, then ask yourself if you really can suppose yourself unsafe in trusting to the work of that Redeemer who is himself to be your Judge. O reader, remember that you must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. Remember, that if you deny him he also will deny you, but that if you accept him he will accept you; nay, more, he cannot reject you but by denying himself, and this you know is impossible. See, then, dear reader, your perfect safety in relying on Christ as your Saviour. See that so long as he remains seated on the throne of the universe, you are infinitely secure in committing your soul to him.

NO ONE CAN BE SURE.

You think, dear reader, that no one can be sure that his sins are forgiven-that no one can be sure that he is saved that no one can be sure of heaven. But why do you think so? Is this a scriptural thought? It is not. And this we can very easily show you. If no one can be sure, why does Acts xiii. 34 take up the words of Isa. lv. 3, and say, 'I will give you the sure mercies of David.' Was David not sure? Did he not say-Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever?' And in proof that these sure mercies are given to the disciples of Jesus, did Paul not say to the Corinthian converts,—'We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.' We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord?' And did John not say to the believers to whom he wrote-' We know that we have passed from death unto life?' And again, I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you?' Now, have we not in all these passages the language of perfect certainty? Most distinctly we have. There is no doubt, no perchance, no hesitancy expressed in them whatever. Both the writers and those written to are by these statements most distinctly declared to have been sure that their sins were blotted out, that their souls were saved, and that heaven was their eternal home.

Now, dear reader, do not try to persuade yourself that this may be the case with eminent christians such as Paul and John; but not with disciples of humble attainments. You must not overlook the fact, that the words we have quoted were addressed not to eminent Christians, but to true disciples of every degree of standing. It is as false to suppose that none but eminent Christians can

attain to the confidence that their sins are forgiven, that they have passed from death to life, and that heaven is theirs, as it is to suppose that no one can be sure. The passages quoted, if their words have any meaning at all, prove that all can be sure, and that all those written to

were sure.

Independent of these passages, confidence of safety is inseparable from the intelligent belief of the gospel; and the faith of the individual who is not sure is in some respect defective or beclouded. Let us ask you, dear reader, if it is really possible for you intelligently to believe that the Son of the Highest died for your sins according to the scriptures, that God is satisfied with what his Son has done for you as a sinner, and declares that on your committing yourself by faith to Jesus, as your Saviour, he cancels every charge against you-is it possible, we ask, for you to believe this gospel, and not be sure of your personal salvation? It is not possible, dear reader, for you to believe all this and yet remain in doubt or fear; if you are not sure, it is certain you are discrediting some part of the gospel testimony, or that some error is lurking in your mind. Go over the testimony, then, and see if this be not your case. Put it to yourself if you really believe that Jesus died for you, that God is satisfied with him as your Saviour, and declares that on your believing him your sins are cancelled; and if you find that you do, ask what it is that should make you doubt your security.

A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT KNOWING IT.

Ir is a dangerous mistake, dear reader, for you to suppose that you can be a Christian without knowing it. If you entertain any such idea, you altogether misapprehend what it is to be a Christian. Is a Christian not one who knows, and knowing believes in, and believing in, loves, and loving, obeys the Lord Jesus Christ? Is not