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with those who have never taken thought upon the value of their spiritual privileges? What must life be but a continual barter of God's sure and certain promises for the fleeting things of this life. When too late, when the spiritual world is forced upon the view, then is suddenly seen the preciousness of its privileges, and the dreadful penalty of having forfeited them; and there is found no place for repentance. Nor prayers, nor tears, can restore the loss. With serious resolutions of redeeming the time, while yet it be allowed us, let us accept from the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, (xii. 17.) his fearful application of Esau's rejection; and whenever the pleasure or interest of the world points one way, and our love and duty to our crucified Master another, let us remember Esau.-Evans's Scripture Biography. (Extracts sent by D. I. E.)

THE SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL.

If we search the Scriptures with a desire to profit by them, and to be effectually influenced by them, we soon discover how very different is the real nature of Christ's religion from that appearance of it with which the great mass of mankind is satisfied. I do not speak of those who put on the appearance of religion for the sake of deceiving others, but of those who deceive themselves by thinking that they are believers in the religion of the Gospel, and who would speak of it with respect, and who think that they are living by its directions, and who consider themselves as in a safe state, feeling no doubt as to what will be their condition hereafter, trusting, because they are not in the habit of committing the same heinous offences that many do, that they are therefore safe. Such persons "do err, not knowing the Scriptures," or at least not understanding the nature of the religion of Christ. If you speak to them of the fall of man, and of the corruption of man's nature since the fall, they hardly understand your object, and conceive that all this arises from taking a gloomy view of human nature, and from having a bad opinion of your fellow men. This, however, is altogether beside the mark. The question is

not at all about the actual state of the morals of mankind at this time, or what it has been at any other time, or what capacities of Divine knowledge or of goodness there may be in man under the Christian dispensation. But the question is, what is the state of man by nature, since the fall of our first parents. Now, instead of any man who thinks he is a Christian trying to escape from this question, as one of slight importance, the truth is, that it is at the very root of that religion which Christ came into the world to teach, and which he died to establish. If man's nature were not weakened and corrupted by the fall, then he would have had the inclination to do the will of God in all things, and he would have had strength also, equal to the performance of those duties which it would have then been his delight to have performed; and the law of God awards happiness to those who live in perfect obedience to it. I speak here of the law, without any reference to the Gospel; and, in truth, if man's nature were such that he could render perfect obedience to the law, we may well suppose that no Gospel would then have been needed.-But what is the nature of the law of God? The law is not satisfied by a mere observance of stated forms and ceremonies, and outward duties. These are required, indeed, and to the Jews under the law, the strictest observance of them was enforced; but the law is spiritual also; it commands us to "love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and minds, and soul, and strength?" Has any man upon earth wholly kept this law, in thought, word, and deed? But the law allows of no imperfect obedience; it condemns every one " who hath not continued in all things written in the book of the law to do them." Under the law, then, we are lost; we must fly for refuge to the Gospel. Every man stands in need of pardon. The Gospel of Christ offers this pardon. God's righteous law is still upheld, because the penalty for the transgression of it is paid; it has been paid by Christ. He then who thinks that he is a Christian, must ask himself whether he has laid aside all dependence on any thing that he has done, or can do, and whether he does so embrace the Gospel, as to be able to throw himself, as it were, for protection and safety en

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tirely on the merits of his Saviour. He who rests on his own merits and performances is trusting to what cannot support him, to what is altogether weak and insufficient. The young man in the Gospel (Matt. xix. 20.) looking at the commandments of the law, said, "All these things have I kept from my youth up." But our blessed Lord showed him what he "lacked," pointed out to him his besetting sin, which showed that his heart was not wholly with God. Judged by the law, then, he was condemned; and so is every man. But "what the law could not do, in that it is weak through the flesh," (through the fleshly corrupt nature of man) God did effect by the Gospel, "sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin (that is, for a sin-offering) condemned sin in the flesh."

The spirit of the Gospel, and the sacrifice of Christ, we see, then, condemn sin. The life of a Christian is a life opposed to sin; the servant of Christ is to prove that he really looks upon Christ as his master, by constantly seeking to avoid those sins, which brought his Saviour to the cross. In truth, a real Christian must and will be desirous of living to the service of Him who has bought him with the price of His own blood. The true Christian, moreover, is guided by the Spirit of God; he is "renewed in the spirit of his mind; and, being "led by the Spirit," he is led onward in the path of holiness and duty. He does not ask how little will serve to prove his obedience; he desires to know how much he can do in his Master's service, and he delights to do it; he is "zealous of good works;" he does not attend the public worship of God from mere form, and content himself with the shortest service that he can, the once-a-day presence in the church on the Sabbath, where there are opportunities of more, as if he were thus expecting that he was paying God what he owed him, and paying him with the most scant measure with which he thinks he can escape; but he embraces thankfully those opportunities which are afforded him of joining in the worship of his God,—not as if he were paying a debt thereby, but as if he felt the need

1 Rom. viii. 3.

of every help that Divine grace could give to enable him to make progress in the Christian race, and would therefore earnestly seek every means of obtaining it. He does not read his stated chapter in the Bible, as a mere rule, a good one though it be; but he earnestly desires, and devoutly prays, that every addition of Divine knowledge may become an addition to his spiritual graces, and effect an improvement in his disposition, his temper, and his practice. He dare not put off the work of preparation for eternity, for he knows that there is no time to be lost; he does not desire to put it off, because he delights in the service of God, which he considers not to be a burden, but which he knows to be perfect freedom.

A Christian must not stand still; he is to make progress, to improve, to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

V.

KNOW THYSELF.

A LITTLE book, called " A Help to Self-Knowledge," lately published by the Rev. Robert Yarker, of Chester, (Fellowes, London,) contains some excellent heads of selfexamination. Such extracts as our limits will allow us to give will not do justice to the manner in which the subject is treated; the work (which is short) should be read as a whole. We extract, however, the following passages.

Ask yourself, "Am I convinced, that, being sprung from fallen parents, I am born in sin, and by nature under God's condemnation, as the Scriptures testify1; and that, following the corrupt will of a fallen nature, I have sinned against God? What is my notion of sin? Do I look upon that only as sinful which is so accounted among men, or do I regard sin as the transgression of God's holy law, and his holy law as reaching to my very thoughts, no less than to my words and deeds? Do I see, that, having sinned against God, in thought, word, and deed, I have therefore been exposed to the curse of the law, which is eternal death; knowing that God hath

1 Ephes. ii. 3.

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said, 'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them?' Have I heard with thankfulness, that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us,' forasmuch as He died for us the accursed death of the cross. And have I been humbled before God, as sinful by nature, and having sinned myself? And have I heartily laid hold, by faith, on the great salvation which the Son of God, in our nature, wrought out by His death? Have I, as an enemy to God by nature, and by wicked works, sought reconciliation with Him, through His Son? Am I living in the daily exercise of repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ?' Have I humbly confessed, and do I daily confess my sins unto God, and pray to him, in Christ's name, for forgiveness of my sins past,-the things which I have left undone, which I ought to have done, and the things which I have done, and ought not to have done? Am I seeking to be renewed, day by day, by His Holy Spirit, that I may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit,' which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,' the crucifying of the flesh, with the affections and lusts,' that I may thus glorify my heavenly Father? Do I live in daily dependence upon God for every temporal and spiritual blessing? Do I worship Him in sincere, fervent prayer, as if I really wished for the things for which I ask, and as if I really valued the things for which I give thanks? And do I offer up my prayers in the name of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ? Do I habitually read or hear the Holy Scriptures, and meditate on His word, that I may be made wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus,' and be thoroughly furnished unto all good works? Am I willing and wishful to have all my faults pointed out by it? Do I hallow the sabbath, and observe it as a day holy unto the Lord,' whose sacred hours are not to yield to my own gain, or pleasure, or convenience; but in which I am to know God, not doing mine own ways, nor finding mine own pleasure,

1 Acts xx. 21.