thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." And when we can look back and be inwardly convinced how sin entered into the world, and know our own sinfulness, we shall look more to Christ. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. And for our consolation and encouragement, that we might believe to the saving of the soul, in a merciful God, it is written, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." The arms of mercy are opened to receive the greatest of sinners, that they may "be justified by faith," "for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification." But as St. Paul also tells us, if we are justified by Christ, we shall also become 66 new creatures in Christ." The desires that have been set on this world will be changed to the things that belong to our peace, with a full belief in God's mercy through Christ. When our first parents perceived their own unworthiness, and how they had fallen from holiness unto sin, their eyes became opened, they knew their guilt, God mercifully gave them a promise of a Saviour; and he also gave by his servant Moses to the Israelites an eminent type of his forgiving love through our Lord Jesus Christ. When they, as a punishment for their sins, were bitten by fiery serpents, and cried to the Lord, the Lord said unto Moses, "Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." And in like manner Christ Jesus was lifted up for our sins, "And whosoever believeth in him, though he were dead, yet shall he live." He came a light unto the world to take upon Himself our nature, to die in our stead: we behold Him when on earth, in love and meekness, as God-man for2 Numb. xxi. 8, 9. : 1 Gen. iii. 15. giving the sins of those who believed; showing us thereby how He would justify by faith. "And behold men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the house top, and let him down through the tiling with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee 3." And of Mary Magdalene, whose sins were many, He said, "Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much;" "and he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven, thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." And now, reader, ponder these things, for thy soul's comfort and repose: does his holy word bring consolation to thee, in believing in Him? is thy mind carried, in faith, to Calvary, where the work of our redemption was accomplished? He came to "give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Day-spring from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace;" that through his merits we might have peace and everlasting happiness in the world to come. When the poor jailor of Philippi exclaimed, "What shall I do to be saved?"—" Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," was the reply of the inspired Apostle: we must believe with a true penitent heart; our heart must be in the work, as the Apostle in exhorting us servants in our temporal duty says, "doing the will of God from the heart." Let us not neglect our souls for the transitory things of this world, which will all prove vanity and vexation of spirit: but rather let God's holy word be our guide, that "being justified by faith," secondly, we may "have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" this is blessed peace, this is enduring peace, this is the soul's food, this peace can look through and beyond all troubles, it abides 3 Luke v. 18, 19. in the soul although it may be disturbed at times, but it returns again with joy brighter and more enduring: where shall we go to find that peace that will satisfy the soul? nothing here will do; though we may resort to various scenes and various pleasures. True peace, that which is enduring, is with God through Christ. As our earthly fathers delight in the happiness of their children, and provide the best means that they may be happy, especially if they have been taught of God, how much more has our heavenly Father provided for our happiness here, and to all eternity, in sending his own beloved Son into the world! Christ taking our nature, undertook to die to satisfy Divine justice; to die, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. He has promised to give us his Holy Spirit, if we ask in faith, to help and strengthen our infirmities, to bring the truth of his Holy Word home to our hearts; "to convince us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment," to give us heavenly consolation, a good hope through grace, in bringing our souls to be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is our heavenly Father's love towards the children of men, and surely we should strive in all the means of grace for his heavenly blessing. He has given us his Holy Word to be our guide, and the Spirit's influence to give us an heart to understand it. He has told us to make our requests known unto Him. We cannot expect any good thing from our heavenly Father, if we do not on our part seek it; and if we do, God is faithful that promised, and no good thing does He withhold from them that seek in faith. O that the worldlyminded would be persuaded, and seek for the true peace, which is held out to us in the infallible word of God! Christ the author of our faith brought peace from heaven; He established it on Calvary; He purchased it with his own blood. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth, give I unto you." This blessed peace dwells in the soul of every true believer, on the solid and fundamental basis of our hope of eternal life, through Christ our Lord. The believer in Christ is not a stranger to prayer; but are you, reader, a stranger to this which brings peace to the soul? do you know what it is to be "fervent in spirit," to "re joice in hope?" do you know what it is when difficulties and troubles come, to cast all your care on Him who careth for you? or do you neglect to read his word? do you neglect self-examination, and fervent prayer, day by day, for a supply of the Spirit of grace, for the vital breathing of holiness in all our doings? It will not avail us anything, if only in the outward form we say, "Lord, Lord," and do not the things which He has commanded us. If we would have that true peace that St. Paul mentions, and which he had when he said, "I glory in tribulations," the word of God must dwell in our hearts richly, that we may look up and say, I "know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The believer can look forward with a full assurance of hope, to any approaching trials, which shall be sent to try his faith. Behold, says the Apostle, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" O reader! hast thou had any such trials, and yet is thy soul at peace with God? O heavenly consolation! you can say, I know in whom my soul trusteth; let not your heart be troubled. And why is this peace so little to be found among professed Christians? there are many reasons; first the proneness to passion and to ill temper, which so much destroys peace of mind; the tongue becomes unruly, it leaves a deep sting behind it, unfits the mind for communion with God; and is in such opposition to the meek and humble Jesus. And again, the neglect of public worship, wherein peace is conveyed to the soul, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Satan's temptations are ever in the way, and as the Apostle saith, 66 we are not ignorant of his devices," for the least leading away will bring pangs to thy soul, and a deep conviction of thine own frailty. O Christian, be on thy guard, call for strength from heaven's throne. Again, an uncharitable and envious spirit against our neighbour and fellow-creature shuts out the peace of mind which the true believer has with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And is there no way nor means that these hindrances can be overcome? O yes! in praying for God's grace to enable us to withstand them, in bewailing them, in self-examination by the word of God, and the aid of his Holy Spirit; this will lead to the true peace which the Apostle declares that the believer in Christ enjoys, who worships God in spirit and in truth: and surely the following words will teach us so. I can well recollect a short time ago a clergyman of the Church Missionary Society relating of the poor Africans at Sierra Leone, a few years back, how zealous they were in their idolatrous worship; they would assemble together and mix up a sacrifice to offer to the devil; when they had finished it, they would all prostrate themselves before it; nothing could divert their attention, when drums and dancing were near; and all this was, that the evil spirit might not hurt them; and when it was eaten by the wild cats of the wood, they were sure the devil had received it, and they should not be hurt. This was told by an eye-witness, and a reference to it is made in the Church Missionary paper for Christmas. And, O! what a change now: in that colony by the mighty power of God, they who " were far off are brought near by the blood of Christ." And now many thousands (in the words of the Apostle), "being justified by faith," "have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." And, O! the day will come, when the careless and lukewarm professor will lament the time, the hours, that he has spent in idleness, without giving one hour to private communion with God for peace of soul. O! commune with thine own heart, make fresh resolutions, pray more earnestly, think of the poor heathens, how earnest and fervent they were in their sacrifice to the devil; so much the more be ye at the throne of grace. In the sixth chapter of Ephesians the Apostle exhorts servants; afterwards he adds, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."—A Lady's Servant. REFLECTIONS SUITABLE TO THE SEASON OF LENT, By the ancient custom and laws of the Church of Christ, we still observe a yearly solemn time of fasting and |