Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot.-1 Peter i. 18, 19.

Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.-John i. 29.

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It shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.-Gen. ix. 14, 16.

APRIL I.

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.— Gen. ix. 13.

THE rainbow is a token of the covenant of preservation made with Noah, and with all the creatures of the earth; it is fixed and sure; it may be considered also as an emblem of the covenant of grace (Isa. liv. 9, 10); or rather, it may be an emElem of Christ Himself (Rev. x. 1) as appears in many particulars. When we are apt to fear being overwhelmed by the rain, Jehovah shews this seal of His promise that we shall not. Thus He removes our fears, when we weep for sin, and are afraid of a flood of wrath, by reminding us of the Covenant of Grace established in Jesus. The thicker the cloud, afterward the brighter the bow in the cloud; so when afflictions abound, consolations do much more abound. The bow appears when one part of the sky is clear; which intimates mercy remembered in the midst of wrath. The rainbow is caused by the refraction of the beams of the sun; so all the glory of the Covenant of Grace and the significancy of the seals, are derived from Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. The bow speaks terror; but this is without string or arrow, is directed upward, and not to the earth. God looks upon the bow to remember His covenant; so should we, that we may be mindful of the Covenant of Grace with faith and thankfulness.

Christ's open arms like rainbows stand,

To grasp and save a guilty land;
Oh! take me, Lord, within thy bow,
And all its glories sweetly shew.

My darkened mind with light divine,
Irradiate from that bow of thine;
And may my soul thy covenant keep,
And heaven's eternal glories reap.

APRIL 2.

God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.-Gal. vi. 14. WHATEVER others may do, or whatever they may exult or glory in, God forbid that I should exult, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the grand doctrine of justification and sanctification through Him. And what else could I exult or glory in? for a true believer has nothing to glory in but Christ alone. Even in his very best performances he will be often deeply humbled and cry out, "Lord, enter not into judgment !"-and well he may; for the ground of our glory, comfort and salvation is not in works, but in Christ, and the free grace of God; who, for His Son's sake, lays nothing to our charge, but daily covers and richly pardons all our iniquities. And thus believers, walking steadily, might always be kept in solid peace; for the Cross of Christ is a solid and unshaken foundation.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the cross of Christ my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o'er His body on the tree,
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so Divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

APRIL 3.

Purifying their hearts by faith.—Acts xv. 9.

By faith in the Son of God we get an interest in His great and glorious salvation; we are justified by faith; we have peace with God by faith. This is an excellent grace, which brings us out of a state of slavery and sin, into the liberty of the sons and daughters of God, and will issue in everlasting salvation. Faith purifies the heart of man, naturally vicious, and unites us to Christ, the root of all holiness. Now, reader, examine yourself whether you be in the faith. Try the tree by its fruits. Ask yourself these questions: Has my faith a purifying influence on my heart? Does the view of Christ dying for my sins make me die unto them? Has my faith in Christ, as wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for my iniquities, made me bitterly lament them, sincerely hate them, and seek the death of every one of them? Though there may be still sin in me, is there none allowed? Is there none, no, not one; no, not that sin which does most easily beset me, which I desire to be spared and excused in? Do I rather look upon all sin as the enemy of Christ and my own soul, and, as such, do I hate it with a perfect hatred? Am I praying fervently for Divine grace to subdue it? and in the strength of that grace, do I maintain a constant and vigorous war with it, determined never to give it any rest in my heart, never to cease my conflict with it, till I have gained the complete and everlasting victory? Then thou art apright, go on and prosper !

That faith to me, O Lord, impart,

Which, while it bringeth peace,
Will daily purify my heart,
And bring in holiness.

APRIL 4.

He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root. Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.-Isa. xxvii. 6. They shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.-Chap. xxxvii. 31. They shall bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.-Ps. xcii. 14. Her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.-Jer. xvii. 8.

THE evangelical Christians look upon themselves as barren trees, ever crying out, "Oh! my leanness! my leanness!" Even before the judgmentseat of Christ, they acknowledged no fruits, nor will plead them, though they have been fruitful (Matt. xxv. 37-39). The reason is, they are poor in spirit, and are not pleased with their fruits, but only with Christ. Grant, O Lord, that I may earnestly seek to bring forth fruits, and may grow in fruitfulness as I grow in years, and never cease from yielding fruit; hereby proving myself to be a tree of the Lord's planting, whose leaf is green, and whose branches are flourishing and fruitful! Yet bless me also with deep poverty of spirit, that I may see myself still nothing, having nothing of my own to glory in, or to justify me; and thus esteem Christ my All, and rest upon Him wholly.

Lord, 'tis a pleasant thing to stand
In gardens planted by thy hand.
Let me within thy courts be seen,
Like a young cedar, fresh and green.

There grow thy saints in faith and love,
Blest with thy influence from above.
Time, that doth all things else impair,
Still makes them flourish strong and fair.

Laden with fruits of age, they shew
The Lord is holy, just, and true.
None that attend His gates shall find
A God unfaithful or unkind!