you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."-But where will the ungodly and the sinner appear MAY 4.-" For even Christ pleased not himself." -NoT as if his undertaking our cause was against his will; or that he ever felt it to be a task, and a grievance. He was voluntary in the engagement, and cheerful in the execution; and could say, I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!-But he never followed the indulgence of his natural inclination in the days of his flesh. He preferred the glory of God and our benefit, to his own gratification. He did not consult his ease; but denied the demands of sleep, when duty required exertion. He rejected, with anger, Peter's proposal to spare himself from suffering. He did not consult ambitious feeling; but refused the people, when they would have made him a king. He stood not upon rank and consequence; but washed the disciples' feet, and was among them as one that serveth. He was far more delighted with Mary's reception of his Word, than with Martha's preparation for his appetite. He was not only thirsty, but hungry, when the disciples left him at the well, to go and buy meat; but when they returned, and said, Master, eat; he replied, "I have meat to eat which ye know not of-In your absence I have had something above corporeal satisfaction-I have been saving a soul from death, and hiding a multitude of sins-My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work." When the collectors of the Templetax came to Peter, he said to him, "What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children freeThe Temple is the house of my heavenly Father, and I am his only begotten Son." But, though not bound like others, he foregoes his right, in order to avoid offence: "Nevertheless, lest we should offend;" i. e. excite pain, or dislike, or reflection, by their thinking we have not a proper regard to the Sanctuary and ordinances of God-" lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money that take, and give unto them for me and thee." This he exemplified all through life: He was, therefore, well prepared, and authorised to say, "If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” And observe the use the Apostle makes of it-Because Christ pleased not himself, therefore "let the strong bear the infirmities of the weak, and not please themselves"-"Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification." He, indeed, limits the duty. We are not to humour our brethren in a sinful course; but only in things innocent and lawful-and we are to do this with a view to secure and promote his welfare, and not any advantage of our own. But we are not to consult our own little conveniences, and appetites, and wishes. We are not even to follow our convictions in every disputed matter. "Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock, or an occasion to fall, in his brother's way. I know, and am per VOL. I. 2 T They have had not only a peaceful, but a delightful entrance into the joy of their Lord. And what vineyards does He give them from THENCE!! MAY 2.-A psalm and song at the dedication of the house of David." Ps. xxx. THIS he built for himself, as soon as he was established king over Judah and Israel. It was, doubtless, very different from the cottage he occupied when a shepherd. But there was no impropriety in this. A man may alter his mode of living, with his rising condition in the world. The gradations of life are not discountenanced in the Scriptures: and we have never seen any advantage arising from the neglect of them. Good men ought to avoid extravagance; but by being mean or parsimonious, they may cause their good to be evil spoken of. David, as a king, was obliged to do many things from a regard to his station, rather than from personal choice. Yet godliness is to shew itself in all circumstances. Therefore, when he took possession of his dwelling-place, he consecrated it to God. At entering a new house, an entertainment is often given, and dissipation and excess follow. Many are invited; but God is not of the number-yea, they say unto God, Depart from us: we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. But every thing is to be sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. Our religion is to be exemplified in little and common things. We are to sanctify the week, as well as to remember the Sabbath: and to walk with a perfect heart in our own dwellings, as well as to worship in the Temple of God. All we have is the Lord's; and nothing is a blessing till he blesses it. befall us in our new abode. Here our children may be about us; or here we may weep, because they are not. Here we may find a house of mourning, for the desire of our eyes, or the guide of our youth. Here we may enjoy health, or be made to possess months of vanity, and have wearisome nights appointed unto us. Here we may live many years, or our sun may go down at noon-Let it, then, be our concern, that the place may be the House of God while we live, and the Gate of Heaven when we die. And we know not what may David was a poet; and was accustomed to indulge his pious genius on any particular occurrence. Here are the lines he composed on the present occasion-"I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave; thou hast kept me alive, that I that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger en- · dureth but a moment; in his favour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." All we notice here, is, that previously to his occupying this fine mansion, he had been suffering under a dangerous disease. Kings are as mortal as their subjects, and exposed to the same evils of life. And what would a house of cedar be to one who carried into it a body full of pain? But God had recovered him speedily; and while renewed health enabled him to enjoy the blessings of Providence, Divine Grace taught him to value life, as a privilege for religious purpose; prolonging his opportunities, to glorify God, and serve his generation according to His will. Nothing is more interesting than little casual suaded, by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died." Here, again, the Apostle calls in Jesus, as a motive, and an exampleHe denied himself so as to die for this weak brother, and will you, says he, refuse to deny yourselves in a trifling forbearance on his behalf? "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." Herein, too, Paul enjoins no more than he practised; for he drank deep into the Saviour's spirit"I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." If "meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." And how noble does he here look! And how below his principles does a Christian act, when he thinks of himself only; his own accommodation-yea, even his own conscience. He is to regard the satisfaction of another's mind, as well as his own; and is to walk, not only righteously, but charitably. Yet some say, "I do not think it sinful; therefore I am not obliged to abstain"-And was Paul obliged to abstain? All things were pure to him; but he would not eat with offence. Some seem never to regard how their conduct will affect others: but the Scripture says, "Give none offence; neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God." Asaph was checked in his improper language by remembering, that if he so spake, he should "offend against the generation of the upright." Let us, therefore, beware of throwing stumblingblocks in the way of the blind. Let us make straight paths for our feet, |