And such is often the influence of a Christian among his relations and his friends. Yes, even a Christian boy or girl may do much good; not in a forward, conceited way, as if they loved to put every body to rights; but in their quiet and consistent conduct, shewing that they are striving to please God. To bear with unkindness-to return love for hatred-to be patient, gentle, loving-to watch for opportunities of speaking kind words and doing kind actions, to do all this by God's help, day after day, is sure to tell upon people; and helps to make a happy home, far happier than a home where all the people are selfish and unkind; just as that little brook made the grass grow greener.

The Love of Prayer.

A true Christian cannot be happy without often coming to God in prayer, and lifting up his heart to Him in love and thankfulness. His religion will not live without this! The other day, I put a Hyacinth root in a glass, and placed it on a shelf some six or eight feet from a window. Soon the roots struck out downwards and the leaves grew upwards. One morning I went into the room, after staying away from it a few days; and I found the leaves were quite tall. But instead of growing upright, as they would have done in the open air, they bent very much towards the window, and so grew quite awry. The reason was, that the Hyacinth wanted light, for plants grow very little in the dark, and so it turned to the window and grew as much as it could in that direction. I moved it nearer to the light, and then the stem straightened itself again.

This reminds me too, of David's longing for the Tabernacle when he was driven away by Saul, and compelled to live among the Philistines. How much he mourned at being shut out of the services of God's house, and then how he rejoiced when he was permitted again to join in them, and said, "How lovely are thy Tabernacles, O Lord God of Hosts!"

Our Need of Constant Supplies of Grace, out of the Fulness of Christ.

It has sometimes happened, that on walking by the sea shore, whilst the waves were advancing and receding at my feet, a small shallow in the sand which the tide had just left filled with water, has attracted my observation :-the sun was pouring its fervid rays upon the bosom of the tiny lake, threatening to dry up its little stock of moisture; and already it seemed yielding to the powerful influence,but, again and again, it was washed by the constantly running supplies from the flowing of the immeasurable ocean before me. Now thus it

is, with the grace of Christ in the soul: it may be hotly assailed by trials, temptations, and devices of the evil one, but the united efforts of the world, the flesh, and the devil, cannot exhaust the treasure ;— the vessel which contains it may be feeble and infirm—but He who first gave the grace will be continually replenishing it out of his own fulness, and that shall never diminish, though every renewed soul be momentarily receiving fresh supplies. Such is the boundless character of your Saviour's grace and love,-it is constantly flowing into the humble and contrite heart,-reviving, strengthening, and preserving it.

S. G.

of

The Judgment Day.

“Teacher, what a beautiful sight it will be when Jesus comes with his holy angels at the judgment-day!" My boy, it won't be a beautiful sight to all who will be there. "Won't it, teacher ?" No, I have heard a poor soldier not very many years ago who tried to stab his officer. Well he was condemned to be shot. On the day of execution the chaplain walked by his side to the ground where it was to be done. There were many there to see, and it was a grand, though solemn, sight, for there were drawn up three different regiments: there were dragoons on fine horses, with glittering swords, and artillerymen and infantry with their bayonets. But do you think the murderer thought of that grandeur? He was once arrayed like them, but now he stood a guilty culprit, hearing the solemn funeral service, and then to stand and be sent by one of those very guns into the presence of God. On the judgment-day it will be just so the companies of angels will fill the sinner with terror, if he has not had his soul cleansed in Jesu's blood. It will not be a beautiful sight to him, for his time will be occupied in calling on the rocks to fall on him, and the hills to shut it out of his sight.

"The heart is deceitful above all things."

J. B. W.

I was in the Zoological Gardens one day, and in the reptile house saw a glass globe, with the name of some reptile upon it; on going to inspect it, I could see nothing but gravel, and was about going away disappointed, when I thought I saw the gravel stir, presently a small snake appeared on the top,-it seemed to me like sin in a persons heart, not always to be seen at first, but a close self-examination, will discover the movements of it, and presently, perhaps, it will appear in all its hideousness.

S. B. P.

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT.-Heb. ix. 11-15.

Nature of the Passage.—Argumentative, forming part of a comparison between the Jewish Sacrifices, and that which Christ offered, even his own blood.

Verses

1 to 10 of this chapter describe the former, reverted to again at intervals up to ch. x. 18, and the surpassing value of the latter (of which the former were but types and shadows) is exhibited (in these and following verses,) in different points. Chief Lesson.—Christ the Anti-type, Redeemer and Mediator.

Secondary Lessons.-The typical nature of the Jewish sacrifices. The blessings obtained through Christ are eternal.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

Verse 11.-St. Paul had been speaking of the types and shadows of the Jewish ceremonial, "imposed" on the Jews, "until the time of reformation" (verse 10), and now proceeds to shew that that time was come.

"Good things to come," the blessing of the Gospel dispensation, of which the law had but a shadow, chap. x. 1. The pious Jew in every age looked forward to the Messiah, as "He that should come," Luke vii. 19, and, coming, bring good things, John iv. 25. Of these good things Christ was now come as the High Priest: that is, obtaining them for us by a sacrifice.

Next, the Jewish Tabernacle (including its successor, the Temple) in which the Levitical sacrifices were offered, is contrasted with the glorious Tabernacle in which Christ officiated, a Temple not made with hands (compare 2 Chron. vi. 18; Acts xvii. 24; Heb. viii. 2). This glorious Tabernacle is probably Heaven, God's handywork, 2. Chron. v. 1, where Christ now intercedes for us. Compare the images in Rev. vii. 15; xv. 5; xxi. 22. Or it may mean the Tabernacle of Christ's human body, "by" which, or through which, (as the Greck has it) He offered his sacrifice. The body is called a tabernacle in 2 Cor. v. 1; 2 Peter i. 13, 14.

Verse 12.-The contrast here, is between the offerings made-the blood of animals offered by the priests, and the blood of Christ offered by Himself. The High Priest, on the day of Atonement, when He entered into the holy of holies, offered a bullock for his own sin (Lev. xvi. 3, 11) and a goat for the sins of the people; (Lev. xvi. 9, 16). This he did year by year (compare also Ch. x. 1); but Christ entered into heaven, of which the holy of holies was a type, with the offering of his own blood, offered once for all, obtaining thereby not a mere temporary purification but "eternal redemption"; and that, not for Himself, but "for us”. That is-Christ our Redeemer entered into heaven after shedding his blood, to plead that blood-shedding as the reason why man should be pardoned.

Verse 13.-St. Paul here proceeds to contrast the effects of the typical with the effects of the typified sacrifice.

"The blood of bulls and goats", see Lev. xvi.; "the ashes of an heifer", see Numbers xix. 2-21, especially verse 9. What did these ceremonies effect? They removed ceremonial uncleanness; they sanctified (or made holy) "the flesh" i. e. the body, which had become ceremonially unclean, (as by touching a dead body, &c., Num. xix. 11,) and allowing a man again to join in the ordinances from which that uncleanness had excluded him; see Num. xxxi. 19, 24.

Verse 14.-But if the blood of animals had such virtue, how much more precious was the blood of Christ spotless, 1 Pet. i. 19; ii. 22; 1 John iii. 5, full of the Eternal Spirit, John iii. 34; Acts x. 38. Note the infinitely superior effect of this offering, purging or cleansing the conscience from "dead works" (works that lead to death, Rom. vi. 21) to serve God; 1 Cor. vi. 20.

APPLICATION.

Has this blood cleansed us?

SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER.-Phil. ii. 5-11.

Nature of the Passage.-The Apostle in these verses enforces his previous exhortation to cultivate a spirit of humility, usefulness, and generosity, (verses 1-4) by holding up the bright and spotless example of the Redeemer, as displaying that spirit in perfection.

Chief Lesson.-The condescension and humility of Christ.

Secondary Lessons.-Christ our example. God manifest in the flesh. The glory of the Redeemer through the very work of Redemption.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

Verse 5." This mind," the spirit which the apostle had been enjoining-a spirit totally opposed to the selfishness, pride, and ambition of fallen human nature. The example of our Saviour is especially adduced with reference to the latter two points.

Verse 6.-"Notice here that the passage implies, (and the whole argument rests on) the existence of Christ before He took on Him the form of a servant. "See also John xvii. 5; Micah v. 2; Prov. viii. 22, 23; Is. ix. 6. &c.

"In the form of God," this is contrasted with "the form of a servant," and the antithesis explains the meaning-Christ was God, and then became man, (a servant). "The form of God," does not (we think) necessarily imply anything that was laid aside, when our Saviour also took the form of man, for He was God and Man together. Nor did He lay aside the power which, as God, He possessed ; witness his miracles.

Nor does it imply any shape or figure, for "God is a Spirit," and "a Spirit hath not flesh and bones." In claiming equality with God, Christ did not rob Him of his glory; it was no invasion of the attributes belonging to Him; He was "equal to the Father as touching his Godhead."

"Made Himself," note the voluntariness of the act; so Christ's words, "I came," also Ps. xl. 7; John x. 18.

"Of no reputation," see Is. 1. 5, 6; lii. 14; liii. 2, 3; compared with Matt. xiii. 54, 55.

The Greek is still stronger; He "emptied Himself," or divested Himself of all his heavenly glory, which He had power to lay down, and afterwards to resume. Verse 8.—“ In fashion," in the condition of man with the attributes of a man, subject to human wants, hunger, thirst, pain, death; see Hebrews ii. 14, 16. But though to the eye of sense a child of man, He was yet God incarnate, perfect God as well as perfect man.

"He humbled Himself," not only in becoming Man, but, as Man, by stooping to suffer an ignominious death after a life of poverty and lowliness, Luke xxii. 27. "Obedient," Christ came to do God's will, Ps. xl. 7; and that will was the salvation of man, 1 John iv. 14, which salvation required an atonement, Heb. ix. 22. Thus it was part of Christ's perfect obedience that He died on the cross, and the very greatness of the act shews the value of the obedience.

Thus wondrous was the condescension of Christ; adduced as a pattern for us! Verses 9-11.-These verses are a kind of parenthesis, descriptive of the glory acquired by Christ by his voluntarily undergoing death for fallen man.

He is highly exalted; compare Acts ii. 32-36; v. 31; Rev. i. 5; v. 12; xi. 15; xix. 16. His name is above every name, He alone is the Redeemer of man, and all men and angels must acknowledge Him as their Lord and King. The earth shall bow before Him, angels adore Him, and devils tremble before Him. Compare Rev. v. 11—14.

APPLICATION.
Have we this spirit?

GOOD FRIDAY.-Heb. x. 1-25.

Nature of the Passage.-Partly argumentative; see notes on 5th Sunday in Lent. The argument extends to verse 18; and the following verses are an exhortation to the diligent improvement of the privileges, purchased for believers by that atonement which is the main topic of the preceding argument.

Chief Lesson.—The completeness of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Secondary Lessons.-The inefficacy of the legal sacrifices. The New Covenant foretold in the Old Testament Scripture, as well as foreshadowed in the Rites and Ceremonies of the Law.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

Verse 1.-" A shadow," &c. See passim notes on 5th Sunday in Lent. A shadow, however, not in the sense of anything unreal, or unsubstantial, but the actual shadow of an actual object, like an image of a man cast by the sun, which yet is not a perfect picture of him, but a rude representation of his form in general. Such was the Jewish Law, foreshadowing the approaching Gospel, which is here called "good things to come." But the Sacrifices of the Law, offered daily, year by year, were only types of the great Sacrifice to come. The latter alone, not the former, could make the worshippers perfect, i. e., could take away sin and give the conscience peace; those alone who looked forward to the Sacrifice of which the Jewish offerings were types, reaped the real benefits they were designed to convey.

Verse 2.-The question is merely a strong way of putting the statement; had the Jewish Sacrifices been efficacious, they would have ceased to be offered.

"No more conscience of sins," i. e., their conscience would have been clear of any trouble on account of sin. Acts xxiv. 16; 1 Peter iii. 21.

Verses 5-7.-The apostle proceeds to sustain his doctrine, (which ran counter to the prejudices of the Jews) by reference to their own Scriptures. The purport of the quotation is, that the sacrifices ordained under the law, did not avail in themselves to satisfy the demands of God's justice, and therefore Christ came in a human body prepared for Him, to do the will of God. The first were temporary and "taken away," the second "established" and perpetual.

Verse 10.-"By the which will," by Christ's doing the will of God in offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin. Compare Phil. ii. 8; Heb. xii. 2. See also John iv. 34; v. 30; vi. 38; compared with Matt. xviii. 14, and 1 Tim. xi. 4.

Sanctification here appears to be used as embracing Justification and Rege. neration, in addition to the gradual renewing of the Holy Spirit; all, indeed, that sets the Christian apart as consecrated to God. All these blessings come to us through Christ's Atonement, 1 Cor. i. 30; vi. 11.

Verses 11-14.-The repetition of the Jewish sacrifices is here contrasted with the one sacrifice offered by Christ, which is thus also shown to be infinitely superior. Note the absolute contradiction here given to the Romish doctrine of a perpetual sacrifice in the Mass. Christ is set down for ever at God's right hand, and returns not again to endure the cross.

Verses 19-25.-From considering the eminently superior privileges of the Gospel, the Apostle proceeds to found thereon an exhortation that Christians should live up to those privileges; the Christian has access to God through Christ, the High Priest to the house (i. e. Church of God), who has offered for him a full and sufficient Atonement,

APPLICATION.

Is our trust in Christ's Atonement?

E