fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes!"

Poor Burns! This is the representation of heaven, which, he says, he could never read, from a child, without tears. Oh! let me not admire the description only, but seek after the enjoyment of the blessedness. The language is pathetic, and the scenery is inviting-but is the subject itself more interesting than either? I must be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. I cannot hope to attain hereafter, what I do not desire and delight in now. A natural man may long for a heaven of release from toil and pain-Do I, O my soul, prize a heaven of which Christ is-all in all ?

DEC. 16.-" And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God." 1 Sam. xxiii. 16.

WE here see, in the experience of David, that the most eminent of God's people may need encouragement. He was now dejected and dismayed. And we learn from his complaints, in the Book of Psalms, that he was frequently the subject of depression. And to which of the saints recorded in the Scripture can we turn, whose hands never hung down, whose knees never trembled? These, we are prone to consider as peculiar in their religious attainments; but they also were only enlightened and sanctified in part. They also had in them nature, as well as grace. They, too, were men of like passions with us, and compassed with infirmities. All those perfect beings now before the Throne, were previously in a vale of tears; the spirit indeed willing, but the flesh

weak; sometimes rejoicing in God their Saviour but sometimes saying, "I am cast out of his sight."

"Once they were mourning here below,
"And wet their couch with tears;
"They wrestled hard, as we do now,

"With sins, and doubts, and fears."

In the conduct of Jonathan, we see the duty of real friendship. A friend is born for adversity: and "to him that is afflicted, pity should be shewn from his friend." This, however, is not always the case. Many pretenders fail when the day of trial comes; and he who relied upon their attendance, and sympathy, and succour, in trouble, finds his confidence, as Solomon expresses it, "like a broken tooth, or a foot out of joint." Yet let us not say in our haste, all men are liars. See Jonathan, a young princesurrounded with every indulgence-undertaking, without application, to repair to David-to see and serve his friend at the hazard of his life.

- In the relief derived from this visit, we learn the advantage of pious intercourse. "Come," said Jonathan, "Come, David, remember God's promise. Is it not faithful and true? Think of the anointing oil Samuel poured upon thy head-Can this be in vain? Who enabled thee to conquer Goliath? Who delivered thee from the paw of the lion and the bear? He can turn the shadow of death into the morning. He saveth, by his right hand, them that put their trust in him, from them that rise up against them. He keeps them as the apple of the eye-Encourage thyself in the Lord thy God."-The address availed"He strengthened his hand in God." We have a similar instance in the experience of Paul. He had appealed unto Cæsar, and was now approaching the scene of his trial; and his heart was cast down within him-but the brethren from Rome came down as far as Appii Forum to meet him: "whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." "Two

are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: "but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to lift him up.' Who, when dull, has not found a Christian visiter a quickening spirit? "As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend." Who, in sadness and gloom, has not found refreshment and delight from godly communion? Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so doth a man his friend by hearty counsel. Who, like Hagar, has not sometimes been ready to expire with thirst, till some ministering spirit has opened his eyes, and shewn him a well?

-And who does not perceive, in the strange circumstances of this consolation, that God can never be at a loss to comfort his followers? He knows, not only how to deliver the godly out of temptation, but to cheer them in it-He is called the God of all comfort. David was now in a state of concealment. Of the few that were with him, no one perhaps knew the state of his mind-for good men, from their regard for the honour of religion, are not always at liberty to lay open many of their distressful feelings. But his God knew what he now suffered; and what his frame of mind required-And what was the instrument He employed? Jonathan: "Saul's son," as it is added-and wisely added. The son of David's bitterest foe: The son, too, that was interested in David's destruction. He was the heir-apparent; and he comforts the man who was going to fill a throne, which, by the law of succession, belonged to himself! How wonderful was this! How obviously the work of God! All hearts are in his hand, and he can turn them as he pleases. It is he that gives us favour in the eyes of others; and he can raise us up helpers and friends as unlikely to aid us, as the ravens were to feed Elijah.-Many a situation also, the most improbable, has been made, by

his communications, none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven: and, filled with surprise, we have exclaimed, with Jacob, "Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not!" When are we inaccessible to him? "From the end of the earth," said David, "will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed"-And no wonder-he remembered that Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and came to him into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. Did he never come to you in a similar condition? "They shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods." "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence; and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope."

DEC. 17.-" And a certain Scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head." Matt. viii. 19, 20.

THE God of this world deludes his followers. He conceals from them every difficulty and danger to which they are exposed in his service; and raises in them expectations, which he knows will never be fulfilled-Like Jael, he welcomes in, and spreads the couch, and brings forth butter in a lordly dish-but keeps out of sight the hammer and the nails. Take a man, whose object is to gain a name, to become a leader, and to draw away disciples after him—he courts popularity; he flatters; he employs any means; and he accommodates himself to every dis

position, as far as he can, without risking discovery. But it was far otherwise with the founder of Christianity. His character was as original as it was excellent. His kingdom was not of this world. His professed object was, to instruct, and save, and bless-and no selfish aim was hidden under it. He shewed, in his own person, how little his followers were to mind earthly things: and, in dealing with those who came to him, we see that it was not his concern to draw unprincipled crowds into his train. He would form a peculiar people, people, who should be actuated by the noblest convictions and purposes. He therefore, in order to discriminate, applied a test-he warned them to sit down first, and count the cost; and assured them at once, that if any man would be his disciple, he must deny himself, and take up his cross, and forsake all that he had.

- Our Lord now "saw great multitudes about him;" so that "he gave commandment to depart unto the other side"-But as, in the midst of all these, he was stepping towards the ship, "a certain Scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." A noble resolution, if it had been made from a good motive. But he apprehended our Saviour to be a temporal Messiah, who, as he appeared able, from his miracle, to carry every thing before him, would soon have promotions at his disposal; and he hoped to gain some of the loaves and fishes. Our Lord well knew his thoughts; and said unto him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head-What say you now?" It is easy to determine what would have been his reply, if he had been sincere and earnest in his application. "O Lord, I come, not to prescribe, but to resign myself entirely to thee. Every thing appears to me less than nothing and vanity, compared with the salvation of my soul;