more than any man's; and he has not where to lay his head.

-Let us also learn not to judge of worth by external advantages. True greatness is personal; and does not depend on power, titles, or wealth. Is a man the more valued of God, because he has a larger field or a longer purse than his neighbour? Does it give him more virtue, or understanding? A fool, a child of the Devil, may be set on the high places of the earth; while the Apostles were hungry and naked; and the Son of God had not where to lay his head. While we view him who is higher than the heavens in such an estate, let us learn the vanity of worldly distinctions. Let us see how absurd it is to pride ourselves in a fine house, and splendid furniture, or any of the meanness of the pride of life. Let us despise ourselves, if we have esteemed a man the more for the gold ring and gay clothing; or regarded the poor the less, because he is poor: and remember, that if we had lived in Judæa, we should have courted Pontius Pilate, and shunned Jesus Christ.

Let the Lord's poor take this truth, and apply it, to produce resignation under the privations of life. You talk of penury-but he was poor. You have many a comfort you can call your own-but he had not a place where to lay his head.-But allowing that your trials were much greater than they are; remember-this is not your rest-and you are rich in faith and have the honour of conformity to the Lord Jesus. You only know the fellowship of his sufferings. Is it not enough that the servant be as his Master, and the disciple as his Lord? Can the common soldier complain, when he sees the commander-in-chief sharing the same hardships with

himself?

- Let it lead us to rejoice in the Saviour's present condition. He that descended, is the same also that ascended. He who was crowned with thorns,

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is crowned with glory and honour.

He who had

not where to lay his head, has all power in heaven and in earth. How delightful is this assurance to those who love him! for love glories in the exalta-tion of its object. It is also interesting to their hopes. They are one with him. And because he lives, they shall live also.

DEC. 19.-" I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, and Ethiopia: this man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her." Psalm lxxxvii. 4, 5.

THE Jews, partly from their ignorance, and partly from their aversion to Christianity, strangely pervert this passage. They contend that it is designed to intimate, that while other places would produce only now and then a man of note, Jerusalem should abound with all kinds of illustrious characters. But the meaning is this. Zion, in whose name the writer speaks, is foretelling the vocation of the Gentiles; and viewing with ecstasy the accessions that should be made to her of such as should be saved.

Observe to whom she addresses the intelligence"I will make mention to them that know me.' That is, to her friends and acquaintances. To such it is natural for us to divulge any thing that is interesting and delightful; as they are likely to receive it without envy, and to partake of the pleasure. In the Parable, the shepherd having succeeded in his search-not only rejoices himself; but when he cometh home, calls together his neighbours and friends, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. The Church

well knew the mind of the godly, that they would not only understand such news, but that it would be to them like cold water to a thirsty soul, or as life from the dead. Thus, in the Acts, when the brethren were informed of the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles-"they glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

Observe the places from which these additions should come. "I will make mention to them that know me, of Rahab and Babylon: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia." These are parts put for the whole of the Gentile world; and they are very strikingly put. For all these had been strangers or enemies. Some of them had been her bitterest persecutors, and vilest oppressors. They were all at this time lying in wickedness, enveloped in ignorance, and enslaved to idolatry. But they should cast away their idols; and, beholding the glory of the Church, abandon their enmity, and take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel."

Mark the change they should experience. "This man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born there." They were born, naturally, in Egypt, Philistia, Tyre, and Babylon: but they were to be born, morally, in Zion; by the Word and Spirit of God, They should become new creatures-They should undergo such a conversion in their minds, and hearts, and lives, as should constitute a new birth. For every subject of Divine grace is "born again." And this is properly the date of our existence-We have not lived a moment longer than we have lived "the life of God." must be born again."

"Ye

By this, therefore, we are to judge whether we are children of Zion, and may rejoice in her King. If we have experienced this change, we are written among the living in Jerusalem. We are enrolled; and though once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, we shall be regarded as citizens, and have all the honour and advantage of natives: "The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there."

It was formerly deemed a most enviable privilege to be free of some royal and distinguished city. But what was a citizen of Babylon, or of Rome, compared with a denizen of Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem? Yea, were you an apostle, officially considered only; could you prophesy, and work miracles, and raise the dead; and the Saviour met you, elated with your endowments, he would say "In this rejoice not, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

DEC. 20.-" What think ye, that he will not come to the feast ?" John xi. 56.

THIS was the language of many of the Jews, who had ascended from the country to Jerusalem, to purify themselves against the Passover. It is not easy, or perhaps possible, to determine the principle from which the words were uttered.-Perhaps malice uttered them; and they came from persons who wished to discover and apprehend him: for "both the Chief Priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him."— Perhaps curiosity uttered them; and they came from persons who were anxious to see whether he had

courage enough to appear in public, after the threatening of the Rulers. Besides this, he was a very extraordinary character, the fame of whose miracles and preaching had spread far and wide; and they naturally desired to see a personage of whom they had heard so much.-Perhaps affection uttered them. For, though he was generally despised and rejected of men, there were some who knew his value, and believed him to be the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. They therefore longed for the pleasure, and honour, and advantage, of an interview with him at the approaching solemnity. And this is the principle from which, if partakers of Divine grace, we are seeking for Jesus. "For Christ our passover," says the Apostle, "is sacrificed for us-Let us therefore keep the feast." And it is in reference to the communion of his body and blood, to which we are going to repair, that we issue the enquiry-"What think ye-that he will not come to the feast?"

This is above every thing desirable. Ordinances are not beneficial, necessarily and of themselves. They derive all their excellency and influence from Him. A truth we learn, not only from Scripture, but experience. What a difference, as to light, and life, and joy, do we feel in the same ordinance-when he is absent or present! This is nothing to a formalist. He is satisfied with the outward signs, and the service itself. But, as to the Christian, intercourse with Christ is the one thing needful. He feels it pleasing to hold communion with the saints: but what he principally wants is fellowship with the Saviour-He alone can fill them all and without him, they would have nothing for each other, or for themselves.

But the enquiry implies doubt. Doubt, has two aspects and bearings-the unlikely, and the probable -the one exciting fear, and the other encouraging hope. Let us look at each.