ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. "Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation."

SEPTEMBER 4.-" And David was greatly distressed."-1 Sam. xxx. 6.

In a fit of despondency and imprudence, having resolved to escape into the land of the Philistines, David went to Achish, king of Gath. After dwelling some time in the royal city, he requested the king to give him some place in the country for his residence and Achish gave him Ziklag. After dwelling there a full year and four months, war broke out between the Philistines and the Israelites, and he was called upon by Achish to accompany him to battle, and was made the commander of his body guard. Here he was thrown into the utmost perplexity. He found himself under obligation to Achish; yet could not serve him without violating his conscience. If he fought against Israel, where were his patriotism and piety? And if he turned against the Philistines where were his fidelity to his master, and his gratitude to his benefactor? God, who is always better to us than our fears, and has all hearts under his controul, extricated him from this dilemma, through the jealousy of the lords of the Philistines, who insist on his being sent back. But while exulting in his escape from one difficulty another befals him: and we need not wonder at his being "greatly distressed" when we glance at the ingredients and circumstances of the affliction.

For when he arrived at Ziklag the "Amalekites had smitten it and burnt it with fire." It is never safe to boast of to-morrow; for we know not what a day may bring forth. Little ean we imagine, when at any time we leave our home, what may occur before we return. It is a mercy if no evil befals us, and no plague comes nigh our dwelling, and we find our tabernacle in peace. But Naomi, when her neighbours were congratulating her upon her return, exclaimed, "Call me not Naomi, call me Marah; for the Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty." And David, when he returned to his residence, found his house and all his property consumed to ashes! Nor was this all

They had taken away the women and the children captives. Persons may be tried not only in their circumstances, but in their connections; and relative distress is frequently keener than even personal. Some of us have been bereaved, but it was in the course of nature. The objects of our attachment died in peace. We watched their bed of languishing with tenderness; we closed their eyes; we laid them in the grave; and have often repaired to the spot that contains their endeared dust. But David's family was carried off by an infamous and cruel banditti to be sold or used as slaves. Yea, he knew not at the time but they had been degraded, violated, tortured, or even put to death.

The complicated calamity was also perfectly unthought of" For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them." After a march of three days, cheered by every step that

brought him nearer home, and rejoicing in the eager hope of finding rest in his dwelling, and delight in the embraces and hailings of his household, all this mass of misery meets him like a spectre instantly rising up in the road. He knew, he suspected nothing of the whole, till his eyes told him by the ruins, and his ears by the tale of the roofless sufferers, of the captivity of his family. We are prepared for what comes on gradually, and to be forewarned is to be forearmed. But what befals us unawares often upsets the mind, and we have hardly the power of reflection, through which alone religion can operate. When the sky is lowering, and the waves begin to curl, and rise, and roll, the mariner takes in the sail: but here the storm burst without a signal.

In addition to all this, he had to bear the reproaches and menaces of his attendants and townsmen: "for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man in his sons and in his daughters." We can excuse their grief, but what can we say of the brutality of their purpose? How unenviable are the situations of public and official characters! If ever they sleep, it is seldom on beds of roses: or if they do, the roses retain their thorns, and the fragrance ill pays for the piercings. Is good accomplished or a glory gained? They divide it with others, or share it with chance. Does disaster or calamity occur? All is imputed to them, even to the result of pure accident. They are made answerable, not only for wisdom and diligence, but for success, for events, yea, for the seasons and elements themselves. How often did the Jews talk of stoning Moses! If they wanted bread, or water, or met with any difficulty, he was the cause or the occasion of it. Vulgar and ignorant minds must always have some object at hand against which to vent their feelings.

Finally, we see the deep impression the catastrophe made upon the mind of David-" Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no power to weep." He wept thus though a brave man : true courage is always tender. And he wept thus though a good man: grace does not deprive a man of sensibility: resignation and patience cannot be exercised without much feeling. The degree of grief is not always to be judged of by cries and tears. In general noisy sorrow is superficial, as the deeper stream is the more silent. But it was otherwise here" David was greatly distressed"—

Yet he was a man after God's own heart. If it were a rare thing for the godly to suffer, we might draw from our sufferings suspicions concerning our relation to God. But what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Since through much tribulation the heirs of glory must enter the kingdom, these trials should rather be viewed as way marks. They are really the effects and tokens of love. We shall see this hereafter; we should believe it now: and till we walk by sight we should be concerned to walk by faith.

"They all are most needful; not one is in vain."

They are to try our trust, to exercise and strengthen our principles, and to bring us to the throne of the heavenly grace. And well will it be if we are led to follow the example of David, as it will

appear in the next article-But "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

SEPTEMBER 5.-"But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." 1 Sam. xxx. 6.

It was a dreadful day for David and his fellow-sufferers, as we have seen in the foregoing article. But if the rest had no God in this time of evil he had one; David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. He seldom addressed him in the Psalms without saying, "My God." The same privilege have all his people they have a God who claims them, and a God whom they claim-" God, even our own God shall bless us." "This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide, even unto death."

"All people will walk every one in the name of his god." All have some rock; but "their rock is not as our rock, our enemies themselves being judges." They who love and serve the creature more than the Creator are really worshippers of idols; and what wonder if the God they have forsaken for very vanity should say to them, in their distress, "Where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble." Hence they faint in the day of adversity. All their resources are found worse than nothing. A Christian would rather perish than think of such comforters and deliverers-" God," says he, "is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever"-" It is good for me to draw near to God." So it was with David-" David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

But in what pertaining to the Lord his God did he encourage himself? and in which all his followers may encourage themselves also? He encouraged himself in his relations. One of these he has mentioned, describing the confidence he derived from it: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." He encouraged himself in his perfections. How relieving is the thought of a Being whose mercy endureth for ever; whose understanding is infinite; whose power is almighty; whose presence is every where. He encouraged himself in his engagements. They are great and numberless. They are adapted to all that we can feel or fear. They insure grace and glory; and withhold no good thing from us. And they are all yea and Amen, in Christ Jesus. And therefore David, for their certainty, calls them a covenant, which used to be confirmed by oath and sacrifice; and says, "6 although my house be not so with God, yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow." He encouraged himself in the belief of his providence. He knew that a sparrow falleth not to the ground without our heavenly Father, and that the hairs of our head are all numbered. All my times, said he, are in his hand. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for

me.

He encouraged himself in the review of his dealings. First, his dealings with others. "Our fathers trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them." Secondly, his dealings with himself. "O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice."

Ah! Christian, know your resource. Hear your God saying, Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee; and thou shalt glorify me. Make use of him as your "hiding place," your "resting place," your "dwelling place." Beware in your distress of crooked policy, of unlawful means of relief, of impatience, of dejection. By nothing can you so much please God as by your confidence in him; and by nothing can you so recommend your religion as by showing the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keeping your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Check therefore every tendency, not only to murmuring, but to despondency; and after the example of your model this evening, say, "What time I am afraid I will trust in thee." "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

SEPTEMBER 6." The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."

yet

John i. 14.

THERE is something peculiar in this name-" The Word." John is the only one that applies it to the Messiah. Yet it is not on this account the less entitled to regard, for John wrote as he was moved by the Holy Ghost; and he has supplied many things omitted by the three former Evangelists. But the origin of the title has given rise to much inquiry. Some have supposed John derived it from Plato the philosopher, and some from Philo the Jew. Yet why should we suppose that he borrowed the term at all? Why not consider it as one of the words the Holy Ghost useth? and which it is possible the writer did not fully understand himself?

Yet what is the term designed to intimate? His office and designation? That as by his reason and speech a man displays his mind and will, so Jesus makes known the mind and will of God? "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Three things may be safely observed.

First, John uses it to express a person. Nothing would be more forced and false than to suppose "the Word" means an attribute only, that is, the wisdom of God. Of what use would it be to tell us that the wisdom of God was in the beginning with him? Could it ever have been separate from him? And how could this wisdom be made flesh, and dwell among us?

Secondly, That this person had a being previously to his birth. For in saying the Word was made flesh, John intimates that he was something before this took place. Yea, he fully expresses this"In the beginning was the Word"-In the beginning of what? The Gospel? No, but the world-The creation of all things.

How

useless and absurd to say that he was in the beginning of his own ministry!

Thirdly, That his pre-existence was a Divine existence. Observe the name of God is given to him-and "the Word was God." And the creation is ascribed to him: "All things were made by him; and without him' was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Could all this be affirmed of him, without the possession of Deity? Had he been but a man, an angel, a super-angelical creature, would John have expressed himself in a way so proper to lead men into error and idolatry-telling us not only that he was with God, but that he was God, and making him the fountain of all life and being? Is not this enough to entitle him to all adoration and praise?

But" the Word was made flesh." Sometimes flesh signifies the corruption of human nature; as when it is said, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." And "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit." At other times it intends only the composition or constitution of humanity. Thus we read, "Except these days should be shortened, no flesh could be saved;" that is no human being. And thus it is to be understood here: and as the Jews used the term flesh for man, there would be nothing strange or harsh in the phrase, “the Word was made flesh :" it was precisely the same as saying, The Word became man-Campbell therefore renders it, "The Word became incarnate."

But did he cease to be what he was, in becoming what he was not? Here was union, but not transformation. He was God before he was in the flesh, and he was God after; but he assumed our nature into personal subsistence with his own. Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he likewise himself also took part of the same. He took not on him the nature of angels, but of the seed of Abraham. Hence in the Scripture many things are ascribed to him which will neither agree with his divinity or humanity separately. "Unto us a child is born;" this does not belong to him as Divine. And his name shall be called " the mighty God;" this does not belong to him as man. Man is a spiritual and a material being; spiritual as to his soul; material as to his body. Yet no confusion is produced by this conjunction: both retain their respective properties. It is not the body that thinks and reasons; and it is not the soul that eats and drinks. It is not the humanity of our Lord that is every where present; and it was not his divinity that was crucified. He died as man; he fills all things as God. We pretend not by these reflections fully to explain the subject: but they are sufficient to show that there is no contradiction or absolute impossibility of conception in the case. But we allow with the Apostle, that "God manifest in the flesh is a great mystery"-And what is not mysterious? Who can explain the most ordinary appearances and the most undeniable operations of nature? But this is also "a great mystery of godliness." It meets our condition. It brings down Deity to our reach. It renders him our example, our sympathizing friend, and the propitiation for our sins. And