47 FATHER. FATHER! what term more interesting, more endearing, God in Christ is the everlasting Father of the whole household of faith. FATHER! how expressive of tenderness, of care, and of love; all his children are partakers of the divine nature, are all born again not of blood, nor of the will the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. As the everlasting Father, he loves his sons and daughters with an eternal and changeless love. My soul art thou feelingly interested in His parental care,—art thou daily living upon his fulness,-art thou desiring to live continually viewing his smiling countenance. Reader, what are thy thoughts concerning Jesus, are you sensible that you need him, his grace, his promises, and his great salvation. Are you seeking, panting, and desiring to know him as your gracious Parent. The glorious, the infinite, and the Almighty Person to whom you are at tached, "satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.' Surely to know him as our Father will increase our confidence, will make our love spiritual and fervent, will brighten our hopes, and cause us to sing of mercy and love. Nothing affords that strong, that heavenly and lasting consolation to depressed minds, as the knowledge that Christ is their God and Father. The ever-enduring truth, that God in Christ is our Father, supports our minds under numerous trials, fiery temptations, and deep afflictions. It emboldens the mind when the chilling flood of death is in prospect. As a Father he watches over his children with sleepless eyes,-He neither slumbers nor sleeps. He defends them in times of danger,—He feeds them when hungry,-He clothes them when naked,—He binds up the broken-hearted,— gives wine to the sad,-instruction to the ignorant,-honour to the despised,-liberty to the captive, and riches to the poor. He is infinitely wise and benificient. He knows when and how to correct. He teaches all his children that they are dependant upon him, and that without him they can do nothing. He delights in teaching them the nature, necessity, value, and suitableness of the atonement. O what a wonderful privilege to be children of God! How bright and cheering their prospects! How certain, boundless, and eternal their portion! Though they have had many cheerless and restless nights here, there is no night in that better country to which they have a right through relationship to Jesus. O who so rich,-so exalted, and so well guarded! God is their reward; They are heirs of the promises,— heirs of all things, heirs of the kingdom. Heaven is their home. Angels will be their associates. Singing will be their everlasting employment. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. In the presence of their heavenly Father there is a fulness of joy, and at his right hand pleasures for evermore. A few days more, or weeks, or years at most in this trackless desert, in this scene of sorrow, disappointment and wickedness: then they shall take the kingdom and possess it for ever and ever. Their toil shall all be over, and no cloud shall intervene between them and their Parent's smiling face. They shall have no more doubts, no more fears, no more conflicts, no more sin. They shall be crowned with glory, an eternal weight of glory, and be with the Lord for ever. May we be enabled to trust him at all times, to seek him under all circumstances, to love his truth, which is as clear as crystal, and to praise him for blessings continually vouchsafed unto us. May we rejoice to say with the Psalmist, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, D and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee." To say with John, "We love him because he first loved us." If God in Christ is our Father, then he will defend us in times of danger: our enemies are powerful, crafty and malicious, but none can overcome him: all are controlled by his power, and without his permission none can tempt, harass, or afflict us, There is nothing heartless, nothing cruel in Christ; no unmindfulness of his people in him. He is a wall of fire round about his church. What can be more pleasing, more precious, more truthful than that God in Christ being our Father, he will bring all his family to their final home. Not one shall be missing. Not one shall perish. He giveth unto them eternal life. He will give them the possessions that he as the everlasting Father hath laid up for them. Here they are poor, despised, and persecuted, there they shall have eternal riches, eternal glory, and eternal happiness. Remember, ye poor, ye tempted, and afflicted ones of the Lord, that Jesus is your Father; your rich, your slumberless and your everlasting Father. One that will not withhold any good from them that walk up. rightly. One that giveth grace and glory. One that never leaves you nor forsakes you. One whose promise never fails. One who is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. Amen, Father, I long, I faint to see Here I behold thy distant face, I'd part with all the joys of sense, |