SEPT. 28.-"The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter !” Lam. iv. 2. SUCH is the difference between the judgment of God and the spirit of the world, concerning the precious sons of Zion. In the estimation of God, (and his judgment is always according to truth,) they are comparable to gold, yea, fine gold. And they are so for their rareness, and their purity, and their value, and their durability, and for their bearing the severest probation, and, instead of being injured by the trial, deriving improvement, and lustre, and usefulness from it. But, as that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God; so that which is approved and commended of God is undervalued and despised by men. The world, therefore, knoweth them not. It knew Him not. Their Lord and Saviour was despised and rejected by them. And they, as his followers, are esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter. They judge only from sense and outward appearances; and Christians are often poor and afflicted. They see the outside of the Tabernacle; and this is covered with goats' skins and badgers' skins, dyed red: but they never enter the holy place, nor approach Him who sitteth between the cherubims. They are sensual, not having the Spirit; and spiritual things are spiritually discerned. They do not feel their need of the blessings which constitute the happiness and glory of the children of God, and therefore prize not the possessors of them. Yea, the carnal mind is enmity against God, and causes them to dislike every thing that bears his impression and likeness. Yet even these despisers shall behold, and wonder, and perish. When the delusions of time shall give place to the unveiled realities of eternity, they will be compelled to exclaim, We fools counted their lives madness, and their end to be without honour. How are they numbered with the saints, and their lot is among the children of God! Yea, even now there are moments, when, if we could witness the workings of conviction, we should hear many a Balaam admiring, and praying-How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, O Israel! Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his ! Christians should not be uneasy and impatient under the mistakes and reproaches of their adversaries. It is a light thing to be judged of man's judgment-He that judgeth them is the Lord. Their praise is not of man, but of God. They should know that this is not their day. Their day is coming. It will be the manifestation of the sons of God. Yea, conscious of what, by the grace of God, they are, they should learn in whatsoever state they are therewith to be content. In every thing they should give thanks. Their souls should make their boast in the Lord. They should never scruple to extol and recommend their privileges and excellencies. That which we have heard and seen, says the Apostle John, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us. And is this desirable? And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Who is on the Lord's side? O my soul! art thou? Dost thou love and admire those whom God approves and honours? Canst thou call the saints that are in the earth, The excellent? and say, In them is all my delight? Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; and esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. "Oh! may I see thy tribes rejoice, "Join'd to thy saints, and near to Thee." SEPT. 29.—“ Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest." Micah ii. 10. ONE of the old Divines, in his pastoral admonitions to his people, exhorts them-not to look for that in the Law, which can only be found in the Gospel --not to look for that in themselves, which is only to be found in Christ-not to look for that in the creature, which is only to be found in the Creatorand not to look for that on earth, which is only to be found in heaven. The present is not our rest-It was not designed to be our rest-It is not fit to be our rest-And if we are Christians, we have relinquished it as our rest, and have chosen another. Yet who does not need this exhortation? Our souls naturally cleave unto the dust. Many, like Reuben and Gad, prefer an inheritance on this side Jordan. And even the godly themselves, who have not their portion in this life; but have said, As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness; even these need to have their pure minds stirred up, by way of remembrance. "My people," says God, "have forgotten their resting-place." He therefore, who takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, sends them this message, "Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest." And there are five messengers by which he sends it. The first, is his Word. And we should read and hear it for this very purpose. It meets us in our complaint and inquiry, "Who will shew us any good?" and says, "Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee." It forbids us to lay up treasures on earth. It commands us to seek those things that are above. It denounces the curse and misery of making flesh our arm. It proclaims the grandeur of the soul; and sets before us what alone is worthy of it. It leads us into all truth; and places us at the foot of the Cross, by which the world is crucified unto us, and we unto the world: and then we are enabled to say "Farewell, world! thy gold is dross; "From the law, and sin, and thee." The second, is affliction. God speaks by the rod, as well as by the word. While he chastens us with his hand, he teaches us out of his law. Has he not, by events, plainly addressed us, " Ye have dwelt long enough in this mountain; turn ye, and take your journey"? Has he not, by repeated frustrations of our hope, plainly said to us, "Let it suffice thee: speak no more to me of this matter"? Perhaps our purposes have been broken off, even the thoughts of our hearts. Perhaps we have been made to possess months of vanity by sickness. Perhaps lover and friend has been removed far from us. And, amidst the wreck of every thing dear to us, a voice, though we knew not at first that it came from Heaven, said, "What hast thou here? and what dost thou here?"-And if we are so much attached to the world, with all our losses and distresses, what should we have been without them? If the pilgrim be ever seduced from his way, it is by flowers and prospects; if ever he sits down, and sings himself asleep, it is in a pleasing scene, and in fine weather-not when the sky is dark and stormy, and the road is rough and miry-for then, by contrast, the thought of home t becomes dearer; and he feels an excitement to I quicken his pace. The third, is worldly success. This, in some respects, may convince us more of the insufficiency and emptiness of every thing here, than even our deprivations. When a man is unable to attain his object, he may still imagine that there is happiness in what he misses; and that he is miserable because he misses it. But when he has gained the prize, he is convinced that the dissatisfaction he feels arises from the nature of the thing itself. We long for certain acquisitions, with all the fondness of hope; and feel no apprehension, unless on the side of failure. We cannot believe, from the acknowledgments of others, that these things will belie expectation, and still leave a void within. But when we have made the trial ourselves—when we have formed the connexion, filled the office, gained the fortune, we desired—and, in the midst of our sufficiency, we are in straits; we sigh over our indulgences themselves; and enjoyment, as well as affliction, cries, All is vanity and vexation of spirit-Arise, and depart; for this is not your rest. The fourth, is the earnests and foretastes of a better world. And such, Christians are favoured with, in the comforts of the Holy Ghost; in accesses to the Throne of Grace; in the power and glory of God, which they see in the Sanctuary; and in those sacred moments of Divine communion, alone, when they can say, "While such a scene of sacred joys And these not only call, but allure and win the heart, away. When the clusters of grapes were brought to the Israel of God in the Wilderness, they said, in |