not delay; rather let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure; and as we gain larger views of God's commandments, make more and more haste faithfully to keep them.

MARCH VIII.

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren; be pitiful, be courteous.”—1 PETER iii. 8. THE religion of the Bible is elevating, unselfish, and refined in its tendency. Unity, brotherly love, and Christian munion, were the marks by which the first disciples of Jesus were to be known. Ought it not to be the same with us? Ought we not, for our Master's honor, to be more watchful over ourselves on these points? Realizing each other's interests, sympathizing in each other's sufferings, living as members of the same family, and abounding in tenderness and courtesy towards all? Wide differences of opinion there may be on particular points. But where there may not, cannot be uniformity, there may, there unquestionably ought to be unanimity; and all who hold the Head, being taught by the same Spirit, should with one spirit strive together for the faith of the Gospel, being of one heart and one mind in the Lord.

MARCH IX.

“They_all_saw Him, and were troubled: and immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."-MARK Vi. 50.

Ar times Jesus may manifest Himself to His disciples in a manner so unexpected, that at first sight they are alarmed, and do not recognize Him: they are actually troubled at that which should bring them nothing but peace. But only let them listen to the sound of His voice; and at once they are re-assured by His words of encouragement: let Him but speak, and their fears are all hushed by the assurance, "It is I"-I, your Lord and Master-I, your Saviour-I, your Almighty and all-merciful Friend—I, who have given myself for you, and have saved you

with an everlasting salvation-"It is I: be not afraid-fear not; for I am with you." In all the distresses, anxieties, difficulties of His disciples, there is their Master present: there is He ready immediately to talk with them of their refuge and strength; and as Lord of all, to turn all to good.

MARCH X.

"But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."-LUKE X. 42.

MANY things are useful, honorable, praise-worthy, desirable, beautiful, and may lawfully be sought, without risk of disobeying God. But "one thing is needful," pre-eminently and absolutely. We cannot do without it, it must be sought, as the heart's choice; for without it, all besides is worthless, nay, hurtful: with it, we are independent of every thing else. If once really chosen, Jesus assures it "shall never be taken away." What is it? It is the care of the soul-salvation-the seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. This blessed choice will bring us continually, in self-abasement, and selfrenunciation, to His feet, to listen to His words, and to learn of Him, resting all our hopes for eternity on Him, and striving in all things to do His will. Is this my chosen place?

MARCH XI.

"Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."-ROM. xiii. 14.

As different nations are distinguished by different dress and manners, so must the Christian be, by his whole demeanour, here compared to a robe he is called to wear. It is one foreign indeed to him by nature; but one so glorious, the marvel is how he can ever be ashamed to wear and display it. And yet too often, when it might expose him to worldly contempt or trouble, he is tempted to lay it aside, and appear as one of the world's citizens. But here lies his sin and peril. His care must rather be, before God, to have on the righteousness of

Christ, in which alone he can find acceptance; before men, to exhibit all the graces of the Spirit, which adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour. With the Lord Jesus so "put on," he will less and less desire to "make provision for the flesh." Its grovelling lusts will be mortified: nobler desires will animate and fill his soul: and his great aim will be, to get rid of every remnant, and every badge of his old state of slavery under sin and Satan.

MARCH XII.

"He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness: He led him about, He instructed him: He kept him as the apple of His eye."-DEUT. Xxxii. 10.

THIS is a faithful epitome of God's dealings with all His people; a brief memoir of their experience. They did not first seek Him; nor ever would have done so. They only "love Him, because He first loved them." But He went out into the "waste-howling wilderness" of Satan's kingdom, in search of them; and found them as lost sheep in that desert land. He brought them out of it; and "led them about," in ways often not understood by them; but not the less surely therefore "the right way," guiding and guarding their every step. They were ignorant, but "He instructed" them, by His Spirit, His Word, His providences; bearing with all their dulness and waywardness; removing all obstacles in their path; and from first to last, keeping them as tenderly "as the apple of His eye." Having neither might nor defence of their own, they all bear this inscription, "Kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation."

MARCH XIII.

"As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead him."-DEUT. Xxxii. 11, 12. THE Bible is, as it were, the Book of Nature spiritualized; almost every thing natural is used to convey spiritual instruc

tion of one kind or another. Here the eagle's manner with her young illustrates God's ways with Israel of old, and with His people in every age. Are they unwilling to leave the "nest" of this world? He "stirs it up," unsettles it; and by chastening and trouble, brings them to feel that it is not their rest. Are they weary and ready to faint? The wings of His love are around them to protect, or under them to sustain. And as the eaglet, thus placed, can only be wounded by the parent bird being first pierced, so are those who venture wholly on Jesus hidden, as well as borne aloft and led, by His wondrous wings. Out of Him they must perish. In Him they are safe, and safe for ever, from every danger.

MARCH XIV.

"I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye."-PSALM Xxxii. 8.

WHEN We follow the devices of our own hearts, we are sure to go astray; and no less so, when we take the direction of the wisest of worldly men, independently of wisdom from above: for how "can the blind lead the blind"? But we have the offer of an Instructor who is infallible; a Leader in the way we should go, who knows its every step. Let us then renounce our own will, and watch and wait for the leadings of His Providence. Let us act up to the light He has already given us, and daily look for more. Walking in His fear, let us trust Him to teach us in the way that He shall choose; for "who teacheth like Him," either in the matter or the manner of His instructions? It may be sometimes by the rod; but it is a Father's hand that holds it; and in proportion to the stedfastness with which our eyes are unto Him, shall we enjoy the fulfilment of His promise, "I will guide thee with mine eye."

MARCH XV.

"Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not."PSALM XVii. 5.

In the heavenward journey through the Enemy's land, dangers and temptations beset us on every side. The paths that lead to the Celestial City are "holy paths, of self-denial, love, and faith;" and we are continually liable to be enticed to turn aside, or to go on, as in our own strength, forgetting the needful help of Him, at every step, "without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy." So doing, our footsteps will surely slip, and we shall stumble, if not absolutely fall. Let us make it our daily prayer, that if our footsteps thus slide, we may be effectually humbled, and shewn the folly of all false dependencies and bye-paths; and be led henceforth to cry unto God, day by day, "Hold Thou up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not" again as heretofore. All the way through this world of sin and danger, Jesus our Master has trodden before us. Then who so qualified as He, to hold up our goings by His Spirit, even to the end? Is He doing so for us?

MARCH XVI.

"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."―JER. x. 23.

MAN'S ignorance, the utter depravity of his state by nature, and his inability to think a good thought of himself, are lessons we must all learn. We may "know" it is a point of doctrine; we may feel convinced of the fact, because it is revealed in God's word. But it is necessary we should learn to say "I know it," as matter of personal experience. This is humbling to the pride of human nature; but only thus shall we be so thoroughly and effectually convinced that "it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps," as to submit ourselves unreservedly to the will of God, and the guidance of His good Spirit. Thus only shall we