THE.
WORDS OF JESUS.
BY THE AUTHOR OF
"THE MORNING AND NIGHT WATCHES,  THE
FAITHFUL PROMISER,) ETC.
taktn from tle last Ltonbon Nlbition.
Net 3orh:
STANFORD & DELISSER,
No. 508, BROADWAY.
1858.








"A WORD spoken in season," says the wise man, "how
good it is i" If this be true regarding the utterances of uninspired lips, with what devout and paramount interest
must we invest the sayings of Incarnate Truth-"the
WORDS OF JESUS!"
We have, in the motto-verses which head the succeeding
pages a few comforting responses from the Oracle of heavenly Wisdom-a few grapes plucked from the true Vineliving streams welling fresh from the Living Fountain.
Every portion of Scriptureis designed for nutriment to the
soul-" the bread of life;" but surely we may well regard
the recorded "Words of Jesus" as "the finest of the
wheat" These are the "Honey" out of the true "Rock,"
with which He will "satisfy" us. "The WORDS that I speak
unto you, they are spirit and they are life."
The following are selected more especially as "Words
for the Weary"-healing leaves for the wounded spirit
falling from the Tree of Life. Jesus was divinely qualified
for this special office of speaking "many and comfortable
words." "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the
learned, that I might know how to speak a Word in Season
to him that is weary."
Let us, like the disciple of Patmos, turn to hear the voice
that speaks to us, saying, "I wait for the Lord, my soul
doth wait, and in His Word do I hope." Eighteen hundred years have elapsed since these "words" were uttered.
With tones of unaltered and unchanged affection, they are
still echoed from the inner sanctuary-they come this day
fresh as they were spoken, from the lips of Him whose memorial to all time is this: " that same Jesugs."
Reader, seek to realise, in meditating on them, the simple
but solemn truth-"Ch/rist speaks to me P" Surely nothing
can be more soothing with which to close your eyes on your
nightly pillow, or to carry with you in the morning out to
the duties (or, it may be, the trials and sorrows) of the day,
than-" A WORD OF JESUS."




4        THE WORDS OF JESUS.
1ST DAY OF MONTH
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said" —
" Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest."-Matt. xi. 28.
GRaCIous  "word"  of
a gracious Saviour, on
which the soul may confidingly repose, and be at peace for
ever? It is a present rest-the rest of
grace as well as the rest of glory. Not
only are there signals of peace hung out
from the walls of heaven-the lights of
Home glimmering in the distance to
cheer our footsteps; but we have the
"shadow" of this "great Rock" in a
present " weary land."   Before the
Throne alone is there "the sea of
glass," without one rippling wave; but
there is a haven even on earth for the
tempest-tossed-" We which have believed Do enter into rest."
Reader, hast thou found this blessed




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     5
repose in the blood and work of Immanuel? Long going about "seeking
rest and finding none," does this " word"
sound like music in thine ears-1" Come
unto Me?" All other peace is counterfeit, shadowy, unreal. The eagle spurns
the gilded cage as a poor equivalent for
his free-born soarings. The soul's immortal aspirations can be satisfied with
nothing short of the possession of God's
favour and love in Jesus.
How unqualified is the invitation!
If there had been one condition in entering this covenant Ark, we must have
been through eternity at the mercy of
the storm. But all are alike warranted
and welcome, and none more warranted
than welcome. For the weak, the
weary, the sin-burdened and sorrowburdened, there is an open door of
grace.
Return, then unto thy rest, 0 my
soul! Let the sweet cadence of this
"word of Jesus" steal on thee amid




6       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
the disquietudes of earth. Sheltered-in
Him, thou art safe for time, safe for
eternity! There may be, and will be,
temporary tossings, fears, and misgivings,-manifestations of inward corruption; but these will only be like the
surface-heavings of the ocean, while
underneath there is a deep settled calm.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace"
(lit. peace, peace)" whose mind is stayed
on Thee."  In the world it is care on
care, trouble on trouble, sin on sin;
but every wave that breaks on the
believer's soul seems sweetly to murmur, "Peace, peace!"
And if the foretaste of this rest be
precious, what must be the glorious
consummation? Awaking in the morning of immortality, with the unquiet
dream of earth over-faith lost in sight,
and hope in fruition;-no more any bias
to sin-no more latent principles of evil
-nothing to disturb the spirit's deep,
everlasting tranquillity-the trembling




TIE WORDS OF JESUS.                7
magnet of the heart reposing, where
alone  it can  confidingly  and  permanently rest, in the enjoyment of the
Infinite God.
"THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, THAT IN ME YE
MIGHT HAVE PEACE."




8        THE WORDS OF JESUS.
2D DAT,
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of al
these thins.."-Matt. vi. ~2.
n tig  THOUGH  spoken originally   by   Jesus'glliiIr~tlL   regarding  temporal
things, this may be taken as a motto
for the child of God amid all the
changing vicissitudes of his changing
history. Ihow it should lull all misgivings; silence all murmurings; lead
to lowly, unquestioning submissiveness
-"My Heavenly Father knoweth that
I have need of all these things."
Where can a child be safer or better
than in a father's hand?  Where can
the believer be better than in the hands
of his God? We are poor judges of
what is best.  We are under safe guidance with infallible wisdom. If' we are
tempted in a moment of rash presumption to say, "All these  things are




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      9
against me,?' let this "word" rebuke
the hasty and unworthy surmise. Unerring wisdom and Fatherly love have
pronounced all to be " needful."
My soul, is there aught that is disturbing thy peace? Are providences
dark, or crosses heavy? Are spiritual
props removed, creature comforts curtailed, gourds smitten and withered like
grass? —write on each, "Your Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these
thingRs."  It was He who increased thy
burden.  Why?  "It was needed."
It was He who smote down thy clay
idol. Why?  "It was needed."  It
was supplanting Himself: He had to
remove it!  It was He who crossed
thy worldly schemes, marred thy cherished hopes. Why? "It was needed."
There was a lurking thorn in the coveted path. There was some higher
spiritual blessing in reversion. "-He'prevented' thee with the blessings of
His goodness"




10      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
Seek to cherish a spirit of more
childlike confidence in thy Heavenly
Father's will. Thou art not left unbefriended and alone to buffet the storms
of the wilderness. Thy Marahs as well
as thy Elims are appointed by Him.
A gracious pillar-cloud is before thee.
Follow it through sunshine and storm.
He may " lead thee about," but He will
not lead thee wrong. Unutterable tenderness is the characteristic of all His
dealings. " Blessed be His name," says
a tried believer, "He maketh my feet
like hinds' feet" (literally, "equaleth"
them), "he equaleth them  for every
precipice, every ascent, every leap."
And who is it that speaks this quieting word? It is He who Hirmself felt
the preciousness of the assurance during His own awful sufferings, that all
were needed, and all appointed; that
from Bethlehem's cradle to Calvary's
Cross there was not the redundant
thorn in the chaplet of sorrow which




THE WORDS OF JESUS.       11
He, the Man of Sorrows, bore. Every
drop in His bitter cup was mingled by
His Father: "This clp which Thou
givest me to drink, shall I not drink
it!" Oh, if He could extract comfort
in this hour of inconceivable agony, in
the thought that a Father's hand lighted the fearful furnace-fires, what strong
consolation is there in the same truth
to all ris suffering people!
What! one superfluous drop! one
redundant pang! one unneeded cross!
Hush the secret atheism!  He gave
His Son for thee! He calls Himself
"thy Father!" Whatever be the trial
under which thou art now smarting, let
the word of a gracious Saviour be
"like oil thrown on the fretful sea;"
let it dry every rebellious tear-drop.
"He, thine unerring Parent, knoweth
that thou hast need of this as well as
all these things."
THY WORD ~IS VERY SURE, THEREFORE THY SERVANT
LOVETH IT."




12       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
8D DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said"Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son."-John xiv.
13.
BLESSED  JESUS! it  is
0e 4ne         Thou who hast unlocked
1ra1Ir.     to Thy people the gates
of prayer. Without Thee they must
have been shut forever. It was Thy
atoning merit on earth that first opened
them; it is Thy intercessory work in
heaven that keeps them open still.
How unlimited the promise-" Whatsoever ye shall ask!"  It is the pledge
of all that the needy sinner requiresall that an Omnipotent Saviour can
bestow! As the great Steward of the
mysteries of grace, He seems to say to
His faithful servants, "Take thy bill,
and under this, my superscription, write
what you please." And then, when
the blank is filled up, he further en



THE WORDS OF JESUS.     13
dorses each petition with the words,'"I
WILL do it "
He farther encourages us to ask " in
His name."  In the case of an earthly
petitioner there are some pleas more
influential in obtaining a boon than
others. Jesus speaks of this as forming the key to the heart of God. As
David loved the helpless cripple of
Saul's house "for Jonathanr's sake," so
will the Father, by virtue of our covenant relationship to the true JONATHAN
(lit., " the gift of God"), delight in giving us even " exceeding abundantly
above all that we can ask or think."
Reader, do you know the blessedness
of confiding your every want and every
care-your every sorrrow and every
cross-into the ear of the Saviour? He
is the "Wonderful Counsellor."  With
an exquisitely tender sympathy He can
enter into the innermost depths of your
need. That need may be great, but
the everlasting arms are underneath it
2




14     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
all. Think of Him now, at this moment-the great Angel of the Covenant,
with the censer full of much incense,
in which are placed your feeblest aspirations, your most burdened s.ighs-the
odour-breathing cloud ascending with
acceptance before the Father's throne.
The answer may tarry; —these your
supplications may seem to be kept long
on the wing, hovering around the
mercy-seat. A gracious God sometimes
sees it meet thus to test the faith and
patience of His people. He delights to
hear the music of their importunate
pleadings-to see them undeterred by
difficulties-unrepelled by apparent forgetfulness and neglect. But He will
come at last; the pent-up fountain of
love and mercy will at length burst out;
-the soothing accents will in His own
good time be heard, "Be it unto thee
according to thy word!"
Soldier of Christ! with all thine
other panoply, forget not the "All



THE WORDS OF JESUS.      15
prayer." It is that which keeps bright
and shining "the whole armour of
God."  While yet out in the night of
a dark world-whilst still bivouacking
in an enemy's country-kindle thy
watch-fires at the altar of incense.
Thou must be Moses, pleading on the
Mount, if thou wouldst be Joshua,
victorious in the world's daily battle.
Confide thy cause to this waiting Redeemer. Thou canst not weary Him
with thine importunity. He delights
in hearing. His Father is glorified in
giving.  The  memorable  Bethanyutterance remains unaltered and unrepealed-" I knew that Thou hearest
me always."  He is still the "Prince
that has power with God and prevails"
— still He promises and pleads-still
He lives and loves!
"I WAIT FOR THE LORD, MY SOUL DOTH WAIT; AND IN
HIS WORD DO I HOPE."




16       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
4TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know
hereafter."-John xiii 7.
1        01 OiI BLESSED  day, when
the long sealed book of
f1flilI[.   mystery  shall be  unfolded, when the " fountains of the
great deep shall be broken up," "the
channels of the waters seen," and all
discovered to be one vast revelation of
unerring wisdom and ineffable love!
Here we are often baffled at the Lord's
dispensations; we cannot fathom His
ways: —like the well of Sychar, they
are deep, and we have nothing to draw
with. But soon the " mystery of God will
be finished;" the enigmatical "seals,"
with all their inner meanings, opened.
When that "morning without clouds"
shall break, each soul will be like the
angel standing in the sun-there will
be no shadow; all will be perfect day!




THE WORDS OF JESUS.
Believer, be still! The dealings of
thy Heavenly Father may seem dark
to thee; there may seem now to be no
golden fringe, no "bright light in the
cluds;" but a day of disclosures is
at hand. "Take it on trust a little
while." An earthly child takes on
trust what his father tells him: when
he reaches maturity, much that was
baffling to his infant comprehension is
explained. Thou art in this world in
the nonage of thy being-Eternity is
the soul's immortal manhood. There,
every dealing will be vindicated. It
will lose all its " darkness" when
bathed in the floods " of the excellent
glory!"
Ah! instead of thus being as weaned
children, how apt are we to exercise ourselves in matters too high for us? not
content with knowing that our Father
wills it, but presumptuously seeking to
know how it is, and why it is. If it be
unfair to pronounce on the unfinished
2*




18     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
and incompleted works of man; if the
painter, or sculptor, or artificer, would
shrink from having his labours judged
of when in a rough, unpolished, immatured state; how much more so with
the works of God? How we should
honour Him by a simple confiding, unreserved submission to His will,-contented patiently to wait the fulfilment
of this  "hereafter" promise, when all
the lights and shadows in the now halffinished picture will be blended and
melted into one harmonious whole,when all the now disjointed stones in
the temple will be seen to fit into their
appointed place, giving unity, and compactness, and symmetry, to all the
building.
And who is it that speaks these living "words," "What Ido?" It is He
who died for us? who now lives for us!
Blessed Jesus! Thou mayest do much
that our blind hearts would like undone,-" terrible things in righteousness




THE WORDS OF JESUS.        19
which we looked not for." The heaviest (what we may be tempted to call
the severest) cross Thou canst lay upon
us we shall regard as only the apparent
severity of unutterable and unalterable
love. Eternity will unfold how all, all
was needed; that nothing else, nothing
less, could have done! If not now, at
least then, the deliberate verdict on a
calm retrospect of life will be this,".THE WORD OF THE LORD IS RIGHT, AND ALL,HS
WORKS ARE DONE IN TRUTH.~"




20      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
5Tu DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear muech  /ruit."
-John xv. 8.
t   WHEN   surveying  the
boundless ocean of coveilllSif~.   nant mercy-every wave
chiming, "God is Love!"-does the
thought ever present itself, " What
can I do for this great Being who hath
done so much for me?  Recompence
I cannot! No more can my purest
services add one iota to His underived
glory, than the tiny taper can add to the
blaze of the sun at noonday, or a drop
of water to the boundless ocean. Yet,
wondrous thought! from this worthless
soul of mine there may roll in a revenue
of glory which He who loves the broken and contrite spirit will "not despise." "Heredin is my Father glorifed,
that ye bear much fruit."




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     21
Reader! are you a fruit-bearer in
your Lord's vineyard? Are you seeking to make life one grand act of consecration to His glory-one thankoffering for His unmerited love. You
may be unable to exhibit much fruit in
the eye of the world. Your circumstances and position in life may forbid
you to point to any splendid services,
or laborious and imposing efforts in the
cause of God. It matters not. It is
often those fruits that are unseen and
unknow~ to man, ripening in seclusion,
that He values most;-the quiet, lowly
walk —patience and submission —gentleness and humility-putting yourself unreservedly in His hands-willing to be
led by Him even in darkness-saying,
Not my will, but Thy will: —the unselfish spirit, the meek bearing of an
injury, the unostentatious kindness,these are some of the " fruits" which
your Heavenly Father loves, and by
which He is glorified.




22     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
Perchance it may be with you the
season of trial, the chamber of protracted sickness, the time of desolating
bereavement, some furnace seven times
heated. Herein, too, you may sweetly
glorify your God. Never is your
Heavenly Father more glorified by His
children on earth, than when, in the
midst of these furnace-fires, He listens
to nothing but the gentle breathings of
confiding faith and love, —' Let Him
do what seemeth good unto Him."
Yes, you can there glorify Him in a
way which angels cannot do in a world
where no trial is. They can glorify
God only with the crown; you can
glorify Him with the cross and the prospect of the crown together! Ah, if He
be dealing severely with you —if He,
as the great Husbandman, be pruning
His vines, lopping their boughs, stripping off their luxuriant branches and
"beautiful rods!" remember the end!
-" He purgeth it, that it may bring




THE WORDS OF JESUS.       23
forth more fruit," and " H2erein is my
Father glorified!
Be it yours to lie passive in His
hands, saying in unmurmuring resignation, Father, glorify  Thy  name!'Glorify Thyself, whether by giving or
taking, filling my cup or "emptying me
from vessel to vessel!"  Let me know
no will but Thine.  Angels possess no
higher honour and privilege than glorifying the God before whom they cast
their crowns. How blessed to be able
thus to claim brotherhood with the
spirits in the upper sanctuary! nay,
more, to be associated with the Saviour
Himself in the theme of His own exalted joy, when he said, "Ihave glorifled Thee on earth!"
ITHESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, THAT MY JOY
MIGHT REMAIN IN YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY
MIGHT BE FULL."




24      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
6TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""The very hairs of your head are all numbered." —
Matt. x. 80.
W]] HAT a "word" is this!
All that befals you, to the
tIr~I. very numbering of your
hairs, is known to God! Nojing can
happen by accident or chance.  Nothing can elude Htis inspection. The
fall of the forest leaf-the fluttering of
the insect-the waving of the angel's
wing-the annihilation of a world, —all
are equally noted by Him. Man speaks
of great things and small things-God
knows no such distinction.
How especially comforting to think
of this tender solicitude with reference
to his own covenant people-that He
metes out their joys and their sorrows!
Every sweet, every bitter is ordained
by Him.  Even "wearisome nights"
are " appointed."  Not a pang I feel,




ITHE WORDS OF JESUs.    25
not a tear I shed but is known to Him.
What are called "dark dealings" are
the ordinations of undeviating faithfulness.  Man may err-his ways are
often crooked; "but as for God, His
way is perfect!" He puts my tears
into His bottle. Every moment the
everlasting arms are underneath and
around me. He keeps me "as the
apple of His eye." He "bears" me
"as a man beareth his own son 1"
Do I look to the future? Is there
much of uncertainty and mystery hanging over it? It may be, much premonitory of evil. Trunst Him. All is
marked out for me. Dangers will be
averted; bewildering mazes will show
themselves to be interlaced and interweaved with mercy. "He keepeth the
feet of His saints." A hair of their
head will not be touched. He leads
sometimes darkly, sometimes sorrowfully; most frequently by cross and
circuitous ways we ourselves would not
3




26     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
have chosen; but always wisely, always tenderly. With all its mazy
windings and turnings, its roughness
and ruggedness, the believer's is not
only a right way, but THE right waythe best which covenant love and wisdom could select. " Nothing," says
Jeremy Taylor, " does so establish the
mind amidst the rollings and turbulence
of present things, as both a look above
them and a look beyond them; above
them, to the steady and good hand by
which they are ruled; and beyond them,
to the sweet and beautiful end to which,
by that hand, they will be brought."
"The Great Counsellor," says Thomas
Brooks, " puts clouds and darkness
round about Him, bidding us follow at
His beck through the cloud, promising
an eternal and uninterrupted sunshine
on the other side." On that " other side"
we shall see how every apparent rough
blast has been hastening our barks
nearer the desired haven.




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     27
Well may I commit the keeping of
my soul to Jesus in well-doing, as unto
a faithful Creator. He gave Himnself
for me. This transcendent pledge of
love is the guarantee for the bestowment of every other needed blessing.
Oh, blessed thought! my sorrows
numbered by the Man of Sorrows; my
tears counted by Him who shed -first
His tears and then His blood for me.
He will impose no needless burden, and
exact no unnecessary sacrifice. There
was no redundant drop in the cup of
His own sufferings; neither will there
be in that of His people.  "Though
He slay me, yet will I trust in Him."
A WHEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHER WITH
THESE WORDS."




28      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
7TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
known of mine." —John x. 14.
"THE  Good  Shepherd"
-well can the sheep who
know His voice attest the
truthfulness and faithfulness of this endearing name and word. Where would
they have been through eternity, had
He not left His throne of light and
glory, travelling down to this dark valley of the curse, and giving His life a
ransom for many? Think of His love
to each separate member of the flockwandering over pathless wilds with
unwearied patience and unquenchable
ardour, ceasing not the pursuit until He
finds it. Think of His love now-" I
AM  the Good Shepherd."  Still that
tender eye of watchfulness following the
guilty wanderers-the glories of heaven




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    29
and the songs of angels unable to dim
or alter His affection;- the music of
the words, at this moment coming as
sweetly from His lips as when first He
uttered them —" I know my sheep."
Every individual believer-the weakest, the weariest, the faintest-claims
His attention. His loving eye follows
me day by day out to the wildernessmarks out my pasture, studies my
wants, and trials, and sorrows, and perplexities-every steep ascent, every
brook, every winding path, every thorny
thicket. "He goeth before them." It
is not rough driving, but gentle guiding.
He does not take them over an unknown road; He himself has trodden it
before. He hath drunk of every "brook
by the way;" He himself hath "suffered being tempted;" He is "able to
succour them that are tempted." He
seems to say, "Fear not; I cannot lead
you wrong; follow me in the bleak
waste, the blackened wilderness, as well
8*




30     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
as by the green pastures and the still
Waters. Do you ask why I have left
the sunny side of the valley-carpeted
with flowers, and bathed in sunshine
-leading you to some high mountain
apart, some cheerless spot of sorrow?
Trust me, I will lead you by paths
you have not known, but they are all
known to me, and selected by me-'Follow thou me.' 
"And am known of mine!" Reader!
canst thou subscribe to these closing
words of this gracious utterance? Dost
thou " know" Him in all the glories of
His person, in all the completeness of
His finished work, in all the tenderness
and unutterable love of His every dealing towards thee?
It has been remarked by Palestine
travellers, that not only do the sheep
there follow the guiding shepherd, but
even while cropping the herbage as
they go along, they look wistfully up
to see that they are near him.  Is this




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      31
thine attitude-" looking unto Jesus?"
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him,
and he will direct thy paths."  Leave
the future to His providing.  "The
Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not
want."  Ishall not want! —it has been
beautifully called " the bleating of
Messiah's sheep." Take it as thy
watchword during thy wilderness wanderings, till grace be perfected in glory.
Let this be the record of thy simple
faith and unwavering trust, "These
are they who'follow, whithersoever He
sees meet to guide them."
A THE SHEEP FOLLOW HIM, FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE."




32       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
8Tr DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever."John xiv. 16.
WHEN one beloved earthdti~  inlIth1   ly friend is taken away,
how the heart is drawn
out towards those that remain! Jesus
was now about to leave His sorrowing
disciples. He directs them to one whose
presence would fill up the vast blank
His own absence was to make.  His
name was, T[he Comforter; His mission
was, "to abide with them for ever."
Accordingly, no sooner had the gates
of heaven closed on their ascended
Lord, than, in fulfilment of His own
gracious promise, the bereaved and
orphaned Church was baptized with
Pentecostal fire.  " When I depart, I
will send Him unto you."




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    33
Reader, do you realize your privilege
— living under the dispensation of the
Spirit?  Is it your daily prayer that
He may come down in all the plenitude of His heavenly graces on your
soul, even "as rain upon the mown grass,
and showers that water the earth?"
You cannot live without Him; there
can be not one heavenly aspiration, not
one breathing of love, not one upward
glance of faith, without His gracious
influences. Apart from hiln, there is
no preciousness in the Word, no blessing in ordinances, no permanent sanctifying results in affliction. As the angel
directed Hagar to the hidden spring,
this blessed agent, true to His name
and office, directs His people to the
waters of comfort, giving new glory to
the promises, investing the Saviour's
character and work with new loveliness
and beauty.
How precious is the title which this
" Word of Jesus" gives Him —THE




34      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
COMFORTER! What a word for a sorrowing world! The Church militant
has its'tent pitched in a ".valley of
tears." The name of the divine visitant who comes to her and ministers
to her wants, is Comforter. Wide is
the family of the afflicted, but He has
a healing balm for all-the weak, the
tempted, the sick, the sorrowing, the
bereaved, the dying! How different
from other " sons of consolation?"  ruman friends —a look may alienate;
adversity may estrange; death must
separate!  The  " Word  of Jesus"
speaks of One whose attribute and prerogative is to "abide with us for ever;"
superior to all vicissitudes-surviving
death itself!
And surely if anything else can
endear His mission of love to His
Church, it is that He comes direct from
God, as the fruit and gift of Jesus' intercession —-"I will pray the Father."
This holy dove of peace and comfort is




THIE WORDS OF JESUS.       35
let out by the hand of Jesus from the
ark of covenant mercy within the veil!
Nor is the gift more glorious than it is
free. Does the word, the look, of a suffering child get the eye and the heart
of an earthly father?  "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more
shall your Father in heaven give the
Holy Spirit unto them that ask Him?"
It is He who makes these "words of
Jesus" " winged words."
4HE SHALL BRING ALL THINGS TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE, WHATSOEVER I HAVE SAID
UNTO YOU.'"




36       THE WORDS OF JESUIS.
9TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more."-John
viii. 11.
How much more tender
is Jesus than the tenderest of earthly friends?
The Apostles, in a moment of irritation
would have called down fire from
heaven on obstinate sinners. Their
Master rebuked the unkind suggestion.
Peter, the trusted but treacherous disciple, expected nothing but harsh and
merited reproof for faithlessness. He
who knew well how that heart would
be bowed with penitential sorrow, sends
first the kindest of messages, and then
the gentlest of rebukes, "Lovest thou
me?" The watchmen in the Canticles
smote the bride, tore off her veil, and
loaded her with reproaches. When she
found her lost Lord, there was not one




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      37
word of upbraiding! "So slow is He
to anger," says an illustrious believer,
" so ready to forgive, that when His
prophets lost all patience with the people so as to make intercession against
them, yet even then could IIe not be
got to cast off this people whom He
foreknew, for his great name's sake."
The guilty sinner to whom He speaks
this comforting "word," was frowned
upon by her accusers. But, if others
spurned her from their presence, "'Neither do I condemn thee."  Well it is to
fall into the hands of this blessed Saviour-God, for great are His mercies.
Are we to infer from this, that He
winks at sin? Far from it. hIis blood,
His work-Bethlehem, and Calvary, refute the thought! Ere the guilt even
of one solitary soul could be washed out,
He had to descend from His everlasting
throne to agonise on the accursed tree.
But this "word of Jesus" is a word of
tender encouragement to every sincere,
4




38      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
broken-hearted penitent, that crimson
sins, and scarlet sins, are no barriers
to a free, full, everlasting forgiveness.
The Israelite of old, gasping in his
agony in the sands of the wilderness,
had but to "look and live;" and still
does He say, "Look unto me, and be ye
saved, all the ends of the earth."  Upreared by the side of his own cross
there was a monumental column for all
Time, only second to itself in wonder.
Over the head of the dying felon is the
superscription written for despairing
guilt and trembling penitence, "' This
is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Jesus Christ came
into the world to save sinners."  "He
never yet," says Charnock, " put out a
dim candle that was lighted at the Sun
of Righteousness." " Whatever our
guiltiness be," says Rutherford, "yet
when it falleth into the sea of God's
mercy, it is but like a drop of blood
fallen into the great ocean."




THE WORDS OF JESUS.       39
Reader, you may be the chief of sinners, or it may be the chief of backsliders; your soul may have started
aside like a broken bow. As the bankrupt is afraid to look into his books,
you may be afraid to look into your
own heart. You are hovering on the
verge of despair. Conscience, and the
memory of unnumbered sins, is uttering
the desponding verdict, "I condemn
thee." Jesus has a kinder word-a
more cheering declaration —"I condemn thee not: go, and sin no more!"
" AND ALL WONDERED AT THE GRACIOUS WORDS
THAT PROCEEDED OUT OF HIS MOUTH."




40       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
10TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is
in heaven, the same is my brother, and my sister, and
mother."-Matt. xii. 50.
t64e   Tfldrf'lU  As if no solitary earthly type were enough
t ulhtiInnsEii. to image forth the love
of Jesus, He assembles into one verse
a group of the tenderest earthly relationships.   Human  affection  has to
focus its loveliest hues, but all is too
little to afford an exponent of the
depth and intensity of fEIs.  "As one
whom  his mother comforteth;" "my
sister, my  spouse."  HIe  is "'  on,"
"Brother"  "Friend" —all  in  one;
" cleaving  closer than  any brother."
And can we wonder at such language? Is it merely figurative, expressive of more than the reality? —He
gave Hrimse7f for us; after that pledge
of His affection we must cease to mar



THE WORDS OF JESUS.     4i
vel at any expression of the interest He
feels in nus. Anything He can say or do
is infinitely less than what He has done.
Believer! art thou solitary and desolate? Has bereavement severed earthly ties?  Has the grave made forced
estrangements,-sundered the closest
links of earthly affection?  In Jesus
thou hast filial and fraternal love combined; He is the Friend of friends,
whose presence and fellowship compensates for all losses, and supplies
all blanks; "He setteth the solitary
in families." If thou art orphaned,
friendless, comfortless here, remember
there is in the Elder Brother on the
Throne a love deep as the unfathomed
ocean, boundless as Eternity?
And who are those who can claim
the blessedness spoken of under this
wondrous imagery? On whom  does
He lavish this unutterable affection?
No outward profession will purchase it.
No church, no priest, no ordinances, no
4*




42     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
denominational distinctions. It is on
those who are possessed of holy characters. " He that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven!" He who
reflects the mind of Jesus; imbibes His
Spirit; takes His Word as the regulator of his daily walk, and makes Htis
glory the great end of his being; he
who lives to God and with God, and
for God; the humble, lowly, Christlike, tIeaven-seeking Christian — he it
is who can claim as his own this wondrous heritage of love! If it be a
worthy object of ambition to be loved
by the good and the great on earth,
what must it be to have an eye of love
ever beaming upon us from the Throne,
in comparison of which the attachment
here of brother, sister, kinsman, friendall combined-pales like the stars before
the rising sun! Though we are often
ashamed to call I-Iim " Brother," " He is
not ashamed to call us brethren."  He
looks down on pocr worms, and says,




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     43
"The same is my mother, and sister,
and brother!"  "I will write upon
them," He says in another place, " my
new name."  Just as we write our
name on a book to tell that it belongs
to us; so Jesus would write His own
name on us, the wondrous volumes of
His grace, that they may be read and
pondered by principalities and powers.
Have we " known and believed this
love of God?"  Ah, how  poor has
been the requital! Who cannot subscribe to the words of one, whose name
was in all the churches, —"Thy love
has been as a shower; the return but
a dew-drop, and that dew-drop stained
with sin."
"IF A MAN LOVE ME, HE WILL KEEP
MY WORDS; AND MY FATHER WILL LOVE HIM, AND WE
WILL COME UNTO HIM, AND MAKE OUR ABODE
WITH HIM."




44       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
11TH Dar.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."John xiv. 18.
I)OES the  Christian's
path lie all the way
Oq)w~1f5.    through Beulah? Nay,
he is forewarned it is to be one of " much
tribulation." He has his Marahs as well
as his Elims-his valleys of Baca as
well as his grapes of Eschol. Often is
he left unbefriended to bear the brunt
of the storm —his gourds fading when
most needed-his sun going down while
it is yet day-his happy home and
happy heart darkened in a moment
with sorrows with which a stranger
(with which often a brother) cannot
intermeddle.  There is One Brother
" born for adversity," who can. How
often has that voice broken with its
silvery accents the muffled stillness of




TILE WORDS OF JESUS.    45
the sick-chamber or death-chamber!
"'I will not leave you comfortless:' the
world may, friends may, the desolations
of bereavement and death may; but
I will not; you will be alone, yet not
alone, for I your Saviour and your God
will be with you!"
Jesus seems to have an especial love
and affection for His orphaned and
comfortless people. A father loves his
sick and sorrowing child most; of all
his household, he occupies most of his
thoughts. Christ seems to delight to
lavish His deepest sympathy on "him
that hath ho helper." It is in the hour
of sorrow His people have found Him
most precious; it is in " the wilderness"
He speaks most " comfortably unto
them;" He gives them " theirvineyards
from thence:" in the places they least
expected, wells of heavenly consolation
break forth at their feet. As Jonathan
of old, when faint and weary, had his
strength revived by the honey he found




46      THIE WORDS OF JESUS.
dropping in the tangled thicket: so the
faint and woe-worn children of God
find "honey in the wood"-everlasting consolation dropping from the tree
of life, in the midst of the thorniest
thickets of affliction.
Comfortless ones, be comforted!
Jesus often makes you portionless here,
to drive you to Himself; the everlasting
portion. He often dries every rill and
fountain of earthly bliss, that He may
lead you to say, " All my springs are
in Thee."  "He seems intent," says
one who could speak from experience,
"to fill up every gap love has been
forced to make; one of his errands firom
heaven was to bind up the brokenhearted." How beautifully in one
amazing verse does he conjoin the
depth and tenderness of his comfort
with the certainty of it-"As one whom
his mother comforteth, so will I comfort
you, and ye SHALL be comforted!"
Ah, how many would not have their




THE WORDS OF JESUS.        47
wilderness-state altered, with all its
trials, and gloom, and sorrow, just that
they might enjoy the unutterable sympathy and iove of this Comforter of the
comfortless, one ray of whose approving
smile can dispel the deepest earthly
gloom?  As the clustering constellations shine with intensest lustre in the
midnight sky, so  these  "words of
Jesus" come out like ministering angels in the deep dark night of earthly
sorrow. We may see no beauty in
them when the world is sunny and
bright; but He has laid them  up in
store for us for the dark and cloudy
day."
"THESE THINGS HAVE I TOLD YOU, THAT WHEN THE TIME
COMETH, YE MAY REMEMBER THAT I TOLD
YOU OF THEM."




48       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
12TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world."-John xvi. 33.,I~ ~IW   t WAND  shall I be afraid of
~IfXnt I a world already conquered?  The Almighty  Victor, within view  of His Crown, turns
round to His faint and weary soldiers,
and bids them take courage. They
are not fighting their way through
untried enemies.  The God-Mlan Mediator "' knows their sorrows."  1" He was
in all points tempted." "Both He (i. e.,
Christ) who sanctifieth, and they (His
people) who are sanctified, are all of
one (nature)." As the great Precursor,
he heads the pilgrim band, saying "I
will show you the path of life." The
way to heaven is consecrated by His
footprints. Every thorn that wounds
them, has wounded H/im before. Every




THR WORDS OF JESUS.    49
cross they can bear, he has borne before. Every tear they shed, He has
shed before. There is one respect, indeed, in which the identity fails,-He
was "yet without sin;" but this recoil
of His Holy nature from moral evil
gives Him a deeper and intenser sensibility towards those who have still corruption within responding to temptation without.
Reader! are you ready to faint under your tribulations? Is it a seducing
world-a wandering, wayward heart?
" Consider Himm that endured!" Listen
to your adorable Redeemer, stooping
from His Throne, and saying, "Ihave
overcome the world." He came forth
unscathed from its snares. With the
same heavenly weapon He bids you
wield, three times did he repel the
Tempter, saying, "It is written."-Is;t some crushing trial, or overwhelming
grief? He is "acquainted with grief."
He, the mighty Vine, knows the mi



50      TIHE WORDS OF JESUS.
nutest fibres of sorrow in the branches;
when the pruning knife touches them,
it touches Him. "He has gone," says
a tried sufferer, "through every class
in our wilderness school." He loves to
bring His people into untried and perplexing places, that they may seek out
the guiding pillar, and prize its radiance. He puts them on the darkening
waves, that they may follow the guiding light hung out astern from the only
Bark of pure and unsullied Humanity
that was ever proof against the storm.
Be assured there is disguised love in
all He does. He who knows us infinitely better than we know ourselves, often
puts a thorn in our nest to drive us to
the wing, that we may not be grovellers forever. "It is," says Evans,
"upon the smooth ice we slip," the
rough path is safest for the feet."  The
tearless and undimmed eye is not to
be coveted here; that is reserved for
heaven!




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      51
Who can tell what muffled and disguised " needs be" there may lurk under these world-tribulations  His true
spiritual seed are often planted deep in
the soil; they have to make their way
through a load of sorrow before they
reach the surface; but their roots are
thereby the firmer and deeper struck.
Had it not been for these lowly and
needed "depths," they might have
rushed up as feeble saplings, and succumbed to the first blast.  He often
leads His people still, as he led them of
old, to " a high mountain apart;" but it
is to a high mountain-above the world;
and, better still, He who Himself hath
overcome the world, leadeth them there,
and speaketh comfortably unto them.
A"I HOPE IN THY WORD."




52       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
13TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to
give you the kingdom."-Luke xii. 82.,8  EYt~le  THE music of the Shepherd's voice again!  Anflnltk.   other comforting "word,"
and  how  tender!  his flock  a little
flock, a feeble flock, a fearful flock,
but a beloved flock, loved of the Father,
enjoying His " good pleasure," and soon
to be a glorified flock, safe in the fold,
secure within the kingdom! How
does He quiet their fears and misgivings?  As they stand panting on the
bleak mountain side, He points His
crook upwards to the bright and shining
gates of glory, and says, "It is your
Father's good pleasure to give you
these!"  What gentle words!  What
a  blessed  consummation!  Gracious
Saviour, Thy gentleness hath made me
great!




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     53
That kingdom is the believer's by
irreversible and inalienable charterright-" I appoint unto you" (by covenant), says Jesus in another place,
"a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me." It is as sure as
everlasting love and almighty power
can make it. Satan, the great foe of
the kingdom, may be injecting foul
misgivings, and doubts, and fears as to
your security; but he cannot denude
you of your purchased immunities. He
must first pluck the crown from the Brow
upon the Throne, before he can weaken
or impair this sure word of promise.
If " it pleased the Lord" to bruise the
Shepherd, it will surely please Him to
make happy the purchased flock. If IIe
" smote" His " Fellow" when the sheep
were scattered, surely it will rejoice
Hiln, for the Shepherd's sake, " to turn
His hand upon the little ones."
]Believers, think of this! " It is your
Father's good pleasure." The Good




54     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
Shepherd, in leading you across the intervening mountains, shows you signals
and memorials of paternal grace studding all the way. He may "lead you
about" in your way thither. He led the
children of Israel of old out of Egypt
to their promised kingdom,- how? By
forty years' wilderness-discipline and
privations. But trust Him; dishonour
Him not with guilty doubts and fears.
Look not back on your dark, stumbling
paths, nor within on your fitful and
vacillating heart; but forwards to the
land that is far off. How earnestly
God desires your salvation! What a
heaping together of similar tender
"words" with that which is here addressed to us? The Gospel seems like
a palace full of opened windows, from
each of which He issues an invitation,
declaring that He has no pleasure in
our death-but rather that we would
turn and live!
Let the melody of the Shepherd's




THE WORDS OF JESUS.       55
reed fall gently on your ear,-" It is
your Father's good pleasure." I have
given you, He seems to say, the best
proof that it is mine. In order to purchase that kingdom, I died for you!
But it is also His: "As a shepherd
seeketh out his flock in the day that he
is among his sheep that are scattered,
so," says God, "will I seek out my
sheep, and will deliver them out of all
places where they have been scattered
in the cloudy and dark day." Fear not,
then, little flock! though yours for a
while should be the bleak mountain
and sterile waste, seeking your way
Zionward, it may be " with torn fleeces
and bleeding feet;" for,
"IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN
HEATEN, THAT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES
SHOULD PERISH."




56      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
14TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."John vii. 8T.
ONE of the most graE atimithiI cious " words" that ever
mffTr.' proceeded out of the
mouth of God!"  The time it was
uttered was an impressive one; it was
on "the last, the great day" of the
Feast of Tabernacles, when a denser
multitude than on any of the seven preceding ones were assembled together.
The golden bowl, according to custom,
had probably just been filled with the
waters of Siloam, and was being carried
up to the Temple amid the acclamations of the crowd, when the Saviour
of the world seized the opportunity of
speaking to them some truths of momentous import. Many, doubtless, were
the "words of Jesus" uttered on the
previous days, but the most important




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    57
is reserved for the last. What, then, is
the great closing theme on which He
rivets the attention of this vast auditory, and which He would have them
carry away to their distant homes? It
is, Tihefreeness of His own great 8alvation-" If any man thirst, let him come
unto me and drink."
Reader, do you discredit the reality
of this gracious offer? Are your legion
sins standing as a barrier between you
and a Saviour's proffered mercy? Do
you feel as if you cannot come "just as
you are;" that some partial cleansing,
some preparatory reformation must take
place before you can venture to the living fountain? Nay, " if any man."
What is freer than water? -The
poorest beggar may drink "'without
money" the wayside pool. Thiat is
your Lord's own picture of His own
glorious salvation; you are invited to
come, "without one plea," in all your
poverty and want, your weakness and




58     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
unworthiness.  Remember the Redeemer's saying to the woman of Samaria. She was the chief of sinners-profligate-hardened-degraded; but He
made no condition, no qualification;
simile believing was all that was required, —" If thou knewest the gift of
God," thou wouldst have asked, and He
would have given thee " living water."
But is there not, after all, one condition mentioned in this "'word of
Jesus?"-",If any man thirst."  You
may have the depressing consciousness
that you experience no such ardent
longings after holiness,-no feeling of
your affecting need of the Saviour.
But is not this very conviction of your
want an indication of a feeble longing
after Christ?  If you are saying, "I
have nothing to draw with, and the
well is deep," He who makes offer of
the salvation-stream  will Himself fill
your empty vessel,-" He satisfieth the
longing soul with goodness."




THE WORDS OF JESUS.       59
"Jesus stood and cried."  It is the
solitary instance recorded of Him of
whom it is said, "He shall not strive
nor cry," lifting up "His voice in the
streets." But it was truth of surpassing interest and magnitude He had to
proclaim. It was a declaration, moreover, specially dear to him.  As it
formed the theme of this ever-memorable sermon during His public ministry,
so when He was sealing up the inspired
record-the last utterances of His voice
on earth, till that voice shall be heard
again on the throne, contained the same
life-giving invitation,-" Let him that
is athirst come, and whosoever will, let
him  take of the water of life freely."
Oh! as the echoes of that gracious saying-this blast of the silver trumpetare still sounding to the ends of the
world, may this be the recorded result,
"AS HE SPAKE THESE WORDS, MANY BELIEVED ON
HIM."




60       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
15TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." —Matt. xi. 80.
Can  the same be said of
4tw Oqitnl Satan, or sin?  With rerruit.i.    gard to them, how  faithfully true rather is the converse —" my
yoke is heavy, and my burden is griev
outs!" Christ's service is a happy service, the only happy one; and even
when there is a cross to carry, or a
yoke to bear, it is His own appointment.  " Ify yoke."  It is sent by no
untried friend.  Nay, He who puts it
on His people, bore this very yoke
Himself.  "He carried our sorrows."
How blessed this feeling of holy servitude to so kind a Master! not like
"dumb, driven cattle," goaded on, but
led, and led often most tenderly when
the yoke and the burden are upon us.
The great apostle rarely speaks of limn



TIHE WORDS OF JESUS.     61
self under any other title but one. That
one he seems to make his boast. tIe had
much whereof he might glory;-he had
been the. instrument in saving thousands
-he had spoken before kings-he had
been in Caesar's palace and Caesar's
presence-he had been caught up into
the third heaven,-but in all his letters
this is his joyful prefix and superscription," The Servant (literally, the slave)
of Jesus Christ!"
Reader! dost thou know this blessed
servitude? Canst thou say with a joyful heart, "O Lord, truly I am Thy
servant?"' He is no hard taskmaster.
Would Satan try to teach thee so?
Let this be the refutation, "He loved
me, and gave fiimself for me."  True,
the yoke is the appointed discipline he
employs in training his children for
immortality. But be comforted! "It
is I-is tender hand that puts it on, and
keeps it on." He will suit the yoke to
the neck, and the neck to the yoke.
6




62     THIE WORDS OF JESUS.
He will suit His grace to your trials.
Nay, He will bring you even to be in
love with these, when they bring along
with them such gracious unfoldings of
His own faithfulness and mercy. How
His people need thus to be in heaviness
through manifold temptations, to keep
them meek and submissive! " Jeshurun
(like a bullock unaccustomed to the harness, fed and pampered in the stall)
waxed fat, and kicked." Never is there
more gracious love than when God takes
His own means to curb and subjugate,
to humble us, and to prove usbringing us out from ourselves, our
likings, our confidences, our prosperity, and putting us under the needed
YOKE.
And who has ever repented of that
joyful servitude? Among all the ten
thousand regrets that mingle with a
dying hour, and oft bedew with bitter
tears a dying pillow, who ever told of
regrets and repentance here?




THE WORDS OF JESUS.       63
Tried believer, has He ever failed
thee?  Has His yoke been too grievous?. Have thy tears been unalleviated
-thy sorrows unsolaced-thy temptations above that thou wert able to bear?
Ah! rather canst thou not testify, " The
word of the Lord is tried;" I cast
my burden upon Him, and He "sustained me.?" How have seeming difficulties melted away! How has the
yoke lost its heaviness, and the cross
its bitterness, in the thought of whom
thou wert bearing it for! There is a
promised rest in the very carrying
of the yoke; and a better rest remains
for the weary and toil-worn when the
appointed work is finished; for thus
saith "that same Jesus,"' TAEE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME,...
AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS."




64      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
16TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you."John xv. 9.
Tins is the most wont;jW  Xt52tBT  droous  verse  in  the
Uf  iIIe.   Bible. Who can sound
the unimagined depths of that -love
which dwelt in the bosom of the Father
from all eternity towards His Son?and yet here is the Saviour's own' expo —
nent of His love towards His people!
There is no subject more profoundly
mysterious than those mystic intercommunings between the first and second
persons in the adorable Trinity before
the world was. Scripture gives us only
some dim and shadowy revelations regarding them-distant gleams of light,
and no more. Let one suffice. " Then
I was by Him, as one brought up with
Him, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him."




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    65
We know that earthly affection is
deepened and intensified by increased
familiarity with its object. The friendship of yesterday is not the sacred, hallowed thing, which years of growing
intercourse have matured. If we may
with reverence apply this test to the
highest type of holy affection, what
must have been that interchange of
love which the measureless lapse of
Eternity had fostered-a love, moreover, not fitful, transient, vacillating,
subject to altered tones and estranged
looks-but pure, constant, untainted,
without one shadow of turning! And
yet, listen to the "words of Jesus,"
As the Father hath loved me, so have
I loved you! - It would have been infinitely more than we had reason to
expect, if He had said, " As my Father
hath loved ANGELS, SO have I loved
you." But the love borne to no finite
beings is an appropriate symbol. Long
before the birth of time or of worlds,
6*




66      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
that love existed. It was coeval with
Eternity itself.  Hear how  the two
themes of the Saviour's eternal rejoicing-the love of His Father, and His
lovefor sinners-are grouped together;
— " "Rejoicing always before RIM, and
in the habitable part of His earth!"
To complete the picture, we must
take in a counterpart description of the
Father's love to us;-" Therefore doth
my Father love me," says Jesus in another place, "because I lay down my
life!" God had an all-sufficiency in His
love-He needed not the taper-love
of creatures to add to His glory or happiness; but He seems to say, that so
intense is His love for us, that He loves
even His beloved Son more (if infinite
love be capable of increase), because
He laid down His life for the guilty!
It is regarding the Redeemed it is said,
"He shall rest in His love -He shall
rejoice over them with singing."
In the assertion, "God is love," we




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      67
are left truly with no mere unproved
averment regarding the existence of
some abstract quality in the divine
nature.  "Herein," says an apostle,
" perceive we THE LOVE,"-(it is added
in our authorised version, "of God,"
but, as it has been remarked, "Our
translators need not have added whose
love, for there is but one such specimen")
-"because He laid down His life for
us." No expression of love can be
wondered at after this. Ah, how miserable are our best affections compared
with His! "Our love is but the reflection-cold as the moon;  tis is as the
Sun."  Shall we refuse to love Him
more in return, who hath first loved,
and so loved us?
N"EVER ME.N SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN."




68       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
ITTH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said"" Only believe." —Mark v. 86.
THE briefest of the "words
Capt. efof Jesus," but oue of the
(ipell.   most comforting.   They
contain the essence and epitome of all
saving truth.
Reader, is Satan assailing thee with
tormenting fears?  Is the thought of
thy sins-the guilty past-coming up
in terrible memorial before thee, almost tempting thee to give way'to
hopeless despondency? Fear not! A
gentle voice whispers in thine ear,"Only believe."  "Thy sins are great,
but my grace and merits are greater.'Only believe' that I died for theethat I am living for thee and pleading
for thee, and that'the faithful saying'
is as'faithful' as ever, and as'worthy of all acceptation' as ever."-Art




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    69
thou a backslider? Didst thou once
run well?  Has thine own guilty apostacy alienated and estranged thee from
that face which was once all love, and
that service which was once all delight?
Art thou breathing in broken-hearted
sorrow over the holy memories of a close
walk with God-" Oh that it were with
me as in months past, when the candle
of the Lord did shine?"  "Only believe."  Take this thy mournful soliloquy, and convert it into a prayer.
" Only believe" the word of Him whose
ways are not as man's ways.-" Return,
ye backsliding children, and I will heal
your backsliding."-Art thou beaten
down with some heavy trial? have thy
fondest schemes been blown upon-thy
fairest blossoms been withered in the
bud? has wave after wave been rolling
in upon thee? hath the Lord forgotten
to be gracious? Hear the "word of
Jesus" resounding amid the thickest
midnight of gloom-penetrating even




To     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
through the vaults of the dead-" Believe, only believe." There is an infinite reason for the trial-a lurking
thorn that required removal, a gracious
lesson that required teaching. The
dreadful severing blow was dealt in
love. God will be glorified in it, and
your own soul made the better for it.
Patiently wait till the light of immortality be reflected on a receding world.
Here you must take His dealings on
trust. The word of Jesus to you now
is, " Only believe." The word of Jesus
in eternity (every inner meaning and
undeveloped purpose being unfolded),
"Said I not unto thee that if thou
wouldest but BELIEVE, thou shouldst
SEE the glory of God?"-Are you fearful and agitated in the prospect of death~ 
Through fear of the last enemy, have
you been all your lifetime subject to
bondage? —" Only believe."  "As thy
day is, so shall thy strength be." Dying
grace will be given when a dying hour




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      71
comes. In the dark river a sustaining
arm will be underneath you, deeper
than the deepest and darkest wave. Ere
you know it, the darkness will be past,
the true Light shining,-the whisper
of faith in the nether valley," "Believe!
believe!" exchanged for angel-voices
exclaiming, as you enter the portals of
glory, "No longer through a glass
darkly, but now face to face!"
Yes! " Jesus Himself had no higher
remedy for sin, for sorrow, and for suffering, than those two words convey.
At the utmost extremity of His own
distress, and of His disciples' wretchedness, He could only say,' Let not your
heart be troubled: ye believe in God,
believe also in me.'' Believe, only believe.'"
"LORD, I.BELIEVE, HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF."




72       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
18TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Be of good cheer: It is I; be not afraid."-Mark vi. 50.
"IT is I," (or as our old verI rll ( t sion has it, more in accord(i[l.lL m ance with the original), "I
AM! be not afraid!"  Jesus lives!
His people may dispel their misgivings
-Omnipotence treads the waves! To
sense it may seem at times to be otherwise; wayward accident and chance
may. appear to regulate human allotments; but not so: " The Lord's voice
is upon the waters," —He sits at the
helm guiding the tempest-tossed bark,
and guiding it well.
How often does He come to us as He
did to the disciples in that midnight
hour when all seems lost-" in the fourth
watch of the night,"-when we least
looked for Him; or when, like the shipwrecked apostle, "for days together




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     73
neither sun nor stars appeared, and no
small tempest lay. on us; when all
hope that we should be saved seemed
to be taken away," —how often just at
that monent, is the "word of Jesus"
heard floating over the billows!
Believer, art thou in trouble? listen
to the voice in the storm, " Fear not, I
AM." That voice, like Joseph's of old to
his brethren, may seem rough, but there
are gracious undertones of love. "It
is I," he seems to say; It was I, that
roused the storm; It is I, who when it
has done its work, will calm it, and
say, "Peace, be still." Every wave
rolls at My bidding-every trial is My
appointment-all have some gracious
end; they are not sent to dash you
against the sunken rocks, but to waft
you nearer heaven. Is it sickness?  I
am He who bare your sickness; the
weary wasted frame, and the nights of
languishing, were sent by Me. Is it
berecavement? I am " the Brother" born'7




74      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
for adversity —the loved and lost were
plucked away by Me. Is it death? I
AM the " Abolisher of death," seated by
your side to calm the waves of ebbing
life; it is I, about to fetch My pilgrims
home-It is My voice that speaks,
"The Master is come, and calleth for
thee."
Reader, thou wilt have reason yet to
praise thy God for every one such
storm! This is the history of every
heavenly voyager: "So He bringeth
them to their desired haven."  " So!/"
That word, in all its unknown and diversified meaning, is in H-is hand. He
suits His dealings to every case. " So!"
With some it is through quiet seas unfretted by one buffeting wave. "So!" With
others it is " mounting up to heaven,
and going down again to the deep."
But whatever be the leading and the
discipline, here is the grand consummation, " So He bringeth them unto their
desired haven." It might have been




THE WORDS OF JESUS.      75
with thee the moanings of an eternal
night-blast-no lull or pause in the
storm; but soon the darkness will be
past, and the hues of morn tipping the
shores of glory!
And what, then, should your attitude
be? "Looking unto Jesus" (literally,
lookingfrom.unto); looking away from
self, and sin, and human props and
refuges and confidences, and fixing the
eye of unwavering and unflinching faith
on a reigning Saviour. Ah, how a real
quickening sight of Christ dispels all
guilty fears! The Roman keepers of
old were affrighted, and became as dead
men. The lowly Jewish women feared
not; why?  "I know  that ye seek
Jesus!"  Reader, let thy weary spirit
fold itself to rest under the composing
" word" of a gracious Saviour, sayinga" I WAIT FOR THE LORD, MY SOUL DOTH W.AIT, AND IN
HIS WORD DO I HOPE."




716     oTHE WORDS OF JESUS.
19TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as
the world giveth, give I unto you."-John xiv. 27.
How  we treasure the last
r1~I  aihtg sayings  of a dying  pa~I'lltg.   rent! How specially cherished and memorable are his last looks
and last words! Here are the last
words-the parting legacy-of a dying
Saviour.  It is a legacy ofpeace.
What peace is this?  It is His own
purchase-a peace arising out of free
forgiveness through His precious blood.
It is sung in concert with " Glory to
God in the highest"-a peace made as
sure to us as eternal power and infinite
love can make it! It is peace the soul
wants. Existence is one long-drawn
sigh after repose. That is nowhere
else to be found, but through the blood
of His cross! "Being justified by faith,




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     77
we have peace with God." " HE giveth
his beloved rest!"
How  different from  the false and
counterfeit peace in which so many are
content to live, and content to die!
The world's peace is all well, so long as
prosperity lasts-so long as the stream
runs smooth, and the sky is clear; but
when the cataract is at hand, or the
storm is gathering, where is it? It is
gone! There is no calculating on its
permanency. Often when the cup is
fullest, there is the trembling apprehension that in one brief moment it may be
dashed to the ground. The soul may
be saying to itself, "Peace, peace;" but,
like the writing on the sand, it may be
obliterated by the first wave of adversity. BUT, "Not as the world giveth!"
The peace of the believer is deep-calm
- lasting - everlasting.  The world,
with all its blandishments, cannot give
it. The world, with all its vicissitudes
and fluctuations, cannot take it away!




78      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
It is brightest in the hour of trial;
it lights up the final valley-gloom.
"Mlark the perfect man, and behold
the upright, for the end of that man is
peace." Yes! how often is the believer's deathbed like the deep calm repose
of a summer-evening's sky, when all
nature is hushed to rest; the departing
soul, like the vanishing sun, peacefully
disappearing only to shine in another
and brighter hemisphere! "I seem,"
said Simeon on his deathbed, "to have
nothing to do but to wait: there is now
nothing but peace, the sweetest peace."
Believer! do you know this peace
which passeth understanding? Is it
"keeping (literally,'garrisoning as in
a citadel') your heart?" Have you
learnt the blessedness of waking up,
morning after morning, and feeling, "I
am at peace with my God;" of beholding by faith the true Aaron-the'great
High Priest-coming forth from " the
holiest of all" to "bless His people




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     79
with peace?"  Waves of trouble may
be murmuring around you, but they
cannot touch you; you are in the
rock-crevice athwart which the fiercest
tornado sweeps by. Oh! leave not the
making up of your peace with God to
a dying hour! It will be a hard thing
to smooth the death-pillow, if peace be
left unsought till then. Make sure of it
now. He, the true Melchisedec, is willing now to come forth to meet you with
bread and wine-emblems of peaceful gospel blessings. All the " words of
Jesus" are so many rills contributing
to make your peace flow as a river;"These things have I spoken unto you,
that in Me ye might have peace."
G"I WILL HEAR WHAT GOD THE LORD WILL SPEAK,
FOR HE WILL SPEAK PEACE UNTO HIS PEOPLE
AND TO HIS SAINTS.~"




80       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
20TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how
He said""All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."Matt. xxviii. 18.
{gp (ffiIr6Pa  WHRAT  an  empire  is
this! Heaven and earth
3IIEI~ttitltie. -the Church militant —
the Church triumphant-angels and
archangels - saints and seraphs. At
His mandate the billows were husheddemons crouched in terror-the grave
yielded its prey!    Upon his head are
many crowns." He is made "head over
all things to His Church."  Yes! over
all things, from  the minutest to the
mightiest.  He holds tile stars in His
right hand cl.-he walks in the midst of
the seven golden candlesticks, feeding
every candlestick with the oil of His
grace, and preserving every star in its
spiritual orbit. The prince of I)arkness has "a power," but, God be praised,




TIHE WORDS OF TESUS.   81
it is not an "all power;" potent, but
not omnipotent. Christ holds him in
a chain. He hath set bounds that he
may not pass over. " Satan," we read
in the book of Job, "went out (Chaldee
paraphrase,'with a licence') trom the
presence of the Lord."  He was not
allowed even to enter the herd of swine
till Christ permitted him. He only
" desired" to have Peter that he might
" sift him;" there was a mightier countervailing agency at hand: "I have
prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."
Believer, how often is there nothing
but this grace of Jesus between thee
and everlasting destruction! Satan's
key fitting the lock in thy wayward
heart; but a stronger than the strong
man barring him out;-the power of
the adversary fanning the flame; the
Omnipotence of Jesus quenching it.
Art thou even now feeling the strength
of thy corruptions, the weakness of thy
graces, the presence of some outward or




82      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
inward temptation? Look up to Him
who has promised to make His grace
sufficient for thee; " all power" is His
prerogative; "all-sufficiency in  all
things" is His promise. It is power, too,
in conjunction with tenderness. lie who
sways the sceptre of universal empire
"gently leads" His weak, and weary,
and burdened ones:-He who counts
the number of the stars, loves to count
the number of their sorrows; nothing
too great, nothing too insignificant for
Him. He puts every tear into Ilis
bottle. He paves His people's pathway with love!
Blessed Jesus! my everlasting interests cannot be in better or in safer
keeping than in Thine. I can exultingly rely on the " all-power" of Thy
Godhead. I can sweetly rejoice in the
all-sympathy of Thy Manhood. I can
confidently repose in the sure wisdom of
Thy dealings. " Sometimes," says one,
"we expect the blessing in ourway; He




THE WORDS OF JESUS.          83
chooses to bestow it in  gis."  But His
way and His will must be the best.
Infinite love, infinite power, infinite
wisdom, are surely infallible guarantees. His purposes nothing can alter.
His promises never fail.  His word
never falls to the ground.
"HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY, BUT MY
WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY."




84       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
21ST DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and
shall show it unto you."-John xvi. 14.
T.TE  Hioly  Spirit glorifying Jesus in the unfoldings of His person, and
character, and work, to His people!
Tihe great ministering agent between
the Church on earth and its glorified
Head in Heaven,-carrying up to the
Intercessor on the throne, the ever-recurring wants and trials, the perplexities and sins, of believers; and receiving out of His inexhaustible treasury
of love,-comfort for their sorrowsstrength for their weakness-sympathy
for their tears-fulness for their emptiness,-and th]is the one sublime end and
object of His gracious agency,-" He
shall glorify Ae." " He shall not speak
of Himself, but whatsoever He shall




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     85
hear, that shall He speak." [My words
of sympathy —My omnipotent pleadings
-the tender messages sent from an unchanged Hu-man Heart,-all these shall
He speak. " He shall tell you," says an
old divine, commenting on this passage,
"He shall tell you nothing but stories of
My love" (Goodwin). He will have an
ineffable delight in magnifying Me in
the affections of My Church and people,
and endearing Me to their hearts; and
He is all worthy of credence, for He is
"the Spirit of truth."
How faithful has He been in every age
to this His great office as "the glorifier
of Jesus!" See the first manifestation
of His power in the Christian Church
at the day of Pentecost. What was
the grand truth which forms the focuspoint of interest in that unparalleled
scene, and which brings three thousand
stricken penitents to their knees? it
is the Spirit's nfolding of Jesus —glorifying Hfim in eyes that before saw in




86     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
Him no beauty? Hear the key-note of
that wondrous sermon, preached " in
demonstration of tile Spirit, and with
power,"-" HIM hath God exalted to be
a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to His people, and forgiveness of
sins."
Ah? it is still the same peerless truth
which the Spirit delights to unfold to
the stricken sinner, and, in unfolding
it, to make it mighty to the pulling
down of strongholds. All these glorious inner beauties of Christ's work and
character are undiscerned and undiscernible by the natural eye. " It is the
Spirit that quickeneth." " No man can
call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."
He is the great Forerunner-a mightier
than the Baptist-proclaiming, " Behold
the Lamb of God!"
Reader! any bright and realising
view you have had of the Saviour's
glory and excellency, is of the Spirit's
imparting. When in some hour of sor



THE WORDS OF JESUS.      87
row you have been led to cleave with
pre-eminent consolation to the thought
of the Redeemer's exalted sympathyHis dying, ever-living love; or in the
hour of death, when you feel the sustaining power of His exceeding great
and precious promises;-what is this,
but the Holy Spirit, in fulfilment of His
all-gracious office, taking of all things
of Christ, and showing them unto you;
thus enabling you to magnify Him in
your body, whether it be by life or
death? As your motto should ever be,
"None BUT Christ," and your ever.
increasing aspiration," "i.ore OF Christ,"
seek to bear in mind who it is that
is alone qualified to impart the " excellency of this knowledge."
"TIlE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WHICH PROCEEDETH FROM THE
FATHER, HE SHALL TESTIFY OF ME."




88       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
22D DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Your sorrow shall be turned into joy."-John xvi. 20.
~~w ~      CHRIST'S people  are
a sorrowing people!;m~ashfifmati gt.    Chastisement is their
badge —" great tribulation" is their appointed discipline. When they enter
the gates of glory, He is represented
as wiping away tears from their eyes.
But, weeping ones, be comforted!
Your Lord's special mission to earththe great errand He came from heaven
to fulfil, was " to bind up the brokenhearted." Your trials are meted out by
a tender hand. He knows you too
well-He loves you too well-to make
this world tearless and sorrowless!
" There must be rain, and hail, and
storm," says Rutherford, " in the saint's
cloud." Were your earthly course




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     89
strewed with flowers, and nothing but
sunbeams played around your dwelling,
it would lead you to forget your nomadic
life,-that you are but a sojourner here.
The tent must at times be struck, pin
by pin of the moveable tabernacle
taken down, to enable you to say and
to feel in the spirit of a pilgrim, "I
desire a better country." Meantime,
while sorrow is your portion, think of
Him who says, "I know your sorrows."
Angels cannot say so — they cannot
sympathise with you, for trial is a
strange word to them. But there is a
mightier than they who can. All lie
sends you and appoints you is in love.
There is a provision and condition
wrapt up in the bosom of every affliction,
" nf need be;" coming from His hand,
soIrrows and riches are to His people
convertible terms. If tempted to murmur at their trials, they are often murmuring at disguised mercies. "Why
do you ask me," said Simeon, on his
8*




90     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
death-bed, "what I like? I am the
Lord's patient-I cannot but like everything."
And then —" your sorrow shall be
turned into joy."  "The morning cometh"-that bright morning when the
dew-drops collected during earth's night
of weeping shall sparkle in its beams;
when in one blessed moment a lifelong experience of trial will be effaced
and forgotten, or remembered only by
contrast, to enhance the fulness of the
joys of immortality. What a revelation of gladness! The map of time
disclosed, and every little rill of sorrow,
every river will be seen to have been
flowing heavenwards, - every rough
blast to have been sending the bark
nearer the haven! In that jby, God
Himself will participate. In the last
"words of Jesus" to His people when
they are standing by the triumphal
archway of Glory, ready to enter on
their thrones and crowns, He speaks




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    91
of their joy as if it were all ITs own.
"Enter ye into the joy of your Lord."
Reader, may this joy be yours! Sit
loose to the world's joys. Have a feeling of chastened gratitude and thankfulness when you have them; but beware of resting in them, or investing
them with a permanency they cannot
have. Jesus had his eye on heaven
when he added"YOUR JOY NO MAN TAKETH FROM YOU."




92       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
23D DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory."John xvii. 24.
11 tll     Tins is not the petition of a suppliant, but
q'rltlnr.~   the claim  of a conqueror.  There was only one request
He ever made, or ever can make, that
was refused; it was the prayer wrung
forth by the presence and power of
superhuman anguish: " Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass firom me!"
hIad that prayer been answered,. never
could one consolatory " word of Jesus"
have been ours.  "If it be possible;"
— but for that gracious parenthesis, NNxe
must have  been lost for ever! In
unmurmuring  submission, the bitter
cup was drained; all the dread penalties of the law were borne, the atonement completed, an all-perfect righteousness wrought out; and now, as the




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     93
stipulated reward of His obedience and
sufferings, the Victor claims His trophies. What are they? Those that
were given Him  of the Father-the
countless multitudes redeemed by His
blood. These He " wills" to be with
Him "-where He is"-the spectators of
His glory, and partakers of His crown.
Wondrous word and will of a dying
testator! His last prayer on earth is
an importunate pleading for their glorification; His parting wish is to meet
them in heaven: as if these earthly
jewels were needed to make His
crown complete, —their happiness and
joy the needful complement of His
own!
Reader! learn from this, the grand
element in the bliss of your future
condition-it is the presence of Christ;
"with lle where I am."  It matters
comparatively little as to the locality of
heaven. " We shall see Hin as He is,"
is "the blessed hope" of the Christian.




94     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
hIeaven would be no heaven without
Jesus; the withdrawal of His presence
would be like the blotting out of the
sun from the firmament; it would uncrown every seraph, and unstring every
harp. But, blessed thought! it is'lis
own stipulation in His testamentary
prayer, that Eternity is to be spent in
union and communion with IIimself,
gazing on the unfathomed mysteries of
His love, becoming more assimilated
to His glorious image, and drinking
deeper from the ocean of His own joy.
If anything can enhance the magnitude of this promised bliss, it is the
concluding words of the verse, in which
He grounds His plea for its bestowment: "I will-that they behold my
glory;" -why? "For Thou lovedst
(not them, but) ME before the foundation of the world!" It is equivalent to
saying, "If Thou wouldst give Me a
continued proof of Thine everlasting
love and favour to Myself, it is by lov~- - - - - -




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     95
ing and exalting My redeemed people.
II1 loving them and glorifying. them,
Thou art loving and glorifying MIe: so
endearingly are their interests and My
own bound up together!"
Believer, think of that all-prevailing
voice, at this moment pleading for thee
within the veil! —that omnipotent " Fathier, I will," securing every needed
boon! There is given, so to speak, a
blank cheque by which He and His
people may draw indefinite supplies out
of the exhaustless treasury of the Father's grace and love. God Himself
endorses it with  the words, "Son,
Thou art ever with me, and all that I
have is Thine."  I tow it would reconcile us to Earth's bitterest sorrows, and
hallow Earth's holiest joys, if we saw
them thus hanging on the "will" of an
all-wise Intercessor, who ever pleads in
love, and never pleads in vain!'BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO THY WORD."




96       THE WORDS OF JESUS.
24TH DAY.
"Rememiber the words of the Lord Jesus, how
He said""Because I live, ye shall live also."-John xiv. 19."
GOD sometimes selects
the most stable  and
4Ul_1g.    enduring objects in the
material world to illustrate His unchanging faithfulness and love to His
Church. " As the mountains are round
about Jerusalem, so doth the Lord compass his people."  But here, the Redeemer fetches an argument from  H/is
own everlasting nature.  He stakes, so
to speak, His own existence on that of
His saints.  "Because I live, ye shall
live also."
Believer! read in this "word of
Jesus" thy glorious title-deed.  Thy
Saviour lives-and His life is the guarantee of thine own. Our true Joseph
is alive. " He is our Brother. He talks
kindly to us!" That life of His, is all




THE WORDS OF JESUS.     97
that is between us and everlasting ruin.
But with Christ for our life, how inviolable our security! The great Fountain of being must first be dried up,
before the streamlet can. The great
Sun must first be quenched, ere one
glimmering satellite which He lights
up with His splendour can.  Satan
must first pluck the crown from that
glorified Head, before he can touch one
jewel in the crown of His people. They
cannot shake one pillar without shaking first the throne. "If we perish,"
says Luther, "Christ perisheth with
us."
Reader! is thy life now "hid with
Christ in God?" Dost thou know the
blessedness of a vital and living union
with a living, life-giving Saviour 
Canst thou say with humble and joyous confidence, amid the fitfulness of
thine own ever-changing frames and
feelings,"  Nevertheless I live, yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me?"  "Jesus
9




98      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
liveth!"-They are the happiest words
a lost soul and a lost world can hear!
Job, four thousand years ago, rejoiced in
them. " I know," says he, " that I have
a living Kinsmaern." John, in his Patmos exile, rejoiced in them. "I am He
that liveth" (or the Living One), was the
simple but sublime utterance with which
he was addressed by that same " Kinsman," when He appeared arrayed in
the lustres of His glorified humanity.
" This is the record" (as if there was a
whole gospel comprised in the statement), " that God hath given to us eternal life, and this.life is in His Son."
St. Paul, in the 8th chapter to the Romans-that finest portraiture of Christian character and privilege ever drawn,
begins with "' no condemnation," and
ends with " no separation." Why " no
separation?" Because the life of the
believer is incorporated with that of his
adorable Head and Surety. The colossal Heart of redeemed humanity beats




THE WORDS OF JESUS.           99
upon the throne, sending its mighty
pulsations through every member of
His body; so that, before the believer's
spiritual life can be destroyed, Omnipotence must become feebleness, and Immutability become mutable!
But, blessed  Jesus, "Thy  word is
very sure, therefore Thy servant loveth
it."
"I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY SHALL
NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN
PLUCK THEM' OUT OF MY HAND."




100     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
25TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Lo, I am with'you alway, even unto the end of the
world."-Matt. xxviii. 20.
hin  SUCH were "the words of
Jesus" when He was just
trat~Srlr. about to ascend to Heaven.
The mediatorial throne was in viewthe harps of glory were sounding in His
ears; but all His thoughts are on the
pilgrim Church He is to leave behind.
His last words and benedictions are for
them.  "I go," He seems to say, "to
Heaven, to my purchased crown-to the
fellowship of angels —to the presence of
my Father; but, nevertheless,' Lo! I
am with you alway, even unto the end
of the world.'"'
How faithfully did the Apostles, to
whom this promise was first addressed,
experience its reality! Hear the testimony of the beloved disciple who had




THE WORDS OF JESUS.   101
once leant on his Divine Master's bosom
-who " had heard, and seen, and looked
upon Him." That glorified bosom was
now hid from his sight; but does he
speak of an absent Lord, and of His
fellowship only as among the holy memories of the past? No! with rejoicing
emphasis he can exclaim-" Truly our
fellowship is with.... Jesus Christ."
Amid so much that is fugitive here,
how the heart clings to this assurance of
the abiding presence of the Saviour!
Our best earthly friends-a few weeks
may estrange them;-centuries have
rolled on-Christ is still the same.
How blessed to think, that if I am indeed a child of God, there is not the
lonely instant I am without His guardianship! When the beams of the morning visit my chamber, the brighter
beams of a brighter Sun are shining
upon me. When the shadows of evening are gathering around, "it is not
night, if He, the unsetting'Sun of
9*




102     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
my soul,' is near."is is is no fitful companionship-present in prosperity, gone
in adversity. Ile never changes. Hieis always the same,-in sickness and
solitude, in joy and in sorrow, in life
and in death. Not more faithfully did
the pillar-cloud and column of fire of
old precede Israel, till the last murmuring ripple of Jordan fell on their ears on
the shores of Canaan, than does the presence and love of Jesus abide with His
people. thas IIis word of promise ever
proved false? Let the great cloud of
witnesses now in glory testify. "Not
one thing hath failed of all that the
Lord our God hath spoken."  This
" word of the Lord is tried"-" having
loved his own, which were in the world,
He loved them unto the end."
Believer! art thou troubled and
tempted? Do dark providences and
severe afflictions seem to belie the truth
and reality of this gracious assurance?
Art thou ready, with Gideon, to say,




TIE WORDS OF JESUS.    103
"If the Lord be indeed with us, why
has all this befallen us?" Be assured
He has some faithful end in view. By
the removal of prized and cherished
earthly props and'refuges, He would
unfold more of his own tenderness.
Amid the wreck and ruin of earthly
joys, which, it may be, the grave has
hidden from  your sight, One nearer,
dearer, tenderer still, would have you
say of Himself, " The Zord liveth; and
blessed be my Rock; and let the God of
my salvation be exalted." " Thanks
be to God, who always maketh us to
triumph in Christ." Yes! and never
more so than when, stripped of all competing objects of creature affection, we
are left, like the disciples on the mount,
with " Jesus only!"
"THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, TEAT IN
ME YE MIGHT HAVE PEACE."




104      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
26TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet he shall live."-John. xi.
25.
(a0 4l B~rSt   PtltV WHAT a voice is this
breaking over a world
anUI  iifr.    which for six thousand years has been a dormitory of sin
and death! For four thousand of these
years, heathendom could descry no light
through the bars of the grave; her oracles were dumb on the great doctrine of
a future state, and more especially regarding the body's resurrection. Even
the Jewish Church, under the Old Testament dispensation, seemed to enjoy
little more than fitful and uncertain
glimmerings, like men groping in the
dark. It required death's great Abolisher to show, to a benighted world, the
luminous "path of life."  With Him
rested  the "bringing in of a better




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    105
hope"-the unfolding of " the mystery
which had been hid from ages and generations." Marvellous disclosure! that
this mortal frame, decomposed and
resolved into its original dust, shall yet
start from its ashes, remodelled and reconstructed-" a glorified body!" Not
like "the earthly tabernacle" (a mere
shifting and moveable tent, as the word
denotes), but incorruptible-immortal!
The beauteous transformation of the insect from its chrysalis state-the buried
seed springing up from its tiny grave to
the full-eared corn or gorgeous flowerthese are nature's mute utterances as to
the possibility of this great truth, which
required the unfoldings of " a more sure
word of prophecy." But the Gospel has
fully revealed whatReason,in her loftiest
imaginings, could not have dreamt of.
Jesus "hath brought life and immortality to light."  He, the Bright and
Morning Star, hath " turned the shadow
of death into the morning." He gives,




106     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
in His own resurrection, the earnest of
that of His people; —He is the firstfruits of the immortal harvest yet to be
gathered into the garner of Heaven.
Precious truth-! This " word of
Jesus" spans like a celestial rainbow
the entrance to the dark valley. Death
is robbed of its sting. In the case of
every child of God, the grave holds in
custody precious, because redeemed,
dust. Talk of it not, as being committed to a dishonoured tomb!-it is
locked up, rather, in the casket, of God
until the day" when He maketh up His
jewels," when it will be fashioned in
deathless beauty like unto the glorified
body of the Redeemer. Angels, meanwhile, are commissioned to keep watch
over it, till the trump of the archangel
shall proclaim the great "Easter of
creation." They are the "reapers,"
waiting for the world's great" Harvest
Home," when Jesus Himself shall come
again-not as He once did, humiliated




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    107
and in sorrow, but rejoicing in the
thought of bringing back all His sheaves
with him.
Afflicted and bereaved Christian!thou who mayest be mourning in bitterness those who are not-rejoice
through thy tears in these hopes " full
of immortality." The silver cord is
only " loosed," not broken. Perchance,
as thou standest in the chamber of
death, or by the brink of the grave,-in
the depths of that awful solitude and
silence which reigns around,-this may
be thy plaintive and mournful soliloquy
-" Shall the dust praise Thee." Yes,
it shall!  This very dust that hears
now unheeded thy footsteps, and unmoved thy tears, shall through eternity
praise its redeeming God-it shall proclaim His truth!
"ILORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO BUT UNTO THEE,
THOU HAST THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE."




108      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
27TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said" —
"A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again, a
little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the
Father."-John xvi. 16.
JEt ]ittle  LONG seem  the moments
when we are separated
tile.      from  the friend we love.
An absent brother-how his return is
looked and longed for! The " Elder
Brother" — the "Living Kinsman" --
sends a message to His waiting Church
and people —a word of solace, telling
that 8oon ("a little while,") and He
will be back again, never again to leave
them.
There are indeed blessed moments of
communion which the believer enjoys
with His beloved Lord now; but how
fitful and transient! To-day, life is a
brief Emmaus journey-the soul happy
in the presence and love of an unseen
Saviour. To-morrow, He is gone; and




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    109
the bereft spirit is led to interrogate itself in plaintive sorrow, —" Where is
now thy God?" Even when there is
no such experience of darkness and
depression, how much there is in the
world around to fill the believer with
sadness! His Lord rejected and disowned-His love set at nought —His
providences slighted- His name blasphemed-HIis creation groaning and
travailing in pain-disunion, too, among
His people-His loving heart wounded
in the house of His friends!
But "yet a little while," and all this
mystery of iniquity will be finished.
The absent Brother's footfall will soon
be heard, —no longer." as a wayfaring
Wnan who turneth aside to tarry for:a
night," but to receive His people into
the permanent "mansions" His love
has been preparing, and from which
they shall go no more out. Oh, blessed
day! when creation will put on her
Easter robes-when her Lord, so long
10




110     TIE WORDS OF JESUS.
dishonoured, will be enthroned amid the
hosannahs of a rejoicing universeangels lauding Him-saints crowning
Him-sin, the dark plague-spot on His
universe, extinguished for ever —death
swallowed up in eternal victory!
And it is but "a little while!"
"Yet a little while," we elsewhere
read, "and He that shall come, will
come, and will not tarry" (literally, " a
little while as may be.") "He will
stay not a moment longer," says Goodwin, " than He hath -despatched all our
business in Heaven for us."  With
what joy will He send His mission-Angel with the announcement, "the little
while is at an end;".and to issue the
invitation to the great festival of glory,
"Come! for all things are ready!"
Child of sorrow! think often of this
"little while."  "The days of thy
mourning will soon be ended." There
is a limit set to thy suffering time," After that ye have suffered a wnLE."




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    111
Every wave is numbered between you
and the haven; and then when that
haven is reached, oh, what an apocalypse of glory!-the " little while" of
time merged into the great and unending "while of eternity!-to be for
ever'with the -Lor —the same unchanged
and unchanging Saviour!
"A little while, and ye shall see
me!" Would that the eye of faith
might be kept more intently fixed on
" that glorious appearing!" How the
world, with its guilty fascinations, tries
to dim and obscure this blessed hope!
How the heart is prone: to throw out
its fibres here, and get them rooted in
some perishable object! Reader! seek
to dwell more habitually on this the
grand consummation of all thy dearest
wishes. "Stand on the edge of your
nest, pluming your wings for flight."
Like the mother of Sisera, be looking
for the expected chariot.
"HE IS FAITHFUL THAT PROMISED."




112      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
28TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."Mat. v. 8.
q] 4 at] [tiflr HERE iS HEAVEN!  This.i na.   "'word of Jesus" repre~iitIII.     sents the future state of
the glorified to consist not in locality,
but in character; the essence of its bliss
is the full vision and fruition of God.
Our attention is called from all vague
and indefinite theories about the circumstantials of future happiness.  The
one grand object of contemplation-the
" glory which excelleth," is the sight of
God llimsef!  The one grand practical lesson enforced on His people, is the
cultivation of that purity of heart without which none could see, or (even
could we suppose it possible to be admitted to see Him) none could enjoy
God I  "The kingdom of Heaven com



THlE WORDS OF JESUS.    113
eth not with observation.. the kingdom of God is within you."
Reader, hast thou attained any of
this heart-purity and heart-preparation?  It has been beautifully said
that "the openings of the streets of
heaven are on earth." Even here we
may enjoy, in the possession of holiness,
some foretaste of coming bliss. Who has
not felt *that the happiest moments
of their lives were those of close walking with God-nearness to the mercyseat-when self was surrendered, and
the eye was directed to the glory of
Jesus, with most single, unwavering,
undivided aim? What will Heaven be,
but the entire surrender of the soul to
Him, without any bias to evil, without
the fear of corruption within echoing
to temptation without; every thought
brought into captivity to the obedience
of Christ; no contrariety to His mind;
all in blessed unison with His will;
the whole being impregnated with holi



114    THE WORDS OF JESUS.
ness-the intellect purified and ennobled, consecrating all its powers to His
service-memory, a holy repository of
pure and hallowed recollections-the
affections, without one competing rival,
purged from all the dross of earthliness
-the love of God, the one supreme
animating passion-the glory of God,
the motive principle interfused through
every thought, and feeling, and action
of the life immortal; in one word, the
heart a pellucid fountain; no sediment
to dim its purity, "no angel of sorrow"
to come and trouble the pool! The long
night of life over, and this the glory of
the eternal morrow which succeeds it!
" I shall be satisfied when I awake, with
Thy likeness."
Yes, this is Heaven, subjectively and
objectively-purity of heart and "God
all in all!"  Much, doubtless, there
may and will be of a subordinate kind,
to intensify the bliss of the redeemed;
communion with saints and angels;




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    115
re-admission into the society of deathdivided friends: but all these will fade
before the great central glory, " God
Himself shall be with them, and be
their God; they shall see Ifs face i"
Believers have been aptly called heliotropes-turning their faces as the sunflower towards the Sun of Righteousness, and hanging their leaves in sadness and sorrow, when that Sun is
away.. It will be in heaven the emblem is complete. There, every flower
in the heavenly garden will be turned
Godwards, bathing its tints of loveliness in the glory that excelleth!
Reader, may it be yours, when o'ercanopied by that cloudless sky, to know
all the marvels contained in these few
glowing words, " We shall be like
Him, for we shall see him as He is."
"AND EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE IN HIM PURIFIETH
HIMSELF EVEN AS HE IS PURE."




116     T-HE WORDS OF JESUS.
29TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""In my Father's house are many mansions."-John xiv. 2.
{F X I ~WHAT  a  home aspect
there is in this " word of:shiiOtnu. Jesus!"   He  comforts
His Church by telling them that soon
their wilderness-wanderings will be
finished,-the tented tabernacle suited
to their present probation-state exchanged for the enduring " mansion'?
Nor will it be any strange dwelling:
a Father's home-a Father's welcome
awaits them.  There will be accommodation for all. Thousands have
already entered its shining gates,patriarchs, prophets, saints, martyrs,
young and old, and still there is room!
The pilgrim's motto on earth is,
"Here we have no continuing city."
Even " Sabbath tents" must be struck.
Holy seasons of communion must ter



THE WORDS OF JESUS.    11t
minate. "Arise, let us go hence!" is
a summons which disturbs the sweetest
moments of tranquillity in the Church
below; but in Heaven, every believer
becomes a pillar in the temple of God,
and " he shall go no more out." Here it
is but the lodging of a wayfarer turning aside to tarry for the brief night of
earth. Here we are but "tenants at
will;" our possessions are but moveables-ours to-day, gone to-morrow.
But these many "mansions" are an
inheritance incorruptible and unfading.
Nothing can touch the heavenly patrimony. Once within the Father's house,
and we are in the house for ever!
Think, too, of Jesus, gone to prepare
these mansions,-" I go to prepare a
place for you." What a wondrous
thought-Jesus now busied in Heaven
in His Church's behalf! He can find
no abode in all His wide dominions,
befitting as a permanent dwelling for
His ransomed ones. He says, "I will




118     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
make new heavens and a new earth.
I will found a special kingdom-I will
rear eternal mansions expressly for those
I have redeemed with my blood!"
Reader, let the prospect of a dwelling in this "house of the Lord for
ever," reconcile thee to any of the
roughnesses or difficulties in thy present
path-to thy pilgrim provision and
pilgrim fare. Let the distant beaconlight, that so cheeringly speaks of a
Home brighter and better far than the
happiest of earthly ones, lead thee to
forget the intervening billows, or to
think of them only as wafting thee
nearer and nearer to. thy desired haven!
"Would," says a saint, who has now
entered on his rest, "that one -could
read, and write, and pray, and eat and
drink, and compose one's self to sleep, as
with the thought,-soon to bein heaven,
and that for ever and ever!"
"My Father's house!" How many
a departing spirit has -been cheered and




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    119
consoled by the sight of these glorious
Mansions looming through the mists of
the dark valley,-the tears of weeping
friends rebuked by the gentle chiding"If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto my Father!"
Death truly is but the entrance to this
our Father's house. We speak of the
"s8hadow  of death"-it is only the
shadow which falls on the portico as
we stand for a moment knocking at
the longed-for gate - the next! a
Father's voice of welcome is heard" ON I THOU ART EVER WITH ME, AND ALL THAT I HAVE
IS THINL.




120      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
80TH DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said""I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that
where I am, there ye may be also."-John xiv. 8.
Ca    lrmmb  ANOTHER  "word  of
promise" concerning
i;EttrItt.   the Church's "blessed
hope." Orphaned pilgrims, dry your
tears! Soon the Morning Hour will
strike, and the sighs of a groaning and
burdened creation be heard no more.
Earth's six thousand years of toil and
sorrow are waning; the Millennial Sabbath is at hand. Jesus will soon be
heard to repeat concerning all his sleeping saints, what He said of old regarding one of them: " I go to awake them
out of sleep!" Yourbeloved Lord's first
coming was in humiliation and woe;
His name was-the " Man of Sorrows;"
He had to travel on, amid darkness and
desertion, His blood-stained path; a




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    121
chaplet of thorns was the only crown
He bore. But soon He will come " the
second time without a sin-offering unto
salvation," never again to leave His
Church, but to receive those who followed Him in His cross, to be everlasting partakers with Him in His crown.
He may seem to tarry. External nature, in her unvarying and undeviating
sequences, gives no indication of His
approach.  Centuries have elapsed
since He uttered the promise, and still
He lingers; the everlasting hills wear
no streak of approaching dawn; we
seem to listen in vain for the noise of
His chariot wheels. "But the Lord is
not slack concerning His promise;"
He gives you "this word" in addition
to many others as a keepsake-a pledge
and guarantee for the certainty of His
return, —" I will come again."
Who can conceive all the surpassing
blessedness connected with that advent?
The Elder Brother arrived to fetch the
11




122    THE WORDS OF JESUS.
younger brethren home! -the true
Joseph revealing Himself in unutterable tenderness to the brethren who
were once estranged from Him —"receiving them unto himself" —not satisfied with apportioning a kingdom for
them, but, as -if all His own joy and
bliss were intermingled with theirs,
"Where I am," says He, "there you
must be also."  " Him  that overcometh," says He again, "will I grant
to sit with Me on My Throne."
Believer, can you now  say with
some of the holy transport of the
apostle, "Whom having not seen, we
love?" What must it be when you come
to see Him "face to face," and that
for ever and ever!  If you can tell
of precious hours of communion in a
sin-striken, woe-worn world, with a
treacherous heart, and an imperfect or
divided love, what must it be when
you come, in a sinless, sorrowless state,
with purified and renewed affections, to




THE WORDS OF JESUS.    123
see the King in His beauty! The
letter of an absent brother, cheering
and consolatory as it is, is a poor compensation for the joys of personal and
visible communion. The absent Elder
Brother on the Throne speaks to you
now only by His Word and Spirit,soon you shall be admitted to His immediate fellowship, seeing him  "as
He is"-He Himself unfolding the
wondrous chart of His providence and
grace-leading you about from fountain
to fountain among the living waters,
and with his own gentle hand wiping
the last lingering tear-drop from your
eye. Heaven an everlasting home with
Jesus!  " Where I am, there ye may
be also."-He has appended a cheering
postscript to this word, on which He
has " caused us to hope:"BHE WHICH TESTIFIETH THESE THINGS SAITH, SURELY I
COME QUICKLY."




124      THE WORDS OF JESUS.
81ST DAY.
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how
He said""Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He
cometh shall find watching."-Luke xii. 87.
~1~     i w[Hei[g  CnHID of God! is this,.      thine attitude, as the exMrlldIctinun. pectant of thy Lord's appearing?  Are thy loins girded, and
thy lights burning? If the cry were to
break upon thine ears this day, "''Behold the Bridegroom cometh," couldst
thou joyfully respond-" Lo, this is my
God, I have waited for him?"  WHEN
He may come, we cannot tell; —ages
may elapse before then.  It may be
centuries before our graves are gilded
with the beams of a Millennial sun; but
while Hie may or may not come soon,
He must come at some time-ay, and
the day of our death is virtually to all
of us the day of His coming.
Reader! put not off the solemn pre



TIE WORDS OF JESUS.    125
paration. Be not deceived or deluded
with the mocker's presumptuous challenge, "Where is the promise of His
comingS" See to it that the calls of an
engrossing world without, do not foster
this procrastinating spirit within. It
may be now or never with thee. Put
not off thy sowing time till harvest
time. Leave nothing foi a dying hour,
but to die, and calmly to resign thy spirit
into the hands of Jesus. Of all times,
that is the least suitable to have the
vessel plenished-to attend to the great
business of life when life is ebbing-to
trim the lamp when the oil is done and
it is flickering in its socket —to begin
to watch, when the summons is heard
to leave the watch-tower to meet our
God!
Were you never struck how often,
amid the many gentle words of Jesus,
the summons "to watch," is over and over
repeated, like a succession of alarumbells breaking ever and anon, amid
11*




126     THE WORDS OF JESUS.
chimes of heavenly music, to rouse
a sleeping Church and a slumbering
world?
Let this last "Word" of thy Lord's
send thee to thy knees with the question, -- "Am I indeed a servant of
Christ?" Have I fled to Him, and am
I reposing in Him, as my only Saviour?
-or am  I still lingering, like Lot,
when I should be escaping-sleeping,
when I should be waking-neglecting
and trifling, when "a long eternity is
lying at my door?" He is my last and
only refuge; neglect Him-all is lost!
Believer! thou who art standing on
thy watch-tower, be more faithlful than
ever at thy post. Remember what is
implied in watching. It is no dreamy
state of inactive torpor: it is a holy
jealousy over the heart-wakeful vigilance regarding sin-every avenue and
loophole of the soul carefully guarded.
Holy living is the best, the only, preparative for holy dying. "Persuade




TIEE WORDS OF JESUS.    127
yourself," says Rutherford, "the King
is coming. Read His letter sent before Him,'Behold I come quickly;'
wait with the wearied night-watch for
the breaking of the Eastern sky."
Let these " Words of Jesus" we have
now been meditating upon in this little
volume, be as the Golden Bells of old,
hung on the vestments of the officiating
High Priest, emitting sweet sounds to
His spiritual Israel —telling that the
truee High Priest is still living and
pleading in "the Holiest of all;" and
that soon He will come forth to pour His
blessing on His waiting Church. We
have been pleasingly employed in gathering up a few " crumbs" falling from
"'the Master's table."  Soon we shall
have, not the  "Words" but the presence
of Jesus —not the crumbs falling from
His table, but everlasting fellowship
with the Master Himself.
"AMEN, EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUI."'




*8T''szsH   I
laIjolt    anit.0) 1,,o j
I~~~~~~~IX;140143         i 7 tta~o
L                                            I IA;774s




















THE
FAITHFUL PROMISER.
BY THE AUTHOR OF' THE WORDS OF JESUS,   THE MORNING
AND NIGHT WATCHES7, ETC.
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises."-2 PET. i. 4.
NEW YORK:
STANFORD & DELISSER,
No. 508, BROADWAY.
1858.








It has often been felt a delightful exercise
by the child of God, to take, night by night,
an individual promise and plead it at the
mercy-seat. Often are our prayers pointless, from not following, in this respect, the
example of the sweet Psalmist of Israel,
the Royal Promise pleader, who delighted
to direct his finger to some particular
"word" of the Faithful Promiser, saying,
"Remember Thy word unto Thy servant,
on which thou hast caused me to hope!"
The following are a few gleanings from
the Promise Treasury,-a few crumbs from
"the Master's Table," which may serve to
help the thoughts in the hour of closet med.
itation, or the season of sorrow.
ST. M,
Decenber, 1849.




4       THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
1ST DY OFP MONTH.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord:
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as
wool."~-IsAIAH L 18.
t rb   Ing [ My soul! thy God summons
thee to His audience cham(Qrgt.      ber!  Infinite purity seeks
to reason with infinite vileness! Deity
stoops to speak to dust! Dread not
the meeting. It is the most gracious,
as well as wondrous of all conferences.
Jehovah himself breaks silence!  He
utters the best tidings a lost soul or a
lost world can hear: "God is in Christ
reconciling  the world  unto  Himself,
not imputing unto men their trespasses." What! Scarlet sins, and crimn
son sins! and these all to be forgiven
and forgotten!  The just God "justifying" the unjust!-the mightiest of
all beings, the kindest of all!  Oh!
what is there in thee to merit such love




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.       5
as this?  Thou mightest have known
thy God only as the " consuming fire,"
and had nothing before thee save "a
fearful looking for of vengeance!"
This gracious conference bids thee dispel thy fears! It tells thee it is no
longer a " fearful," but a blessed thing
to fall into His hands? Hast thou
closed with these His overtures a
Until thou art at peace with Him, happiness must be a stranger to thy bosom.
Though thou hast all else beside,
bereft of God thou must be "bereft
indeed."  Lord! I come! As thy pardoning  grace is freely tendered, so
shall I freely accept it. May it be
mine, even now, to listen to the gladdening accents, " Son! Daughter! be
of good cheer! thy sins, which are
many, are all forgiven thee."
"REMEMBER TrIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE 1"
1*




6      THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
2D DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"As thy days, so shall thy strength be."-DEUT. xxxiii. 25.
A./tl  GOD does not give grace till
the hour of trial comes. But
(~RtL. when it does come, the amount
of grace, and the nature of the special
grace required is vouchsafed. My soul,
do not dwell with painful apprehension
on the future.  Do not anticipate coming sorrows; perplexing thyself with
the grace needed for future emergencies; to-morrow will bring its promised
grace along with to-morrow's trials.
God, wishing to keep His people humble, and dependent on himself, gives
not a stock of grace; He metes it out
for every day's exigencies, that they
may be constantly "travelling between
their own emptiness and Christ's fulness"-their own weakness and Christ's
strength.  But when  the  exigency
comes, thou mayest safely trust an




THE FAEITHFUL PROMISER.     7
Almighty arm to bear thee through!
Is there now some "thorn in the flesh"
sent to lacerate thee? Thou mayest
have been entreating the Lord for its
removal. Thy prayer has, doubtless,
been heard and answered; but not in
the way, perhaps, expected or desired
by thee.  The "thorn" may still be
left to goad, the txial may still be left
to buffet; but "more grace" has been
given to endure them.  Oh! how often
have His people thus been led to glory
in their infirmities and triumph in their
afflictions, seeing the power of Christ
rests more abundantly upon them!
The strength which the hour of trial
brings, often makes the Christian a
wonder to himself!
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




8       THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
3D DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised,"
"God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that
ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound
wo every good work."-2 COR. ix. 8.
"ALL-SUFFrICIENC Y  in all
~t[-,ffiuffrirtt things!" Believer! surely thou art "thoroughly
furnished!"  Grace is no scanty thing,
doled out in pittances.  It is a glorious
treasury, which the key of prayer can
always unlock, but never empty.  A
fountain, "full, flowing, ever flowing,
overflowing." Mark these three ALI's
in this precious promise. It is a threefold link in a golden chain, let down
from a throne of grace by'a God of
grace. "All-grace!"-"all-sujffcieney!"
in " all things!" and these to "' abound."
Oh!  precious  thought!  My  want
cannot impoverish that inexhaustible
treasury   of  grace!   Myriads  are
hourly hanging on it, and drawing




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
from  it, and yet there is no diminution: "Out of that fulness all we
too may receive, and grace for grace!"
My soul, dost not thou love to dwell
on that all-abounding grace?  Thine
own insufficiency in every thing, met
with an "all-sufficiency in all things!"
Grace in all circumstances and situations, in all vicissitudes and changes,
in all the varied phases of the Christian's being. Grace in sunshine and
storm-in health and in sickness-in
life and in death. Grace for the old
believer and the young believer, the
tried believer, and the weak believer,
and the tempted believer. Grace for
duty, and grace zin duty,-grace to carry
the joyous cup with a steady hand,grace to drink the bitter cup with an
unmurmuring spirit,-grace to have
prosperity sanctified,-grace to say,
through tears, "Thy will be done!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE.!"




10     THE FAITHFUIL PROMISER.
4TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"-I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." —
JOaN xiv. 18.
mfnrfting BLEsSED Jesus! How thy
presence  sanctifies  trial,
(lgtalc takes loneliness from the
chamber of sickness, and  the sting
from  the chamber of death!  Bright
and Morning Star! precious at all
times, thou art never so precious as in
"the  dark  and  cloudy day!"  The
bitterness of sorrow is well worth enduring to have thy promised consolations.  How well qualified, thou Man
of Sorrows, to be my Comforter! How
well fitted to dry my tears, Thou who
didst shed so many thyself! What
are my tears-my sorrows-my crosses
-my losses, compared with Thine,
who didst shed first Thy tears, and
then Thy blood for me!  Mine are all
deserved, and infinitely more than




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    11
deserved. How different, 0 Spotless
Lamb of God, those pangs which rent
Thy guiltless bosom! How sweet those
comforts Thou hast promised to the
comfortless, when I think of them as
flowing from an Almighty Fellow-Sufferer,-" A brother born for adversity,"
-the "Friend that sticketh closer than
any brother!"-one who can say, with
all the refined sympathies of a holy
exalted human nature, "I know your
sorrows!"  My soul! calm thy griefs!
There is not a sorrow thou canst experience, but Jesus, in the treasury of
grace, has an' exact corresponding
solace: "In the multitude of the sorrows I have in my heart, Thy comforts
delight my soul!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO TRY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE I"




12     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
5TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."'Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
not.-LUKE xxii. 31, 32.
WHAT a scene does this
trsttfinTin  unfold!  Satan tempting
-Jesus praying! Satan
sifting-Jesus pleading!  "The strong
man assailing"-" the stronger than the
strong" beating him back! Believer?
here is the past history and present
secret of thy safety in the midst of
temptation. An interceding Saviour
was at thy side, saying to every threatening wave, "Thus far shalt thou go,
and no farther?" God often permits His
people to be on the very verge of the
precipice, to remind them of their own
weakness; but never farther than the
verge /! The restraining hand and grace
of Omnipotence is ready to rescue
them. "Although he fall, yet shall




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    13
he not be cast down utterly; and why?
for the Lord upholdeth him with His
right hand!" The wolf may be prowling for his prey; but what can he do
when the Shepherd is always there,
tending with the watchful eye that
" neither slumbers nor sleeps " Who
cannot subscribe to the testimony,
" When my foot slipped, Thy mercy,
O  Lord! held me up 2"- Who can
look back on his past pilgrimage, and
fail to see it crowded with Ebenezers,
with this inscription: " Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes
from tears, and my feet from falling?"
My soul, where wouldst thou have
been this day, hadst thou not been
"kept" by'the power of God?
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE P'
2




14     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
6TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will heal their backsliding."-HosEA xiv. 4.,string WANDERING  again!  And
has He not left me to perish?
(krCtl   Stumbling and straying on
the dark mountains, away from the
Shepherd's eye and the Shepherd's fold,
shall He not feave the erring wanderer
to the fruit of his own ways, and his
truant heart to go hopelessly onward
in its career of guilty estrangement?
"1 My thoughts," says God, " are not as
your thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways." Man would say, "Go,
perish! ungrateful apostate!" God
says,' Return, ye backsliding children!"  The Shepherd will not, cannot
suffer the sheep to perish He has purchased with His own blood.  How
wondrous His forbearance towards it!
— tracking its guilty steps, and ceasing
not the pursuit till HIe lays the wan



THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    15
derer on His shoulders, and returns
with it to His fold rejoicing! My
soul! why increase by farther departures thine own distance from the fold?
— why lengthen the dreary road thy
gracious Shepherd has to traverse in
bringing thee back?  Delay not thy
return! Provoke no longer His patience; venture no farther on forbidden
ground. He waits with outstretched
arms to welcome thee once more to His
bosom. Be humble for the past, trust
Him  for the future.  Think of thy
formerbackslidings, and tremble; think
of His forbearance, and be filled with
holy gratitude; think of His promised
grace, " and take courage."
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UP(C WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




16     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
7TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"Hewhich hath begun a good work in you, will perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ.-PHIL. i. 6.
lirlttftug READER! is the good work
begun in thee?  Art thou
(tialt.   holy?  Is sin crucifying?
Are thy heart's idols, one by one abolished? Is the world less to thee, and
eternity more to thee? Is more of thy
Saviour's image impressed on thy character, and thy Saviour's love more enthroned in thy heart? Is " Salvation"
to thee more "the one thing needful?"
Oh! take heed! there can be no middle
ground, no standing still; or if it be so,
thy position must be a false one.  The
Saviour's blood is not more necessary
to give thee a title to Heaven, than
His Spirit to give thee a meetness for
it. " If any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he is none of His!"  "Onwards!" should be thy motto. There




THE FAIrUL PROMISER.    17
is no standing still in the life of faith.
"The man," says Augustine, "who
says'Enough,' that man's soul is lost?"
Let this be the superscription in all thy
ways and doings, "Holiness to the
Lord." Let the monitory word exercise over thee its habitual power,
"Without holiness no man shall see
the Lord." Moreover, remember, that
to be holy, is to be happy. The two
are convertible terms.  Holiness! It
is the secret and spring of the joy of
angels; and the more of holiness attained on earth-the nearer and closer
my walk is with God-the more of a
sweet earnest shall I have of the bliss
that awaits me in a holy Heaven. Oh!
my soul, let it be thy sacred ambition
to "Be holy!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE I"
2*




18      TM  FAITHFUL PROMISER.
8TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run,
and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.-IsAIAH
xl. 81.
C"W'ILT thou not revive us, 0
trtbiig  Lord?"  My soul! art thou
rtartr. conscious of thy declining
state?  Is thy walk less with God, thy
frame less heavenly?  Hast thou less
conscious nearness to the mercy-seat,diminished communion with thy Saviour?  Is prayer less a privilege than
it has been?-the pulsations of spiritual life more languid, and fitful, and
spasmodic?-the bread of life less relished?-the seen, and the temporal,
and the tangible, displacing the unseen
and eternal?  Art thou sinking down
into this state of drowsy self-contentment, this conformity-life with the
world, forfeiting all the happiness of
true religion, and risking and endan



THE FAITHbFUL PROMISER.    19
gering the better life to come? Arise!
call upon thy God! "Wilt thou not
revive us, O Lord?"  He might have
returned nothing but the withering
repulse, "How often would I have
gathered thee; but thou wouldst not!"
"Ephraim  is joined to his idols; let
him alone!" But "in wrath Ile remembers mercy." "They shall revive
as the corn." "The mouth of the Lord
hath spoken it."  How and where is
reviving grace to be found? He gives
thee, in this precious promise, the key.
It is on thy bended knees-by a return
to thy deserted and unfrequented chamber! " They that wait uvpon the lord!"
"Wait on the Lord; be of good cheer,
and He shall strengthen thine heart;
wait, I say, on the Lord!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




20    THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
9TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"The righteous shall hold on his way."-JoB xvii 9.
R PEADER! how comforting
jP~e~ritt g to thee amid the ebbings
I  and flowings of thy changing history, to know that the change is
all with thee, and not with thy God!
Thy spiritual bark may be tossed on
waves of temptation, in many a dark
midnight. Thou mayest think thy
pilot hath left thee, and be ready continually to say, "Where is my God.?"
But fear not! The bark which bears
thy spiritual destinies is in better hands
than thine; a golden chain of covenant
love links it to the eternal throne!
That chain can never snap asunder.
He who holds it in His hand gives
thee this as the pledge of thy safety,"Because I live, ye shall live also."
"Why art thou then cast down, O my
soul? and why art thou disquieted




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    21
within me  hope thope u in Good!" Thou
wilt assuredly ride out these stormy
surges, and reach the desired haven.
But be faithful with thyself: see that
there be nothing to hinder or impede
thy growth in grace. Think how little
may retard thy progress. One sin indulged-one temptation tampered with
-one bosom  traitor, may cost thee
many a bitter hour and bitter tear, by
separating between thee and thy God.
Make it thy daily prayer, "Search me,
O God, and know my heart; try me
and know my thoughts: and see if
there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting."
G REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH rHOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPIE.




22     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
10TH DIY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I have the keys of hell and of death."-REv. L. 18.
qing AND from  whom  could dying
grace come so welcome, as from
(Otirm. Thee, O  blessed Jesus?  Not
only is Thy name, "The Abolisher of
Death;" but Thou didst thyself die!
Thou hast sanctified the grave by Thine
own presence, and divested it of all its
terrors. My soul! art thou at times
afraid of this, thy last enemy?  If the
rest of thy pilgrimage-way be peaceful
and unclouded, rests there a dark and
portentous shadow over the terminating portals? Fear not! When that
dismal entrance is reached, He who has
"the keys of the grave and of death"
suspended at His golden girdle, will
impart grace to bear thee through. It
is the messenger of peace. Thy Saviour calls thee! The promptings of
nature, when, at first, thou seest the




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    23
darkening waves, may be that of the
affrighted disciples, when they said, "It
is a spirit, and cried out for fear!" But
a gentle voice will be heard high above
the storm, "It is I! Be not afraid!"
Death, indeed, as the wages of sin,
must, even by the believer, be regarded
as an enemy. But, oh! blessed thought,
it is thy last enemy-the cause of thy
last tear. In a few brief moments after
that tear is shed, thy God will be wiping every vestige of it away?  "O
Death! where is thy sting?  0 Grave!
where is thy victory? Thanks be unto
God, who giveth us the victory through
oui; Lord Jesus Christ!" Welcome,
vanquished foe!-Birthday of heaven!
—'"to die is gain!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




24     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
11TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"The Lord will give grace and glory."-PSAL lxxxiv. 11.
Baftr c-crmr Oa! happy day, when this
toilsome warfare will all
(gUlIrt[.   be ended, Jordan crossed,
Canaan entered, the legion-enemies of
the wilderness no longer dreaded; sorrow, sighing, death, and, worst of all,
sin, no more either to be felt or feared!
Here is the terminating link in the
golden chain of the everlasting covenant.  It began with predestination; it
ends with glorification. It began with
sovereign grace in a bypast eternity,
and no link will be awanting till the
ransomed spirit be presented faultless
before the throne! Grace and glory!
If the earnest be sweet, what must be
the reality? If the wilderness table
contain such rich provision, what must
be the glories of the eternal banqueting
house?  Oh! my soul, make sure of




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    25
thine interest in the one, as the blessed
prelude to the other. " Having access
by faith into this grace, thou canst rejoice in hope of the glory of God;"
for " whom He justifies, them He also
glorifies!"  Has grace begun in thee?
Canst thou mark-though it should be
but the drops of the incipient rill which
is to terminate in such an ocean -the
tiny grains which are to accumulate
and issue in such "an exceeding weight
of glory!" Delay not the momentous
question!  The day of offered grace is
on the wing; its hours are fast numbering; and, "No grace, no glory!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HO'E!"




26     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
12TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another
Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever."-JoHN
xiv. 16.
t BLESSED Spirit of all grace!
how  oft have  I  grieved
IImllfrrthtr. Thee! resisted Thy dealings, quenched Thy strivings; and yet
art thou still pleading with me!  Oh!
let me realize more than I do the need
of Thy gracious influences. Ordinances,
sermons, communions, providential dispensations, are nothing without Thy
life-giving power. "It is the Spirit
that quickeneth." " No man can call
Jesus, Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."
Church of the living God! is not this
one cause of thy deadness?  My soul!
is not this the secret of thy languishing
firames, repeated  declensions, uneven
walk, and sudden falls, that the influences of the Holy Ghost are undervalued and unsought?  Pray for the




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    27
outpouring of this blessed Agent for
the world's renovation, and thine own.
"I will pour out my Spirit on all
flesh," is the precursor of millennial
bliss. Jesus! draw near, in thy mercy,
to this torpid heart, as thou didst of
old to thy mourning disciples, and
breathe upon it, and say, "Receive ye
the Holy Ghost."  It is the mightiest
of all boons; but, like the sun in the
heavens, it is the freest of all: "For
if ye, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children, how
much more shall your Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit unto them that
ask Him!"
~REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE [1




28     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
18TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"All things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the callecd according to His purpose."
-RoM. viii. 28.
M     soul! be still! thou
art in the hands of thy
OIhn~iIIg. Covenant  God.   Were
these strange vicissitudes in thy history
the result of accident, or chance, thou
mightest well be overwhelmed; but
"all things," and this tiling (be what it
may) which may be now  disquieting
thee, is one of these "all things" that
are so working mysteriously for thy
good.  Trust thy God!  I-e will not
deceive thee,-thy interests are with
Him  in safe custody.   When sight
says, "All these things are against
me," let faith rebuke the hasty conclusion, and say, "Shall not the Judge of
all the earth do right "  How  often
does God hedge up our way with
thorns, to elicit simple trust!  How




THE FAITHEFUL PROMISER.    29
seldom can we see all things so work.
ing for our good! But it is better discipline to believe it. Oh! for faith amid
frowning providences, to say, "I know
that thy judgments are good;" and,
relying in the dark, to exclaim,
"Though He slay me, yet will I trust
Him!"  Blessed Jesus! to thee are
committed the reins of this universal
empire. The same hand that was once
nailed to the cross, is now wielding the
sceptre on the throne,-" all power
given unto thee in heaven and in earth."
How can I doubt the wisdom, and
faithfulness, and love, of the most mysterious earthly dealing, when I know
that the Roll of Providence is thus in
the hands of Him who has given the
mightiest pledge Omnipotence could
give of His tender interest in my soul's
well-being, by giving Hfimseyf for me?
~REMEMBER TiIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




30     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
14TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto
such as keep His covenant and His testimonies."-PSALM
xxv. 10.
THE paths of the Lord?  My
soul! never  follow  thine
~l k-ill. own paths.  If thou dost so,
thou wilt be in danger often of following sight rather than faith,-choosing
the evil, and iefusing the good.  But
"commit thy way unto the- Lord, and
He shall bring it to pass."  Let this be
thy prayer, "Show  me Thy ways, 0
Lord; teach me TAy paths."  Oh! for
Caleb's spirit, "wholl3y to follow the
Lord my God,"-to follow Him when
self must be sacrificed, and hardship
must be borne, and trials await me. To
"walk with God," —to ask in simple
faith, "What wouldst thou have me to
do?"-to have no will of my own,
save this, that God's will is to be my
will.  Here is safety,-here is happi



THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    31
ness. Fearlessly follow the Guiding
Pillar. He will lead you by a right
way, though it may be by a way of
hardship, and crosses, and losses, and
privations, to the city of habitation.
Oh! the blessedness of thus lying passive in the hands of God; saying,
"Undertake thou for me!"-dwelling
with holy gratitude on past mercies and
interpositions-taking these as pledges
of future faithfulness and love —hearing
His voice behind us, amid life's manifold
perplexities, exclaiming, "This is the
way, walk ye in it!" I "Happy," surely,
"are every people who are in such a
case!"  Happy, Reader! will it be for
thee, if thou canst form the resolve in
a strength greater than thine own:
"This God shall be my God for ever
and ever; He shall be my Guide even
unto death!"
RIEMEMBER TiIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE 1"




32     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
15TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."-REv. iii. 19.
SORROwnoG  Believer!
~TlI   id    what couldst thou wish
~(lalit!Iltlt.     more than this?  Thy
furnace is severe; but look at this assurance of HIim who lighted it.  Love
is the fuel that feeds its flames! Its
every spark is love! Kindled by a
Father's hand, and designed as a special pledge of a Father's love. I-Iow
many of IIis dear children has IIe so
rebuked and chastened; and all, all
for one reason, "I love them!" The
myriads in glory have passed through
these  furnace-fires,-there they were
chosen,-there they were purified, sanctified, and made "vessels meet for the
Master's use;" the dross and the alloy
purged, that the pure metal might remain. And art thou to claim exemption from the same discipline? Art




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    33
thou to think it strange concerning
these same fiery trials that may be trying thee?  Rather exult in them  as
thine adoption-privilege. Envy not
those who are strangers to the refining
fiames,-who  are " without chastisement;" rather, surely, the severest discipline with a Father's love, than the fullest earthly cup without that Father's
smile.  Oh! for grace to say, when
the furnace is hottest, and the rod
sorest, " Even so, Father!" And what,
after all, is the severest of thy chastisements in comparison with what thy
sins have deserved?  Dost thou murmur under a Father's correcting love?'
What would  it have been to have
stood the wrath of an unpropitiated
Judge, and that, too, for ever? Surely,
in the light of eternity, the heaviest
pang of earth is indeed "a light affliction!"
6'REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST aAUSED ME TO HOPE "




34    THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
16TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
" If need be."-1 PETER 1. 6.
nitin       THREE gracious words!
Not one of all my tears
([fti~rmrut. * shed for nought! Not
one stroke of the rod unheeded, or that
might have been spared? Thy heavenly
Father loves thee too much, and too
tenderly, to bestow harsher correction
than thy case requires   Is it loss of
health, or loss of wealth, or loss of beloved friends?  Be still! there was a
reed be. We are no judges of what
that " need be" is; often through aching
hearts we are forced to exclaim, "Thy
judgments are a great deep!" But
God here pledges himself, that there
will not be one redundant thorn in the
believer's chaplet of suffering. No
burden too heavy will be laid on him;
and no sacrifice too great exactedfrom
him. He will "temper the wind to




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    35
the shorn lanb," Whenever the " need
be" has accomplished its end, then the
rod is removed-the chastisement suspended-the furnace quenched.  " If
need be!" Oh! what a pillow on
which to rest thy aching head,-that
there is not a drop in all thy bitter cup
but what a God of love saw to be absolutely necessary! Wilt thou not trust
Him, even though thou canst not trace
the mystery of His dealings? Not too
curiously prying into the " Why it is?"
or "flow it is?" but satisfied that "So
it is," and, therefore that all must be
well!  "Although thou sayest, thou
canst not see Him, yet judgment is
before Him, therefore trust thou in
Him!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




36     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
17TH DAY
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall
He not quench."-MATT. xii. 20.
~tttgtt  WILL Jesus accept such a
heart as mine?-this errtJW Wrltk  ing, treacherous, traitor
heart? The past! how many forgotten
vows - broken covenants - prayerless
days! How often have I made new
resolutions, and as often has the reed
succumbed to the first blast of temptation, and the burning flax been wellnigh quenched by guilty omissions and
guiltier commissions! Oh! my soul!
thou art low indeed,-the things that
remain seem "ready to die."  But thy
Saviour-God will not give thee "over
unto death." The reed is bruised; but
He will not pluck it up by the roots.
The flax is reduced to *a smoking
ember; but He will fan the decaying
flame. Why wound thy loving Sav



THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    37
iour's heart by these repeated declensions?  He will not-cannot give thee
up. Go, mourn thy weakness and unbelief. Cry unto the Strong for
strength. Weary and faint one! thou
hast an Omnipotent arm to lean on.
"He fainteth not, neither is weary!"
Listen to His own gracious assurance:
"Fear not, for I am with thee. Be
not dismayed, for I am thy God. I
will strengthem thee; yea, I will help
thee with the right hand of my righteousness!" Leaving all thy false props
and refuges, be this thy resolve: "In
the Lord put I my trust: why say ye
to my soul, Flee as a bird to your
mountain?"
REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE."




38     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
18TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out."JOHN i. 87.
ntrnnrarmrInt " CAST out!"  My soul!
t! th!    how oft might this have
ti +pt    been thy history! Thou
TJipiit1tgb hast cast off thy God, —
might He not oft have " cast out"
thee?  Yes! cast thee out as fuel for
the fire of His wrath,-a sapless, fruitless cumberer.  And  yet, notwithstanding all thine ungrateful requital
for His unmerited forbearance, He is
still declaring, "As I live, saith the
Lord, I have no pleasure in the death
of him that dieth." Thy sins may be
legion-like,-the sand of the sea may
be their befitting type,-the thought
of their turpitude and aggravation
may be ready to overwhelm thee; but
be still! thy patient God waits to be
gracious! Oh! be deeply humbled




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    39
and softened because of thy guilt, resolve to dedicate thyself anew to His
service, and so coming, "He will by no
means cast thee out!"  Despond not
by reason of former shortcomings, —
thy sins are great, but thy Saviour's
merits are greater. He is willing to
forget all the past, and sink it in oblivion, if there be present love, and the
promise of future obedience. "Simon,
son of Jonas, lovest thou mene"  Ah!
how different is God's verdict from
man's! After such sins as thine, man's
sentence would have been, "I will in
nowise receive!" But " it is better to
fall into the hands of God, than into the
hands of man;" for He says, "I will
in nowise cast out!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




40     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
19TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not
as the world giveth."-JOHN xiv. 27.!  "THOU wilt keep him  in.W.u   perfect peace whose mind.0 lItrtl I. is stayed on Thee."  "Perfect peace!"-what a blessed attainment! My soul! is it thine?  Sure I
am it is not, if thou art seeking it in a
perishable world, or in the perishable
creature, or in thy perishable self.
Although thou hast all that the world
would call enviable and happy, unless
thou hast peace in God, and with God,
all else is unworthy of the name; —a
spurious thing, which the first breath
of adversity will shatter, and the hour
of death utterly annihilate! Perfect
peace! What is it?  It is the peace of
forgiveness. It is the peace arising out
of a sense of God reconciled through
the blood of the everlasting covenant,




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    41
-resting sweetly on the bosom, and
the work of Jesus, —to Him committing
thine eternal all. My soul! stay thyself on God, that so this blessed peace
may be thine. Thou hast tried the
world. It has deceived thee. Prop
after prop of earthly scaffolding has
yielded, and tottered, and fallen. Has
thy God ever done so? Ah! this
false and counterfeit world-peace may
do well for the world's work, and the
world's day of prosperity. But test it
in the hour of sorrow; and.what can
it do for thee when most it is needed?
On the other hand, what though thou
hast no other blessing on earth to call
thine own? Thou art rich indeed, if
thou canst look upwards to HIeaven,
and say with " unpresumptuous smile,"
"I am at peace with God."
REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"
4*




42     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
20TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord."-REv. xiv. 13.
-1 i3 [ MY Soul! is this blessedness
thine in prospect? Art thou
i   ilhting. ready, if called this night to
lie down on thy death-pillow, sweetly
to fall asleep in Jesus? What is the
sting of death?  It is sin. Is death,
then, to thee, robbed of its sting, by
having listened to the gracious accents
of pardoning love, "Be of good cheer,
thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven thee "  If thou hast made up
thy peace with God, resting on the
work and atoning blood of His dear
Son, then is the Last Enemy divested
of all his terror, and thou canst say, in
sweet composure, of thy dying couch
and dying hour,-" I will both lay me
down in peace and sleep, because Thou,
Lord, makest me to dwell in safety!"
Reader! ponder that solemn question,




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    43
" Am I ready to die? Am I living as
I should wish I had done when that
last hour arrives'?" And when shall
it arrive? To-morrow  is not thine.
"Verily, there may be but a step
between thee and death." Oh! solve
the question speedily,-risk no doubts
and no peradventure. Every day is
proclaiming anew the lesson, "The race
is not to the swift, nor the battle to the
strong." Seek to live, so that that
hour cannot come upon thee too soon,
or too unexpectedly. Live a dying
life! How blessed to live, —how
blessed to die, with the consciousness,
that there may be but a step between
thee and glory!
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




44     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
21ST DAY
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"In due season we shall reap, if we faint not." —GAL. vi. 9.
a ftIt BELIEVER! all the glory of
thy salvation belongs to Jesus,
pilitg. -none  to  thyself;  every
jewel in thine eternal crown is His,purchased by IHis blood, and polished
by His Spirit. The confession of tinle
will be the ascription of all eternity:
"By the grace of God I am what I
am!" But though " all be of grace,"
thy God calls thee to personal strenuousness in the work of thy high calling;-to "labour," to "fight," to "wrestle," to "agonize;" and the heavenly
reaping will be in proportion to the
earthly sowing: " He that soweth sparingly., shall reap also sparingly; and
he that soweth bountifully, shall reap
also bountifully!"  What an incentive
to holy living, and increased spiritual
attainments! My soul! wouldst thou




TIIE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    45
be a star shining high and bright in
the firmament of glory? —wouldst thou
receive the ten-talent recompense?
Then be not weary. Gird on thine
armour for fresh conquests. Be gaining daily some new victory over sin.
Deny thyself. Be awilling cross-bearer
for thy Lord's sake. Do good to all
men as thou hast opportunity; be
patient under provocation, "slow  to
wrath," resigned in trial. Let the
world take knowledge of thee that
thou art wearing Christ's livery, and
bearing Christ's spirit, and sharing
Christ's cross. And when the reaping
time comes, He who has promised that
the cup of cold water cannot go unrecompensed, will not suffer thee to lose
thy reward!
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




46     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
22D DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"The days of thy mourning shall be ended."-ISAIAs
lx. 20.
f CHRIST'S  people  are  a
weeping band, though
WlritnBg.  there be much in this
lovely world to make them joyous and
happy. Yet when they think of sintheir own sin, and the unblushing sins
of a world in which their God is dishonoured-need we wonder at their
tears?-that they should be called
"Mourners," and  their pilgrimagehome a "Valley of Tears.?"  Bereavement, and sickness, and poverty, and
death, following the track of sin, add
to their mourning experience; and
with many of God's best beloved, one
tear is scarce fried when another is
ready to flow!  Mourners! rejoice!
When the reaping time comes, the
weeping time ends! When the white
robe and the golden harp are bestowed,




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    47
every remnant of the sackcloth attire
is removed. The moment the pilgrim,
whose forehead is here furrowed with
woe, bathes it'in the crystal river of
life, —that moment the pangs of a lifetime of sorrow are eternally forgotten!
Reader! if thou art one of these careworn ones, the days of thy mourning
are numbered! A few more throbbings of this aching heart, and then
the angel who proclaims " time," shall
proclaim also, sorrow, and sighing, and
mourning, to " be no longer!" Seek
now to mourn thy sins more than thy
sorrows; reserve thy bitterest tears for
forgetfulness of thy dear Lord. The
saddest and sorest of all bereavements,
is when the sins which have separated
thee from Him, evoke the anguish-cry,
"Where is my God?"
"REMEMBER TAHIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WH1CH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




48    THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
28D DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"Behold, I come quickly."-REv. iii. 11.
"EVEN  SO! come, Lord
Jesus!"  "Why tarry the
ArnImRig.  wheels of Thy chariot?"
Six thousand years this world has
rolled on, getting hoary with age, and
wrinkled with sins and sorrows. A
waiting Church sees the long-drawn
shadows of twilight announcing, "The
Lord is at hand." Prepare, my soul,
to meet Him. Oh! happy days, when
thine adorable Redeemer, so long dishonoured and despised, shall be publicly enthroned, in presence of an assembled universe, crowned Lord of
All, glorified in His saints, satisfied in
the fruits of His soul's travail, destroying His enemies with the brightness of
His coming-the lightning-glance of
wrath,-causing the hearts of His exulting people to " rejoice with joy un



TIHE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    49
speakable and full of glory." Prepare,
my soul, to meet Iim! Let it be a
joyous thought to thee,-thy "blessed
hope,"-the meeting of thine Elder
Brother.  Stand  oftentimes on  the
watchtower to catch the first streak of
that coming brightness, the first murmur of these chariot wheels.  The
world is now in preparation! It is
rocking on its worn-out axle. There
are voices on every side proclaiming,
"He cometh! He cometh! to judge
the earth." Reader! art thou among
the number of those who "love His
appearing?" Remember the attitude
of His expectant saints: "' Blessed are
those servants whom the Lord, when
He cometh, will fivid WATCHING!"
"REMEMBER TIIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE A"
5




50     TUE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
24TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"At evening-time it shall be light."-ZEcH. xiv. 7.
How  inspiring  the thought
of coining glory! How would
T3IIt'.  we rise above our sins, and
sorrows, and sufferings, if we could
live under the power of "a world to
come!" Were faith to take at all
times its giant leap beyond a soul-trammelling   earth,  and  remember  its
brighter destiny. If it could stand on
its Pisgah Mount, and look above and
beyond the mists and vapours of this
land of shadows, and rest on the " better
country."  But, alas! in spite of ourselves, the wings ofttimes refuse to
soar-the  spirit droops-guilty fears
depress-sin dims and darkens -God's
providences seem to frown-God's ways
are misinterpreted-the Christian belies his name and his destiny.  But,
" At eventide it shall be light." —The




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    61
material sun, which wades through
clouds and a troubled sky, sets often in
a couch of lustrous gold? So, when
the sun of life is setting, many a ray
of light will shoot athwart memory's
darkened sky, and many mysterious
dealings of the wilderness will then
elicit an " All is well!" How frequently
is the presence and upholding grace
of Jesus especially felt and acknowledged at that hour, and griefs and
misgivings hushed with His own gentle
accents, "Fear not! it is I; be not
afraid."  A triumphant death-bed! It
is no unmeaning word; the eye is
lighted with holy lustre, the tongue
with holy rapture, as if the harps of
heaven were stealing on it. My soul!
may such a life's evening-tide be thine!
REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE I"




52     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
25TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know
hereafter."-JoHN xiii. 7.
As the natural sun sometimes sinks in clouds, so,
[tll1m1ltint. occasionally, the Christian
who has a bright rising, and a brighter
meridian, sets in gloom. It is not
always "light" at his evening-time;
but this we know, that when the day
of immortality breaks, the last vestige
of earth's shadows will for ever flee
away. To the closing hour of time,
Providence may be to him  a baffling
enigma: but ere the first hour has
struck on heaven's chronometer, all
will be clear.  My soul!  "in God's
light thou shalt see light;" the Book
of His decrees is a sealed book now,"A great deep" is all the explanation
thou canst often give to His judgments;
the why and the wherefore He seems to




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    53
keep from us, to test our faith, to discipline us in trustful submission, and
lead us to say, "Thy will be done!"
But rejoice in that hereafter-light which
awaits thee! Now we see through a
glass darkly; but then, face to face. In
the great mirror of eternity all the
events of this chequered scene will be
reflected; the darkest of them will
be seen to be bright with mercy,-the
severest dispensations, "only the severer aspects of His love!" Pry not,
then, too curiously; pronounce not too
censoriously on G&od's dealings with
thee. Wait with patience till the grand
day of disclosures; one confession shall
then burst from every tongue, " Righteous art thou, 0 Lord!"
REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE."




64     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
26TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that
where I am, there ye may be also." —JoHN xiv. 8.
it (urini~ IF the meeting of a long
absent friend, or brother,
on earth, be a joyous event,
what, my soul, must be the joy of thy
union with this Brother of brothers,
this Friend of friends! "I will come
again!" Oh! what an errand of love,
what a promised honour and dignity is
this!-His saints to share, not His
Heaven only, but His immediate presence. "Where I am, there ye shall be
also!" "Father, I will (it was His dying
wish,-a wondrous codicil in that testamentary prayer) that those whom Thou
hast given me be with me where Iam."
Happy reunion! Blessed Saviour, if
Thy presence be so sweet on a sinstricken earth, and when known only
by the invisible eye of faith, what must




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    B5
be that presence in a sinless Heaven,
unfolded in all its unutterable loveliness and glory! Happy reunion! it
will be a meeting of the whole ransomed family-the Head with all its
members-theVine with all its branches
-the Shepherd with all His flock-the
Elder Brother with all His kinsmen.
Oh, the joy, too, of mutual recognition
among the death-divided-ties snapt
asunder on earth, indissolubly renewed
-severed  friendships  reunited-the
triumph of love complete-love binding brother with brother, and friend
with friend, and all to the Elder
Brother!  AMy  soul! what thinkest
thou of this Heaven? Remember who
it is that Jesus says shall sit with Him
upon His throne,-" Him that overcometh."
REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!'




56    THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
27TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever."-HosEA ii. 19.
g How wondrous and varied
are the figures which Jesus
ipIuIIl[.  employs to express the tenderness of His covenant love! My
soul! thy Saviour-God hath " married
thee!" Wouldst thou know the hour
of thy betrothment? Go back into
the depths of a by-past eternity, before
the world was; then and there, tlline
espousals were contracted: "I have
loved thee with an everlasting love."
Soon shall the bridal-hour arrive, when
thine absent Lord shall come to welcome His betrothed bride into His
royal palace. "The Bridegroom  tarrieth;" but see that thou dost not
slumber and sleep! Surely there is
much all around demanding the girded
loins and the burning lamps. At
"midnight!" (the hour when He is




THE FAITIIFUL PROMISER.    5
least expected) the cry may be-shall
be heard,-"Behold, the Bridegroom
cometh!"  My soul! has this mystic
Union been formed between thee and
thy' Lord? Canst thou say, in humble
assurance of thine affiance in Him,
"My beloved is mine, and I am His!"
If so, great, unspeakably great, are
the glories which await thee! Thy
dowry, as the bride of Christ, is all
that Omnipotence can bestow, and all
that a feeble creature can receive. In
the prospect of those glorious nuptials,
thou needest dread no pang of widowhood. What God has joined together,
no created power can take asunder;
He betroths thee, and it is —" for
ever!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




58     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
28TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"This corruptible must put on incorruption." — Con.
xv. 58.
S 3ugfut   MARVEL  of  marvels?
The sleeping ashes of the
~lCellr~t[iInL. sepulchre starting at the
tones of the archangel's trumpet! —the
dishonoured  dust rising  a glorified
body, like its risen Lord's? At death,
the soul's bliss is perfect in kind; but
this bliss is not complete in degree, until
reunited to the tabernacle it has left
behind to mingle with the sods of the
valley. But tread lightly on that
grave, it contains precious, because
ransomed dust! My body, as well as
my spirit, was included in the redemption price of Calvary; and " them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring
with Him." Oh! blessed Jubilee-day
of creation, when Christ's " dead men
shall arise;"-when, together with His
dead body, they shall come; and the




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    59
summons shall sound forth, "Awake,
and sing, ye that dwell in the dust!"
All the joys of that resurrection morn
we cannot tell; but its chief glory we
do know,-" When He shall appear,
we shall be like Him; for we shall see
Him as He is."  Like Him!-My soul,
art thou waiting this manifestation of
the sons of God?  Like Him!-Hast
thou caught up any faint resemblance
to that. all-glorious image? Having
this hope in thee, art thou purifying
thyself, even as He is pure? Be much
with Jesus now, that thou mayst exult
in meeting Him hereafter. Thus taking HIim as thy Guide and Portion in
life, thou mayst lay thee down in thy
dark and noisome cell, and look forward with triumphant hope to the
dawn of a resurrection morn, saying,
"What time I awake, I am still with
Thee!"
"4REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE I!"




60     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
29TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"There shall be no night there."-REv. xxi. 25.
~t inatltr   My soul! is it night with
--   thee  here.   Art  thou
leltlnl1    wearied with these midnight tossings on life's tumultuous sea?
Be still! the day is breaking! soon
shall thy Lord appear.  "His going
forth is prepared as the morning."
That glorious appearing shall disperse
every cloud, and usher in an eternal
noontide whlich knows no twilight.
" Thy sun shall no more go down,
neither shall thy moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord shall be thine everlasting
light." Everlasting light! Wondrous
secret of a nightless world!-the glories
of a present God!-the everlasting light
of the Three in One, quenching the
radiance of all created orbs-superseding all material luminaries. " My soul
waiteth for the Lord more than they




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    61
that watch for the morning!" The
haven is nearing-star after star is
quenched in more glorious effulgence
-every bound over these dark waves
is bringing thee nearer the eternal
shore. Wilt thou not, then, humbly
and patiently endure " weeping for the
night," in the prospect of the "joy that
cometh  in  the  morning?"  Strange
realities! a world without night-a firmament without a sun; and, greater
wonder still, thyself in this world,-a
joyful denizen of this nightless, sinless,
sorrowless, tearless Heaven!-basking
underneath the Fountain of uncreated
light!  No  exhaustion  of glorified
body and spirit to require repose; no
lassitude or weariness to suspend the
ever-deepening  song: -" They  rest
not!"
REMEMBER TH/IS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE."




62     THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
30TH DAY.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a
crown of glory that fadeth not away."-1 PETER V. 4.
2  (.II[ WHAT! is the beggar to be
"raised from  the dunghill,
lf'iftf. set among princes, and made
to inherit a throne of glory?" is dust and
ashes, a puny rebel, a guilty traitor, to be
pitied, pardoned, loved, exalted from the
depths of despair, raised to the heights of
Heaven-gifted with kingly honoulroyally fed —royally clothed-royally
attended-and, at last, royally crowned?
0 my soul, look forward with joyous
emotion to that day of wonders, when
He whose head shall be crowned with
many crowns, shall be the dispenser of
royal diadems to His people; and when
they shall begin the joyful ascription
of all eternity, " Unto Him that loved
us and washed us fiom  our sins in
His own blood, and  has made  us
II~~~~~~~~ —




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    63
KNGS-; to Him  be glory and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Wilt thou not be among the number?
Shall the princes and monarchs of the
earth wade through seas of blood for
a corruptible crown; and wilt thou
permit thyself to lose the incorruptible,
or barter it for some perishable nothings
of earth?  Oh! that thou wouldst
awake to thy high destiny, and live up
to thy transcendant privileges as the
citizen of a Kingly Commonwealth, a
member of the blood-royal of Heaven.
What wouldst thou not sacrifice,-what
effort wouldst thou grudge, if thou
wert included at last in the gracious
benediction, " Come, ye blessed of My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the
world?"
" REMEMBER THTIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"




64      THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.
31ST DAy.
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things
are passed away."-REv. xxi. 3, 4.:re' ~iHIIIrt GLORIOUS consummation!
All the other glories of
11 dIiftinnl Heaven are but emanations
Uf 0i1.   from  this glory that excelleth.  Here is the focus and centre to
which every ray of light converges.
God is "all in all."  Heaven without
God /-it would send a thrill of dismay
through the burning ranks of angels
and archangels; it would dim every
eye, and hush every harp, and change
the whitest robe into sackcloth. And
shall I then, indeed, see God?" What!
shall I gaze on these inscrutable glories,
and live?  Yes, God himself shall be
with them, and be their God: they
shall " see his face!" And not only the




THE FAITHFUL PROMISER.    65
vision, but theffmtiorn. Oh! how does
sin in my holiest moments damp the
enjoyment of Him!  It is the "pure
in heart" alone who can " see," far
more, who can enjoy "God."  Even
if he did reveal himself now, these
eyes could never endure His intolerable
brightness.  But then, with a heart
purified from corruption-a world
where the taint of sin and the power
of temptation never enters —the soul
again a bright mirror, reflecting the
lost image of the Godhead-all the
affections devoted to their original high
destiny-the love of God the motive
principle, the ruling passion-the glory
of God the undivided object and aim
-the will no opposing or antagonist
bias, —man  will, for the first time,
know all the blessedness of his chief
end,-"to glorify God, and to enjoy
Him for ever!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH
THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"
6*k




mij~ ul gut via aixr
go      Jo Sanwutoa r  
if~




CHOICE WORKS,
PUBLISHED BY
STANFORD & DELISSER, 508 BROADWAY,
Aged Christian's Companion. By Rev. J. Stanford, D. D.
8vo. $2 00.
Aid to Domestic Worship. By the Author of Christian's
Companion, 8vo. $3 00.
Almanack and Church Record, (Swords'.) 25 cts.
Altar-, The; or, Communicant's Manual. 32nmo. 25 cts.
Always Happy; or, Anecdotes of Felix and his Sister. 18mo.
38 cts.
Ancient English Ecclesiastical Architecture. By Frank Wills.
4to. $2 50.
Andrewes, Bp., Devotions of. Translated from the Greek.
16mo. 50 cts.
Apology for Apostolic Order. By Bp. Hobart. 12mo. 50 cts.
Apostolic Fathers. By Archbp. Wake. 8vo. $1 50.
Barrow. On the Pope's Supremacy. Edited by Dr. Hawks.
8vo. $1 25.
Bayard, Rev. L. P., Memoirs of. 12mo. 75 cents.
Bedell. Ezekiel's Vision. 32mo. 31 cts.
Bedell-Is it Well? 32mo. 31 cents.
Bedell-Faith's Estimate of Afflictions. 32mo. 31 cts.
Bedell-Christian Progression. 32mo. 31 cts.
Bedell-Pay thy Vows. 32mo. 31 cts.
Bedell-The Renunciation. 32mo. 31 cts.
Bedell-Way Marks for a Religious Life. 32mo. 31 cts.
Berens. Village Sermons. 12mo. 75 cts.
Berrian, Rev. Dr. Devotions fortheSickRoom. 12mo. 63cts.
Berrian-The Christian's Companion. 12mo. 75 cts.
Berrian-Family and Private Prayers. 12mo. $1 00.
Berrian —History of Trinity Church, N. Y. $2 00.
Berrian-Recollections of Departed Friends. 12mo. 75 cts.
Berrian-Holy Communion. 18mo. 38 cts.
Bickersteth, Rev. E. On the Lord's Supper. 12mo. 75 cts.
Bickersteth-Devout Communicant. 32mo. 38 cts.
Botanic Garden. A Poem. 8vo. $1 50.
Bowden on Episcopacy. 2 vols. 12mo. $1 50.
Bowden. The Life of Gregory VIIth. 8vo. $1 25.
Bristed, C. A. Selections from Catullus. 12mo. 63 cts.
Brownell. Commentaly on the Book of Common Prayer.
8vo. Revised, $3 00.
Burnet. Lives, Characters, etc. 12mo. 75 cts.




2        STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.
Butler, Rev. C. M. Old Truths and New Errors. 16mo. 50 cts.
Canticles of the Church. $1 per dozen.
Carrie; or, the Child of the Parsonage. 18mo. 38 cts.
Castleman. Plain Sermons. 12mo. $1 00.
Cecil and his Dog. A Tale for the Young. 16mo. 75 cts.
Chapin. The Primitive Church. 12mo. 75 cts.
Chapin-Puritanism not Protestantism. 50 cts.
Child's Christian Year. By Miss Tuthill. 18mo. 38 cts.
Christian's Companion to the Sick and Afflicted. 8vo. 38 cts.
Christian Graces. 12mo. 75 cts.
Christian Year. By Rev. J. Keble. With Bp. Doane's Notes.
32mo. 50 cts.
Christian's Manual. By Bishop Hobart. 16mo. 75 cts.
Christ's Warning to the Churches. By Rev. J. Lathrop.
16mo. 38 cts.
Church Chant Book. By Rev. Wm. Staunton. 4to. 75 cts.
Church Choir. By Rev. J. Muenscher, D. D. 8vo. $1 00.
Church Register for Parish Records. From $6 00 to $12 50.
Churchman Armed. 12mo. $1 00.
Churchman's Heavenly Hours. 32mo. 31 cts.
Claxton's Questions on the Gospels. Parts I. & II. 12 cts. each.
Clergyman's Companion. By Bishop Hobart. 12mo.
Coleridge. Aids to Reflection. Edited by Dr. McVickar.
12mo. 75 cts.
Colton, Rev. C. Mission of the Prot. Epis. Church. $1 00.
Communicant's Companion. 25 cts.
Communicant's Manual. (The Altar.) 32mo. 25 cts.
Cousin Bertha's Stories. By Mrs. M'Donald. 18mo. 38 cts.
Cross of Christ. By Hook. 50 cts.
Cunningham's, Rev. J. W., Sermons. 8vo. $1 00.
Cunningham-Velvet Cushion. 18mo. Illustrated. 38 cts.
Dairyman's Daughter. By Rev. L. Richmond. 32mo. 19 cts.
Dehon on Confirmation. 18mo. 13 cts.
Devout Communicant. By Bickersteth. 32mo. 31 cts.
Devotion for Family and Closet. By a Country Clergyman.
12m1o. 50 cts.
Dens Misereatur. From Zingarelli's celebrated Miserere. 25 cts.
Dew of Heaven. From Eminent Divines. 32mo. 31 cts.
Divine History of the Church. $1 00.
Doctrine of the Cross. Illustrated. 16mo. 50 cts.
Domestic and Religious Life in Italy. Edited by Bp. Kip.
16mo. 63 cts.
Dorr's Recognition of Friends. 32mo. 25 cts.
Double Witness of the Church. By Bishop Kip. $1 00.
Duffie's, Rev. C. R., Sermons. 2 vols. 8vo. $3 00.
Dyer, Rev. P., on Episcopacy. 12mo. 25 cts.




STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.           8
English Churchwomen of the XVIIth Century. 18mo. 63 cts.
Essays on Episcopacy. bvo. 50 cts.
Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History of. $2 25.
Explanatory History of the Book of Common Prayer. 18mo.
38 cts.
Faber, Rev. G. S., on Romanism. 12mo. 75 cts.
Faber —On Doctrine of Election. 8vo. $1 75.
Faithful Promiser, with The Words of Jesus. 18mo. 38 cts.
Family and Closet Devotions. 12mo. 50 cts.
Festivals and Fasts. By Bp. J. H. Hobart. 12mo. 75 cts.
Fowler, Rev. A., on the Common Prayer. 12mo. 75 cts.
Fox's, Rev. G. T., Sermons. 8vo. $1 00.
Frank the Painter. Illustrated.
Fry's, Mrs. Elizabeth, Memoirs. By Timpson. 12mo. 75cts.
Gibson's, Bp., Pastoral Letters, and Horne on Infidelity.
12mo. 75 cts.
Gregorian Chants. With Additions by Dr. Hodges. 25 cts.
Gregory the Seventh. By J. W. Bowden. $1 25.
Grace Church Music. Large folio. $2 00.
Greatorex's Church Music. $1 00.
Gregorian and other Ecclesiastical Chants. 25 cts.
Hale's, Rev. Dr., on the Morning and Evening Prayer. 18mo.
25 cts.
Hammond. Definitions of Faith. 12mo. $1 25.
Hanson's Reply to Bishop Ives. 12mo. 12 cts.
Happiness of the Blessed. By Bishop Mant. 12mo. 75 cts.
Happy Old Age. Exemplified in the Life of Mrs. Bolton.
32mo. 19 cts.
Hawkstone. A Tale of and for England. 12mo. $1 50.
Hay, Rev. A., on Baptism. 18mo. 25 cts.
Heber's Last Days. Bv Archdeacon Robinson. 12mo. 50 cts.
Hening, Mrs. African Mission of the Prot. Epis. Church.
12mo. 75 cts.
History of the Society for Propagating the Gospel. 75 cts.
Hobart-Posthumous Works. 3 vols. 8vo. $5 00.
Hobart -Revision of Claude on the Composition of a Sermon.
12mo. 63 cts.
Hobart-State of the Departed. 12mo. 50 cts.
Hodges. Infant Baptism tested by Scripture. 12mo. 50 cts.
Hoffman. Law of the Prot. Epis. Church in the U. S. Svo.
$2 00.
Holmes, Mrs. Scenes in our Parish. 12mo. $1 00.
Hopkins, Bp. Primitive Church compared. 12mo. $1 00.
Hopkins-Church of Rome. 12mo. $1 00.
Hopkins-Essays on Gothic Architecture, Plans and Drawings.
4to. $2 00.
l~




4       STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.
Hopkins-Lectures on the Reformation. 12mo. 75 cts.
Horne's, Bp., Works. 2 vols. Royal 8vo. $4 50.
Horne on the Psalms, &c. $2 00.
Horne's Discourses. 8vo. $2 50.'[orne on Infidelity, and Gibson's Pastoral Letters. 75 cts.
Humphrey's Miscellaneous Works. 8vo. $1 50.
Hymns on the Church Catechism. 18mo. 31 cts.
Ives' Catechism. 18mo. Part I. 6 cts.
Ives' Catechism. 18mo. Part II. 6 cts.
Ives-Sermons on the Obedience of Faith. 16mo. 38 cts.
Jackson, Rev. Wm. Life and Sermons. 8vo. $1 25.
Jarvis, Rev. Dr. Discourses on the Prophecy. 50 cts.
Jebb, Rev. John, D. D. Piety without Asceticism. 75 cts.
Jenks. Offices of Devotion. 16mo. 63 cts.
Jerram and Wall. On Infant Baptism. 16mo. 63 cts.
Jewell, Bp. Apology for the Church of England. 12mo. 75 cts.
Jones, Rev. Wm. Doctrine of the Trinity. 16mo. 50 cts.
Keble. Lyra Innocentium. 12mo. 75 cts.
Kip's, Bp., Double Witness of the Church. 12mo. $1 00.
Kip-Early Conflicts of Christianity. 12mo. 75 cts.
Kip-Lenten Fast. 12mo. 63 cts.
Kip-Confession of a Convert to Romanism. 63 cts.
Law, Rev. W. Serious Call to a Holy Life. 12mo. 75 cts.
Lee, Bp. Life of the Apostle Peter. 16mo. 75 cts.
Lewis. Sermons for the Christian Year. 8vo. $1 25.
Lewis-Confession of Christ. 12mo. 38 cts.
Lewis-Position of the Prot. Epis. Church. 3 cts.
Little Elsie and Little Jemmy. (For Children.) 18mo. 25 cts.
Little Carrie; or, the Child of the Parsonage. 38 cts.
Lives of Hale, Rochester, &c. 12mo. 75 cts.
Manning's, Archdeacon, Sermons. 3 vols., 8vo. $3 75.
Mant and D'Oyly's Bible. Edited by Bp. Hobart. 3 vols.
Mant and D'Oyly's New Testament. $2 50.
Mant, Bp. Happiness of the Blessed. 12mo. 75 cts.
Mant-On Reading Church Liturgy. 12mo. 75 cts.
Manual of Confirmation and Communion. 18mo. 25 cts.
Mason. Selections from the Fathers. In Latin. 12mo. 75 cts.
McIlvaine's, Bp., Discourses. 2 vols. 8vo. $4 50.
McIlvaine-Reasons for Refusing to Consecrate a Church. 25 c.
Meade, Bp., on the Pastoral Office. 8vo. $1 25.
Melvill's Rev. H., Sermons. 2 vols. 8vo. $3 50.
Melvill-Lectures on Practical Subjects. 1 vol. $1 50.
Mercy to Babes. By Rev. Wm. Adams. 12mo. 62 cts.
Miller's, Rev. Dr., Retrospect of the XVIIIth Century. $2 50.
Moore's, Bp., Sermons. 2 vols. 8vo. $3 00.
More, Hannah. Spirit of Prayer. 32mo. 25 cts.




STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.           5
More-Private Devotions. 32mo. 25 cts.
Murdock. New Testament: Literal Translation. 8vo. $2 00.
Murdock-Ecclesiastical History. By Mosheim. 3 vols. $6 50.
Neander. History of the Church. 8vo. $1 75.
Nelson's Greek Exercises. Edited by Prof. Anthon. 50 cts.
Newnham's Tribute of Sympathy. 12mo. 50 cts.
Odenheimer-Devout Churchman's Companion. 63 cts.
Odenheimer-Origin of the Prayer Book. 32mo. 25 cts.
Odenheimer-True Catholic no Romanist. 32mo. 25 cts.
Odenheimer-Young Churchman Catechized. 16 cts.
Oral Catechism. On the Principles of Religion. Part I., 6 cts.
Oral Catechism. On the Bible. Part II., 6 cts.
Paget's Rev. F. E., Sermons on Daily Life. 12mo. 1 00.
Palmer. Ecclesiastical History. 12mo. 50 cts.
Plain Sermons. By Authors of " Tracts for the Times." $1 50.
Questions on Self-Examination. 32mo. 10 cts.
Religion as Seen through the Church. 16mo. 50 cts.
Richardson, Rev. N. S. On Confirmation. 32mo. 8 cts.
Richardson-Reasons why I am not a Papist. 12mo. 12 cts.
Seeker, Archbp. On Church Catechism. 12mo. 75 cts.
Secker-Lectures on Popery. 18mo. 25 cts.
Selectoe e Patribus, seu Theologica Summa Clericis Haud Inutile in Usum Juventutis Academice. 12mo. 75 cts.
Scenes in Our Parish. 12mo. $1 00.
Short, Bp. Church of England. 8vo. $1 50.
Short-What is Christianity?  50 cts.
Skinner's, Bp., Truth and Order. 8vo. $1 00.
Smith's, Rev. Wm., Primitive Psalmody. 12mo. 50 cts.
Smith, J. A. Moral and Physical Science. $1 50.
Spencer. History of the Reformation in England. 16mo. 50 cts.
Spincke's Manual of Devotion. 16mo. 75 cts.
Stanford, Rev. Dr. John. Memoir and Life. 12mo. 75 cts.
Stanley on the Parables. For Sunday Schools. 18mo. 38 cts.
Staunton. A Dictionary of the Church. $1 25.
Steps to the Altar. 25 cts.
Stone, Rev. Dr. Church Universal. 8vo. $1 25.
Stone-Address on the Death of Dr. Milnor. 25 cts.
Sumner's Exposition. Cloth, 75 cts.
Sunday School Teacher's Companion. 18mo. 38 cts.
Sunlight through the Mist. 75 cts.
Tayler, Rev. C. B. Mark Wilton. 12mo. 75 cts.
Tayler-Angels' Song. 12mo. 75 cts.
Tayler-Legends and Records. 75 cts.
Tayler-Earnestness. 75 cts.
Tayler-Lady Mary. 12mo. 75 cts.
Tayler-Mgargaret; or, The Pearl. 12mo. 75 cts.




6        STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.
Tayler-Records of a Good Man's Life. 12mo. 75 cts.
Tayler-Scenes in a Clergyman's Life. 12mo. 75 cts.
Tayler-Thankfulness.  12mo. 75 cts.
Tayler-Truth; or, Persis Clareton. 12mo. 75 cte.
Tayler-Arthur and his Mother. 18mo. 38 cts.
The Pointed Psalter for Chanting. 18mo. 38 cts.
The People's Psalter. By Dr. Muhlenberg. 38 cts.
The Vast Army. By the Rev. Edward Monro. 18mo. 38 cts.
The Manuscript Chant Book. By George F. Jones. $1 50.
Thomas a Kempis. Imitation of Christ. 16mo. 75 cts.
Thornton. Family Prayers. 12mo. 75 cts.
Totten's, Rev. S., Analogy of Truth. 12mo. 50 cts.
Trimmer, Mrs., on the Church Catechism. 18mo. 25 cts.
Trimmer-Easy Lessons. 24mo. 13 cts.
Trimmer-Scripture History. 18mo. 25 cts.
Turner, Rev. Dr., New Testament by Parallel References.
12mo. 25 cts.
Turner-A Companion to the Book of Genesis. 8vo. $1 25.
Turner-Epistle to the Romans, Greek and English. $1 50.
Turner-Epistle to the Hebrews, Greek and English. $1 25.
Turner-Distinguished Jewish Rabbies. 12mo. 75 cts.
Turner-Scripture Prophecy. 75 cts.
Two Sisters; or, Principle and Practice. 75 cts.
Tyng, Rev. S. H., on Confirmation. 32mo. 25 cts.
Tyng-Address on the Death of Dr. MIilnor. 8vo. 25 cts.
Wainwright, Bp. Order of Family Prayer. 12mo. 75 cts.
Wainwright-Short Family Prayers. 25 cts.
Wainwright —Sermons on Religious Education. 8vo. 50 cts.
Wainwright and Muhlenberg.  Choir and Family Psalter.
4to. $2 00.
Wainwright-Music of the Church. Enlarged. $1 00.
Wall on Baptism. 16mo. 63 cts.
White Bp. On the Ordination Office. 12mo. 75 cts.
Whole Duty of Man. 12mo. 75 cts.
Who is Jesus? 18mo. Cloth. 25 cts.
Wilberforce, Bp. Family Prayers. 18Smo. 25 cts.
Wilberforce, Bp. Protestant Episcopal Church in America.
12mo. $1 00.
Williams, Bp., on the Gospel Miracles. 16mo. 38 cts.
Williams, Rev. Isaac, on the Lord's Passion. Cloth, 75 cts.
Words of Jesus and Faithful Promiser. 38 cts.
Wilson, Bp., on Confirmation. 32mo. 25 cts.
Wilson —On the True Understanding of the Lord's Supper.
32mo. 38 cts.
Wilson —Sacra Privata. 18mo. 38 cts. 16mo. 75 cts.
Wilson-Sacra Privata, and Bp. Andrewes' Devotions. 75 cts.




STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.              7
Wilson, Rev. W. D. The Church Identified. $1 00.
Wilson-Compendium of Greek Prosody. 12mo. 19 cts.
Wilson-Introduction to Greek Prosody. 12mo. 50 cts.
Wilson-Rules of Latin Prosody. 12mo. 10 cts.
Wyatt.  Parting Spirit's Address to his Mother. 13 cts.
Wyatt-Christian Offices. 12mo. $1 00.
Zerah, the Believing Jew. 12mo. 76 cts.
The Standard and Authorized Editions of
THE BOOK OF
COMMON PRAYER.
The attention of the clergy and the religious public is respectfully
invited to our elegant series of editions of the Book of Common
Prayer and Church Lessons, - consisting of about twenty different
sizes and styles of type, from the folio, printed in large English
type suitable for the Altar, to the miniature editions for private use,
combining the advantages of portability with distinctness.
The utmost care and attention have been given to render this
series unsurpassed by any thing in this department hitherto attesipted in the United States. Elegance in typography, the be st
fabric of paper, and the latest improvements in binding have been
secured, for imparting the utmost artisticperfection to these editions;n
and the test of their superiority is therefore confidently referred to
the discriminating taste of the community.
The various styles of binding in morocco, gilt, antique, flexible
and plain, also in velvet, ivory inlaid, with bossy clasps, etc., will abe
found well worthy inspection. The series also includes editions in
plain binding of unexampled neatness and cheapness. A detailed
catalogue of the above, also, Lists of rare and valuable Thleological Works may be obtained on application, personally or by
letter, post paid, addressed to
STANFORD & DELISSER, 508 Broadw(ay,
(LATE STANFORD & SWORDS.)




8        STANFORD & DELISSER'S PUBLICATIONS.
CHURCH MUSIC.
The lfuvsic of the Church.  A Collection of Psalm, Hymn,
and Chant Tunes, adapted to the worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. New edition, much improved,
By Wainwright. $1 00.
Th1e Church Choir. A Collection of Sacred Music, comprising
a great variety of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, Anthems and Chants.
Arrariged for the Organ and Piano Forte. By Rev. Joseph
Muenscher, D. D. $1 25.
New York Grace Churech Collection of Sacred Music. Selected
and arranged from the Classical and Sacred Works of the Great
Composers, and adapted to the Psalms and Hymns of the Protestant Episcopal Church. With separate Organ Accompaniment.
By William A. King, Organist and Director of the Music of
Grace Church, New York. $2 00.
The Church Chant Book. Comprising a large and varied selection of Chant Tunes, in the Gregorian and Modern Modes,
adapted to the Ordinary and Extraordinary Services of the Protestant Episcopal Church; with an Introduction and Instructions
relative to the Mode of Performance. Written, Arranged, and
in part Composed, by the Rev. William Staunton. 75 cts.
The Choir and Family Psalter.  Being the Psalms of David,
together with the Canticles of the Morning and Evening Prayer,
and Occasional Offices of the Church, arranged for Chanting.
To which is prefixed a Selection of Chants. By Wainwright
and Muhlenberg. $2 00.
Greatorex's Church lVfusic. Being a Collection of Psalm  and
Hymn Tunes, Chants, Anthems, and Sentences, Original and
Selected, from the best Standard Composers, adapted for the
use of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America, and for
Congregations of other Denominations, as well as for Societies
and Schools. By H. W. Greatorex, Organist and Director of the
Music in Calvary Church, New York. $1 00.
The People's Psalter.  Being the Psalms of David, arranged
for Chanting. With an Appendix containing Hymns from Holy
Scripture, and a Selection of Chants. Edited by W. A. Muhlenberg, D. D. 87 cts.
The Psalter; or, Psalms of David, &c., &c.  Pointed for
Chanting. By Robert Janes and James Stimpson. 37 cts.
Canticles; or, the Order of the Daily Service.  With the
Musical Notation as used in English Cathedrals and Collegiate
Churches, together with a Collection of Communion Services,
and Chants for the Psalms for the Day and Canticles. $1 00 per
dozen.
Deus Misereatur.  Being an Adaptation of the Words of
Psalm LXVII., with the Gloria Patri, to Music from Zingarelli's
celebrated Miserere. 25 cents.