ture, the "bond of perfectness;" and "the fulfilling of the law;" for if we truly love God, we shall seek His glory: if we truly love our neighbour, we shall seek his good. Faith is said to work by love. Where the incorruptible seed of divine truth takes root in the heart, a life of faith and love will be the sure and blessed result-that faith which leads a man to Christ, and that love which makes him His willing servant for ever. For while faith will bring a man to God, it is love that must keep him from departing from Him. It is true, that God has said, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." But, what is this fear? It is the fear of going astray; the fear of doing any thing that might justly awaken His displeasure; the fear of dishonouring His Name, by even the "appearance of evil;" which, for the sake of Him whose name he bears, the Christian would desire to watch against. It is not therefore the fear that hath torment: perfect love will

cast out this. It is not dread or terror-it is a holy fear, springing from love. It is a holy anxiety to be perfect with God-a holy desire of enjoying His smile, and of retaining that blessed sense of His presence, that high communion, which is the believer's greatest privilege, his portion, and his joy. He fears, because he loves; and he fears greatly, because he loves supremely; and he fears always, because his love to God never becomes extinguished; he fears God greatly, but he loves Him more. The favour of the Lord is his treasure, and over this he watches in the spirit of holy fear; for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also; and both will be, where his God is, in heaven. God has said, "I will write my law upon their heart." And how does He do this? By the revelation of His love to the heart, and shedding it abroad there. (Rom. v. 5.) He engraves His precepts on the tablets of the heart, by the manifestation of His favour-by the transforming power of His grace-by the

beaming forth of His "tender mercy and loving-kindness" upon the soul, in and through Christ Jesus. It is by this the heart is softened, melted, becomes impressible, receives His image, and loses it no more. "We love Him," says the apostle, "because He first loved us." Having received mercy, we shew mercy; and that law, which is love, is loved by God's children, and kept.

How beautiful thy light!

How wonderful thy love!

The beam that falls to bless my sight;
The joy of heaven above.

Lord! still that light impart !

O! still that love reveal!

And on the tablets of my heart
Impress thy Spirit's seal.

E

SIXTH DAY.

"BY WHOM ALSO WE HAVE ACCESS BY FAITH INTO THIS

GRACE WHEREIN WE STAND, AND REJOICE IN HOPE of the GLORY OF GOD."-Rom. v. 2.

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A scriptural hope of glory is an unfailing spring of joy; we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" in the hope of beholding and reflecting that glory.

The glory of man is said to be like a fading flower-a flower of the field, transient, perishing, passing away. It is like a meteor-light, flashing for a moment, and -gone. But the GLORY OF GOD!—it is eternal as His being. Can the hope of man, fallen man, be identified with this? Man, fallen man, as such, is tending to the dust : and without God, he is without hope in the world; but, on redeemed, renewed, restored man, the glory of God has already dawned.

When Adam was first formed, he walked forth amidst the works of creation, in all the splendour and dignity of his original righteousness; he was holy, just and good;

for the law was written upon the tablets of his heart; and he stood erect, and bore aloft, and upon his front, the image and likeness of his Maker. But he fell by disobedience; the law was broken into fragments; the crown fell from his head; and the glory departed. He could no longer hold communion with God—no longer rejoice in the light of His countenance. Banished the presence of the Divine Majesty, the darkness of death fell upon his soul, and joy was no more. Bowed down under a weight of guilt and sorrow, he fled and hid himself. He could neither look upward, nor forward, till that God against whom he had sinned, was pleased to reveal his grace, and set before him a gracious promise, which gave birth to hope; the first sure word of prophecy; the commencement of that revelation to which, not Adam only, but all his children, are even now exhorted to take heed, till the shadows of the night shall pass away, and the darkness of nature flee before the morning beam