Dark alike in every place, Ah! he feels his state forlorn,— Never seeing human face, Cheerful day, or rosy morn. Yet, when lightening up the sky, What are all thon dost display? Countless beings born to dieScenes that every where decay! Earth is but a gaudy show, Soon its dearest joys are o'er; Fleeting like the rainbow's glowFading as the morning flower! But a better light doth shineLight that points to purer bliss; Rays more glorious than thine, From the Sun of Righteousness; Light that guides the faithful soul Passing on his heavenly way, Till he gains the blessed goal, There to spend an endless day! SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS FROM BY THE REV. GEORGE MUIRHEAD, D. D., SEE ISAIAH LX. THE history of the people of Israel has been traced, in the preceding Papers, on to their final ingathering into their own land; and as, at their first coming out of Egypt, not a hoof was left behind, so, in their final ingathering, not one of their race alive upon the earth at that time shall be left among the nations. It now only remains, then, to finish these Sketches, to consider some of the distinguishing features of this seventh and last period of their history,—their establishment in their own land for a thousand years, on to the general judg ment. Here a delightful and ravishing prospect opens upon the view, surpassing far, in beauty, splendour, and magnificence, all that the enraptured poets of antiquity have spoken of the return of the golden age. These were but the fictions of a lively imagination-pleasing dreams, never to be realized; but here all is sure and certain, and shall infallibly be realized, and to an extent surpassing the highest conceptions that we can form of them. In foretelling this happy period, the prophets rise into rapture. The face of nature revives around them; every thing assumes a smiling aspect. "Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein. Then shall all the trees in the wood rejoice; for ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. I will be as the dew unto Israel. He shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon; his branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine, and the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon." Many passages of a similar import will be found in the writ ings of the prophets. To some of them there will be occasion to refer, in the illustration of this last period of the history of Israel; and although some of them may be considered as looking forward to the complete redemption of the whole Church, both of Jews and Gentiles, yet most of them shall have a true and literal accomplishment in the final return of the Israelites to their own land, and in the temporal and spiritual blessings then to be enjoyed by them under the reign of Messiah, their King. The chapter referred to at the head of this Paper contains one of the many prophecies of Scripture that refer to this happy and glorious period of the history of Israel; and while it is not intended to enter into any very minute details of the interesting matter contained in it, it shall be made the ground-work of what is intended to exhibit some of the distinguishing features of this glorious period, in which all the great things that God hath promised to the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall be fully accomplished. In the first place, the most distinguished of all the privileges to be enjoyed by the people of Israel in this period is, that Christ shall reign over them as their King. This is intimated in the beginning of the chapter referred to at the head of this Paper,-" Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." Christ is the Light here spokea of; he is the true Light of the world; "a light to en lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel.” In him the glory of the Lord shall be visibly displayed among them. In many of the prophecies that evidently refer to this period, it is expressly mentioned, that the Lord Christ shall be present with them, reigning over them, and sitting on the throne of his father David; and he is called David, their King. It was from the Mount of Olives that Christ ascended up to heaven in the sight of his apostles; and two angels, that appeared to them on that occasion, told them, that in like manner as they had seen him ascend into heaven, he should so come again; and the prophet Zechariah, (xiv. 3, 4, speaking of the last severe trial to which the people of Israel would be subjected, after many of them had returned to their own land, says, "Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle; and his feet shall stand on that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Je rusalem on the east." And, in reference apparently to the same event, Ezekiel (xi. 23) tells us," The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain that is on the east side of the city.' And the same prophet Zechariah, (ii. 8-12,) saith, "For thus saith the Lord of hosts, After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Juda, his portion in the Holy Land, and shall choose Jerusa lem again." There are evidently two divine persons spoken of; it is Jehovah that promises to dwell among them, and it is Jehovah of hosts that hath sent Jehovan to them. It is God the Father that sends his Son: and this cannot refer to Christ's first coming, when he was rejected by the nation of Israel; it must refer to his second coming, to sit upon the throne of his father David, and to reign over the house of Jacob for ever: and then will the mystery be unfolded to Israel, which their fathers understood not when the question was put to them by our Lord, at his first appearance, that Christ is at once David's Son and David's Lord. Many other passages might be quoted from the Scriptures bearing directly upon this subject, showing, that upon the return of the people of Israel to their own land, the whole administration of the affairs of their nation shall be under the immediate authority of the Lord Christ, who shall then be universally acknowledged as their King, (see, particularly, Ps. lxxii. ;) and it is impossible for us to form adequate conceptions of the blessedness to be enjoyed by the people of Israel under his wise and gracious administration, when they shall be all righteous, and when God's anger is for ever turned away from them. What the Queen of Sheba said of the wise administration of Solomon holds true in a much higher sense of Him of whom Solomon in all his glory was but a type "Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighteth in thee, to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice." poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." Again it is said (Zech. xii. 9-11), "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." It must refer then to their final ingathering. And then it follows, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." The same thing is foretold (Joel ii. 28), after speaking of a time, when it is said, "My people shall never be ashamed," which shows that it was the time of their final ingathering, the prophet goes on to foretell, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh." And observe, what will be the effect of such abundant outpourings of the Spirit. Much light will, it is likely, be cast upon many passages of Scripture, that are as yet but imperfectly understood. The ordinances of religion will be more regularly attended; there will be much greater delight experienced in waiting upon God in his ordinances; and they will have a more powerful influence upon the hearts and lives of those who attend upon them. Men's hearts being renewed and sanctified, they will generally walk in the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless-they will be faithful in the discharge of relative dutiesthey will avoid contentions and quarrels-they will dwell together as brethren in peace and unity-they will be disposed to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace-and, speaking the truth in love, grow up in all things to him who is the Head, even to Christ. O what a blessed society shall that be!-thus exhibit and loveliness of the Christian character-and thus, in their whole conduct, showing forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. In the second place, another distinguishing feature in the state of the people of Israel upon their final establishment in their own land is, that they shall enjoy the most abundant outpourings of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit dwells in all immeasurable fulness in Christ, and out of his fulness all his people do continually receive even grace for grace. There was a very remarkable outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost upon the people of Israel, which may be called the former rain, and was a pledge of a far more abundanting the fruits of the Spirit-thus manifesting the beauty outpouring at the time of the latter rain. In the different ages of his church, He hath from time to time sent down his Spirit, sometimes more plentifully and sometimes less plentifully, as showers that water the earth. But the full accomplishment of the promises respecting the outpouring of the Spirit is reserved for the final establishment of the people of Israel in their own land. Then eminently will he give the abundant showers of the latter rain. This is not expressly mentioned in the chapter referred to at the head of this Paper, although its effects are alluded to in verse 21. "Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." But it is clearly foretold in various prophecies, that evidently refer to this period. This is evidently implied in a prophecy of Ezekiel (xxxvi. 31), that was formerly under consideration, as referring to their final ingathering. "Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations." It is by the abundant outpouring of the Spirit that such effects are produced. Again it is intimated (Ezek. xxxiv. 26), " And I will make them, and the places round about my hill, a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season: there shall be showers of blessing." Then showers of blessing were to be abundant outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Again it is said (Ezek. xxxix. 27-29), "When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them into their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them; for I have In the third place, another distinguishing feature of this period is, that the nation of Israel shall then be placed in a state of great outward enlargement and prosperity, of which the prosperous reigns of David and Solomon can give but a very faint representation. All the temporal blessings which were promised to their fathers, if they should walk in the good ways of the Lord and adhere faithfully to his covenant, shall then be literally fulfilled in the happy experience of that generation. They shall be blessed abundantly in their basket and in their store, in their flocks and their herds, in their going out and in their coming in. This is much dwelt upon in the chapter referred to in this Paper. "For brass I will-bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will. also make thine officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise." The same thing is foretold in many other passages of Scripture; thus (in Deut. xxviii. 11, 12), "The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give thee rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow." Then there shall be a suspension of all those awful convulsions of nature, earthquakes, thunder storms, hurricanes, and inundations, which betoken wrath; for his anger shall then be turned away from them. Then there will be much more enjoyment of health and vigour; then shall be no complaining in all their dwellings. Thus (in Zech. i, : 16), it is foretold, "Thus saith the Lord, I am returned | to Jerusalem with mercies;" which shows that the prophecy refers to this last period: and then it follows, My house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem." Again, evidently referring to the same period (Zech. viii. 3-5), "Thus saith the Lord, I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called, A city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, The holy mountain. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls, playing in the streets thereof." Thus it is intimated, that in the period there spoken of, there should be a time of peace and prosperity, in which the young shall generally have the full enjoyment of health, and in which many should arrive at a good old age, and still be in the enjoyment of health, even beyond what could be expected from their years. In the fourth place, another distinguishing feature of this period is, that there shall be much more friendly intercourse between them and the Gentile nations than in any of the former periods of their history. In the former periods of their history, the Gentile nations were known chiefly as the enemies of Israel. They were the sword in the Lord's hand for inflicting chastisement upon Israel as the punishment of their sins. But in this period the Gentile nations shall be employed as instruments for promoting their good. This is clearly intimated in Isaiah lx., so often referred to in this Paper. Verse 3: "And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." Verse 9: "Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee." Verse 10: "And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee; for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee." Verse 16: "Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob." And as the Gentiles shall thus minister to their good in temporal things, they shall in their turn reap much spiritual benefit from their connection with Israel. They shall again, as at the first, be the means of conveying the blessing of the Gospel to the Gentile nations. This is foretold by Isaiah xi. 9, 10: "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious." It is in the holy mountain that this ensign is to be lifted, that is, at Jerusalem. And thus it is from Israel that the Gospel is to be proclaimed among the nations. Thus also in Isaiah ii. 2-4, it is foretold, "It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it: and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their : spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Thus it is evident, as the Apostle Paul declares, "if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, (to the Gentile nations) but life from the dead?" I only add, in the fifth place, one other distinguishing feature of this period, which must be evident from all that has been mentioned of it, that it will be eminently a time of joy, and thanksgiving, and praise throughout all Israel, nay, throughout all the earth. It will be, indeed, the grand jubilee of the earth. This is intimated Isaiah lx. 19, 20: "The sun shall no more be thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended." The same truth might be confirmed by many other testimonies of Scripture referring to this period. O what a delightful period must it be! Shall we not pray for its arrival? O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. "Then a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." And having thus traced the history of the people of Israel from their origin to their final establishment in their own land, the plan that was laid down on this subject has been completed. It remains only to suggest some of those instructions which may be gathered from this last period of the history of the people of Israel. And these shall form the subject of one other Paper. CHRIST IN THE BELIEVER, THE HOPE OF GLORY: A DISCOURSE. BY THE REV. ANDREW MILROY, Minister of Crailing, Roxburghshire. "Christ in you, the hope of glory.”—COL. i. 27. THE relative which connects these words with the context. Its antecedent is mystery—a term here employed not to denote what is incompre hensible, but only what had been hid from ages and generations-viz., the purpose of God that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel." This mystery, so long veiled from human apprehension, was now made manifest to the apostles. They were taught by the Spirit to know its excellence and glory among the Gentiles; and Paul delighted in being a minister of the Church, charged with the proclamation of the glad tidings comprehended in this mysterya mystery which was not unknown to the Colossians, but was understood by them from inward conviction and experience-a mystery which could « Christ in their hearts, the hope of glory." In not be more simply described, than by its being this short clause, there is comprehended much interesting instruction-rich material for profound meditation. The apostle writes to the converts at Colosse, as being true believers. He had heard and knew that the grace of God was producing of their faith in Christ, of their love to the saints, holy fruit in their lives. He speaks to them, therefore, in the language of generous and un 66 doubting confidence-as having Christ in them, and thus being filled with the hope of glory. From this account of the substance of the blessed mystery of the Gospel, as realized in the Colossian believers, we might deduce the lesson, that this is a characteristic of all true Christians that they have Christ in them, and speak of the principles and privileges involved in the possession of this character: but it is not my object to bring out the whole lessons of the text; I wish to view it as setting before us what it is that produces Christian hope in the soul, and retains it there in full vigour, as fixing the proposition that Christ in the soul is the hope of glory. In order to illustrate the truth of this proposition, that Christ in the soul is the hope of glory, it is needful, first, to fix the import of the terms, and to settle from the authority of Scripture what is meant by Christ being in us. The expression is evidently very strong and significant, and is of frequent use in the language of the New Testament. It belongs to that class of terms whose object it is to convey an impression, that religion is a matter not of form or ceremony, but of living principle and deep-felt experience. It is intended to set forth the reality and closeness of the union which subsists between a believing soul and that Saviour, on whom it centres all its hopes; the intenseness of that dependence, and the strength of that love, which a penitent spirit exercises towards its Deliverer; the power of the Redeemer over the affections of every man who cordially accepts him as offered in the Gospel; and the oneness of interest that is established between the Head of the Church and the members. It is hardly possible to bring out its full significance; yet we may affirm, that the union implied in the expression, being one of sentiment, affection, and will, comprehends these essential elements: 1. A full and complete dependence upon Christ, as the Way, the Truth, and the Life; a resting upon his atonement, as the only expiation for sin -upon his merits, as the only ground of acceptance before God; and consequently a renunciation of all self-righteousness, of all the pride of independence, of all confidence in our own wisdom, strength, or holiness. That these are the grand constituent principles of this union to Christ, here expressed by the phrase "Christ in you," is apparent from the use of the term in other passages. "At that day (i.e. when the promise of the Holy Spirit should be fulfilled), ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, "being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth." "He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk even as he walked." "He that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in Him, and He in him; and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us." The characteristics of this spiritual union to Christ are prominently set before us in such texts; and, if any thing more be requisite to give a just and definite conception of its nature, it may be found in that remarkable verse of the Epistle to the Galatians: "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." Now, if it be asked, when is Christ formed in a soul? the answer is obvious, when the soul is brought to trust in him as a Saviour-to give him the sovereign homage of its affection--to yield to his service the full and willing dedication of its powers-when his moral image is impressed on the soul, and that likeness in sentiment and desire commenced, which is to advance and be perfected in a complete conformity. Yes, Christ is in that man, whose conscious sense of unworthiness has led him to the foot of the cross-whose faith has found peace and comfort in reposing on Christ's all-sufficient propitiation-whose glowing gratitude burns with pure and holy fervour-and whose heart's desire and prayer is, in all things, to be like his Sovereign Head. There is a sense in which Christ may be said to be in all; because he is about our path, on our right hand and left, upholding us by the word of his power: and there is a fanatical sense, in which men dream of a real presence in the simple emblems appointed in the Supper, and thus consider Christ to be corporeally received by all who partake of the divine institution. But the latter is a carnal imagination; and the former a mere fact of the extent of the Redeemer's divine 2. A grateful out-going of heart to Christ, in a lively sense of unspeakable obligation, and in willing devotedness to his service; the workings of unfeigned love, founded on the perception of his matchless excellence, and of the riches of his compassion and grace to us in our low and lost estate; the ever-recurring thought of his astonishing condescension and unmeasured loving-presence and care as God, predicating nothing of kindness; and the exercise of fixed purpose to live unto Him who loved us, and gave himself for us. 3. A likeness to Christ in his moral image; the possession of the same mind which was in him; the being clothed with his meekness and gentleness; the breathing of his love to God and compassion for men; a sympathy in moral sentiment, and desire; a lively and even sanctified solicitude for the advancement of his cause. the moral state of particular souls. Far separated from both is the sense of the phrase here "Christ in you"-a phrase which emphatically declares Christ's nearness to the believing soul, his power over it, its active love to him, its ever vivid remembrance of his grace, its ceaseless dependence on his mediation, its supreme devotedness to his cause. Whenever such a moral state is induced— whenever men are so wrought upon by the Word and Spirit of God as to repent of sin-renounce | atonement and righteousness as a sure foundation, it-accept of the offer of salvation by Christcast off idols, and join themselves to him in perpetual covenant, then Christ is in them; there is a union between their souls and him who is the light and life of perishing sinners-a union real, influential, blessed-a union which carries in it, and maintains along with it, the hope of glory. This is the truth distinctly asserted in my text, and which it is my main purpose to illustrate, viz., that whenever the spiritual state expressed by Christ being in us is realized, there is felt the hope of glory; so that, were we asked to tell, in one sentence, what produces in a soul the hope of glory, and what keeps that hope powerful amid all adverse influences, our simplest and surest reply would be, It is Christ in us. This may be illustrated, first, by considering that it is Christ in us that dispels the fears of guilt,-the gloom that hangs over futurity. Hope is natural to man; as a being capable of improvement, of increase in knowledge and happiness, his spirit spontaneously stretches forth in bright anticipations; and what is it that arrests these anticipations in their bearing on eternity? what causes so dark a cloud to hover over man's prospects there? It is guilt! the consciousness of evil desert-the conviction of God's anger-the apprehension of his omniscient and unerring judgment. Until this apprehension is done away, all effectual, peace-giving hope is excluded; whence, in another passage, the apostle describes those who are strangers from the covenant of promise, as having no hope, and without God in the world: but in Christ this apprehension, in its terrific and appalling features, is done away, for he is our peace. When he dwells in the soul by faith, the ground of pardon is clearly discerned and cordially embraced; all the obstacles which stood in the way of acquittal are seen to be removed. His presence to the mind, by the light of his Word and influences of his Spirit, brings with it a realizing view of his compassion, grace, and power-of the fulness of his merits, and freeness of his love; and when these are discerned, fear departs, hope enkindles; even the hope of "no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." Christ in the heart thus opens up the avenue to hope, by presenting a sure way of escape, and implying a cordial acceptance of that way. The man who has Christ thus near to him ever feels himself to be a sinner, justly cut off from hope, and subjected to fearful apprehension; but then, his conviction of demerit does not induce despair, it only endears to him the salvation wrought out by Christ, his surety; and the more that conscience does its work, in bringing his sins in terrific array before his mind, the more is he driven to his Redeemer, and compelled to cleave to him in closer union and more resolute dependence. When conscience is stirred in those out of Christ, and the remembrance of their sins brought vividly before them, the avenue of hope is entirely shut up, and darkness envelopes all their prospects; for, being ignorant of Christ's their only peace is found either in keeping up a good opinion of themselves, or else in the resolutions of amendment they form. In respect of such, however, as have Christ in them, it is otherwise; their ever-recurring convictions, their deep sense of guilt, their abhorring of themselves for rebellion and ingratitude, force them to a new and earnest appli cation of the blood cleansing from all sin, hasten them to their Refuge and Hiding-place, induce a fuller and more entire reliance on Christ as the only propitiation, and thus, in the nature of things, lead to more established, stronger, and brighter hopes; for the foundation of a Christian's expectation is a sure foundation, which cannot possibly fail,-it is the Rock of Ages; the closer that we cling to him the more does the soul perceive his strength, and faithfulness, and power; the more is its security made manifest to itself; and thus, even amid the vivid perception of dark clouds of sin, rising up to intercept and cut off hope, does the hope of a believer triumph, because it rests on the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. "O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me; I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." The truth of my text, that Christ in the soul is the hope of glory, may be farther illustrated by considering, that this spiritual union implies an influential remembrance of God's "unspeakable gift," that gift which insures every other. It is quite plain, that whenever the spiritual state is realized which is expressed by the phrase, "Christ in you," there is a daily remembrance of Christ, as the unspeakable gift of God; not only an inwrought persuasion of the blessed truth, that "God so loved the world as to give his only he gotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life," but a constant meditation on this glorious theme,-a feeding on it by faith, as the soul's comfort, and nourishment, and strength. When this is not the case, when Christ is rarely or coldly present to the mind, it cannot, with any propriety of language, be said that Christ is in that soul; but when it is with us as it was with the converts of Colosse, that Christ is in us of a truth, then, naturally, we will think on him, in the grateful contemplation of what he did, and taught, and suffered for us on the earth, and rejoicing at the thought of what he is still doing in heaven, now that he is exalted there as our Advocate with the Father, our Forerunner, gone to take possession of the inheritance purchased by his humiliation unto death; and the necessary result of such thoughts is, the enkindling of hope,-they cannot be really felt and pursued without awakening within us gladdening expectations. While we muse on such a theme, the fire burns; in dwelling on the great loving-kindness of God, in thinking on us in our low and lost estate, and sending his Son to seek and save us, the conclusion is forcibly suggested to the mind, "He who spared not his own |