the gathering of the people.-The Emmanuel of Isaiah, which is God with us-God in our natureand in our world, magnifying the law and making it honourable.-The Messiah of Daniel, cut off, not for himself, but for the sins of the people; to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. We hold him up, as the ALPHA and OMEGA, the BEGINNING and the ENDING, which is and which was, and which IS TO COME, the ALMIGHTY— The FIRST and the LAST.-The ROOT and the OFFSPRING of David, and the BRIGHT and MORNING STAR, -The EQUAL with the FATHER.-JEHOVAH'S FELLOW-THE CENTRE OF THE DEITY, IN WHOM DWELLETH ALL THE FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILYThe ONE WITH GOD, being the BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON-The FIRST BEGOTTEN OF THE DEAD, and the PRINCE OF THE KINGS of the earth; having his name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS-THE BLESSED ÁND ONLY POTENTATE-THE KING ETERNAL, IMMORTAL, AND INVISIBLE-GOD OVER ALL, BLESSED FOR EVERMORE! We demand the allegiance of all with whom we have to do, to this blessed Saviourwe challenge their obedience to Jesus of Nazareth; and pronounce them doomed to everlasting destruction, who refuse to reverence him as their Lord and God, and who will not have him to reign over them. This is the preaching which we have proved to be the power of God unto salvation; and which has always been a stumbling-block and foolishness to the unsanctified reason of degenerate man. No wonder, therefore, that those who will not acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ, nor submit to be saved by his merit, should speak against those who so earnestly declare, that no one can come unto the Father but by him. This is

the great offence, the glorying in Christ crucified, and leaving no room for any to put confidence in the flesh.

S. Bradburn.

THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

"UNTO him that loved us!"-but with what kind of love, and to what extent, none but himself can tell. From the effects of it, indeed, we are led to conclude, that in every point of view, it is like himself, boundless and inexhaustible. 66 ""Tis an ocean without a bottom or a shore; " it has breadths and lengths, depths and heights, passing knowledge. Here the affection of a Magdalene, though she loved much; the praises of a Paul, though the most eminent of saints; yea, the songs of Gabriel himself, fall far below the exalted theme!

"For when they raise their highest notes,

His love can ne'er be told."

This is the river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God. Would we trace its source, we must carry back our thoughts to the ages of eternity; for, long ere the foundations of the world were laid, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace, felt the movings of affection towards the children of men, "always rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth." No sooner did his omniscient mind anticipate our fall, than in his pity and in his love he undertook our recovery. To Adam, the first transgressor of human kind, the transporting intelligence was announced," The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head!"-" Of old hath he appeared unto me, saying, I have loved thee

with an everlasting love." Nor has this stream of affection ever ceased to flow since there has been a channel in which it could run. How unexpected, how free, how perfectly disinterested was the Saviour's love! What could there be in wretched, miserable creatures, to attract Jehovah's love! What advantage could he possibly expect to reap from showing such favour? Surely it was for our benefit, and not for his own, that he loved us. His love appears still more unparalleled, when we reflect upon what it cost him. For us he laid aside his uncreated glories, and exchanged them for the manger and the cross. He who claimed the cattle upon a thousand hills, with all the fulness of the world, has not now a place whereon to lay his head: "he became poor." But this was little, compared with the agony of Gethsemane, and the awful scenes of Calvary"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say ? Father, save me from this hour? Nay, but for this cause came I to this hour."- "Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." The love of a creature may, as it often does, change into hatred; but the love of Jesus knows no alteration. It may vary as to its manifestations, but the principle is for ever the same. The corrections of a parent do not prove the want of affection to his child. On account of our follies our dear Lord may hide his face from us; but in the affections of his heart he is "of one mind, and none can turn him :" the " same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" In one word,—the love of Jesus towards his chosen, is pregnant with the richest and most abundant consolations. It is "the tree of life, which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and which yieldeth her fruit every month; and the leaves of this tree are for the healing of the nations." "Tis food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to

the naked, liberty to the enslaved, joy to the disconsolate, health to the sick, life to the dying. From it the saint derives support in his last conflict, an animating prospect into the unseen world, and, finally, a triumphant admission into heaven itself. And then it is that he sees most clearly, and feels most powerfully his love. May we ever be enabled to say," who loved me and gave himself for me!"

J. Jackson.

WHO can speak aright of the love of Christ in dying for us?-of the height of glory which he left, of the depth of woe which he voluntarily submitted to for us, without a reciprocal feeling? Who can contemplate the mystery of God made man for us!-reflect on the manger of Bethlehem, on the swaddling clothes, and on all connected with the incarnation of the Redeemer ;—or follow him through all his suffering life; -or enter with him into the garden of Gethsemane, sinking under the weight of our sins;-and then ascend the hill of Calvary, where he expired as a malefactor for the sins of men, bearing our sins in his own body, and made sin for us, though he knew no sin!or go with him from the cross to the sepulchre; there, at this great festival of our Easter, place yourselves with the women on the first morning of the week; then go into the sepulchre; then tremble with the earth as the Lord arises; see the angel sitting with solemn majesty upon the stone; or turn to those other heavenly messengers, one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of the Lord lay!-Or, if this is not enough, stop with Mary, weeping; and when she knew him not, but supposed him to be the gardener, hear him saying to her, in that soft and gentle voice so well known to the penitent, "Mary!"-and then fall down at his feet, and say, "Rabboni!"-Or

if even this be not sufficient, follow the narrative of our Lord to its utmost completion. Behold his ascension; his session on the right hand of his Father; the High Priest entering into the holiest of all; the blood sprinkled before the mercy-seat; the Holy Spirit poured out in his fulness; and that blessed Comforter giving efficacy to the word of truth, and sealing the testimony on the hearts of men! Brethren, if we are capable of feeling, this should surely constrain our hearts to something of holy affection. "The love of Christ constraineth us."

D. Wilson.

THE Apostle, in his Epistle to the Romans, furnishes a very interesting illustration of these words :"Scarcely for a righteous man"-a just man, a man of unimpeachable rectitude-" will one die." He may admire his character, and venerate his virtues, but it is not to be expected that this will urge him to lay down his life for his sake. "Yet, peradventure, for good man"-a benevolent man, one whose life had been spent in doing good to his fellow-creatures-for such a one 66 some would even dare to die;" for history presents us with a few instances of this kind. But then, it may be observed, that the beings for whom Christ died were neither just nor benevolent; He died for beings who had NOT A VIRTUE, and this places the love of Christ beyond conception. If we take the race of man, and contemplate the nature of those beings which he assumed, what a picture does that nature present! As to intellect, hating truth, and loving error;-as to will, obstinate and rebellious, refusing to submit to the authority of God himself;as to affection, loving that which ought to be hated, and hating that which ought to be loved;-as to benevolence, selfish and hard-hearted ;-as to truth,