ceive and introduce you to the Father, the Father will pardon and give you peace: then you will know what real happiness is, and wonder that you ever could have been so foolish as to squander your time in sin and folly. Do you doubt this statement ? Put it to the proof, go upon your knees in private, and there read God's word, confess your sin, pray for pardon, and plead the name of Jesus for spiritual and eternal blessings; follow this up, and you will soon find that this book contains the truth of God. Do not then throw it aside carelessly, or destroy it; but read it again, and put these sentiments to the proof. Listen to its warning voice, and "flee from the wrath to come;" regard its solemn admonitions, and "call upon the name of the the Lord;" accept its loving invitations;

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look unto the Lord, and be saved." To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart;" yield not to Satan; put not the message from you, and so judge yourself unworthy of everlasting life. Rather, "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." May the Holy Spirit bless this communication to your soul, and make you wise unto salvation, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

RICH, YET POOR; POOR, YET
RICH!

A SWEDISH lady and her servant, attending a prayer meeting at Abo, in Finland, were observed to be in great distress, and on being asked what was the cause of their distress, and what they wanted, replied, “WE WANT EVERYTHING, FOR WE WANT JESUS!" What a confesssion! They saw and felt their need of Christ, and that without him they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. They were taught by the Holy Spirit to perceive, that all was nothing without Christ. Having Christ, they would have all things; wanting Christ, they wanted everything. How very few feel thus! By how very few is that part of the Spirit's work experimentally known! But blessed be God, there are some who are the subjects of it.

He

Sam Jordan was a great Pharisee. trusted in his church-going, in his prayers, and in the various duties he performed. He felt himself superior to all his companions. He made sure of heaven. He never swore. He did not frequent the beer-shop. He was honest and industrious. His cottage was well furnished, his wife was quiet and respectable, his children were all sent to school, his baker

and grocer were regularly paid, and he felt himself quite safe for heaven. He read or repeated a prayer every day, and said grace over his meals; and if Sam Jordan did not go to heaven, I wonder who would. Such

was his conduct, and such was his thought. But on one occasion, as he was reading, that passage caught his eye, and arrested his attention, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them." He paused, he pondered, he was unusually interested. He asked himself, "What is written in the book of the law ?” And, as if a voice had spoken, the reply came, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself." He felt as if he was fastened to the spot. Love God, he thought, and love him so,-why I have never done that! Love my neighbour as myself,-why I have never done that! Clouds began to gather over his mind, deep convictions penetrated his soul, and he felt unhappy. He repeated his prayer, but it afforded him no comfort. He felt as if he had a barbed arrow in his conscience. He could obtain no rest. He read his bible, no relief. He attended his only grew more wretched.

but it gave him church, but he

What to do he

knew not; all his righteousness was as filthy rags. He felt ashamed of the very works in which he formerly gloried. His sense of

guilt increased. He felt he needed a Saviour; one who would save him fully, freely. A Saviour in name would not do now; it must be a Saviour in deed. He could no longer talk of doing his best, and Christ making up the rest. He could do nothing that would be pleasing in the sight of God; all was sinful, impure, and deserved punishment. From the depth of his soul he cried, "What shall I do?"

His ear was now opened to listen, and his understanding was enlightened to perceive. His best works were but dung and dross. He heard the gospel as with new ears. He read his New Testament as in a new light. The Lord Jesus was just what he wanted, and all he wanted. But he saw not his right to apply to that Saviour, or to expect Salvation from him. Had he been asked what he wanted, like the Swedish lady, he would have said, "I WANT EVERYTHING, FOR I WANT JESUS. At length the Holy Spirit showed him, that there was a broad welcome to come to Jesus, held forth in the gospel. That its invitations were free,-free for him. He was the weary and heavy laden soul. He was the thirsty sinner. It was he that had been spending his money for that which was not bread, and his labour for that which satisfied not. He was therefore invited to Jesus, he was called by Jesus. He heard, he understood, he believed. Hope sprung up in his mind, he saw that salvation was a free gift,

and that whosoever would might appropriate it. His heart yielded, he renounced everything, he ventured on Christ, and the clouds rolled away from his mind, the arrow was extracted from his conscience, the burden fell from his soul, he felt peace, he was happy. Sam Jordan was a new man. His Bible was a new book. The gospel was a new subject. He was in a new world. Old things were passed away, and behold all things became new." Ask him, What do you want? His reply is, "I HAVE ALL THINGS, FOR I HAVE JESUS.' Christ is his wisdom, his righteousness, his sanctification, and redemption.

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If

you talk to him of his works, he says, "Not my works, the work of Jesus is now my boast." He has renounced self, he is become dead to the law, and Christ is his Alpha and Omega, his first and his last. He wonders now how he could be so blind, and remain blind so long. In business he is more diligent than ever, in his payments quite as punctual; he is a better husband, better father, better neighbour, better servant; but he renounces all, and calls himself an unprofitable servant. Christ is his all, and he does all for Christ, out of love to his dear name, and from gratitude for his great salvation. Obedience is his delight.

His wife, Mary Jordan, wonders at the change, but does not approve of it. She is sure there is no necessity for people to trouble themselves as her husband did, for God