"I have dence, before he went to the cross, glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." This is just what I ought to be always doing. This should be my constant aim. In every breath I draw, in every thought I think, in every word I speak, in every act I perform, I ought to glorify God. If I was likeminded with Jesus, I should set my heart upon it and be always aiming at it. O for grace so to sanctify my nature, and regulate my conduct, that whether I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, I may do all to the glory of God. Especially may I endeavour so to spread the truth, walk in the world, and speak to sinners, with a view to their salvation, and immediate conversion to God, that God may be glorified in me and by me. Brethren, do we sufficiently set our minds upon being likeminded with Christ. If convinced that we do not, ought we not to confess and deplore our sin before God, seeking grace that henceforth we may think and act, as Jesus thought and acted? The proper end of conviction, is conversion; and what is conversion, but turning from the wrong to the right turning from self and sin, to God and holiness. Jesus is our standard, by which we should measure ourselves. Jesus is our patern, to which we should conform ourselves. As Jesus walked, so we should walk. Jesus acted, so we should act. thought, so we should think. : As As Jesus O that like Jesus, we may, as believers, look upon sin as the greatest evil, and endeavour by all means to avoid it-upon holiness as the greatest good, and strive by all means to acquire itupon the salvation of souls as the greatest work, and throw all our powers and talents into it and upon the glory of God as the greatest, the highest end, and evermore in all we purpose, plan, or do, pursue it! Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of Christ, we appeal to thee, to make us like Jesus; work in us, and give grace to us, that we may resemble him; that so living, we may live to the Lord; dying, die to the Lord. Amen. My dear Redeemer and my Lord, Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal, Cold mountains and the midnight air Be thou my pattern; make be bear or A SWEET THOUGHT. I HAVE been reading an interesting obituary of a young person who passed through many painful, and some severe exercises of mind, but was at length brought into a state of settled peace and joy in God. God manifested himself to her in Christ. She had a view of God's glory in the person of his Son, and this banished all her doubts and fears, and made her happy. God in Jesus is love. He is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. He is the God of patience and consolation. The God of peace, and the God of all grace. In him is every thing to attract us to him, but nothing to terrify or drive us from him. The young person I was reading of felt this, and in speaking of the cause of her happy state, she said, "THROUGH CHRIST I LOOK AT GOD; AND THROUGH CHRIST GOD LOOKS AT ME." Is it not a sweet thought, that Christ stands between the believer and God; so that if the believer looks up to God, he looks through Christ; and if God looks down on him, he looks on him through Christ. I wish to keep this thought in my mind, that it may influence my conduct and feelings; I will therefore endeavour to meditate on it for a minute or two. "THROUGH CHRIST, I LOOK AT GOD." For a sinner to look at God, as he is revealed in nature, with a load of guilt on his conscience is terrible. To look at God as just, and holy, and omnipotent, is enough to drive any sinner to despair. But to see Jesus, as set forth by God, to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood; as having made an infinite atonement for sin, and provided a righteousness that meets all the demands of the law, and does honour to all the perfections of the lawgiver; and then look up to God, is truly blessed. For how could God show his love to us, and his desire to receive and bless us, in any way so calculated to inspire us with confidence and love, as by giving his Son to bear our sins, endure our punishment, work out our righteousness, and remove every cause of his displeasure from us. This God has done, and to show that the Lord Jesus has perfectly finished his work, and that God is perfectly satisfied with what he has done, he is now seated at the Father's right hand in glory. Not only so, but as our great High Priest he is ever officiating before the throne for us; receiving our poor prayers, praises, and gifts, rendering them acceptable, and then presenting them to God. In looking up to God, therefore, we should look at Jesus as representing God to us; and look through Jesus to God, and then we see a God without wrath or anger; but with a heart full, and overflowing with infinite love to us. Such a view of God would banish our doubts and fears; strengthen and encourage our confidence; fill us with joy and peace; and inspire us with holy love and grateful praises. O my soul, never, never, look at God but through Jesus; or as revealed in and by Jesus, and then thou wilt enjoy perfect peace, permanent rest, and a fulness of joy! "THROUGH CHRIST, GOD LOOKS AT ME.' Yes, blessed be God, he hath chosen us in Christ, blessed us in Christ, united us to Christ, and now looks upon us through Christ. He looks upon us as righteous through the righteousness of Christ; as having made a full atonement for sin, by the the death of Christ; as prepared to answer every accusation by the advocacy of Christ. He looks upon us through Jesus, as his friends, as his beloved children, and as his honest, though imperfect servants. He looks upon us lovingly. He looks upon us with an eye of pity. He looks upon us with complacency and delight. He loves us with the self-same love with which he loves Jesus; and consults our best and highest interests in all he does to us, or permits to be done. If he looked upon us in ourselves, or looked at us without a medium, how much he would see to hate, and to provoke him to anger. But looking upon us through Jesus, he sees |