Spirit will aid you in the holy war against , of which it is susceptible, the doctrine of in, and make you ready to every good justification by faith in Christ, and in him vork. Not in life, indeed, will you attain crucified, establishes the law; because, even o perfect sanctification, and perfectly fulfill under the law, faith, and faith alone, was he holy law of God: but at the blessed always considered by the most pious and our of death you will be welcomed into a l enlightened minds as that which really world where perfect obedience is perfect justified a man in the sight of God. It was uy; and where, flying on angel wings to not the bloody sacrifices of the altar, but o God's will, and with an angel's love | faith in God and in the promised Messiah. urning within your soul, you will know “The just sball live by faith,” is an Old som experience the full meaning of this | Testament maxim. Thus the apostle says lessed truth, “He that keepeth the com- | (iii. 21, 22), that the righteousness of God andment keepeth his own soul!" But without the law is witnessed by the law and hink not that you have power to keep the the prophets, even the righteousness of God ommandment in yourself. Apart from which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all Thrist and the promised Spirit, you can do and upon all them that believe; and then lothing. God works in you both to will he proceeds to show, in the fourth chapter, nd to do of his good pleasure. Look, that Abraham was justified by faith, and herefore, to him for strength in your hour that David believed in a righteousness withf need, and trust not in a feeble arm of out works, a righteousness which could esh; and if you are enabled to do well, therefore only be “by faith.” Moreover, the it not your heart be lifted up by a foolish ceremonial law in several ways typified this ride, but be ever ready with humble grati. doctrine, and the voice of prophecy, when de to say, “It was not I, but the grace speaking of the coming Deliverer, witnessed God which was with me."

to it too. Indeed, the inflexible strictness But we must now proceed to consider of the law itself, viewed in connection with le second part of our subject. We have to the exceeding great and precious promises gard the cross of Christ, or rather the made to the penitent soul, necessarily imospel scheme of mercy in which it holds plied it. But the point we wish to elucile most conspicuous place, as a manifesta date is this : that the cross of Christ, and on of God's holiness, and as the weightiest our faith in the atoning efficacy of the roof of his respect for his eternal law. Saviour's passion and death, establishes the Do we make void the law through faith ?" | moral law on a firmer basis than ever. God wat is, through faith in Christ's blood forbid that it should be thought to be ter. 25); by our faith in that gratuitous otherwise! Mercy must not triumph over istification which is conferred on every righteousness and justice. If their un. plieving, penitent soul, “ through the re- | yielding claims be not satisfied, mercy must emption that is in Christ Jesus;" a justi- sorrowfully stand aside, and weep in silence. cation purchased with the precious blood | Love itself would demand it. "God's law,

Christ. Do we thus make void the law ? the reflection of his holy nature, must be 10 we detract from its authority, and dim honoured at all costs. God cannot, without $ glory ? God forbid! The cross of losing his character (if we may venture to hrist establishes the law; and places the use such an expression), suffer his law to oliness of God, so luminously displayed be disgraced. That would be, moreover, the - ierein, in a clearer and more impressive worst calamity which could befall the subght than even the promulgation of the jects of his moral government. Do we iw from Mount Sinai did.

then make void the law through our faith Some commentators are of opinion that in the Gospel ? “God forbid,” says the he phrase “ the law," as employed in this | apostle ; that is not to be thought of for a assage, is a general expression used to moment: and if we were asked for a proof lenote the whole of the Divine commu of God's severe holiness, for evidence that ications made to the Jewish nation, his law is not an idle thing which may vhether in the way of precept or of lightly be laid aside, we should point first, promise, of revelation or of prophecy.

not to Mount Sinai, but to Mount Calvary; Perhaps, however, we shall not be wrong not to the law itself, but to the Gospel of n judging that there is a special re | his grace. ference to the moral law, and then to the 1. We there learn that a wondrous proceremonial law imposed upon the Jews. pitiation was necessary before God could Taking the phrase in the most general sense consistently pardon the guilty. His own

character, as well as the well-being of his "made void,” but that its dignity must and moral universe, required it. God's Son must will be upheld at all costs; and at the foot die! The moral law was not annulled and of Mount Calvary we learn to respect and its sanctions slighted. It was not even reverence it too. More than anything bealtered in a single particular to adapt it to side, the croes of Christ reveals the love of the level of nian's fallen condition and God. How can we refuse to acknowledge diminished ability. Under the Gospel no and to adore the love which delivered him partial obedience is accepted as a ground up for us all! It is this which teaches our of justification in the place of a perfect backward hearts to love God. We love one. Since man has not and cannot do all, him because he first loved us, and sent his God is not satisfied with a part. This Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And would have dishonoured and degraded the loving him, we are anxious to please him ; law, and thus dishonoured God himself. and how can we do this better than by But we see God's holiness and justice keeping his commandment ? Ah! the cross demanding and receiving a Divine sacri of Christ makes the believer tremble lest he fice before mercy could be allowed to should break God's law. The sincere step forward to save. We have not space Christian will fervently adopt the language here to treat the grand doctrine of the and sentiments of the poet :atonement scientifically. Its general mean 'Twas for my sins my dearest Lord ing is well known to almost every reader. Hung on the cursed tree, The broad fact is clearly and repeatedly And groaned away his dying life stated in the written word. By the atone

For thee, my soul, for thee ! ment made by Jesus Christ for the sin of

"O how I hate those lusts of mine

That crucified my Lord ; the world, the moral law is established ;

Those sins that pierced and nailed his flesh God's sense of its excellence is made known; Fast to the fatal wood. its authority is confirmed, its obligation “Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die; strengthened, its majesty acknowledged.

My heart has so decreed ; 2. The Gospel establishes the law when

Nor will I spare the guilty things we consider the perfect obedience of the

That made my Saviour bleed." Divine Redeemer. He obeyed it gladly, We do not feel the sanctifying power of fully, unfailingly. There was no sin in him; the cross if these words do not awaken a otherwise he would not have been qualified ready echo within our hearts. If there is to offer up the great propitiation. The no response, we are not Christians in deed Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of and in truth! the world must be without blemish and May I be allowed a parting word to my without spot. Ho submitted to the claims unknown reader? Think not the cross of of the moral law, and showed his reverence Christ will save you, unless you are taught for it by the blamelessness of his life. The by the Spirit to delight in “keeping the crowning act of his obedience was his be commandment.” It “establishes the law." coming obedient unto death, even the death It makes it, if possible, more obligatory on of the cross. Thus he magnified the law, you than ever. It clothes it with supreme and made it honourable. No one saved majesty and authority. Whatever your by Christ can think slightingly of the law, ! profession may be, if your feet are not in since his Saviour loved and obeyed it; since the way of God's commandments, you are he, at God's command, laid down his life, not yet saved. You either do not under. and endured of all deaths the most stand (and may God deliver you from such agonizing and shameful.

fatal ignorance) the true meaning of the 3. The law is established by the cross of Saviour's cross, or with your eyes open you Christ, because it is the main instrument of | are travelling onwards to hell. And then, our sanctification. It is the most effectual think not that God's commandment is ineans which the Holy Spirit employs to grievous. It is not. It is as gracious as produce in us love and obedience to the it is wise. It is your guide to true happilaw. More than anything else, it reveals ness, to heaven. Were all to obey it, all the holiness of God, his righteous indigna- | would be happy. God could not alter it tion against sin. When'standing in thought without spoiling it. God could not proclaim at the foot of Mount Calvary, we see in our a different law so favourable to your happi. bleeding, dying Lord, how God respects his ness; for," he that keepeth the command. law, we feel that it is not a thing to be ment keepeth his own soul.”

Tales and Sketches.

THE WIDOW'S CHILD. than all the well-meant words of friends
A TALE.

and neighbours, who had crowded round

the widow in bearty sympathy, though with ANNIE HART was the only child of her some sense of importance reflected on themmother, and “she was a widow." A sad | selves in being able to tell to others what life the Widow Hart bad led since that she had said, and what they bad seen. It awful, never by her to be forgotten day, was thus that little Annie Hart was ushered when the news had been brought to her into the world; and truly might the widow that her husband, who was a slater, had have said, like the Hebrew mother of old, missed his footing when mending the roof “I bare her with sorrow" (1 Chron. iv. 9). of a high house, and had fallen lifeless on the Little Annie was a very delicate child, pavement below. How every event of that and as she grew up to understanding she day still lingered on her memory! How showed a thoughtfulness and anxiousness distinctly she recalled the kind and sympa of disposition quite beyond her years, and thising face of the minister who came to which it was painful to see in one so break the dreadful news to her! And how young. She had none of the gay, hearty she would often again in fancy hear the carelessness of childhood, but was at the muffled tread of those who, ere she had same time so gentle and winning in her quite comprehended the extent of her mis ways, that she was a universal favourite fortune, brought into her once happy home with young and old. Her little companions the shattered remains of him who had been would speak less loudly, and play more its life and stay, and who had left her but gently, when with her, for poise and bustle two hours before in the full flush of manly seemed to cause her positive pain ; while health and vigour! Again sbe would think their mothers would kindly stroke her soft, she heard that bitter wail of anguish wrung brown hair, and say, from her own broken heart, but which, in “Come, Anni', don't look 80 down. its fearful agony, sounded to her ear as if | hearted ; you'll live to be your mother's coming from someone else. One say of comfort yet.' light alone shone into the desolate widow's She was that alreads, though she did not heart, when the thought of that dark and know it; but she was also a source of much dreadful day oppressed her most sorely ; it care and anxiety; and often, often did the was the recollection of her husband's last widow try to comfort herself and encourage words os he parted from her that morning. her child with those well remembered She had been talking over their money worde, “Be careful for nothing." It was affaire with him, and expressing some pitiful to see the little, anxious face raised anxiety as to how they should meet their from the lesson over which she had been rent which was about to fall due, and he poring, and to hear the sad, patient voice had tried to inspire her with his own exclaim simple and earnest faith that the “Lord | “Mother, I can never learn it !” would provide ;" but observing, as he was It was not that she was slow or stupid, going out, that his wife's brow was still far from it; but that she seemed to have clouded, he turned when crossing the been born with an anxious weight on her threshold, and said with a pleasant voice heart, which made everything appear to be “Cheer up, Nan; 'Be careful for nothing' a burden too heavy for her to bear. On

-ge know the rest of the verse, lass. one such occasion her mother said to Mind, it's One that is wiser than you or me herthat says it; 80 set to the work you're so "I have often told you, Annie, of your fond of, and mind what I say, 'Be careful dear father's last words to me, 'Be careful for nothing.'"

for nothing ; but in everything with prayer The work to which he referred was the and supplication make known your requests preparation of little clothes for her expected unto God.' Don't be over anxious, child ; baby, which came into the world that same do your very best with your lessons, and your sorrowful night, bringing more comfort to teacher will be satisfied, though they may its poor deeolate mother by its feeble cry | not be so perfect as they should be.”

“But I can't help it, mother," said the , even from death by that protecting arm. little girl earnestly. “If I think I don't There was a moment of bitter struggle, know my lesson, I can't sleep, and I think and an inward cry, “Father, if it be pos. and think it over till my head aches, and I sible, let this cup pass from me!" At feel so stupid in the morning when I go to last she spoke, quietly and soothingly :school; and teacher says I am so obsti “Annie, darling, you know we must all nate," added the little girl, with the big die some day; 8o look up, and wipe away tears rolling down her pale cheeks. “O your tears while I talk to you about it. mother, I could not pray to the great God That was a very foolish thought of yours and the blessed Jesus about such a little about the grave. Don't you know how thing as my lessons; that would not be our blessed Saviour told his disciples when right, would it ?"

Lazarus was dead, Our friend Lazarus "Yes, darling, I think so; because you sleepeth'? When you are fast asleep in see we are told in every thing to make bed, you do not know how dark and known our requests ; not for great things stormy the night is outside ; perhaps you only. Most of the things that trouble have pleasant dreams, and think that you even grown-up people are very little things are playing out in the cheerful green fields in the sight of the great God who made and warm sunshine, and are quite bappy. heaven and earth, yet he tells us to go to And so, my precious child, 'if you fall him; and you know our blessed Saviour asleep in Jesus, which is the name that the became a little child, as well as a sorrowful Bible gives to the Christian's death, your and suffering man, and that was that little body will not feel the darkness of the cold children might come to Him who knows | grave, and it will be no dream of pleasant what they teel, and who will kindly listen | things then, but, oh! such a happy reality; to your prayer, if you ask him to give you for your spirit will be with that kind and more courage, and to make you less careful | loving Saviour who said, 'Suffer little chile about everything."

dren to come unto me;'" and, drawing Apnie bad drawn her stool close to the her Bible to her, she read aloud the glowside of her mother, who was sitting sewing ing description of the heavenly Jerusalem, while she spoke. She looked earnestly up | with its golden streets and gates of pearl. at her mother's face while she continued "So in this, too, our family text will help speaking, and then turned towards the fire, us," she added, smiling, as she closed her gazing silently into it. After a long pause, Bible. «•Be careful for nothing,' but tell she again looked at her mother, and your Saviour of your fears, and he will said

help you in your time of need." “Mother, is it very wicked for me, I She soothed her little girl at last; and wonder? I am so afraid-oh, I am so when she had got her put to bed, and had afraid to die !" and the child hid her face sat by her at her own request till she fell on her mother's knee and shuddered. asleep, the widow returned to her seat by

A pang shot through the poor mother's the fire to think over what she had passed, heart, but she answered quietly

and to look the dreadful event in the face. “What put that into your head, dar Yes, it was too true, she could not shut ling?"

her eyes to it now, though for a long time * Because, mother, the other day, when past she had tried to do so. Month after Alice Trueman died, her aunt told me that month she had seen her child becoming she was put into the cold, dark pit hole ; thinner and paler, and had tried to per and neighbour Allan said, 'I am thinking suade herself that as spring advanced and some one will not be long of following,' and the weather warmer, her child would reshe looked at me, and they both began to vive like the summer flowers, and gladden whisper, and I know it was me she meant. her heart by showing symptoms of renewed O mother, mother, I don't want to be health and strength; but now she felt this put into the cold, dark pit hole ; I don't hope, on which she had so fondly rested, want to die ;” and the poor little child dashed from under her. She recalled the cried till her heart seemed ready to break. pale, anxious face, become so much more

There was another breaking heart in the anxious of late ; she thought of the suffer. room; it was that of the poor widowed ing that might be in store for her darling, mother. For some minutes she could not ! of her terrible dread of death ; and, like the speak; mechanically she drew her child patriarch, she was ready to exclaim, “ All closer to her, as if she would shield her these things are against me." Long, long she sat thus, till it seemed as if her very fear of death, trying to show her how He heart must break; at last the words so who suffered and died for us on Calvary often spoken to her child, so often thought had overcome death and taken away its upon in her many times of trouble, came ating. While he spoke she always seemed as if from the lips of him who so many soothed and comforted ; but when he was long years ago had left them to her as his gone the terrible dread would come upon dying legacy. “Yes," she said, half aloud, her again, especially if she woke suddenly as the well-remembered text spoke to her from a short, fevered sleep at night; and inmost heart, “ even in this let me strive again she would cry in anguish of spirit, not to be careful, but make known my “Mother, mother, I do not want to die. Í requests unto God;" and she knelt down, know it is very wicked of me; but I am and from the depths of an almost broken so afraid.” heart poured out an agonized prayer into Of all her trials, none had ever so sorely the ears of Him who himself had been made tried the mother's faith as this. She could perfect by suffering, who wept at the grave bear to see her child's bodily suffering, of Lazarus. She prayed that if this cup though all the weakness and weariness might not pass from her, she might be which Annie felt she would willingly, oh! strengthened to drain its bitter draught; how willingly, have borne it for her, but that, at all events, her darling might, if this cloud upon the spirit she could not possible, be spared from můch bodily remove, and it seemed to her at times as if suffering; and that the sting of death indeed the Lord had forgotten to be gramight be removed, and the victory given, cious, as day after day she saw her darling through Him who had “overcome death, approaching nearer and nearer to the end and brought life and immortality to light." she so much dreaded, and heard her piteous Peace, that peace which passeth under cry to be saved fron what she knew to be standing, seemed to fill her heart as she inevitable. She lingered longer than the throw down her heavy burden at her doctor had expected; the crocuses and gracious Saviour's feet, and she rose from snowdrops were coming into flower, and her knees strengthened for the new duties the hawthorn hedges were thickening with and trials which awaited her.

their green and bursting buds; and still The next morning she asked the doctor Annie lived, and could take some pleasure There to come and see Annie, and his opinion in the spring flowers which her young com

confirmed her worst fears. The child was panions, remembering her love for them of dying, he said, and medicine could do little old, brought and laid upon her little bed.

for her. There was a complication of One bright, sunny day she lay arranging y disease, and a general wasting of the some violets, primroses, and daffodils which

system; and, but for the extreme care that had been brought her; she made two little had been taken of her, she would probably nosegays with some care, and asked her have died long ago.

mother for something to tie them up with. “She may last some time yet," he added, Glad to amuse her, her mother gave her as he left the house; “ but she will scarcely some ribbon to tie the flowers, and observed o see the winter through, I fear."

her hesitate for a long time into which of Very hard the poor mother found it now the two nosegays she should put a sprig to cast aside her anxious cares, and to say, of flowering ribes, the bright red flower of 6 Thy will be done ; " but bravely she which had greatly delighted her when she battled with her great sorrow, and for her had received it. It was tied up at last, and child's sake strove to appear cheerful she looked at it with evident satisfaction, and hopeful. And so weeks passed on, Just then Mr. Stanley, the minister, enand daily and hourly she saw her darling tered. He was one of those men to whom growing thinner, and paler, and weaker, children instinctively give their confidence while still the dread fear of death hung and love, and Annie had long been in the over her soul, and she would cry in an habit of looking to his daily visit as the agony of spirit

happiest moment to her in the twenty-four "O mother, don't let me die-don't hours. She loved to hear him repeat the let them put me into the dark, cold grave." simple hymns and verses from the Bible,

The minister, the same who had come to which she was never tired of bearing from break to her the news of her widowhood, 1 his lips : “They sound different, somehow, came often to see Mrs. Hart, now in her mother," she would say. afliction, and spoke to Annie about her “And how is my little friend to