one, and, little as they think of it, are his miserable slaves, Eph. ii. 2.

They on the Lord's side are interested in Jesus, as their Saviour, their Shepherd, their Advocate, and are the objects of his constant care and everlasting love; Eph. i. 7; John x. 28; Rom. viii. 33, etc. They who are not, have no part in Christ. "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.' He is not their Saviour; his blood cleanses not them; he is not their Shepherd, nor their Advocate. In his work, his love, his blessings, they have no part. With pity he says, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life," John v. 40.

They who are on the Lord's side are born of God. The Holy Ghost is. their Teacher, Comforter, and Helper. Others reject all this good, and resist the Holy Ghost." They who are on the Lord's side are the children of God; he pities and loves them as a kind father, and it is his good pleasure to give them the kingdom, Psa. ciii, 13; Luke xii. 32. They who are not subjected to him bear the dreadful character of his enemies, they have a nature that is enmity itself, Rom. viii. 7. God desires not their death; but still, as a righteous Judge, he "is angry with the wicked every day," Psa. vii. 11. For them there is not a better country, but they treasure up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. ii. 5. His children have him as a Friend to flee to in affliction. He has been their refuge in all generations, Psa. xc. 1; xlvi. 1. But those who are not his children have no such refuge.

The world of glory is the home of those who are on the Lord's side, and time is daily bringing them nearer to their home, and death will be to them a happy entrance on eternal life. Butdreadful contrast!-the fire of hell awaits those who belong not to God; every moment that passes, brings nearer the dreaded hour of entering there. At length they die: no Saviour welcomes them; they lift up their eyes in misery, and are lost for ever.

To sum up all: they who are on the Lord's side are exposed to no curse, but are possessors or heirs of all blessings. But those who are not his have not one blessing, but are always exposed to many dreadful curses. On them rests the curse of the broken law, and the anathema of the neglected gospel, 1 Cor.

xvi. 22.

Is such the difference between these two classes? Then how important the question to every reader, "WHO IS ON THE LORD'S SIDE?"

MIGHTY to save! This is a description of the Saviour's power, which has been delightfully illustrated in a thousand ways. He has delivered many who were the chief of sinners from sin and condemnation; and he has imparted peace and joy to numbers who would otherwise have been overwhelmed with misery.

A few years ago, a youth, whom his heathen countrymen intended to offer in sacrifice to their idol goddess, and who would have been cruelly cut to pieces before life was extinct, was rescued, and placed in a missionary asylum. The Christian friends to whom he was delivered named him David, and sought to teach him the knowledge of Christ. He appeared, however, so sad, dull, and stupid, that they almost despaired of training him for any situation above that of sweeping the floors and yard. His chief pleasure was to lie in the ashes, or to bask in the sun. At length the Holy Spirit opened his heart to receive instruction: he became the subject of religious impressions, and now a great change took place in him. He seemed to start into a new state of being. None made more rapid progress in learning than he. The Scriptures became his delight, and he would spend hours in reading them. Appearing to be truly a convert to the Lord, he was baptized, and walked worthily of his profession. When he left the asylum he was employed in the mission printing-office.

Not long after this, his kind friends observed some white spots appearing on his dark skin. They knew that these were signs of leprosy-in his country a terrible disease; and as there would be no hope of cure if the disorder made much progress, they speedily sent him to a hospital. But human help was vain; thence he was sent back with an intimation that his case was hopeless, and all that could be done would be to smooth his passage to the grave. The disease made fearful ravages, destroyed his toes and fingers, and made him a melancholy spectacle of extreme suffering. That other young persons on the mission premises might not catch the dreadful disease, a small building was prepared for poor David, where his wants were supplied, and where he lived alone, but was visited by Christian friends. Once the missionary and his wife paying him a visit, found the door ajar, and unperceived they came near. He lay on his mat, his Testament by his side, and his hymnbook on his breast, meditating on a hymn he had just been reading, of which the English version is

"Of all that decks the field or bower,
Thou art the fairest, sweetest Flower;
Then, blessed Saviour, let not me

In thy kind heart forgotten be.

Day after day youth's joys decay;

Death waits to seize his trembling prey.
Then, blessed Saviour, let not me

In thy kind heart forgotten be."

In his great wretchedness the Saviour's love cheered him. His visitors prayed with him, and on leaving him, one of them remarked, "There lies an heir of glory!" Early the next morning the missionary was again at his cot. The door seemed as they left it the evening before. He entered it, and there David lay-his hymn-book on his breast, and his Testament by his side; but his spirit had departed, and doubtless had been, like Lazarus, carried by angels to the Redeemer's bosom. Precious gospel! that could disperse the gloom of such deep misery. Precious Saviour! whose power and grace are thus sufficient to cheer the most afflicted of mankind! Thou art indeed "mighty to save."

Reader, you need to experience his saving power. You are so entirely lost, that none but an almighty Saviour can deliver you; and to you, and to all, salvation is of infinite importance. The state of every man by nature is a state of utter ruin. The Scriptures declare that all men are so corrupt and depraved, that without a change so great as to be called a second birth, they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. It describes all men as shapen in iniquity, and as transgressors from their birth; and affirms that all, in their natural condition, are undone, lost,

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MIGHTY TO SAVE."

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and exposed to everlasting misery. Read, with attention and prayer, God's holy word, and you will find these humbling statements there, Psa. xiv. 2, 3; li. 5; Rom. iii. 9-20; Eph. ii. 1-3. The Lord Jesus came to seek and save those who are thus lost, Luke xix. 10; 1 Tim. i. 15; and his salvation includes every blessing that an undone, but immortal soul can need. He saves from the heaviest load of guilt. He saves from the curse that sinks sinners to perdition. He saves from slavery to Satan, from his likeness, and his prison, John viii. 36; Col. i. 13. Thus he saves from hell, and all its fearful woes and direful despair; and those whom he has pardoned and justified, he saves, by his preserving care, amidst the dangers and snares of this world-saves in the hour of death, and will crown with life and immortality in the kingdom of God, John x. 27, 28; 2 Cor. v. 1-9; Matt. x. 32; xxv. 34, 46.

When good so vast is at stake, it is a delightful fact, that its Author is "mighty to save." He is mighty in his Divine perfections. Though in his human nature the Son of man, in his Divine he is one with God, the great God, the mighty God; over all, God blessed for ever, John i. 1; Tit. ii. 13; Isa. ix. 6; Rom. ix. 5. He formed, and he upholds the universe. Can he do this, and not be mighty to save? Col. i. 16, 17.

In the efficacy of his atonement, his saving power is manifest. He "obtained eternal redemption," and "appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," Heb. ix. 12, 26; and the glorious company of the redeemed in glory have "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," Rev. vii. 9-17. Earthly physicians find sufferers that their skill and medicines cannot benefit; but no diseases of the soul are beyond his skill. No load of guilt is too heavy for him to remove, no heart too sinful for his Spirit to change.

His power to save is seen in the greatness of the salvation he gives. He rescues not only from common foes, and from transitory evils; but from the "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels;" from the horrors of their company, and from dispositions and characters hateful and hellish as theirs. Then he transforms those thus rescued into his own image, and translates them at length to his kingdom of glory. Behold a man, a sinner, with thousands of sins, every one of which deserves eternal death; a rebel against God; an enemy to him, and thus a child of wrath, a bond-slave of Satan. But see this wretched creature saved by Christ. He is snatched as a brand from the burning; he is delivered from sin; is washed, sanctified, and justified; is renewed in heart by the Holy Ghost; is made a child of God, an heir of God, a joint heir with Christ, Rom. viii. 17. All this is through the Saviour's grace. It is

devout desire of the anxious soul to the triumphant joy of the glorified saint, from the first tear of penitence to the final song of victory, the Saviour effects it all.

In many other views he appears mighty to save. His saving power continues unimpaired from age to age, and is not weakened by the flight of centuries. To save one soul from eternal death and hell unto the bliss and life of the world to come, is a greater work than to save whole nations from famine and misery. But he saves multitudes which no man can number, and among them are sinners of every class. He has saved the licentious and dissolute, the self-righteous and the proud, the blasphemer and the infidel, the persecutor and the heathen; for whatever be men's guilt and misery, to him it is equally easy to save. Many who are now in blessedness were once the chief of sinners; but they are washed, are sanctified, and are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Many that were weak in themselves were so upheld by him who is mighty to save, as to pass cheerfully through a martyr's flames, and to win a martyr's crown. Lambert, in the flames into which the papists cast him, lifting his burning hands, said, "None but Christ! none but Christ!" Another sufferer kissed the stake, and exclaimed, "Welcome the cross of Christ! welcome everlasting life!" Anne Askew, an amiable young lady, when letters were brought her at the stake offering her the king's pardon if she would recant, refused even to look at them, telling the messenger she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master. Who but He that is "mighty to save" inspired these sufferers, and thousands more, with their triumphant firmness?

But still more gloriously will the Lord Jesus appear as "mighty to save" in scenes that are yet to come. When in his kingdom all his redeemed are gathered to him, and he is admired in his saints, then will shine forth all the glory of his saving power. There will be seen innumerable multitudes; all sinners once, all then triumphant saints; all ruined once, then all safe for ever; all polluted once, then all without spot, or blemish, or any such thing; and all owing their salvation, from first to last, to his dying love and living care. How great will our Immanuel then appear! How glorious in his power to save!

Reader! is this mighty Saviour your Saviour? If so, how much you should prize him! how much above friends, and life, and all things else! But if he be not yours, how earnestly you should seek him! He is able and willing to save. Whatever your fears, your weakness, your sins may be, go to him, believe on him, trust him, and he promises not to cast you out, John vi. 37. Flee to him, and you will prove that he is "MIGIITY TO SAVE.”