"

To complete the picture, we must take in a counterpart description of
the _Father's_ love to us;--"_Therefore_ doth my Father love me," says
Jesus in another place, "_because_ I lay down my life!" God had an
all-sufficiency in His love--He needed not the taper-love of creatures
to add to His glory or happiness; but He seems to say, that so intense
is His love for us, that He loves even His beloved Son _more_ (if
infinite love be capable of increase), because He laid down His life for
the guilty! It is regarding the Redeemed it is said, "He shall _rest_ in
His love--He shall rejoice over _them_ with singing."

In the assertion, "God is love," we are left truly with no mere
unproved averment regarding the existence of some abstract quality in
the divine nature. "Herein," says an apostle, "perceive we THE
LOVE,"--(it is added in our authorised version, "of God," but, as it has
been remarked, "Our translators need not have added _whose_ love, for
there is but one such specimen")--"_because_ He laid down His life for
us." No expression of love can be wondered at after _this_. Ah, how
miserable are our best affections compared with His! "_Our_ love is but
the reflection--cold as the moon; _His_ is as the Sun." Shall we refuse
to love Him more in return, who hath _first_ loved, and so _loved us_?

"NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN."

17TH DAY.

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said"--

"Only believe."--Mark v. 36.

The Brief Gospel.

The briefest of the "words of Jesus," but one of the most comforting.
They contain the essence and epitome of all saving truth.

Reader, is _Satan_ assailing thee with tormenting fears? Is the thought
of thy sins--the guilty past--coming up in terrible memorial before
thee, almost tempting thee to give way to hopeless despondency? Fear
not! A gentle voice whispers in thine ear,--"_Only believe._" "Thy sins
are great, but my grace and merits are greater. 'Only believe' that I
died for thee--that I am living for thee and pleading for thee, and that
'the faithful saying' is as 'faithful' as ever, and as 'worthy of all
acceptation' as ever."--Art thou a _backslider_? Didst thou once run
well? Has thine own guilty apostacy alienated and estranged thee from
that face which was once all love, and that service which was once all
delight? Art thou breathing in broken-hearted sorrow over the holy
memories of a close walk with God--"Oh that it were with me as in months