mind, and speedily brought forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness. We cannot be too soon the Lord's, and live to high and holy purpose. ""Tis not for man to trifle: life is brief, And sin is here; Our age is but the falling of a leaf- We have no time to sport away the hours, All must be earnest in a world like ours." I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.-JOHN xv. 16. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. -EPH. v. 9. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.-PHIL. i. 11. June 18. ALL GOES WELL WITH US WHEN THE LORD IS WITH US. ERE outward circumstances, however seemingly favourable, are no sure evidence of true welfare. Even when our cup is full to overflowing with earthly blessing, it may yet be going ill with us, simply because the Lord is not with us. On the other hand, if only the Lord be near, though there should be but a handful of meal in the barrel and a little oil in the cruse, it may be thoroughly well; for as we may be full, yet really empty, so we may be empty, yet really full, because rich in faith and love. Nevertheless, even in this life, God is often pleased so to prosper his people outwardly that they stand out as striking exemplifications of the truth that "godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Like Abraham, having the Lord with them, they are at once rich in goods and rich in grace; hence the old saying, “Those who would prosper must make God their friend; and those who do prosper should give God the praise." In doing so they would find that as the Lord was with Abraham and Joseph and Daniel, so would he be with them, perfecting strength in weakness, and guiding in love. It is well, however, to remember that a time of prosperity is very often a time of spiritual peril; for its natural tendency is to foster pride, even in renewed hearts, and to dull and deaden every heavenward aspiration. "Build your nest," said Samuel Rutherford, "on no tree that grows in the forest of this world, for the whole is doomed and will soon be cut down; but mount up and hide in the clefts of the Rock." "I do not ask that flowers should always spring Beneath my feet; I know too well the poison and the sting Of things too sweet: For one thing only, Lord, dear Lord, I plead Lead me aright, Though strength should falter, and though heart should bleed, What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.-Ps. xxv. 12, 13. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. JOSHUA i. 5. BEFORE June 19. FLATTERING TO DECEIVE. EFORE finding fault or inflicting censure, it was the apostle's usual way to go first as far as he honestly could in saying what was favourable. This was not flat tery, but the wisdom of love; for thereby he always got a more willing ear and a more receptive heart for his Master's message. Though he praised, he never on any occasion spoke flattering words for selfish ends. But what he would not do the false teachers of his time readily did, and thereby insinuated their errors, to the injury of the Church and the ruin of souls. "A flatterer," said good Bishop Jewell, “maketh it his greatest care to please men, and his greatest fear to displease men. He changeth often as the weather-cock, and dareth not to strive against the stream." There still exist many such flatterers, against whom we must guard; and it is not without only they are found, but within also: hence the caution solemnly given, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." It is sometimes falsely whispered to them: "You may have needed watchfulness before, but being in Christ now, and freed from the law, it would be going back to bondage to be still watching and praying;" and thereby they are often but too successful in misguiding the steps and defiling the garments of the inexperienced and the weak. "If with a careful and enlightened eye," says Dr. Payson, we trace the path of a numerous church, we shall find it strewed with the fallen, the fainting, the slumbering, and the dead, who set out in their own strength, and have been stopped, ensnared, and overcome by various obstacles." What need, then, of ceaseless and prayerful watching! Our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.-1 THESS. ii. 3, 4. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. -Rom. xvi. 18. June 20. WE DISHONOUR THE GIVER WHEN WE DESPISE THE GIFTS. IT T would be a mistake to suppose that when the apostle said, "Despise not prophesyings," he referred simply or mainly to a foretelling of future events. His words might include that, but they included much more, and in particular the expounding and applying the word for saving and sanctifying ends, as is abundantly evident from what he states elsewhere: "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Therefore to despise the preaching of the word, or the ministry of the gospel, which the Lord has expressly appointed for the body of Christ, is to go directly in the face of the apostle's injunction: "Despise not prophesyings." Indeed an evangelical and living ministry is one of the choicest gifts of the Lord to his Church and people, for thus it is written: "When he ascended on high, he gave gifts unto men; some apostles, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." True, the publishing of the glad tidings of salvation is not the duty and privilege of ministers only. All, in their own sphere, not only may, but ought lovingly and heartily to help in this blessed and glorious work. All such additional help, however, can never supersede the preaching of the word by a stated ministry, which, being a divine and peculiarly precious arrangement, should ever be greatly prized and turned to the best account. Mr. Moody, wherever he went, invariably sought and secured the co-operation of ministers; for he strongly felt that, however admirable and useful occasional labourers might be, it would yet be injurious in the highest degree to weaken the hands of the stated ministry, on whose efforts, under God, the systematic and permanent instruction of the people must depend. Though the apostle only forbids the sin of despising, in reality he virtually enjoins the duty of honouring the ministry by giving welcome to messenger and message alike, for the Master's sake. The ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.-ACTS xx. 24. We do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.-2 COR. xii. 19. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.-2 COR. v. 20. June 21. APOSTOLIC CONFLICT. WHEN the apostle said, "I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh," he probably referred not merely to the weariness and painfulness endured for their sake, but specially to his fervent wrestlings with God in their behalf. The conflict maintained by him was thus partly outward, from the bitter enmity and persecuting violence of men, and partly inward, from the intense anxiety and fear which the bare possibility of their relapse and apostasy awakened within him. So still Christian conflict has more or less of this twofold aspect; but usually we find that when there is most of outward conflict, there is least of the inward, and when the inward is most severe, the outward is greatly modified. |