her home in Bethany, and with her whole heart gave her very best for his refreshment and comfort.

Now, in all this we ought closely to follow her bright example. Daily should we be seeking to have our faith more firmly rooted in Christ, and, as a blessed fruit of it, to have our love more intense and practically operative. "Christ wants love," said Edward Irving, "and nothing less than love can please him. He is troubled with the falling away of our love, and he laments over it. How beautiful, how sublime is such condescension in God's Anointed One, who ever hath and holdeth the love of God, and of all elect angels, and of all glorified saints, thus to make moan over his turtle dove upon the earth."

Timotheus......brought us good tidings of your faith and charity.1 THESS. iii. 6.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.-2 THESS. i. 3.

July 21.

THE WRONG QUARTER AND THE WRONG TIME.

THOUGH in the beginning the foolish virgins took no

thought of the oil, yet did they seek it in the end; for they found in their extremity that they could not get light without it, and to be lightless at such an hour was to be hopeless. So, turning to their companions, they said, with all earnestness, "Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out." This was a natural impulse on their part, for the wise were near, and well supplied, and generously inclined; nevertheless, it was a mistaken and unavailing

one; for what was the reply ?-"Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." They sought the right thing, but at the wrong quarter. And there is no singularity in this folly, for the same thing is still seen from day to day. Indifferent as men usually are about what is vital in religion, counting it, it may be, a foolish excitement, or a righteousness overmuch, yet when a serious illness comes that brings eternity near, they sometimes become so thoroughly awakened by it, that the very thing they once despised they would now give worlds to possess. Saving grace is now the main thing with them; but, instead of going to the Lord himself for it, they go to Christian friends or neighbours only, and say, "Give us of your oil." They altogether forget that no man can give grace to his fellows. All that believers can do is

to point to the true source, even the Redeemer himself; for, apart from him, when the last summons comes, though all the saints on earth stood weeping at our side, they could not put one drop of oil into our expiring lamp.

The foolish virgins took the right course in the end, but took it too late. How many have been like them in every age!-aroused, but not converted; going to buy, but too late to get. The very possibility of such a thing should make all close at once with offered mercy in Christ.

"Make sure of salvation," said Samuel Rutherford, "that it be not a seeking when the sand-glass is run out, and Time and Eternity shall tryst together."

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.— 2 COR. vi. 2.

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.-ISA. lv. 6.

July 22.

IT IS ONLY THE WISDOM OF GRACE THAT IS WISDOM INDEED.

ISDOM would not have been described in Scripture

as better than gold, and more precious than rubies, were it not a thing of such value as to be absolutely indispensable. It is all-important, therefore, to be careful in this matter, not merely because wisdom is a very plausible word with men, and often used to hide the rankest folly, but because we are expressly told that there is a wisdom from beneath, which is earthly and sensual, as well as a wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, and full of mercy and of good fruits.

In defining wisdom, one has truly said, that it is the choice of the best ends, and the use of the most appropriate means to accomplish these ends. And were we to specify such an end, we could not better do so than in those simple but expressive words with which our Shorter Catechism opens,-" Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever." He only is a wise man who aims at this, and he only a happy man who attains to it. Accordingly, those who have the wisdom of grace invariably make this the supreme object of their choice, and resolutely subordinate everything else to its attainment. Whatever misplacement there may be with folly, there is none with true wisdom. It ever gives a low place to self, no place to sin, and to Christ the highest place of all.

When of old the question was asked, "What think ye

of Christ?" generally speaking, the great men of the world, and the wise, made so light of him as virtually to give him no place whatever. But with the lowly wise, the Stone which the builders rejected is the most precious stone of all-their choicest treasure. Speaking of him, John Flavel once said: "Alas! I write his praises by moonlight; I cannot praise him so much as by halves. Indeed, no tongue but his own is sufficient to undertake the task. His excelling glory dazzles all apprehension

and swallows up all expression."

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding....She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.-PROV. iii. 13, 15.

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Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her...A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.-PROV. iv. 7-9.

From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.2 TIM. iii. 15.

THE

July 23.

MARY'S LOVE TO HER LORD.

HE offering of affection presented by Mary would get no mention from an ordinary historian; for he would naturally regard it as a mere meaningless incident in the life of an obscure woman in an obscure village of Judea. The Lord's thoughts regarding it, however, were not as man's; and therefore this seemingly insignificant incident, just because of the rich grace and love it manifested, has found permanent place in the sacred page.

In Old Testament times many offerings were obli

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gatory; but there was no legal injunction of any kind in the case of Mary. Her act was free and spontaneous, and prompted solely by love; and on this account it took every one by surprise, for none save herself thought beforehand of any such thing. What added to their surprise was the value of her offering: it was the very richest she could bring. Some, like the Israelites of old whom the prophet reproved, offer to the Lord only what is bruised, crushed, or broken-something so valueless that it would be mockery to speak of it as a token either of love or gratitude. But with Mary it was wholly otherwise she resolved to give, not something merely but her best-an alabaster box of ointment, very precious and her only regret was that she had not something more costly still to bestow upon Him whom her soul loved. Nay, more, as one has beautifully said: "All too slowly for her did the spikenard trickle through the narrow mouth; therefore she must break the glass. And as from the broken vessel the precious ointment flowed, filling the house with delicious odours; so her heart was broken, for it was not large enough to contain within itself the fulness of the Lord's love to her, and the sweet savour of her answering love that was gushing forth in return."

Some may be ready to say, with a sigh: "I have no such precious token to present. Anything I can bring is so poor and worthless that it would be almost presumptuous to offer it." But not so: what the Lord regards is not so much the gift itself, or its own inherent value, as the spirit, and specially the grateful adoring love, with which it is offered.

"O thou loving One," said John Bunyan, "O thou