said, "having loved this present world." Alas! the world was dearer to him than Christ, and time more in his thoughts than eternity. It might therefore have been truly said of him, "He went out from us, but he was not of us; for if he had been of us, he would no doubt have continued with us." This case affords a terrible warning: let it not be forgotten that the same love of the world that ensnared him to his ruin, has ensnared multitudes in every age.

It is not without reason, therefore, that the great Dreamer thus writes: "At the farther side of that plain was a little hill called Lucre, and in that hill a silver mine, which some of them that had formerly gone that way, because of the rarity of it, had turned aside to see; but going too near the brink of the pit, the ground, being deceitful under them, broke, and they were slain. Some also had been maimed there, and could not, to their dying day, be their own men again. Then I saw in my dream, that a little off the road, over against the silver mine, stood Demas, gentleman-like, to call passengers to come and see; who said to Christian and his fellow, Ho! turn aside hither, and I will show you a thing.''

This narrative is full of instruction, which all should ponder. When commenting on it, Thomas Scott says: "The love of money does not always spring from a desire of covetous hoarding, but often from a vain affectation of gentility, which is emphatically implied by the epithet gentleman-like bestowed on Demas. This often tempts them into a style of living they cannot afford. debts are contracted, and gradually accumulate. In these ensnaring circumstances, professed Christians, if not

Thus

powerfully influenced by religious principles, will be almost sure to embrace Demas's invitation to turn aside to the hill Lucre, along with By-Ends, Money-Love, and Save-All, and, if they be not drowned in destruction and perdition, will 'fall into temptation and a snare, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows.""

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.-LUKE xvi. 13.

They are not all Israel, which are of Israel.-ROM. ix. 6.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.-1 JOHN ii. 15.

August 7.

THE LORD NEVER GIVES HIS EAR ALONE TO TRUSTFUL SUPPLIANTS.

IN

N ordinary life we meet with many who readily, and, it may be, patiently also, give their ear, but that is all they give. They are hearers only when petitioners come to them, but never prompt and generous givers. It is not thus the Lord deals with believing suppliants. His readiness to listen is never greater than his willingness to help. The ear is but the first of his gifts, and is the earnest and pledge of greater and better to follow. Knowing this, an old believer once said: "I know that I have got the King's ear, and therefore there can be no lack now."

Yes; when the Lord gives his ear, he never fails in the end, so to speak, to give his hand and his heart, with all the helpful power of the one and all the tenderest sympathy of the other. Accordingly, there is scarcely any

limit to his promises: "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it "—" If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." Possessing such amplitude of promise, we might well say, "Here, O my soul, is a fountain opened; here thy eager thirst may be fully satisfied; thy largest desires filled up, and thy mind be for ever at rest.”

One who was very familiar with palaces said: "Some who know little of courts and courtiers think that the king's ear may be had at any time; but it is a great mistake." This may be true of earthly princes, but it is never so with our Lord and King. At all times, under all circumstances, and for all supplies, morning or evening, mid-day or midnight, we may safely count on getting, in God's good time, the relief we need and the blessings we implore; and happily, too, everything we get now is but an earnest of infinitely greater things yet to come.

In every age believers have, from personal experience, borne joyous testimony to this blessed fact; saying with the Psalmist, "Verily, God hath heard me; and hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."

"Have you no words? Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,

And fill your fellow-creature's ear

With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent
To Heaven in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oftener be,-
Hear what the Lord has done for me."

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.-Ps. xxxiv. 9, 10.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?-Rom. viii. 32.

IF

August 8.

UNWISE INQUIRY.

F, after the partial revelation the Lord made to him of his own future, Peter had, for practical ends, only inquired still more minutely what he had first to do, or where next to go, no fault could have been found. But, not satisfied with knowing his own duty and destiny, he became unduly curious about his fellow-disciple. Pointing to John, he said, "Lord, and what shall this man do?" To this inquiry the only answer given was, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me." Had the Lord been dealing with John, as well as with Peter, in searching yet loving scrutiny, there might have been something to justify the question put. But there being nothing of this kind, Peter had no more call in providence to make such inquiries about John than he had to make them about James or Andrew, or any other of the Twelve.

Yet, what Peter did then, multitudes are ever ready to do still. Instead of quietly doing their Master's work in the sphere assigned them, with high aim and pure motive, they busy themselves in other men's matters, to their own injury and their neighbours' disquiet. The duties and responsibilities of others seem more to concern them than their own, and thus they become mere idlers in the Lord's vineyard. They forget what the apostle said to the Thessalonians: "We hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies."

So long as, like Paul, and in his spirit, we simply say,

"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" the guidance needed will not be withheld, nor the daily grace for daily duty.

"Lord, and what shall this man do?

Ask'st thou, Christian, for thy friend?

If his love for Christ be true,

Christ hath told thee of his end.
This is he whom God approves,

This is he whom Jesus loves-
Ask not of him more than this.
Leave it in his Saviour's breast,
Whether early called to bliss

He in youth shall find his rest,
Or armed in his station wait
Till his Lord be at the gate."

What each man is to do, and where and how long, the Lord himself appoints, mysteriously sometimes to us, yet ever, in reality, wisely and graciously.

Foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.-2 TIM. ii. 23.

Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.—TITUS iii. 9.

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.-1 TIM. i. 4.

August 9.

NONE NEED FEAR THE STRONG WHO HAVE THE STRONGER THAN HE AT THEIR BACK.

E are told in the Word of a broken-hearted father,

WE

who, coming to Jesus with his son, and kneeling at his feet said, "Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him." Moved with compassion,