September 8. THE VERY HOLINESS OF JESUS IS THE HOPE OF THE UNHOLY. TYPICALLY and symbolically the priests of old were all holy. The garments of the high priest were to be holy garments, the crown to be worn a holy crown, the oil for anointing to be holy oil, and all the service to which he was set apart was to be holy service. But personally the priests were sinful even as others, and consequently could do nothing for sinning men beyond typifying the real redemption needed. How different with the true High Priest! He was so unmistakably the Holy One that even devils knew the fact, and openly acknowledged it: "What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." He was "holy, harmless, and undefiled," a Lamb without blemish and without spot; and though daily going out and in among the diseased and the dying, he ever remained the Undefiled One, and could ask without fear, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" This fact is largely dwelt on in the Word, just because, had he not been thus sinless, he could not have been the Sin-bearer, the sinner's Substitute, the true Paschal Lamb; and so to this hour we would have been still in our sins, without help or hope of any kind. "No sunbeam," says one, "is more clear from darkness than Jesus from sin's shade. If it could have been otherwise, how could he have atoned for us? Sin's touch would have made him amenable to justice. Death would have been due for his own faults. But now he gives his soul, his body, without one blemish,—a pure, fit, all-sufficient sacrifice, for all the sins of his most sinful flock."— Thus the very holiness of Jesus is the hope of the unholy. "I lay my sins on Jesus, The spotless Lamb of God; He bears them all, and frees us All thus saved through faith in Jesus should daily strive to be like him; all the more, as it is invariably the likest to the blessed Master who are most used by him in all service, most filled by him with all peace, and the most ripe and meet for the glory to be revealed. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.-JOHN i. 29. He was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.-1 JOHN iii. 5. Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.-1 PETER iii. 18. September 9. THOSE WHO WASTE TIME FORGET ITS BREVITY AND HOW MUCH DEPENDS ON IT. IT is interesting to note how thoroughly the saints of old realized the brevity of their lifetime on earth: Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity"-"I am a stranger before thee, and a sojourner, as all our fathers were "My days are like a shadow, that declineth "-" My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle," yea, "swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey." So short indeed is even the longest life here, that when it is over it is "like a tale that is told," or "like a dream of the night." Yet, with all its brevity, what is more precious? It is a God-given season for saving ends, the seed-time for eternity—yea, the only seed-time; for if this brief day of grace is finally wasted, there is no other to follow. We may lose money, yet find it again, and lose influence, yet by steady rectitude recover it again, and lose friendships, yet enjoy their sweetness again; but when time is lost, it is irrecoverable. All that can be done is to turn to good account any little remnant of it that may still be ours. What the Lord said of the loaves and fishes we should say of time: "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost;" all the more, as very much may depend on the right use even of a single day or an hour. The dying thief on the cross had little more than one hour left him, yet how thoroughly did he turn it to saving account. In that fragment of time he not only found forgiveness through faith in the Saviour, but found also the way to paradise, and joyously entered in. ""Tis not for man to trifle. Life is brief, Our age is but the falling of a leaf, A dropping tear. We have no time to sport away the hours- "Not many lives, but only one have we- How sacred should that one life ever be That narrow span! Day after day, filled up with blessed toil; This I say, brethren, the time is short.-1 COR. vii. 29. What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.-JAMES iv. 14. Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.-PROV. xxvii. 1. September 10. THOUGH IT IS WELL TO PRAISE THE LORD EVEN WITHOUT SONG, IT IS BETTER STILL TO PRAISE HIM WITH IT. IT T has in all times been the delight of good men to praise the Lord in joyous song. When in the full fervour of their souls they engage in this blessed exercise, they feel for the time lifted above the world, brought near to their Lord, and enjoy the very liveliest foretastes of heaven. Should there ever be failure with us in this sacred duty, it cannot be from any lack of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; for these have been accumulating from age to age, and they are not only sweet to the ear, but precious to the heart, because full of Christ and richest spiritual experience. Nor are examples wanting. Our blessed Lord went not out to the Mount of Olives till he had sung an hymn. Paul and Silas, even in prison and at midnight, sang praises to the Lord. Job teaches the sorrowful inquirer, 'Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?" And James says, "Is any merry? let him sing psalms." "Sense," says one, "sings only now and then, but faith is an eternal songster." All should try to engage in this duty, however feeble in voice or defective in skill. Doubtless it is easier for some than for others, but few need be altogether silent. Old Thomas Fuller, who was as noted for his quaintness as for the wisdom of his remarks, had a defective voice; but he did not refuse to praise on this account. "Lord," he said, "my voice by nature is harsh and untunable, and it is vain to lavish any art to better it. Can my singing of psalms be pleasing to thine ears, which is unpleasant to my own? Yet, though I cannot chant with the nightingale, or chirp with the blackbird, I had rather chatter with the swallow than be altogether silent. Now what my music wants in sweetness, let it have in sense. Yea, Lord, create in me a new heart, therein to make melody, and I will be contented with my old voice, until in due time, being admitted into the choir of heaven, I shall have another voice more harmonious bestowed upon me." So let it be with us. Let us ever sing in the same spirit and in the same joy and hope. "Since better is thy love than life, Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.-Ps. 1. 23. O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.—Ps. xcviii. 1. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.-EPH. v. 19. THE September 11. REJECTING THE WORD BEFORE READING IT. HE Bible professes to have a divine Author, to set forth God's mind and will, to announce good tidings, to make known the only way of salvation, and to bring |