straw with the ox, as it is promised; it makes the froward meek, the passionate patient, and the morose benignant and kind." And then he added: "I had rather a thousand times see a church filled with love, than filled with the best and highest and most glorious of gifts that any men in this world may be made partakers of." Yes, it is even so; for a church full of love is a church full of beauty and full of strength, and God will do great things by it.

John Howe, when chaplain to Cromwell, had so much of this beautiful spirit, and was in those eventful times so helpful to men of all parties, that on one occasion the Protector said to him, "Mr. Howe, you have asked favours for everybody but yourself; pray, when does your turn come?" "My turn, my Lord Protector," he replied," is always come when I can serve another."

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.-1 PETER i. 22.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.--ROM. xii. 10.

A

September 18.

OUR LORD'S TIMELY CAUTION.

FTER intimating that as iniquity abounded in the days of Noah, so will it be when the Son of man. cometh, our Lord uttered these memorable words: "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."

This timely "Take heed" has not only saved many from

over-engrossment with earthly things, but from the internperance so prevalent in our time, and which so surely debases man's nature and excludes from the kingdom. Indeed, so thorough is the wreck it makes of character, affection, and means, that there is not a more wretched spectacle on earth than a drunkard's home. This sin is singularly deceitful in its working, and we cannot, therefore, be too prayerfully on our guard against it. It comes in with our joys, as if to increase them, and often wins in festive seasons its greatest triumphs. It comes in also with our griefs, as if to lessen them, but in reality it adds woe to woe.

Men sometimes speak lightly of this sin, but God puts it side by side with the vilest enormities: "Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Yet, vile as this sin is, and terrible in its grasp, and to be ever abhorred and shunned, even the righteous have at unguarded moments been temporarily mastered by it. "Who would look," says Bishop Hall, in his striking way, "to have found righteous Noah, the father of the new world, lying drunken in his tent; that wine should overthrow him that was preserved from the waters; that he who could not be tainted with the sinful examples of the old world should begin the example of a new sin of his own? What are we men if we are but left to ourselves! While God upholds us, no temptation can move us; when he leaves us, no temptation is too weak to overthrow us."

How forcibly does all this say, "Be distrustful of your

selves!" The man who says most confidently, "There is no fear of me," is the very man who has most of all reason to fear. How impressively, too, does it say, " Shun every usage that might prove a snare, and every companionship, however genial or gifted, that would tempt you aside!" In this matter no man is beyond peril of stumbling who stops at mere reformation. We are only safe when the Spirit of God is dwelling within us; for he alone can impart the divine grace without which we can do nothing; and therefore the apostle says, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be ye filled with the Spirit.”

In the spring of the year 372 a young man, we are told, in the thirty-first year of his age, in evident distress of mind, entered his garden near Milan. The sins of his youth-a youth spent in sensuality and impiety-weighed heavily on his soul. Lying under a fig-tree, moaning and pouring out abundant tears, he heard from a neighbouring house a young voice saying, and repeating in rapid succession, "Take and read! take and read!" Receiving this as a divine admonition, he procured the roll of Paul's epistles. Describing the scene, he says: "I opened it, and read in silence the chapter on which my eyes first lighted (it was the thirteenth of Romans): 'Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."" All was decided by a word. He did not desire to read any more; nor was there any need-every doubt had vanished, and the Day Star had risen in his heart. "Jesus has conquered," as one beautifully adds, "and the grand career of Augustine, the holiest of the

Fathers, then commenced. A passage of God's Word kindled that glorious luminary which was to enlighten the Church for ten centuries, and whose beams gladden her even in the present day."

What grace did for Augustine, it can do for all who put themselves into Christ's hands, and let his word dwell richly in them in all wisdom.

Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.-GAL. v. 16, 24.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.-PROV. xx. 1.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.1 COR. X. 12.

FEW

September 19.

REAL CONTENTMENT IS RARE.

NEW men have had severer trials of faith and patience than Paul. He was in journeyings oft, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of his own countrymen, in perils of the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils of false brethren; in weariness and painfulness and watchings often; in hunger and thirst and fastings often. Yet, in spite of every such varying experience, he could truthfully say, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

This contentment, on his part, did not spring from indifference or apathy, nor was it mere sullen submission to hard fate. He felt what want was, and felt it keenly, and when obtainable he gladly accepted relief. Nevertheless, in every condition, and whether relieved or straitened,

he ever sweetly bowed to the will of God. Contentment like this is manifestly not a flower that grows in nature's garden, a thing born with us; nor is it one of the immediate results of imparted grace. Even Paul, after his conversion, did not at first possess it to the full. He had to learn it; and where? Not among the Jewish doctors, but at the feet of Jesus, and in the school of sore yet gracious discipline. Gold is not refined at once, neither are saints.

When at any time tempted to discontent, we should remember that, let our state be what it may, it is always better than we deserve. Being sinners, both by nature and by wicked works, we have so forfeited every claim to God's favour and loving-kindness, that it is purely of his rich mercies we are not consumed. Instead of ever opening our lips, therefore, in discontented murmurs, we should rather exclaim, with adoring wonder and gratitude, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression?" "I would give little for your piety," said one, "if you did not sometimes creep into a corner with the poor publican and say, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'"

The grand and only remedy for discontent is a thorough acceptance of Christ, and keeping ever in remembrance that, whatever the wants and sorrows of earth, there are none in heaven.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. Having food and raiment let us be therewith content.-1 TIM. vi. 6, 8.

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. -HEB. xiii. 5.