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October 28.

THE DISCIPLES CENSURE OF MARY.

WHEN at Bethany, six days before the passover, Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard and anointed the feet of Jesus, there was indignation, and they said, "To what purpose is this waste?" Had such words come from the lips of Judas only, we could not have wondered; but for a time, at least, even such true-hearted disciples as John, James, and Peter joined in the rebuking murmurs. Seemingly, as yet, they had scarcely grace enough rightly to appreciate a spirituality so intense and a love so ardent as that of Mary's, and therefore, instead of commending, they keenly censured her.

We often see similar misjudgments in our time among those who cannot appreciate grace in its highest manifestations. When Henry Martyn laid all his university honours and brightest earthly prospects at the feet of Jesus, and gave himself up to be a despised missionary of the Cross to the perishing heathen, he was looked upon by many as a misguided enthusiast, who was throwing himself away. "What waste," they said, "of fine talents and rare opportunities!" They should rather have said, What moral grandeur, what Christ-like love and service!

Those who know their Lord, and truly love him, count it sweet to make sacrifices for his sake, and never feel able to praise him enough. "If I had as many angels' tongues to praise," said Samuel Rutherford, "as there have fallen drops of rain since the creation, or as there are leaves of trees in all the forests of the earth, or stars in the heaven, yet my Lord Jesus would ever be behind with me."

"Naught, naught I count as treasure
Compared, O Christ, with thee!
Thy sorrow without measure

Earned peace and joy for me."

I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.-PHIL. iii. 8.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.-2 PETER iii. 18.

October 29.

CONFIRMATION NEEDful.

OME are bent so exclusively on securing the conversion

SOME

of souls, that they take comparatively little thought about after spiritual growth and development. With Paul and Barnabas, however, it was otherwise; accordingly, after labouring for a time at Derbe with great success, they resolved to return once more to Lystra and Iconium, that they might confirm the souls of the disciples. While at Derbe, Paul was not far from the well-known pass which leads down from the central table-land to Cilicia and Tarsus; but his thoughts did not centre on an earthly home, or if he had any desires at this time to revisit the city of his birth, they were all quenched by higher longings and more pressing claims. Yes, even Lystra, where he was so cruelly handled and fiercely stoned, and into which it might well be thought he would never enter again, had far greater attractions to him than Tarsus itself. And why? Just because, through the Spirit of the Lord, there were fruits of his ministry there, recovered jewels, the Lord's little ones, dear brethren in Christ, whom he could cheer and sustain in their day of need. Indeed, his renewed presence

among them in such perilous circumstances would itself be a mighty confirmation to them. The very courage of such an act, with the faith and quenchless love it evinced, could scarcely fail to give a firmer rooting to their every grace.

He would strengthen them, also, by further instruction, and especially by a fuller exposition of the Word; for it is generally found that the surest and most effective way of confirming souls is scripturally to enlighten and impress them. When thereby graciously confirmed, they would, "though troubled, not be distressed; and though perplexed, not be in despair." In the great emergencies of life, and especially in the dying hour, believers often require to fall back upon their stored-up knowledge of God's ways and Word. Some years ago, when an aged Christian, who greatly delighted in the Word, was on his dying bed, his minister said to him, "Well, my friend, how do you feel to-day?" "Very weel, sir,” was the answer, "very weel, but just a wee confused wi' the flittin'" If he had had less of the needful confirmation, such calmness would have been impossible at such an hour.

I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.— JER. Xxxii. 40.

If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.-ROM. viii. 17.

October 30.

THE FULNESS THAT DWELLS IN CHRIST WARRANTS ANY AMOUNT OF FREENESS IN DRAWING FROM IT.

THEN the French, by means of deep Artesian wells,

brought up in the desert of Algeria gushing streams of water, the Arabs from all quarters flocked to behold and

enjoy. They laved themselves in the welcome abundance; mothers dipped their babes in the running stream; while the old sheikh, we are told, fell on his knees and wept, and returned thanks to Allah and the French.

This is but a feeble picture of the fulness of the water of life we find in Christ. When we believe in him and receive his Spirit, we get within us a well of water, springing up into everlasting life; and out of us begin to flow rivers of living water for the refreshment of others. On this account Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." And again, to the multitude he also said: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink."

Few responded to that invitation then, and few, alas! respond to it even now; but such is the fulness that dwells in him of enriching grace, and helpful power, and every conceivable blessing, that even if all of every kindred, tongue, and people crowded to him to drink, not one would have to mourn his thirst unquenched from failing supply. Whatever is needed to save a fallen world, or to sustain and cheer and comfort his people, is treasured up in him in inexhaustible fulness; and nothing honours and delights him more than a thorough realization of this on our part, and an open, trustful, and loving application to him in our every time of need.

It should never be forgotten that all this fulness dwells in him, just because he is God manifest in the flesh: "The Word-God heard; the Light-God seen; and the LifeGod felt," the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Many an image has been employed to illustrate this fulness, but

so infinite is it that nothing can adequately set it forth. Who can utter the unutterable? "When I have watched," said Dr. Guthrie, "the rise of the sun as he shot above the crest of the mountain, or into a sky draped with golden curtains sprang up from his ocean-bed, I have wondered to think that he has melted the snows of so many winters, and renewed the verdure of so many springs, and painted the flowers of so many summers, and ripened the golden harvests of so many autumns, and yet shines as brilliant as ever; his eye not dim, nor his natural force abated, nor his floods of light less full for centuries of boundless profusion yet what is this but an image of the fulness that is in Christ! Blessed Saviour, divine Redeemer, in thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore."

In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.-COL. ii. 9. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.-COL. i. 19.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.-JOHN i. 16.

IT

October 31.

WHEN THE TIMES ARE EVENTFUL, WE CANNOT

BE TOO WATCHFUL.

T is in Scripture, doubtless, we ever find the clearest and most impressive teaching of the Lord's will. But events also have a voice; and therefore, for practical ends, it is always needful to study providences. Indeed, not to regard the operation of God's hands in the varied events of daily life is a serious dereliction of duty. This was a severely-rebuked sin of the Jews at the first coming

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