It might involve undertakings which would prove injurious to the reputation, health, or interest of both, or induce a line of conduct which would peril the closest ties of friendship. But in no sense can this apply to Christ. His will is right, and His will is love. He commands rot as the exactor, but as the friend; not as the rigid master, but as the sympathizing guide and helper, and who, while reserving to himself the right of commanding to whatsoever duty He pleases, giving us the promise of whatsoever grace, or faith, or strength, or patience, we may need for the full accomplishment of all His will. The friends of Jesus, then, are perfectly safe as well as strong, while He says to them, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." 3rd. It is practical service, having the glory of Christ for its ultimate object. The disciples-those early friends of Jesus-were led by one object and motive in all their work. It was simply the glory of their Master. Motives which often assail Christians in these later days, arising from custom, or taste, or early predilection, could have but little force with them, seeing that the glory of their Master outshone, in their estimation, all the glory of the world; and seeing, too, that to be numbered among the friends of Christ was to be placed in direct opposition to the wisdom, the power, and the riches of the world. They could joyously say, "What things were gain" to us, these we "count loss for Christ;" and as all their strength and hope fay in Christ, so all their words were laden with the precious things of Him, while all their actions were regulated by the desire to advance His kingdom. They delighted in the glory of His person-" This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses." They delighted in the glory of His work-" Unto you, first, God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning every one of you from his iniquities." Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." They delighted in the glory of His truth-" The glorious Gospel of the blessed God.' "It is the power of God unto salvation." 66 66 They delighted in the glory of His kingdom; not the earthly kingdom of their early ambition, but a kingdom which cannot be moved." They delighted in the glory of His Spirit the Spirit of adoption, transforming them from friends into sons—“ whereby we cry Abba, Father!" by whose power, too, they had been renewed in the spirit of their minds, so that "all things have become new." Now, these early friends of Jesus seem to lose their individual purposes, plans, and objects in the one great object—the glory of their Divine Friend, their glorious Master. 4th. It is practical service, growing more pleasant with enlarged experience. All forms of human service grow exhausting to the energies and wearying to the spirit; but the services which, as Christ's friends, we accomplish for Him, grow more delightful and more significant as years roll on, and eternity draws near. The recog nition of the disciples by Christ as His friends, was made in a time of darkness and storm; a darkness and storm far more intense and terrific to the disciples than it was to Jesus; but as the crisis passed away, and the true dignity of their position and the grandeur of their work broke upon their minds, how easy does the most arduous undertaking appear! In the darkness of their sorrow, a few hours' watching wearied them; a few passing, mocking words alarmed them; a temporary delay in the fulfilment of their hopes drowns them in despondency; but now they summarize all their pains, perils and cares in the one expression, our light affliction;" feeling that every labour undertaken, every duty performed, for Christ, is a step farther into the glorious light; a step nearer the glorious home, where remains the "eternal weight of glory," as well as the everlasting rest. Not in vain has the Master said to them, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." And to us, the professed friends of Jesus, do these words come to stimulate us in our course, and cheer us in our labours. Our friendship with Him began in tears and in fears at His cross, when He said to us, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee;" but as the glory of the divine life shone upon our path, and we saw more clearly the beauty of Him who loved us, and felt the power of that Gospel which is committed to us, our step becomes more elastic, our energies to fight more strong; our faith assumes a steadier growth, our hope a brighter lustre; and while Christ is saying to us, from His throne in heaven, "Ye are my friends," we find that every temptation overcome, every duty accomplished, every trial borne, every passion subdued, every sinful principle rectified, every work of love done for others in 66 His name and for His sake, are only so many seals and proofs of that friendship begun on earth, and consummated by His love and grace in heaven. August, 1861. S. A BELIEVER'S GOLDEN CHAIN. HEAR the best men; read the best books; keep the best company. 2. Meditate often on the four last things-death, which is most certain; judgment, which is most strict; hell, which is most doleful; heaven, which is most delightful. 3. Set the watch of your lives by the Sun of Righteousness. Mal. iv. 2. 4. Be willing to want what God is not willing to give. 5. Crucify your sins, that have crucified your Saviour. 6. Do you bless God most who are most blessed. 7. Fear not the fear of men. 8. Cleave thou closest to that truth which is choicest. 9. Acquaint yourselves with yourselves. 10. Do good in the world with the goods of the world. 11. Improve that time which will be yours but for a time. 12. Learn humility from Christ's humility. 13. Be upright Christians. 14. Let it be thy art in duty, to give God thy heart in duty. 15. Be diligent in the means, but make not an idol of the means. 16. Take nothing upon trust, but all upon trial. 17. Take those reproofs best which you need most. 18. Labour more for inward purity than for outward felicity. 19. Live in love, and live in truth. 20. Set out for God at your beginning, and hold out with God until your ending. THOMAS DYER, about 1630. DIVINE MEDIATION. ROBERT HALL AND CHARLES SIMEON are well known among the lights of the evangelical interest in England, in the days when it cost something to be faithful to spiritual truth. These two servants of Christ, the former a Baptist, and the latter of the Established Church, both living at Cambridge, formed a warm friendship for each other. In time, however, a breach was made, which grew so great that they refused even to speak to each other. A reconciliation was at length effected by the Rev. John Owen, Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, whose memory is still fragrant in the English churches. The means used was the following plan, adopted after several others had been tried in vain. He wrote and left at the house of each these lines: "How rare that task a prosperous issue finds, Which seeks to reconcile discordant minds. How many scruples rise at passion's touch! This yields too little, and that asks too much; Each wishes each with others' eyes to see, And many sinners can't make two agree. What mediation, then, the Saviour showed, Who singly reconciled us all to God!" It is said that, upon receiving the lines, each minister left his residence to seek the other, and that they met in the street, where a perfect reconciliation took place. JOHN KNOX'S DEATH-BED. ONE morning his friends entered his apartment. He had been fighting, not sleeping; wrestling, not resting; and it required all God's grace to bring him off a conqueror. Till daybreak Jacob wrestled with the angel of the covenant; and that long night Knox had passed wrestling with the prince of darkness. Like Bunyan's pilgrim, he met Apollyon in the valley, and their swords struck fire in the shadow of death. The lion is said to be boldest in the storm. His roar is never so loud as in the pauses of the thunder, and when the lightning flashes brightest are the flashes of his cruel eye; and even so he who as a roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he may devour, often seizes the hour of nature's distress to assault us with his fiercest temptations. Satan tempted Job when he was bowed down with grief. Satan tempted Jesus when He was faint with hunger. Satan tempted Peter when he was weary with watching and heart-broken with sorrow; and reserves, perhaps, his grand assault on us for times that offer him a great advantage. It was when Knox was worn out, left alone, his head laid low on a dying pillow, that Satan, like a roaring lion, leaped upon his bed. Into the room the enemy had come; he stands by his bed; he reminds him that he has been a standard-bearer for the truth, a reformer, a bold confessor, a distinguished sufferer, the very foremost man of his time and country; he attempts to persuade him that surely such rare merits deserve the crown. The Christian conquered; but, hard put to it, only conquered through Him that loved him. OBEY AND YOU SHALL KNOW. NEVER was there a truer or more beautiful saying-as every Christian experience will testify-than that of our Saviour: "If any man will do my will, he shall know of the doctrine." Obedience opens the heart to the Great Teacher, the Holy Spirit, and gives us a practical insight into former mysteries. Not only so, but we become keenly appreciative of the beauty and harmony of all God's plans, in nature as well as in grace. None can have so high an appreciation of the noble relations of this life, and of God's educational discipline to fit us for those relations, as the obedient, working Christian. WHY CHRIST LEFT NO IMAGE. FOUR men who loved Christ with a love stronger than death, wrote His life, but left no hint of His height, complexion, features, or any point that could help the mind to a personal image. Others wrote long epistles, of which he was the Alpha |
