Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. — EPH. iv. 30. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. MATT. xii. 31. WHILS The WHILST all sins are mortal unless expiated and repented of, we are to beware of one that is so peculiarly virulent as to leave no room for repentance. blood might cleanse it if applied; but the blood will never reach it, as it is beyond the jurisdiction of grace. Prayer for it is as unavailing as if offered for the impenitent dead, or for the conversion of Satan. It is like a disease from which no patient has ever recovered. Whether the Pharisees had committed this sin, or were only forewarned of their peril, we are not informed. Perhaps no mere man can ever in this life be sure that his case is beyond hope. But as this sin is directed against the person and operations of the Holy Ghost, the terrible warning is still in season. We should fear to condemn a work because it fails to satisfy our prejudices or our sectarianism. Whilst professing to be only criticising human methods, we may be passing judgment on the Spirit, condemning his work as excitement and delusion, and ascribing it to Beelzebub. Our opposition may be in varying degrees, from mere grumbling to extreme blasphemy or persecution; but it is always mischievous in its effects and perilous to our souls. George Maclos tie Holy Ghost, with light divine, Cast down every idol throne, A. REED. En whom I am well pleased. MATT. iii. 17. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. - JOHN V. 20. THE HE Father loveth the Son even as he loveth himself. One with him in essence and attribute, and at one with him in purpose and operation, the divine Father has loved his divine Son from the innermost eternity with infinite affection. From the Son of his bosom the Father has no secrets. He unveils to his Well-beloved the whole counsel of his will; and the Son comprehends all his intentions, coincides in all his purposes, and co-operates with him in all his actings. The works of the Father, existent in design from eternity, are executed, one after another, in time, through and by the incarnate Son in his official character of mediator. The successive disclosures of divine purpose are caused to progress from the great to the greater in ever-increasing majesty and glory, in order that those who witness them may marvel, for though they may not constrain to faith, they compel wonder. This marvelling will attain its climax when the great works of Christ shall have reached their culmination in the final quickening of the dead and the last judgment. Then they who have recognized him as the Son of God shall be excited to a joyful ecstasy on being raised to eternal life, while those who have been wilfully blind to his sonship and Saviourhood shall be overwhelmed with everlasting dismay. "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish!" Rohan J. Jeffrey Behold your Lord, your Master, crowned With glories all divine, And tell the wondering nations round ANNE STEELE. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? HEB. ii. 3. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. MATT. xi. 21, 22. THE sinner to we and Sidon stand in the text as the ter HE sinner to whom no opportunities of repentance come rible examples whose judgment measures the intolerable. But of how much sorer punishment is he worthy who has trodden under foot the Son of God! The sinner to whom opportunities come but pass unheeded, has his part in the more intolerable lot of Chorazin. Tyre and Sidon are cities in Satan's land; Chorazin and Bethsaida are Satan's strongholds, which he can trust to fortify themselves against every approach of the Saviour, and to repel his every advance. God grant that we have not Chorazin hearts! How infinitely solemn a crisis the gospel brings to every city, household, life, to which it gains access! A sweet savor of Christ unto God, it is in all; but to one it is a savor from life unto life, to another a savor from death unto death. What a spectacle of mercy and judgment! Alas to us who have seen these mighty works, if they remain to us but a spectacle without us, and not a living power within! Rey. B. Warfield Depth of mercy! can there be C. WESLEY. Thou art my portion, O Lord. — PSALM cxix. 57. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. - LUKE X. 42. not let me judge Mary lazy. She has done her work Do to the umbrous service she did not "choose to do. Surely the Master had not favored neglected duty. Work we must, and that hard, for whatsoever our hand findeth to do, we must do it with our might. But let me never lose the one thing needful by choice, for that was Martha's fault. Martha chose excess of service. Mary chose "the one thing needful.” Every day brings its own cares and duties; every day, like Paul himself, we must serve God "with many distractions; but amid them all, like him, we must be able to say, "This one thing I do . . . I press toward the mark." Pause, O my soul, and consider! What life am I choosing? Fretful, irritable, do I make my much service an excuse for neglecting prayer and praise and God's word? That is Martha, blamed. Calm, tranquil, do I do what I can in this life, yet careful to serve God always "with a quiet mind"? That is Mary,— praised. What shall I do to-day and always? & Walpole Warrre Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people, pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve thee with a quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen! COLLECT. Give me a calm, a thankful heart, The blessings of thy grace impart, STEELE Bought with a price: therefore glorify God.-1 COR. vi. 20. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. - JOHN XV. 8. "MEET for user fee. The Christian is no exception to EET for use" seems to be the language of everything this law. He, like the Master, is to be among men "as one that serves." Fruit-bearing is the sign of a thrifty life. By it the disciple knows he is abiding in Christ, and through it he brings help and cheer to others. "Much fruit,' - it is the hope of this poor sinning world. There are so many needing help, opportunities for serving are so numerous, that only they who abound in good works fulfil the divine expectation. A true Christian should resemble a fruit-laden tree. We are taught here that God does what we are prompted to ask for in Christ's name, to the end that we may be useful, and because of our gracious attainments, beautiful. We become disciples by thus bringing forth fruit. Thinking Christ's thoughts, asking for things in his name, doing his will, and ministering through what we are, and by what we do, to others' good, we attest our discipleship. All forceful life springs out of union with Christ. We need not bring forth the self-same fruit, for the Father is glorified, not so much in the kinds of fruit, as in the all-essential fact that we are fruitful. Let each disciple serve in his or her own way, for it is the service that blesses. Fruit of every kind stands in evidence that we are rooted in Christ, and because of it is the Father glorified. in. In G. Dana Long as I live beneath, In thanks and praises give. C. WESLEY. |