with His arm, exalting her lowly Offspring in union with the Divine Nature which was His from everlasting.

Of her hopes she could not speak to those who were around. None could understand her if she did. They had not accepted the prophecies of Jesus: much less could they now find comfort in her encouragements. They would seem to them as the ravings of maternal disappointment and despair. Silently, therefore, she abode in secret hope of the glory. For this purpose did He come into the world. The end was near.

O Jesu, grant me thus in every time of trial to remember Thy promises; to ponder them, to cherish them, to find in them my stay, my joy, a hope that maketh not ashamed.

Truly, My son, if thou wouldst have thy reward in Me, thou must not seek it in this present world. Thou must die in order that thou mayest enter into it, and in proportion to thy suffering now shall be the recompence of the reward hereafter.

O Lord Jesu, how can I bear to be with Thee upon the Cross?

My grace is sufficient for thee. Fear not anything which I call thee to endure for My name's sake. Hope in Me, and thou shalt friumph over all.

O Blessed Jesu, truly my hope is ever in Thee, and when I remember the Cross whereby Thou didst pass to Thy joyful resurrection, I learn to accept

every form of outward discomfiture as the sure prelude to the deliverance wherein Thou wilt set Thy saints free for ever.

3. LOVE.

Earthly love would have expostulated as Peter did, saying, This be far from Thee, Lord.' The Blessed Virgin loved her Son with a better love. She would not draw Him back now from that which was the very end for which He came into the world, although assuredly she could have no knowledge what that really signified.

Love must be trustful: otherwise it cannot be true. Mary could not love Jesus as she loved Him, and doubt of His wisdom and triumph. She who in her childhood had faith to recognise the law of the Incarnation and the Virginal Birth would surely now recognise the law of redemption. Her love would not hold Him back from greatness. The greatness of His self-oblation was the very source and stay of her love. She knew that as He gave Himself to die, it was by death to manifest His love. If faith accepted the trial, and hope exulted even in the midst of the sorrow, love, even in spite of outward absence, could embrace the Sufferer with thankful homage, as she had spoken of old, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, for He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.' Our Lord had said to the Apostles, If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go unto the Father.'

It can scarcely be that the Virgin failed to render such love. Though He was going away from her, and she may as yet have had no knowledge of the coming Comforter whose presence would be the blessed equivalent and more effectual substitute for that which was withdrawn, nevertheless she could repose in His love. She could be no loser, since His love would never suffer her to lose.

Silently, in faith, in hope, in love, she waited for the issue of events. Events would show what Jesus was doing. For Him she had borne shame when He was born into this world. He now bears shame for her, that she may have admission into another and a better world. Love would show itself stronger than death, not only by strengthening Jesus to die, but by making Him to become in future ages the joyous portion of all those who looked to Him. Death could not separate from Him. In the endurance of death would the true love of God's people be manifested, both Christ's to them, and theirs to Christ.

Love could anticipate, though it could not decipher the mysteries of the Cross, and a blessed life it ever must be to believe, to hope, to love.

If we would really share the joy of the resurrection, we must accept it as a true solace for all times of suffering. As we are Christ's members we must own the power of His resurrection working within us while we are made conformable to His death. As suffering and death are the porch through which we pass to joy, we must find the power of love strengthening us in all suffering to feel the sympathy of His

presence, His arm stretched out to carry us safely to the end. That which has not shared the Cross cannot share the resurrection. The resurrection strengthens us with sympathetic love to bear the Cross. The risen Lord sympathises with us in our sorrow. We in our sorrow find ourselves transported out of all unworthy self-contemplation. Love forgets self. Love sees Jesus in His glory. Love feels in spite of every outward pain the glory and the joy of the Beloved.

O Jesu, teach me so to love Thee, that I may indeed rejoice in the glory of Thy risen life.

My son, already have I given to thee that risen life, that thou abiding with Me therein mayest never die. Whatever suffering thou hast to bear shall only show this life to be all-sufficient, for thou shalt find thereby the power of God.

Lord Jesu, I look to Thee and see that Thou art risen, but still my dull nature fails to feel that risen power within itself.

Behold Me at the
As thou beholdest

My son, look to Me. right hand of the Father. Me in that glory, surely all thought of earthly things must pass away from thee, whether they be sweet or biffer. Look to Me, for I have given thee eyes wherewith to behold Me, and a heart whereby to know the fellowship of My love. Behold Me loving thee, and in that love thou shalt die to every other thought. Bitter is death if the heart be enchained to earth: but

sweet it is to die in the rapturous love of My redemption.

I

O Jesu, thus to die is indeed to live for ever. would not wait for earthly life to close ere I attain this joyous death, dying through love. Now do I desire in this love to become dead to all external accidents, and live as the newborn child of Thy resurrection.

Tea, My son, this life is thy true portion, if by faith and hope and love thou wilt abide in Me. I shield thee not from suffering and shame, for I bore the Cross for thee, but out of every suffering I will deliver thee, and give thee victory over all.

Even so, Lord. I refuse nothing. Yea, Thy Cross shall be my joy. In the bright power of Thy resurrection, the rulers of darkness shall have no power to harm.