May 1

ledge. He comes down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax will he not quench. He delivers the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper—

"His worth if all the nations knew, Sure the whole earth would love him too."

Fourthly, by his having had admirers in every country. Wherever believers have been found, they have been all distinguished by the same convictions and dispositions with regard to him. Abraham in Canaan rejoiced to see his day, saw it, and was glad. Job, in the land of Uz, said, I know that my Redeemer liveth. Moses in Egypt, esteemed his reproach. Wise men came from Persia and paid him homage. Devout men from every nation under heaven came to the temple at Jerusalem, and joined in the ceremonies and sacrifices of which he was the substance and the end. And John heard his praise from a multitude which no man could number, out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. For,

Lastly, he is so named, because in due time he will be prized and gloried in by all the ends of the earth. To him, said the dying Patriarch, shall the gathering of the people be. He is the salvation, says Simeon, prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel. All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him; all nations shall call him blessed.

But let me not lose myself in general reflections. How does this desire of all nations appear to me? Has he been revealed in me the hope of glory? Is he all my salvation and all my desire? Can I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord? Do I love the people who resemble him? Do I value the ordinances in which I can enjoy communion with him? Will it complete my happiness to be like him and see him as he is?

MAY.

MAY 1.—"Judas saith unto him, (not Iscariot,) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?"—John 14:22.

JUDAS ISCARIOT had already sold his master, and was now busy in betraying him into the hands of his enemies. We are sometimes ready to wonder by what potency of diabolical agency he could be carried to such a degree of wickedness. But when we are informed that he was covetous, the mystery is explained. Then we have a cause fully adequate to any effect: "for the love of money is the root of all evil."

But there was another Judas among the Apostles. He was the brother of James; the author of the last inspired epistle of the New Testament; and a faithful follower of Jesus—He was the present inquirer. We may be good and happy under any name. Yet there are names that seem ominous and odious. It must have been painful for this excellent man to be called by the name of the infamous wretch who had sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. John therefore distinguishes him. We should learn from his example to

be careful, in relating facts, not to confound persons. For want of an attention to this, what is only true of one individual is applied to another; and not only mistake but mischief frequently ensues. You can never talk safely after some people: they are sure to suppress, or omit, or perplex. How little is circumstantial truth attended to!

It is not always easy to determine the principle of an action. We commonly look for a single cause, when perhaps several excitements have operated, though not equally. A late popular senator, Mr. Whitbread, often said, no man ever acted from a single motive. Whence sprang the question of Judas?

Was it the language of grateful surprise? "How is it that we should be selected? and thus honoured and indulged?" This is the disposition of the subjects of divine grace. They do not think more highly of themselves, because they are made to differ from others. Not unto us, O Lord; not unto us. Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my father's house?

Or was it the language of doubt? He seems to question whether the Lord could come and manifest himself to them without others seeing and knowing it. If he really thought so, it was very weak and foolish; but he spake in haste, and without reflection. He might easily have known the possibility, in a thousand cases, of communicating ourselves to a friend, while every one else remains ignorant of the transaction. And if others could not do it, was it becoming in Judas to measure the Saviour by their capacity? What is marvellous in their eyes is not marvellous in his. It was enough that he had said it. He never promises what he is not able to perform—And never should we ask, after any of his declarations, "How can these things be?"

Or was it the language of curiosity? He might have admitted the reality of the thing, but wished to know the circumstances, and the mode of the manifestation. There is too much of this tendency of mind in all of us, so that we leave what is plain and useful, to pry into what is dark and unprofitable; and wish to explore the secret things which belong unto God, instead of being satisfied with those which are revealed, and which are for us and for our children. Thus time is wasted, the attention is drawn off from the main concern, the temper is injured by dispute, and the words of the Apostle verified, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." Jesus therefore would not gratify the inquirer after the number of the saved: and when Peter asked him after the destiny of John, he reproved him, saying, "What is that to thee? follow thou me:" and when his Apostles would dive into prophecy, he said, "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put into his own power."

But let us always take things in their most charitable construction. Perhaps it was the language of allowable desire. He felt the condescension and kindness of Jesus; he considered the privilege as an inestimable favour: but having little acquaintance with it, he wished to know more of it, to regulate himself accordingly, so as not to lose, but secure and improve the privilege. This is the more probable, as our Saviour does not blame him, but gives him an answer. This he would not have done had Judas spoken superciliously or impertinently; and not in the spirit of a learner. He