September 24

—but you. No. You will have no cloak for your sin. No alleviation of your misery. This will be the hell of hell.—You would not come to him that you might have life. You were soul-suicides. You destroyed yourselves.

SEPTEMBER 24.—“Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”—John 6:45.

MANY perhaps have never particularly observed this expression. But it is very instructive.

It shows us what faith is—It consists in coming to Christ. He is no more in the world, so as to be known after the flesh. The coming to him could not mean a corporeal approach, without excluding all now living, and all who have lived ever since, from the promise, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Yea, when he was on earth, this coming intended much more than a bodily access to him, for he complained of those who were then near him and followed him, “ye will not come to me that ye might have life;” “ye also have seen me and believed not.” But it is a representation of faith by its operation and effect. Faith is not a mere notion or belief, but such a belief as is accompanied with an application to him for all the purposes of salvation—Therefore coming to him, and believing on him, are used by himself as synonymous with each other.

It reminds us also of the reasonableness of faith. Faith is not the offspring of presumption and ignorance: it flows from instruction, from divine teaching—“Every one, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” A fool only would entrust something immensely valuable to a being with whom he was unacquainted. I have ventured, says the Christian, such an interesting, such an infinite treasure in the hands of Christ, that I should be the most miserable of all creatures had I any suspicion concerning him. But I am not ashamed; I cannot be confounded. “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.” And every believer is able to give a reason of the hope that is in him. His house is great and weighty, and the fall would involve not only the furniture, but himself, and many a rain and many a flood will arise and be sure to try it; but he feels secure, because he is conscious that it is founded on a rock. It is therefore said, “they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”

We see also the entire importance of the Lord Jesus. We cannot infer the value of a thing from the aim of men; they may attach themselves to a trifle, and expend their labour and sacrifices on a thing of nought. But the Lord is a God of knowledge; by him actions are weighed. And if God fixes upon an end, and always keeps it in view; and if, in all he says and does, he seeks the promotion of it, we may be assured that the object is unspeakably excellent and necessary. Now we here see that all the teaching of God, both in the revelation of the word and in the work of his Spirit, is designed to make us feel our need of Christ; and to induce us to

desire him, and to repair to him. This is telling us plain enough, that

Can do helpless sinners good."

That there is salvation in none other; that in him all fulness dwells; that he is all, and in all.

Here is a rule for ministers to go by. If they would conform to the mind and method of God himself—and none teaches like him—every one that hears and learns of them will be guided to Christ, and will hear nothing but the call, "Behold the Lamb of God." This is not the case with all preachers. If we were to hear and learn of some, they would lead us far enough from him; we should be conducted to Epictetus, or Moses, or referred to our poor and wretched selves for righteousness and strength, instead of being left looking only unto Jesus, and crying, Lord, save, or I perish.

Finally, here is a test by which we may judge of our spiritual state. If we are a people of no understanding, he that made us will not have mercy on us, and he that formed us will show us no favour. Am I then taught of God? Have I heard and learned of the Father? How shall I answer this question, so essential to my peace and comfort? How do I stand with regard to Christ? Have I forsaken the world, and do my thoughts and desires reach out after him? Is it the prevailing concern of my heart to win Christ? to be found in him? to know the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, and to be made conformable to his death? Am I coming to him as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious? This, this is the test—Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto him; and every one that cometh unto him hath heard and earned of the Father.

SEPTEMBER 25.—"And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus."—Matthew 14:12.

WHILE you sympathize with them in their loss, and applaud their conduct on the occasion, you are perhaps ready to envy them the privilege they enjoyed. "Ah! happy disciples, to be able to repair to Jesus, and tell him your grief." But you may do the same. He has said, Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. And therefore though he is no longer on earth corporeally, he is here spiritually. Though you cannot see him, you can approach him, and find him a very present help in trouble. Yea, you have the advantage of those who lived in the days of his flesh. He was not then in every place, but,

"Where'er we seek him he is found,

They often had to go to a distance. Martha and Mary had to call in a servant, and send to him beyond Jordan, saying, "Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick." But you can instantly fall upon your knees, and cry, "Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me;" and prayer will reach him in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye—"Before they call I will answer, and while they call I will hear."