December 8

I'll go and come, Nor fear to die, Till from on high Thou call me home.

But see the reason assigned for his gracious regard: "Because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord." It was really for his kindness to Jeremiah; but God notices, not the practice but the principle which had produced it, and without which he could not have been actuated to do as he had done. Men judge of motives by actions: God judges of actions by motives; and the motive is more with him than every thing else. So indeed it is with us as far as we can ascertain it in any instance of conduct towards ourselves. Hence we value a trifle if it springs from real regard, more than a much larger present if it arises from selfishness. We may indeed be mistaken in our constructions, but God is not mocked, his judgment is always according to truth. The case before us is not a solitary one. We should have commended the humanity and humility of the Centurion; and the prayer and perseverance of the Syrophenician woman: but our Lord only spake of their faith.

Some people always seem afraid of faith, as if it were hardly compatible with holiness and morality; whereas, it is the medium, the origin of them; it is the spring of these streams, it is the root of these branches. It is in every respect operative; but it peculiarly works by love. He is the most likely to show mercy who has received mercy; to forgive who has been forgiven.

But the whole shows us that Eben-melech had no reason to repent of his work of faith and labour of love towards the Lord's servant. Jeremiah could not repay him; but this was so much the better for his benefactor. This is the very reason which our Saviour adduces to excite attention to the poor: "For they cannot recompense thee, but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." It is finely said, "He that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord." A man does not think of returning what is given him, but if he has any sense of honour and of justice he will not retain what is lent. And would the Lord borrow and not repay? He has bound himself not only to accept, but to reward the services of his people, and the reward is not the less great, or the less certain, because it is a reward not of debt, but of grace. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

DECEMBER 8—"One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."—John 9:25.

THE corporeal change with which this poor man had been blessed, is the spiritual experience of every real Christian—He was blind, but now sees.

And like him too the Christian may know it.

We may also observe a resemblance in the limitation of the

knowledge itself—It extends to one thing: "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." But this is the main thing; and to know this is to know enough, without being able to determine a number of particular circumstances. For instance: it is not necessary to know the precise time of the change. Who knows precisely when the day begins, or which be the first beams that reach our horizon? Yet one thing we know, that the sun is rising; it is dawn, it is day. We know when spring is arrived, and yet who can fix the exact boundary by which it passed from winter, and the hour, the day, the week, when it will issue in summer? unless in the artificialness of the almanack. Who perceived when he first began to live naturally; yet he knows that he hungers and thirsts, and eats and drinks, and lives and moves, and has a being.

Neither is it necessary to be able to know the particular instrumentality employed; whether an afflictive event, or a good book, or the admonition of a friend, or the preaching of the word. Sometimes there is such a combination and blending of excitements and impressions, that it is impossible to specify which, in the aggregate, was the most powerful or decisive. Whatever be the means, and they are various, the excellency of the power is of God; and it is enough for us to know that the work is done, and to acknowledge that he has done it.

To which we may add the manner in which it has been accomplished. In some cases it is more sudden; in others more slow. The Lord addresses one man in thunder; he whispers to another in a small still voice. Here he awakens fear and terror; there he draws with the bands of a man and the cords of love. What a difference was there between the conversion of the jailer, and the opening of the heart of Lydia: and between the revelation of the Saviour to Saul of Tarsus, and to Cornelius! Yet in all these instances the result was the same. Two inferences may be drawn from hence. The one regards others. How careful should we be not to disown persons as religious characters, and keep them back from the table of the Lord, because they are unable to furnish a minute narrative of the dealings of God with their souls, while they walk as becometh the Gospel. The other regards ourselves. It is better indeed to err on the safe side; and to be too fearful rather than self-secure. It is an awful thing to decide on our spiritual condition; and, considering the consequences of mistake, should never be done without much consideration. Yet, on the other hand, decision is unspeakably desirable, and we should not refuse to be comforted, and under a feeling of humility and diffidence, become ungrateful, and deny what God has wrought in us. We are commanded to examine ourselves, and to prove whether we are in the faith; but this is best done, not by nice and curious inquiries with regard to the influences of the Holy Spirit, but by observing the tendency of their operation, and judging by their effects—And happy is he who, whatever he may be ignorant of besides, can say, "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."

And remark what a confidence the man derived from his consciousness of this one thing. These unbelievers wished and endeavoured to confound him; but their questions and their cavils had no weight with him. He did not consider himself competent to dispute