March 22

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. It is valuable as an instrument of usefulness. It gains a man esteem. It procures for him confidence. It gives force to his advice, authority to his reproof, and influence to his example. If the world does not love some men, it cannot despise them. If it speaks against them, it is only in matters pertaining to the law of their God—which is their glory; or by magnifying infirmities from which no one professes to be free, or by misrepresenting their actions or motives—and against this it may be impossible to guard. But commonly after a while a consistent Christian puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and constrains those around him to bear their testimony in his favour. Demetrius had a good report of all men, as well as of the truth itself. And where the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost—he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Much has been said upon the subject of emulation; and it has been often disputed whether it should be encouraged or repressed. It is certain that a disposition to excel others in beauty, dress, learning, riches, power, and honour, may prove very corrupting, and gender envy, hatred, falsehood, and strife. But there is a principle of this kind in our nature; and there is a course in which you may seek to surpass, without danger to yourselves or injury to others. We have placed it before you—Pursue it. Be ambitious to be great in the sight of the Lord. Be not satisfied with the reality of religion, but go from strength to strength; and be changed from glory to glory. Increase with all the increase of God. Do not compare yourselves with low models, but with the highest examples. Pray that you may do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven—And be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

MARCH 22.—“Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.”—Genesis 49:4.

—WHEREIN should we guard against instability?

We should guard against it in our governing aim. If a vessel at sea is steering for no port, who is to determine whether the direction of the wind be favourable or unfavourable? If we are travelling at random, we move, but we do not journey; and it is a matter of indifference whether we turn aside or draw back; we make no progress unless we advance towards some end which we wish to reach. When a man has fixed his aim, his aim will simplify his conduct, arrange his actions, and give every thing a relation. Paul says, “This one thing I do.” He does not speak of a oneness of exertion, for he did a thousand things; but a oneness of purpose, which combined them all, and gave them the same direction. Now our determinate aim should be to please and serve God according to the injunction, “whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” If here our eye be single, our whole body will be full of light. But if other aims also sway us, we shall be perplexed, distracted, and often at a stand. “Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty.” “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold

to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Let us guard against instability in our views of divine truth. Some have no fixed sentiments in religion; they are struck with every novel opinion; and are led after every "Lo! here; or lo! there." But, says Paul, "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace." By grace he means the Gospel. We would not plead for bigotry or prejudice. We should be open to conviction, and judge according to evidence: but it is absurd to suppose we must remain all our days in uncertainty and doubt. If the poor have the Gospel preached unto them, it cannot be, if they are to receive it, very difficult as to its leading principles. And we are told that the wayfaring man though a fool, shall not err therein. Surely it is a reproach and not a commendation, that some are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. It is desirable and necessary that we should be early able to decide what is truth, that we may make use of it, and live upon it, and enjoy it. Who has ever seen a sound experience and a consistent practice in connexion with a loose creed? We should distinguish between what is circumstantial in religion and what is essential. With regard to the former we cannot be too candid and liberal. But with regard to the latter let us be inflexible—Here "take hold of instruction; let it not go: keep her, for she is thy life."

Let us guard against instability in church fellowship and attendance. Some belong to no religious community. They are mere birds of passage, fleeing from one congregation to another. They enter no school, and therefore are subject to no rules of instruction. They are attached to no corps in the army of heaven; and therefore they have no discipline or drilling. They are not fellow-citizens with the saints, but spiritual vagrants. If all were like-minded, there would be no such thing as a church state in which the members give up themselves to each other as well as to the Lord, communing together in privilege, co-operating together in exertions, and walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. They are also inconstant in their attendance on the means of grace in the same sanctuary. We would not have the house of God turned into a prison, and have people fettered to their own walls. Yet it is desirable, and for the promotion of godliness, for persons to have a spiritual home of their own. Some on the Sabbath-day morning have to determine where they shall go, and whom they shall hear. They are actuated by novelty and curiosity, rather than a simple desire to profit: and unwilling to endure any course of tuition which would do some justice to the word of God at large, they "heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." Unstable as water, they never excel.

We should guard against instability even in our temporal concerns. This is inferior in some respects to the former articles, but it has a considerable degree of importance. People will judge of you in other things, by what comes under their observation: and you will be sure to lose respect in proportion as you appear to be versatile. Yet in some what variableness is there! What instability with regard to friendship—every month or year yields a new