,a ,,basket   ,,of   ,,barley ,,loaves4 
,,by ,,the   ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,high 
,,mountain ,,apart ,,and ,,sacramental  
,,sabbaths4    ,there is a lad here1    
which hath five barley loaves4--,,john  
vi4 #i4       ,,philadelphia3           
,,presbyterian ,,board ,,of             
,,publication1   ,no4 #accd ,,chestnut  
,,street4       ,entered according to   
,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahgj1 by
   ,,the ,,trustees ,,of ,,the          
,,presbyterian ,,board ,,of             
,,publication1   ,in the office of the  
,librarian of ,congress1 at ,washington4
       ,,westcott  ,,thomson1           
,stereotypers1 ,philada4           ,,to 
,,my ,,former ,,pastor1   ,,rev4        
,,alexander ,,dickson1     ,,who        
,,taught ,,me   ,,the ,,way ,,of ,,god  
,,more ,,perfectly1   ,,and ,,whose     
,,thoughts ,,and ,,very ,,words ,,enter 
,,largely ,,into ,,these ,,pages1     ,i
 ,,dedicate ,,this   ,,basket ,,of      
,,barley ,,loaves4          ,,editor',s 
,,preface4      ,to those who crave more

 of ,christ in the soul and in the daily
 life1  to those who long for holiness  
and assurance1 this ,,basket ,,of       
,,barley ,,loaves will bring welcome    
refreshment and nourishment4 ,the       
devout1 even though trembling1 believer1
 who hungers after  righteousness1 will 
here find that which will kindle his    
affections  and lead them to the only   
satisfying source of love and peace1    
,jesus  ,christ4 ,what of sweetness and 
strength there is in these meditations  
is due to ,god's word1 of which they are
 full4 ,sweeter than honey and  the     
honey-comb1 more precious than silver or
 gold1 was that word to  the ,psalmist2 
and thence these chapters draw their    
flavor and force4  ,by them the weary1  
the needy1 the longing1 will be led     
nearer to  ,christ and be more filled   
with the power of his love4 ,may these  
few  ,barley ,loaves feed many thousands
 of hungry souls6    ,j4 ,w4 ,d4        
,,contents4                             
,,page   ,i4   ,,jesus ,,sought ,,and   

,,found                              #aa
     ,,ii4   ,,his ,,name               
#bd     ,,iii4   ,,the ,,assurance      
#ca     ,,iv4   ,,the ,,perfect ,,work  
#da     ,v4   ,,the ,,chastening        
#eb     ,,vi4   ,,the ,,compassion      
#fa     ,,vii4   ,,the ,,sympathy       
#fi     ,,viii4   ,,the ,,love          
#gh     ,,ix4   ,,the ,,life ,,abundant 
#he     ,x4   ,,the ,,forgiveness       
#ij     ,,xi4   ,,the ,,help            
#ig     ,,xii4   ,,the ,,deliverance    
#ajb     ,,xiii4   ,,the ,,hearer ,,of  
,,prayer                                
#ajg     ,,xiv4   ,,the ,,reward        
#aab     ,,xv4   ,,the ,,soul',s        
,,portion                               
#aai     ,,xvi4   ,,the ,,cross         
#abg     ,,xvii4   ,,the ,,presence     
#aca     ,,xviii4   ,,the ,,appearing   
#acf     ,,xix4   ,,the ,,conclusion    
#adc      ,illustration     ,a ,,basket 
,,of   ,,barley ,,loaves4           ,i4 
,jesus ,sought and ,found4      ,the    
crowd was thronging and jostling4 ,eager

 and wistful faces were  turned to ,one 
who stood in the midst4 ,his countenance
 was mild and  compassionate2 and as ,i 
gazed upon him1 a deep desire filled my 
heart  to know and follow this ,man of  
,sorrows4 ,with swiftest steps ,i       
hurried  on and pressed into the crowd4 
,the lowly1 suffering woman was         
satisfied to touch the hem of his       
garments1 and it was enough4 ,but ,i    
was not content until ,i had grasped his
 hand4 ,yes1 ,i put my hand in  his--my 
guilty hand that nailed him to the      
cross4    ,who touched me8 ,he turned1  
and we stood face to face4 ,in answer to
  his inquiry ,i whispered1 ,lord1 ,i   
will follow thee whithersoever thou     
goest4 ,a look of love glanced from his 
eye2 nearer he drew me to his  side and 
whispered1 ,beloved4 ,oh how it thrilled
 my heart6 ,excess of  joy choked my    
utterance1 and ,i could only grasp his  
hand more firmly  and exclaim1 ,my ,lord
 and my ,god6    ,tell me not now of    
loneliness and desolation4 ,jesus is    

mine1 and so we  journey hand in hand2  
and as he whispers to me of love        
unchangeable1 ,i  hide this sweet secret
 in my heart and answer1 ,i am thine4   
,they tell me1 we said to an aged man1  
that you have no rock on  which to plant
 your feet4 ,no rock8 he said1 calmly1  
with a  smile--no rock8 ,well1 my creed 
does differ from yours4 ,mine is love   
to ,god and love to my fellow-men4 ,i do
 not believe such a man as ,jesus       
,christ ever lived4 ,the world has had  
many saviours4 ,mine is a  principle--a 
rightening principle4 ,i have tried all 
beliefs1 and here  ,i am content to     
rest4    ,but we have not so learned    
,christ4    ,infidels may tell me such a
 man never lived2 humanitarians may tell
 me  he was mere man and no ,god2       
careless worldlings may tell me there is
  no beauty in him that ,i should desire
 him2 but from the far-off region  of   
light1 beyond the mist-clouds that      
encircle the earth1 ,i hear a  voice1   
calm in its majesty and tender in its   

tones3 ,i am ,alpha and  ,omega1 the    
beginning and the ending1 saith the     
,lord1 which is1 and  which was1 and    
which is to come1 the ,almighty4 ,i am  
the light of the  world3 he that        
followeth me shall not walk in darkness1
 but shall have  the light of life4 ,i  
am the ,lord thy ,god1 the ,holy ,one of
 ,israel1  thy ,saviour4 ,i1 even ,i1 am
 the ,lord2 and beside me there is no   
,saviour4 ,o ,israel1 thou hast         
destroyed thyself1 but in me is thine   
help4 ,i will ransom them from the power
 of the grave2 ,i will redeem  them from
 death4 ,come unto me1 all ye that labor
 and are heavy  laden1 and ,i will give 
you rest4    ,hearing this voice ,i draw
 nearer4 ,have ,i been so long time with
 you1  and yet hast thou not known me8  
,thou hast both seen him1 and he it is  
that talketh with thee4 ,lord1 ,i       
believe4 ,i know thee who thou art1  the
 ,holy ,one of ,god4 ,with the eye of   
faith ,i have seen thee1 and ,i  can    
testify that thou art fairer than the   

children of men4 ,with the  hand of     
faith ,i have grasped thine1 ,o thou    
,friend that stickest  closer than a    
brother4 ,and thou hast talked with me4 
,never man spake  like this man4 ,i     
cannot utter half the words ,jesus has  
spoken to my  soul2 but this ,i say3    
,into his hands ,i commit my soul with  
all its  interests2 for ,i know whom ,i 
have believed1 and am persuaded that he 
is able to keep that which ,i have      
committed unto him against that day4    
,o ,jesus1 ,friend unfailing1      ,how 
dear thou art to me6    ,and1 cares or  
fears assailing1      ,i find my        
strength in thee4      ,i love to own1  
,lord ,jesus1      ,thy claims o'er me  
and mine2    ,bought with thy blood most
 precious1      ,whose can ,i be but    
thine8    ,as the late lamented ,dudley 
,tyng was passing from the earthly      
vineyard to his higher position in the  
heavenly1 writes ,boardman in  his book 
entitled ,him that ,overcometh1 he said 
to his father1 while  light fell upon   

him from the open gateway1 ',father1    
stand up for  ,jesus4' ,then1 after     
advancing a little farther on into the  
fuller  effulgence1 he spoke again1     
saying1 ',father1 stand up in ,jesus4'  
,these  injunctions were reported by his
 father as they fell from the lips of   
his son1 and went abroad all over the   
land4 ,the first one struck a  chord    
which vibrates still1 and passed into a 
watchword for all  ,christian enterprise
 and for all enterprising ,christians1  
but the  second seemed to find no chord 
keyed up and ready to respond4 ,it is to
  be feared that this is indicative of  
the true state of the ,christian  world 
to-day--for ,christ1 more than in him2  
and yet1 if we may  believe the words of
 ,christ himself1 and the history of all
 the  progress of his kingdom1 we have  
the secret of all power in these two    
words1 in ,jesus1 with the converse of  
them1 ,jesus in us4    ,abide in me1 and
 ,i in you4 ,christ within is better    
even than  ,christ beside us1 as the    

apostles found after ,pentecost4 ,this  
is the  secret of all joy and the source
 of all strength4    ,to those who are  
just starting on the ,christian         
pilgrimage we would  repeat these words 
of the ,master1 ,abide in me4           
,guide-books are good1  but a trusty    
guide is better4 ,we might fill our     
pages with minute  directions concerning
 the way1 but we would rather point to  
,christ1  who is the way4 ,we remember  
that there are times when travelers     
forget  their guide-books and cling to  
their strong and sure-footed guides4    
,consider our ,guide4 ,he knows every   
step of the way1 and he will guide  us  
with his eye4 ,let us meditate upon     
,christ till our hearts are led  to     
desire more intimate fellowship with    
him4 ,my meditation of him  shall be    
sweet--sweet when ,i remember his name1 
his character1 his  work1 his promises  
and the peace he gives4    ,but it may  
be that some to whom these pages are    
addressed find many  dark threads of    

doubt woven into their meditation of    
,christ4 ,you have  never1 perhaps1 been
 fully assured of your acceptance with  
him2 or1 if  confident at the           
commencement of your ,christian course1 
doubts and  fears may have gathered     
around your pathway before journeying   
very far  into the wilderness4 ,the     
chilling winds of unbelief make winter  
in  your soul4 ,the days are short and  
cold2 the nights are long and  colder4  
,yes1 even the day seems as the         
night--all darkness4 ,some  around you  
seem to be enjoying perpetual           
spring-time1 because ,christ  shines so 
constantly upon their happy souls1 and  
your coldness and  darkness seem all the
 sadder in contrast with their warmth   
and  brightness4    ,how can you account
 for this8 ,ask some ,christian friends1
 and they  will tell you that you must  
not expect so much joy--that the        
,christian  life is a constant conflict 
with doubt and sin1 and you cannot      
expect  to be always as happy as perhaps

 you were at first4 ,you turn away      
sadly disappointed4 ,they are older     
,christians1 and you think they must    
know better than you4 ,what will you do8
 ,will you sit under the clouds1  or    
struggle to get out into clear sunshine8
    ,we cannot think that ,god intends  
you to have a limited measure of joy    
and peace4 ,why should you not grow     
happier in your love to ,christ as  you 
learn to know him better8 ,why should   
not the promises become more  precious  
as you prove them and find them all yea 
and amen in ,christ  ,jesus8    ,let us 
inquire into the cause of your darkness4
 ,the ,saviour does not  willingly      
withhold his smile which makes spring   
and summer in the  soul4 ,when ,god made
 a covenant with you he gave you this   
promise3 ,i  will never leave thee1 nor 
forsake thee4 ,god has not then forsaken
  you4 ,perhaps you have neglected the  
means of grace4 ,perhaps you are        
cherishing some secret sin4 ,perhaps you
 have looked more to your own  frames   

and feelings than to ,christ's perfect  
work4 ,your mind has dwelt  too much    
upon self4 ,take the advice of one who  
walked with ,god and was  not1 because  
,god took him3 ,for one look at self    
take ten looks to  ,christ4 ,the advice 
is good1 and it has lifted many a       
,christian above  the clouds4    ,saw ye
 ,him whom my soul loveth8 ,i sought    
him1 but ,i found him not4  ,is this    
your sad lament8    ,seek him again4    
,seek him earnestly1 prayerfully1       
constantly4 ,seek him  in the place of  
secret prayer4 ,jesus had his secret    
place upon the  lonely mountain4 ,though
 he lived in constant communion with his
  ,father1 though his every step was a  
hymn of praise and his every act  was a 
prayer1 still he felt his need of a     
place where he could pour  out his soul 
in supplication4 ,if secret prayer was  
necessary for the  ,master1 is it not   
more needful for you8 ,if you have      
neglected that1 it  is not strange if it
 is winter in your soul4    ,seek ,jesus

 also in his holy word4 ,in the garden  
of the gospel you may  meet him and walk
 with him1 holding sweet communion4     
,here he reveals  himself4 ,obey his own
 commandment1 ,search the ,scriptures4  
,this is  the reason and this the       
reward1 for they are they that testify  
of  me4 ,they testify of ,christ4 ,yes1 
they are full of ,christ4 ,rays from    
his cross shine through both the        
,testaments4 ,prophets and saints of    
old looked forward and rejoiced--not    
having received the promises1  it is    
true1 but having seen them afar off1 and
 were persuaded of them  and embraced   
them4 ,fuller1 clearer light now shines 
on ,calvary4 ,draw  near and read again 
the sacred story4 ,yes1 search the      
,scriptures1  for here you will surely  
find ,jesus4 ,his love prompted every   
promise1  and is the pledge and         
fulfillment of every promise4    ,seek  
him in the place of social prayer4      
,thomas was not at the  prayer-meeting  
when ,jesus manifested himself to his   

disciples4 ,how  much he lost by staying
 away6 ,when ,jesus draws near and says1
 ,peace  be unto you6 then let me be    
within hearing of his gentle voice4 ,let
  me be near when he says1 ,receive ye  
the ,holy ,ghost4 ,only a               
prayer-meeting1 do you say8 ,only a     
visit from ,jesus1 the ,giver of  peace6
 ,who would miss a visit of so much     
profit--a visit of so much  pleasure6   
,seek ,jesus at the sacramental supper4 
,jesus is there4 ,there you may  enjoy  
his longest1 sweetest visits4 ,there he 
speaks peace to his  people4 ,sweet it  
is to meet ,jesus in the closet2 sweet  
visits there he  pays his beloved and   
betrothed4 ,sweet it is to meet him in  
the holy  ,scriptures2 sweet to find him
 in the place of social prayer4 ,but    
sweeter far are his visits at the       
communion-table4 ,to sit like ,mary at  
his feet1 to lie like ,john upon his    
bosom--was ever joy like this8 was  ever
 ,jesus nearer8 ,no longer do we say1   
,saw ye ,him whom my soul  loveth8 ,we  

have found him6 we have found him6 ,his 
left hand is under  my head1 while his  
right doth embrace me4 ,i charge you1 my
 unstable  heart1 that you forsake not1 
nor grieve again ,him whom my soul      
loveth4    ,now that you have found him1
 cleave to him4 ,abide in me1 the       
,master  says4 ,in union with ,christ   
the ,christian finds his safety1        
strength  and happiness4 ,and the closer
 this union1 the greater is the         
security1  strength and happiness of the
 ,christian4 ,would we be guided by his 
eye8 ,then must we be continually       
looking unto ,jesus4 ,do we need        
strength8 ,in the ,lord ,jehovah is     
everlasting strength4 ,are we  seeking  
happiness8 ,happy is he that hath the   
,god of ,jacob for his  help1 whose hope
 is in the ,lord his ,god4    ,cling    
closer1 young ,christian1 cling closer  
to ,christ4 ,learn to walk  with him    
daily in sweet communion4 ,be not       
satisfied with an occasional  visit from
 your ,lord1 but beseech him to abide   

with you4 ,he is willing  to come and   
abide with you4 ,if any man love me1 he 
will keep my  words3 and my ,father will
 love him1 and we will come unto him1   
and  make our abode with him4           
,illustration           ,,ii4   ,his    
,name4      ,my meditation of him shall 
be sweet when ,i remember his name4     
,we need not say1 as did ,jacob1 ,tell  
me1 ,i pray thee1 thy name4 ,we  know   
thy name1 ,jehovah ,tsidkenu1 ,the ,lord
 our ,righteousness4 ,we  are all as an 
unclean thing1 and all our              
righteousnesses are as filthy  rags1 and
 all the soap and nitre in the world    
cannot make us pure and  holy4 ,if ,i   
wash myself with snow-water1 and make my
 hands never so  clean1 yet shalt thou  
plunge me in the ditch1 and mine own    
clothes  shall abhor me4 ,but in the    
covenant of the cross we come and change
  clothes with ,christ4 ,he takes our   
filthy rags and gives us his own        
spotless robe2 and we are accepted in   
the ,beloved1 not having our  own       

righteousness1 which is of the law1 but 
that which is through the  faith of     
,christ1 the righteousness which is of  
,god by faith4    ,we know thy name1    
,jehovah ,shalom1 ,the ,lord of ,peace4 
,sweet peace  speedily follows as one of
 the results of justification4 ,and the 
work  of righteousness shall be peace1  
and the effects of righteousness        
quietness and assurance for ever4 ,or1  
as the apostle expresses it in  the     
,epistle to the ,romans1 ,therefore1    
being justified by faith1 we  have peace
 with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus     
,christ4 ,peace was one of  the notes in
 the song which angels sung when ,he was
 born who himself  is our peace4 ,and   
when he was parting from his disciples  
peace was  among the last words that    
fell from his lips3 ,peace ,i leave with
 you2  my peace ,i give unto you4 ,thou 
wilt keep him in perfect peace whose    
mind is stayed on thee4 ,perfect peace1 
being interpreted1 means1  ,peace1      
peace4 ,so that we shall have a double  

portion1 good measure1  pressed down and
 shaken together and running over4      
,we know thy name1 ,jehovah ,nissi1 ,the
 ,lord my ,banner4 ,thou hast  given a  
banner to them that fear thee4 ,he his  
own self is our  standard and our       
standard-bearer1 and we need not fear   
that our flag  shall ever be taken1 or  
that those who fight under it shall be  
beaten4  ,though we are but weak worms  
of the dust1 and are called to contend  
against principalities1 against powers1 
against spiritual wickedness  in high   
places1 there is nothing more sure than 
that we shall win the  day4 ,if ,god be 
for us1 who can be against us8 ,looking 
at the end  from the beginning1 and     
confident of victory1 we can say1 when  
buckling on the harness before the      
battle is begun1 ,we are more than      
conquerors through ,him that loved us4  
,we know thy name1 ,jehovah ,rophi1 ,the
 ,lord my ,healer4 ,when he began  his  
holy ministry here on earth1 ,jesus went
 about all ,galilee1  teaching in their 

synagogues1 and preaching the gospel of 
the kingdom1  and healing all manner of 
sickness1 and all manner of disease     
among  the people4 ,some came to him    
groping in their blindness1 others came 
on crutches1 and many were carried to   
him on their beds2 and he healed  them  
all4 ,though he came from heaven mainly 
to heal diseases of the  mind1 yet while
 he labored here in the flesh he healed 
more diseases  of the body4 ,he is still
 the only ,physician of the soul1 and by
 far  the best ,physician of the body4  
,he knoweth our frame1 this our  mortal 
body1 better than the wisest men1 for he
 made it1 and without  his blessing the 
best prescription will do us no good4   
,he is our  ,physician4 ,when we are    
taken sick he is first called to our    
bedside4  ,by prayer we lay hold of     
something at the mercy-seat that rings a
 bell  in heaven1 and he makes haste and
 comes down and healeth all our         
diseases4    ,we know thy name1 ,jehovah
 ,jireh1 ,the ,lord will ,provide4 ,he  

provided  a lamb upon ,mount ,moriah for
 ,abraham in his greatest emergency4 ,he
 has  also provided a ,lamb for us--a   
,lamb without spot or blemish1 the ,lamb
  slain from the foundation of the      
world4 ,even ,christ our ,passover is   
sacrificed for us4 ,on his guiltless    
head our guilt was laid4 ,and  having   
provided a ,lamb for us1 he will provide
 anything else4 ,my ,god  shall supply  
all your need according to his riches in
 glory by ,christ  ,jesus4 ,as the      
greater includes the less1 so the       
unspeakable gift  embosoms all minor    
blessings4 ,he that spared not his own  
,son1 but  delivered him up for us all1 
how shall he not with him freely give us
  all things8    ,we know thy name1     
,jehovah ,shammah1 ,the ,lord is there4 
,wherever we  may be called to go1 the  
,lord is there4 ,what strong            
consolation1 what  good cheer there is  
in this blessed truth1      ,awake1     
asleep1 at home1 abroad1    ,i am       
surrounded still with ,god6    ,in every

 duty1 in every difficulty1 the ,lord is
 there4 ,in the lion's  den and in the  
fiery furnace1 the ,lord is there4 ,in  
sickness and in  health1 in sorrow and  
in joy1 the ,lord is there4 ,when our   
pilgrimage  is almost over1 and we are  
going down into the dark valley1 blessed
 be  his name1 we shall find that the   
,lord is there4 ,yea1 though ,i walk    
through the valley of the shadow of     
death1 ,i will fear no evil1 for  thou  
art with me4    ,beyond the valley there
 is a place about which we know very    
little2  but we know that there is a    
house of many mansions1 and we know that
  the ,lord is there4 ,i go to prepare a
 place for you4 ,there is a holy  city  
along whose golden streets these feet   
shall one day walk2 ,and  the name of   
the city from that day shall be1 ,the   
,lord is there4    ,oh magnify the ,lord
 with me1 and let us exalt his name     
together4 ,he  is everything to us4 ,are
 we sinners8 ,he is our ,righteousness4 
,are we  in trouble8 ,he is our ,peace4 

,are we soldiers8 ,he is our ,banner4   
,are we  sick8 ,he is our ,healer4 ,are 
we in want of anything8 ,he will        
provide4  ,are we going into eternity8  
,he is there1 waiting to receive us up  
into  glory4 ,oh magnify the ,lord with 
me1 and let us exalt his name  together4
    ,my meditation of him shall be sweet
 when ,i remember his name1 for  they   
that know thy name shall put their trust
 in thee4    ,illustration              
,illustration           ,,iii4   ,the   
,assurance4      ,my meditation of him  
shall be sweet when ,i remember the     
assurance  he has given me4    ,to his  
dear children ,god is pleased to give   
earnests or pledges of the  future      
bliss4 ,we cannot think that any of the 
heirs of glory are  wholly deprived of  
foretastes of heaven4 ,some indeed walk 
in the  mist-clouds of doubt for a great
 part of their lives4 ,only at          
intervals the clouds part and reveal a  
ray of heavenly sunshine4 ,they  live   
amid clouds--it may be they die amid    

clouds--and never know clear  shining   
until they reach the land of perpetual  
sunshine4    ,others there are who pitch
 their tents upon the high hill ,clear4 
,they live in the land ,beulah1 where   
the sun is ever shining and the  birds  
are ever singing1 where ,giant ,despair 
never comes and where  ,doubting ,castle
 is not so much as seen4 ,they live in  
the sunshine1  they die in the          
sunshine--no1 they do not die2 they pass
 away1 onward  and upward1 into clearer 
light and brighter sunshine4 ,light is  
sown  for them on earth by ,him who is  
the light of the world1 and the  harvest
 in eternity is abundant and glorious4  
,the first-fruits here1  though nothing 
compared with the after-fruits1 are     
beautiful and  greatly to be desired4   
,why may they not be enjoyed by all8    
,we hardly think it is ,god's will that 
his children should have a  limited     
measure of peace and joy4 ,neither can  
we think it humility to  doubt the words
 of our ,lord ,jesus3 ,i give unto them 

eternal life2 and  they shall never     
perish1 neither shall any pluck them out
 of my hand4    ,yes1 we hear you       
saying1 this is comforting for          
,christians1 but am  ,i a ,christian8   
,the clouds of unbelief often envelop me
 and exclude all  heavenly light4       
',whereby shall ,i know that ,i shall   
inherit the land8'  ,who will assure me 
of my interest in ,christ8    ,he that  
believeth on the ,son of ,god hath the  
witness in himself4 ,can  you remain    
ignorant of so great a change wrought   
within by the ,spirit8  ,are there not  
many signs to prove to you that you are 
in ,christ8 ,do  you not believe and    
know that a change has passed over all  
your  feelings and affections8 ,do you  
not love the things you once hated and  
hate the things you once loved8 ,do you 
not love all who bear the  ,saviour's   
image8 ,is not sin odious to you8 ,do   
you not find some  pleasure in drawing  
near to ,god in prayer8 ,is not the     
thought of  continuing in sin painful to

 you8 ,would you willingly grieve your  
,saviour8    ,we would not say1 ,peace6 
peace6 when there is no peace4 ,we would
  have you look well to the foundations 
of your hope4 ,examine it  closely4 ,let
 the light of the ,word fall full and   
clear upon it4 ,look  at it on every    
side1 and rest not till you know that it
 is founded  simply and solely upon the 
merits of the ,redeemer4 ,if you are    
sure  ,christ's work is really begun in 
your soul1 you need have no doubt  about
 its being continued and finally        
completed4 ,the ,master counts  well the
 cost when he begins his work in the    
sinner's soul1 and none  shall ever mock
 his work1 saying1 ,this man began to   
build and was not  able to finish4      
,having ascertained this all-important  
fact1 you may be always  confident till 
you enter his presence with exceeding   
joy4 ,you need  not fear that you shall 
fall away4 ,rejoice not against me1 ,o  
mine  enemy3 when ,i fall1 ,i shall     
arise4 ,you shall be kept by the power  

of  ,god through faith unto salvation4  
,you need never fear that ,christ  will 
weary of his work1 but you may be       
confident of this very thing1  that he  
which has begun a good work in you will 
perform it until the  day of ,jesus     
,christ1 and you shall stand without    
fault before the  throne4    ,we know   
some humble and sincere disciples will  
shrink back1 saying1  ,we are not able1 
when we beg them to make ,paul's        
language all their  own4 ,with their    
hands upon their mouths and their mouths
 in the dust1  they dare not look up    
with perfect confidence2 they think it  
almost  presumption1 or at least they   
say1 despondingly1 ,it is not for me4   
,paul1 they say1 was an uncommon        
,christian--he attained a tall  stature 
in holiness4 ,so he did2 and why8       
,because his was no half-way  service2  
he gave no divided heart to his master4 
,that was the reason  why he so well    
understood the doctrine of full         
assurance4 ,if any man  will do his     

will1 he shall know of the doctrine4 ,do
 you understand  these words of the     
,master8 ,he does not say1 ,if any man  
fully keeps  the law1 which is the      
perfect will of the ,father1 he shall   
know of the  doctrine1 for it is not    
possible for any mere man perfectly to  
keep  the commandments of ,god4 ,nor    
does he say1 ,if any man does the  will1
 but1 ,if any man will--is willing to do
 his will4 ,if he  shows a willing heart
 and mind1 ,god will enlighten him more 
and more4  ,and what is implied in this 
willing heart and mind but full         
consecration8    ,when shall we learn   
the secret of a happy life8 ,ye cannot  
serve two  masters4 ,those who give     
themselves up to ,satan's service may   
lead an  unhappy life1 but greater must 
be the unhappiness of those who are     
trying to make a compromise between ,god
 and ,satan4 ,they can enjoy  neither   
service2 they are of all men most       
miserable4    ,o ye who have professed  
the name of ,christ1 come away from all 

inferior pleasures6 ,pleasures8 ,they   
are not worthy of the name4 ,one  hour  
with ,christ is worth them all4 ,will   
you then suffer them to hide  the       
,saviour from your view8    ,once we    
were happy all the day long1 having     
given ourselves to ,christ  in the      
covenant of the cross4 ,christ was the  
source of our life1 the  fullness of our
 joy1 all our salvation and all our     
desire4 ,having  enjoyed his precious   
presence1 we dreamed not that we could  
ever  wander2 we thought our hearts     
would cleave to him for evermore4 ,we   
had  no doubts in those days4 ,my       
,beloved is mine1 and ,i am his1 was the
  constant language of our heart4 ,but1 
alas6 the world again entered our       
heart1 dividing it and leaving but half 
for ,god4 ,then came the clouds         
gathering thick and fast1 till our      
,saviour was hidden from our view4      
,upon the ear of the watchman who went  
about the streets soon fell our         
mournful cry1 ,saw ye ,him whom my soul 

loveth8 ,we sought him1 but we  found   
him not4 ,our gloom and grief increased4
 ,oh for one hour of  ,jesus' presence6 
,let all other joys forsake this heart1 
we cried1  if only we may again enjoy   
,jesus' presence4 ,feeling thus1 we     
thrust  the joys 7falsely so called7 of 
earth away1 and kneeling at the         
mercy-seat1 we renewed our covenant with
 ,jesus4 ,true1 there was no joy  in our
 hearts2 we saw not yet his smile4 ,but 
we could trust him where  we could not  
trace him2 so we confessed to him all   
our wanderings4 ,we  told him how we had
 thought to serve him with half our     
hearts1 but now  we would give him all4 
,the first steps were taken in darkness1
 but ,god  soon revealed his smiling    
face4    ,if this assurance is          
attainable by one1 why not by all8 ,if  
at one time  it may be enjoyed1 why not 
at all times8 ,we have for a foundation 
a  stone1 a tried stone1 a precious     
corner-stone1 a sure foundation1  laid  
in ,zion by the great ,master-,builder4 

,foundation-stones are chosen with great
 care and laid with care1 for  upon them
 the whole building depends4 ,look at   
this foundation-stone4  ,tell me1 is it 
not perfect1 sure and tried8 ,this is   
the stone that the  builders rejected3  
they perished1 but it remaineth1 and    
upon it the  ,lord hath built his       
,church4 ,believers in all ages and     
climes have  built all their hopes of   
heaven upon it4 ,is it not a tried      
stone8  ,satan tried it and found no    
flaw2 ,pilate tried it and found no     
fault2  the ,father tried it and        
pronounced it good2 and we have tried it
 and  proved it so4 ,what a sure        
foundation it is1 with ,christ for the  
corner-stone1 the next stone faith1 then
 repentance1 hope1 submission  and all  
the graces6 ,master1 see what manner of 
stones are here4 ,are  they not goodly  
stones8 and will they not make a        
beautiful temple8    ,upon ,christ1 the 
precious corner-stone1 let us build our 
hopes of  heaven1 and dismiss all fears 

for the future4    ,my hope1 my joy1 my 
salvation1 my desire1 my righteousness1 
my  strength1 my all--,christ in me the 
hope of glory4 ,lord1 who shall  abide  
in thy tabernacle8 who shall dwell in   
thy holy hill8 ,i have not  clean hands1
 nor a pure heart4 ,behold1 ,i am vile4 
,nevertheless1 ,i  shall abide in thy   
tabernacle2 ,i shall dwell in thy holy  
hill4 ,why8  ,because ,christ is mine4  
,his hands are spotless1 his heart is   
pure1 his  righteousness is perfect4    
,all his is mine1 for he is mine4 ,i    
build my  hopes upon the ,rock ,christ  
,jesus4 ,these hopes shall never be     
overthrown2 ,i have no fear of it4      
,when the head stone shall be placed ,i 
cannot tell1 but ,i wait and  work with 
joy1 hoping unto the end4 ,sometimes    
weariness almost  overcomes me1 for     
building is hard work4 ,foes within and 
foes without  make the labor exceedingly
 hard4 ,but whether in joy or grief1 the
  building goes on1 and from the        
completed structure shouts shall ascend 

to the great ,master-,builder3 ,grace1  
grace unto it6 ,glory be to the         
,father1 and to the ,son1 and to the    
,holy ,ghost6 ,amen4      ,illustration 
,,iv4   ,the ,perfect ,work4    ,my     
meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 consider his perfect  work4    ,what   
consternation must have been felt among 
the ranks of holy spirits  when sin     
entered into the world1 and death by    
sin6 ,could grief  intrude into heaven1 
we should imagine that an hour of       
deepest  anguish when the ,father1      
looking down upon the fallen race1      
exclaimed1  ,how shall ,i pardon thee   
for this8 ,how shall ,i put thee among  
the  children8 ,how could the just and  
holy ,god justify the sinner8 ,not one  
of all the heavenly host could solve the
 problem4 ,how shall ,i give  thee up8  
burst from the heart of the loving      
,father4 ,the beloved ,son  exclaims3   
,deliver him from going down to the pit2
 ,i have found a  ransom4 ,who will seek
 and save these wanderers8 says the     

,father4  ,father1 send me1 the ,son    
replies2 ,i will seek them1 and save    
them1  and bring them home4 ,i will bear
 the wrath due to them for sin2 ,i will 
die for them4 ,the ,father accepts the  
,substitute2 the ,son lays aside  his   
glory and girds himself for the mighty  
conflict4 ,he looks along  the line of  
weary years1 and though he sees nothing 
but suffering1  reproach and death1 his 
holy purpose remains unshaken4 ,the lost
 sheep  of the house of ,israel must be 
saved1 and none but ,jesus could save   
them4    ,so he was their ,saviour4     
,his work of justification is perfect4  
,look at it for a moment4 ,what  is     
justification8 ,justification is an act 
of ,god's free grace1  wherein he       
pardoneth all our sins1 and accepteth us
 as righteous in  his sight1 only for   
the righteousness of ,christ imputed to 
us1 and  received by faith alone4       
,can there be anything more simple and  
beautiful and perfect than this8  ,it is
 free to all2 it is sufficient for all3 

,whosoever will2 ,and ,i  will pardon   
all their iniquities4 ,it is the work of
 a moment1 but  it abideth for ever4    
,one look of faith1 and life1 eternal   
life1 is  yours4      ,the moment a     
sinner believes      ,and trusts in his 
crucified ,lord1    ,his pardon at once 
he receives1      ,redemption in full   
through his blood4    ,his work of      
adoption is perfect4 ,like              
justification1 it is done in a  moment1 
and it abideth for ever4 ,adoption is an
 act of ,god's free  grace1 whereby we  
are received into the number and have a 
right to all  the privileges of the sons
 of ,god4    ,the ,romans had a twofold 
form of adoption4 ,the first was a      
private  transaction between the        
parties1 receiving the person adopted   
into the  family2 the second was the    
public recognition in the forum4    ,the
 moment we are justified we are adopted4
 ,this is the private  transaction4     
,hearing a voice from heaven saying1    
,thy sins are  forgiven thee2 go in     

peace1 we look up through our tears1 and
 with  rejoicing lips we cry1 ,father6  
,now are we sons of ,god1 placed  among 
the children1 because ,jesus solved the 
mighty problem1 showing  how ,god can be
 just and yet justify the sinner4 ,the  
public recognition  will come very soon4
 ,when we reach the pearly gates1       
,jesus1 our ,elder  ,brother1 will be   
waiting to receive and acknowledge us as
 his own4  ,standing before his ,father 
and ours1 he will stretch forth his hand
  toward his disciples and say1 ,behold 
my mother and my brethren6    ,his work 
of sanctification is perfect4 ,it is    
not1 like justification  and adoption1  
an act done in a moment4 ,it is a work  
slow and at times  painful1 yet sure and
 perfect4 ,it begins when we are        
justified1 it  ends when we are         
glorified4 ,sanctification is the work  
of ,god's  free grace1 whereby we are   
renewed in the whole man after the image
 of  ,god1 and are enabled more and more
 to die unto sin and live unto          

righteousness4 ,it is often a painful   
work4 ,the flesh1 with the  affections  
and lusts1 must be crucified4 ,we must  
die unto sin4 ,the  sound of the hammer 
and axe and iron tools is not heard by  
those who  are without1 yet every blow  
causes the heart to quiver1 and the     
cutting is very painful4 ,nevertheless1 
who would not be a carved  stone in the 
temple of our ,god8    ,we praise thee  
for this work1 ,o ,god4 ,we rejoice to  
know that thou wilt  not weary of it1   
but wilt carry it on until the day of   
,jesus ,christ4  ,we shall be perfect in
 that day4 ,no imperfection shall remain
 in  us--no sinful desire1 no unholy    
thought4 ,jesus will say unto us1 ,thou 
art all fair1 my love2 there is no spot 
in thee1 and he will present  us        
faultless before the presence of his    
glory with exceeding joy4    ,his work  
of redemption is perfect4 ,christ1 our  
,prophet1 instructs  us1 revealing to   
us1 by his word and ,spirit1 the will of
 ,god for our  salvation4 ,christ1 our  

,priest1 offers up himself a sacrifice  
to  satisfy divine justice and reconcile
 us to ,god4 ,he also maketh  continual 
intercession for us4 ,christ1 our ,king1
 subdues us to  himself2 he rules and   
defends us1 and restrains and conquers  
all his  and our enemies4 ,is he not a  
perfect ,redeemer8 ,he redeems our souls
  from death1 our bodies also from the  
grave4 ,my flesh also shall rest  in    
hope1 always confident of a glorious    
resurrection4 ,for ,i know  that my     
,redeemer liveth1 and that he shall     
stand at the latter day  upon the earth2
 and though after my skin worms destroy 
this body1 yet  in my flesh shall ,i see
 ,god4 ,i will ransom them from the     
power of  the grave2 ,i will redeem them
 from death4 ,o ,death1 ,i will be thy  
plague6 ,o ,grave1 ,i will be thy       
destruction6    ,though some may cavil  
at this mystery and say sneeringly1 ,how
 are the  dead raised up8 and with what 
body do they come8 yet we trust in the  
word of our ,god1 and we know that if   

our earthly house of this  tabernacle   
were dissolved1 we have a building of   
,god1 an house not  made with hands1    
eternal in the heavens4 ,christ1 the    
first-fruits of  them that slept1 is    
risen2 then how say some among you that 
there is  no resurrection of the dead8  
,christ is risen6 ,oh glorious truth1   
first proclaimed to the women who came  
weeping to his sepulchre6 ,fear  ye not1
 the angel answered1 for ,i know that ye
 seek ,jesus which was  crucified4 ,he  
is not here2 for he is risen1 as he     
said4 ,christ is  risen6 ,then we which 
are ,christ's shall rise also4 ,because 
,i live ye  shall live also4 ,behold1 ,i
 show you a mystery3 the dead shall be  
raised incorruptible1 and we shall be   
changed4 ,for this corruptible  must put
 on incorruption1 and this mortal must  
put on immortality4    ,o ,lord1 our    
,redeemer1 ,prophet1 ,priest and ,king1 
we praise thee for thy  perfect work6   
,yes1 my meditation of him shall be     
sweet when ,i consider his perfect      

work4 ,my ,master too regards it with   
satisfaction2 he sees of the  travail of
 his soul1 and is satisfied4 ,his life  
on earth was  sorrowful1 but his triumph
 was complete4 ,having spoiled          
principalities and powers1 ,god's       
enemies and ours1 he made a show of     
them openly1 triumphing over them in it1
 or in himself1 as it may  be rendered4 
,as a victor returning from the fight1  
he ascended to the  glory which he had  
with the ,father before the world was2  
and the  song of the glorified filled   
the high heavens with richer harmony as 
the ,well-,beloved of the ,father proved
 by the nail-prints that he had         
finished the work which was given him to
 do4    ,coming ages will testify to his
 triumph and to the completeness of his 
work4 ,on earth it was for the most part
 viewed not only with  indifference1 but
 even with unbelief and scorn4 ,he came 
unto his own1  and his own received him 
not4 ,for a good work we stone thee not2
 but  for blasphemy1 and because that   

thou1 being a man1 makest thyself  ,god4
 ,he saved others2 let him save himself1
 if he be ,christ1 the  chosen of ,god4 
,if thou be ,christ1 save thyself and   
us4 ,if he be  the ,king of ,israel1 let
 him now come down from the cross1 and  
we will  believe him4 ,but now a mighty 
multitude swell the song1 ,worthy is    
the ,lamb that was slain1 to receive    
power1 and riches1 and wisdom1 and      
strength1 and honor1 and glory1 and     
blessing4 ,and every creature which  is 
in heaven1 and on the earth1 and such as
 are in the sea1 and all  that are in   
them1 heard ,i saying1 ,blessing1 and   
honor1 and glory1 and  power1 be unto   
,him that sitteth upon the throne1 and  
unto the ,lamb1  for ever and ever4 ,and
 the four beasts said1 ,amen4 ,and the  
four and  twenty elders fell down and   
worshiped ,him that liveth for ever and 
ever4      ,ten thousand times ten      
thousand sung      ,loud anthems round  
the throne1    ,when lo6 one solitary   
tongue      ,began a song unknown--     

,a song unknown to angel ears--    ,a   
song that told of banished fears1    ,of
 pardoned sins and dried up tears4      
,not one of all the heavenly host       
,could these high notes attain1    ,but 
spirits from a distant coast            
,united in the strain2    ,till he who  
first began the song1    ,to sing alone 
not suffered long1    ,was mingled with 
a countless throng4      ,and still1 as 
hours are fleeting by1      ,the angels 
ever bear    ,some newly-ransomed soul  
on high      ,to join the chorus there3 
,and so the song will louder grow1      
,till all redeemed by ,christ below     
,to that fair world of rapture go4      
,oh give me1 ,lord1 my golden harp1     
,and tune my broken voice1    ,that ,i  
may sing of troubles sharp              
,exchanged for endless joys3    ,the    
song that ne'er was heard before--    ,a
 sinner reached the heavenly shore--    
,but now shall sound for evermore4      
,illustration      ,illustration        
,v4   ,the ,chastening4      ,my        

meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 consider his  chastenings1 for blessed 
is the man whom thou chastenest1 ,o     
,lord4    ,of all the beatitudes this   
may appear to be the strangest4 ,to the 
young disciple chastisements may seem   
anything but happiness2 you see  in them
 no beauty that you should desire them4 
,if you have never been  taught in the  
school of affliction1 you cannot        
understand this2  neither can you       
understand it if you have not learned   
well what you  were there taught4       
,perhaps you have been greatly          
afflicted1 and yet  you can see no good 
fruits of it in your soul4 ,every       
disappointment  has only increased      
bitter feelings in your heart4 ,you are 
conscious of  this4 ,you are ready to   
say1 ,where are the blessed effects of  
sorrow8  ,the ,master comes seeking     
fruit1 and findeth none4 ,why is this8  
,we  reply1 that sorrow in itself has no
 sanctifying power4 ,many are  hardened 
by it1 and rendered more unlovely and   

unholy4 ,but the plane  in the hand of  
the carpenter's ,son cannot fail to make
 you better1 and  if you are not        
profited by it1 it is because you do not
 rightly  receive your sorrows4         
,while you were a stranger to the love  
of ,christ you had no special           
consolation to sustain you in the time  
of trial4 ,the consolations of  ,god1   
which are neither few nor small1 you had
 no right to appropriate4  ,with every  
stroke of the rod you seemed to hear a  
terrible voice  saying1 ,i1 even ,i1    
will chastise you seven times for your  
sins4 ,but  now that you are reconciled 
to ,god1 all is changed2 you hear       
another  voice saying1 ,as many as ,i   
love1 ,i rebuke and chasten4            
,henceforth1 therefore1 you may accept  
trials as love-tokens1 for whom  the    
,lord loveth he chasteneth4    ,perhaps1
 like ,jonah1 you have been sitting with
 great delight under  the shadow of your
 gourd4 ,to give you joy and comfort in 
the desert1  ,god caused it to spring   

up4 ,you felt glad and even thankful    
because of  its pleasant shade1 and     
while you rested under its shadow songs 
of  praise ascended to the ,giver4 ,yet 
,god prepared a worm4 ,you woke one     
morning to find your beautiful gourd all
 withered4 ,never did the  desert seem  
more dreary4 ,you fainted under ,god's  
smiting1 and with  aching and rebellious
 heart you prayed for death4 ,there     
seemed to be  nothing for which to live1
 and you said1 ,it is better for me to  
die  than to live4    ,doest thou well  
to be angry for the gourd8    ,there are
 times when ,god shows his mercy to us  
by turning a deaf ear  to our foolish   
prayer4 ,no1 ,i should not say he       
turneth a deaf ear to  our prayer4 ,he  
does hear1 and he does answer1 but not  
according to our  asking4 ,you asked    
death2 he sent grace to live4 ,it is    
better for me  to die1 you said4 ,god1  
by sparing your life1 said most plainly1
 ,it  is better for you to live4 ,god   
knows best4    ,if you are still        

mourning over your smitten gourd1 permit
 us to give  you some reasons why you   
should no longer mourn1 or1 at least1   
why you  should not murmur4             
,remember1 the gourd was undeserved4    
,you had done nothing to merit such  a  
blessing4 ,perhaps even when it came it 
found you1 like ,jonah1  indulging in   
bitter1 reproachful thoughts4 ,wayward  
and wandering were  you2 loving and     
tender was ,god4 ,earthly parents bestow
 most tenderness  and anxious thought   
upon the erring child4 ,the ,good       
,shepherd leaves  the ninety and nine to
 search for the straying one4 ,these    
things but  faintly illustrate the      
dealings of ,god with his children4     
,perhaps you were in the path of duty1  
and were not unthankful while  you      
rested under the gourd4 ,still1 you know
 that you deserve not the  least of all 
,god's mercies4 ,your sufferings are    
less than your sins  deserve4 ,he hath  
not dealt with us after our sins1 nor   
rewarded us  according to our           

iniquities4 ,wherefore doth a living man
 complain8  ,let then this thought      
silence your complaints4    ,remember   
also that the hand that smote the gourd 
was the hand of your  ,father1 your     
loving ,father4 ,and this thought surely
 will give you  comfort in your sorrow1 
and will even cause you by and by to    
sing  aloud for joy4 ,knowing full well 
that he doth not afflict willingly1  you
 seek to know why he thus dealt with    
you4 ,it ought to be enough for  you to 
know that ,god prepared a worm4 ,what ,i
 do thou knowest not  now1 but thou     
shalt know hereafter1 should make us    
dumb before him1  but so great is his   
condescension toward them that love him 
that he  even tells them why the smiting
 was necessary4 ,your heart was fully   
set upon the gourd1 and you were        
,making a heaven down under the sun4    
,it may be that there was very little of
 the pilgrim spirit in your  heart4 ,the
 heart-tendrils were firmly fastened    
around the gourd2 its  uprooting seemed 

to rend you in twain4 ,bitter and severe
 was the pain1  but the hand that dealt 
the blow is ready to bind up the        
bleeding  wound1 and in after days you  
will love to look upon this scar1 for   
you  will cherish it as a sweet reminder
 of ,god's faithfulness and  mercy--not 
only as a monument1 but also as a       
warning1 for whenever you  look upon it1
 it will say to you1 ,little children1  
keep yourselves  from idols4    ,have   
you ever noticed the old grave stones in
 some ,english  burial-garden8 ,the damp
 climate1 which so soon obliterates the 
letters1 has a kindly way of dealing    
with the horizontal stones4 ,into  the  
deep grooves of the lettering little    
seeds are carried by the  wind1 and1    
lodging there1 the dampness soon causes 
them to germinate1  and in place of the 
blackness of decay spring up the        
characters in  living green4    ,into   
the deep scars caused by ,god's sharp   
instruments the precious  seeds of      
divine consolation shall be wafted4     

,watered by your tears1  they shall soon
 spring up1 and in your sweet submission
 others will  read your testimony to    
,god's faithfulness3 ,i know1 ,o ,lord1 
that thy  judgments are right1 and that 
thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me4 
,when ,god uproots the gourd he gives us
 something better1 and our  light       
affliction1 which is but for a moment1  
worketh for us a far more  exceeding and
 eternal weight of glory4    ,if ,paul  
could call his calamities light1 surely 
we may2 for what are  our trials when   
compared with his8 ,behold what a       
crushing load he  carried6 ,in labors   
more abundant1 in stripes above measure1
 in  prisons more frequent1 in deaths   
oft4 ,of the ,jews five times received  
,i forty stripes save one4 ,thrice was  
,i beaten with rods1 once was ,i        
stoned1 thrice ,i suffered shipwreck1 a 
night and a day ,i have been in  the    
deep1 in journeyings often1 in perils of
 waters1 in perils of  robbers1 in      
perils by mine own countrymen1 in perils

 by the heathen1  in perils in the city1
 in perils in the wilderness1 in perils 
in the  sea1 in perils among false      
brethren2 in weariness and painfulness1 
in  watchings often1 in hunger and      
thirst1 in fastings often1 in cold and  
nakedness4 ,oh what a life6 ,how could  
he call all these afflictions  light8   
,placed in the balance with the         
exceeding weight of glory1 they  seemed 
as naught4 ,the afflictions were but for
 a moment2 the glory was  eternal4      
,many are the afflictions of the        
righteous1 but the ,lord delivereth  him
 out of them all4 ,he keepeth all his   
bones3 not one of them is  broken4 ,evil
 shall slay the wicked3 and they that   
hate the righteous  shall be desolate4  
,the ,lord redeemeth the soul of his    
servants2 and  none of them that trust  
in him shall be desolate4    ,then wait 
on the ,lord2 be of good courage1 and he
 shall strengthen  thy heart3 wait1 ,i  
say1 on the ,lord4 ,and let your        
meditation be sweet  when you consider  

,him who smites the gourd in order that 
he may lead  you to the shadow of the   
great ,rock4    ,when my heart is       
overwhelmed1 lead me to the ,rock that  
is higher than  ,i4    ,illustration    
,illustration           ,,vi4   ,the    
,compassion4      ,my meditation of him 
shall be sweet when ,i remember his     
compassion  for the multitude4    ,it   
was a beautiful thought to compile a    
record of loving and heroic  deeds1 of  
all lands and ages1 and to entitle it1  
,a ,book of ,golden  ,deeds4 ,florence  
,nightingale1 whose picture adorns the  
opening page1  stands forth a fit       
exponent of the spirit of love that     
prompted these  recorded acts4    ,the  
record of ,christ's life may truly be   
called ,a ,book of ,golden  ,deeds2 and 
that blessed name1 which is above every 
name1 becomes the  symbol of whatsoever 
things are lovely and of good report4   
,the works  which mark his earthly      
career are wonderful beyond compare1 and
 the  crowning act of this life of      

perfect self-abnegation is the greatest 
mystery of love4    ,it was noble in    
,dick ,williamzoon1 the ,netherland     
martyr1 when safely  over the frozen    
mere1 to turn back1 at the peril of his 
life1 and  rescue his pursuer1 whom he  
saw about to perish in the waters4 ,he  
saved his enemy1 and was himself        
captured and burned at the stake--a     
martyr for mercy as well as for truth4  
,it was nobler still in the  ,moravian  
missionary to enter the hospital in     
order to preach ,christ to  the lepers4 
,if you go in1 you can never be allowed 
to come out4 ,i  accept1 he said1 and   
entered1 to go out no more4 ,but the    
compassion  of ,jesus towers far above  
the devotion of mortals1 and expresses  
itself in a manner which excites wonder 
in heaven and upon earth4  ,looking down
 from his heavenly throne1 his heart was
 deeply affected  by the ruin of our    
race4 ,one blow of the arch-destroyer   
had marred  ,god's fair creation--man4  
,could no hand restore what in one dark 

hour  had been lost8 ,o mighty          
,restorer6 we wonder and adore4      ,he
 left his lofty throne1      ,and threw 
his robes aside2    ,on wings of love   
came down1      ,and wept and bled and  
died4    ,yes1 girding himself with full
 strength1 he descended to the work his 
loving heart devised4 ,humbling himself 
to bear our sins1 he became our         
,saviour4 ,not satisfied with simply    
bearing the sins of his people1 he  also
 carried their sorrows1 and so becomes  
their ,sympathizer4 ,surely  he has     
borne our griefs as well as our guilt4  
,he became a ,man of  ,sorrows in order 
that from henceforth and for ever his   
followers  might have not exemption from
 all sorrow1 but a ,saviour who would be
  able to sustain them fully in their   
afflictions1 even lifting them so  far  
above their sorrows that at midnight and
 in prison they might sing  praises4    
,gazing along the line of centuries1 the
 omniscient ,jesus saw a mighty         
multitude of bowed and suffering        

ones--in sickness1 in pains1 in  poverty
 and chains2 inheritors of cruel        
mockings and scourgings1 yea1  moreover1
 of bonds and imprisonment2 those whose 
portion should be to  be stoned1 sawn   
asunder1 tempted1 slain with the sword2 
who should  wander about in sheep-skins 
and goat-skins1 being destitute1        
afflicted1 tormented4 ,seeing these1 is 
it any wonder if his heart  melted with 
tenderness8 ,in the simple story of his 
life we read3 ,and  ,jesus went forth   
and saw a great multitude1 and was moved
 with  compassion toward them1 and he   
healed their sick4 ,in all their        
affliction he was afflicted4 ,blessed be
 our ,high ,priest who is still  touched
 with the feeling of our infirmities6   
,when his life on earth ended and he    
returned to the glory which he had  with
 the ,father before the world was1 he   
left us an example that we  should walk 
in his steps4 ,to his disciples belongs 
the honor of taking  up and carrying    
forward the work of ministration4       

,partakers of  ,christ's love and       
sympathy look not every man on his own  
things1 but  every man also on the      
things of others4 ,let the same mind be 
in you  which was also in ,christ       
,jesus1 who took upon him the form of a 
servant4 ,he that saith he abideth in   
him1 ought himself also to walk  even as
 he walked4    ,how did he walk8 ,study 
well the memorial of golden deeds4      
,compare  your life with his4 ,how can  
you bear the test8    ,nothing can be   
more beautiful than a life of           
self-abnegation4 ,one  single act of    
devotion to another's good is like a ray
 of golden  sunshine in a darkened room1
 and a life of such deeds may well be   
called a golden life4 ,into the cabin of
 one of our government  transports was  
borne a poor wounded soldier1 who1 with 
many others1  was going home to die4 ,he
 had just been laid in the middle       
berth--by  far the most comfortable of  
the three tiers of berths in the ship's 
cabin--and was still thrilling with the 

pain of being carried from the  field1  
when he saw a comrade in even greater   
suffering than himself  about to be     
lifted to the berth above him1 and1     
thinking of the pain  it would cost him 
to be raised so high1 he exclaimed1 ,put
 me up  there2 ,i reckon ,i'll bear     
hoisting better than he will4    ,where 
can we find sufficient inspiration for a
 life of devotion to  others8 ,act as if
 the eyes of ,cato were always upon you1
 was urged  upon the ,roman youth to    
stimulate him to virtuous deeds4 ,act as
 if the  eyes of ,jesus were upon you1  
we urge1 for surely he bends from his   
throne to watch you as you endeavor to  
tread the path your ,saviour  trod4     
,to some of us ,god has given leisure   
from arduous toil1 wealth1 talents  and 
many opportunities for usefulness4      
,perhaps to all these gifts he  has     
added strong faith and bright hopes of  
heaven4 ,what1 then1 are our  duties to 
the poor and ignorant1 the weary and    
feeble ones8  ,strengthen ye the weak   

hands and confirm the feeble knees4 ,say
 to  them that are of a feeble heart1   
,be strong2 fear not4 ,remember1 and    
forget it not1 ye favored ones1 that    
unto whomsoever much is given1  of him  
shall much be required4 ,let nothing be 
hoarded4 ,withhold not  good from them  
to whom it is due1 when it is in the    
power of thine  hand to do it4 ,nature's
 and the ,gospels' doctrine is1 ,be     
ready to  distribute1 willing to        
communicate4 ,looking up at the twelve  
silver  statues in ,yorkminster         
cathedral1 ,oliver ,cromwell asked1 ,who
 are  those expensive fellows up there8 
,he was told that they were the         
apostles of ,christ4 ,ah8 let them be   
taken down and melted up1 said  the old 
,puritan2 then they1 like their ,master1
 will go about doing  good4    ,it is   
said that in ,china the rich buy up and 
distribute clothing to  the poor1 and in
 times of scarcity of food1 through the 
kindness of  the rich1 rice is sold to  
the poor at a third or fourth less than 

the  market price4 ,this is done to win 
the favor of the gods4 ,while we do  not
 hope to purchase ,god's favor by       
anything that we can do1 yet we  may    
remember the words of the ,lord ,jesus1 
how he said1 ,whosoever  shall give to  
drink unto one of these little ones a   
cup of cold water  only1 in the name of 
a disciple1 verily ,i say unto you1 ,he 
shall in  nowise lose his reward4 ,and  
they that be wise shall shine in the    
brightness of the firmament1 and they   
that turn many to righteousness1  as the
 stars for ever and ever4    ,let us    
daily strive to imitate our ,master in  
compassion for others2  then shall our  
meditation prove profitable as well as  
pleasant4      ,illustration            
,,vii4   ,the ,sympathy4      ,my       
meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 remember his sympathy  with his chosen 
ones4    ,to have a friend who is ready 
to rejoice with us when we rejoice1 and 
to weep with us when we weep1 how       
delightful it is6 ,it doubles our  every

 joy and divides our every sorrow4      
,though some hearts seem to  scorn this 
tender plant of heavenly origin1 we     
believe that none are  wholly insensible
 to the magic power of sympathy4 ,those 
who scorn it  most are often led to     
crave it most when the days of bitter   
grief draw  near4 ,we call it a plant of
 heavenly origin1 and so it is2 for     
though  it is often found in unrenewed  
hearts1 yet it attains its fairest      
perfection in hearts regenerated by the 
,holy ,spirit4 ,planted by the  hand of 
,god and watered by heavenly dews1 it   
reaches its greatest  height1 and wins  
the admiration of many who fail to      
understand the  secret source of its    
life4    ,but human sympathy1 even the  
deepest and tenderest1 often fails us in
  the hour of our greatest need4 ,who   
will say that ,peter and the two  sons  
of ,zebedee were not friends of the     
,lord ,jesus8 ,certainly they  loved    
him1 for they followed him whithersoever
 he went4 ,feeling his  need of human   

sympathy--for he was the man ,christ    
,jesus--he took them  with him to       
,gethsemane4 ,all he asked was that they
 should watch with  him4 ,tarry ye here1
 and watch with me4 ,did they watch8    
,you know the  record well4 ,and he     
cometh unto the disciples and findeth   
them  asleep1 and saith unto ,peter1    
,what1 could ye not watch with me one   
hour8 ,when brought to our ,gethsemane1 
is not our experience something  like   
our ,master's8 ,where we looked for     
sympathy we find indifference2  we are  
there alone4 ,perhaps our sorrow may be 
of such a nature that we  cannot reveal 
it even to our best-beloved4 ,our secret
 grief lies like  ice upon our hearts1  
sending its chilling influences through 
every  member4 ,the hands hang down     
listlessly and the feeble knees smite   
together2 the aching of the head is only
 exceeded by the aching of the  heart4  
,yet no one knows the agony that        
paralyzes our life4 ,or1 sadder  still1 
the heart-friend may be snatched away1  

and while our hearts are  breaking by   
reason of bereavement1 we may have no   
one left to whom we  may turn for       
comfort in our affliction4    ,is there 
no friend whose sympathy is deep1 ever  
abiding and ever  accessible8 ,thank    
,god1 there is ,one4 ,his name is       
,jesus4 ,in all our  afflictions he is  
afflicted4 ,he suffered that he might   
sympathize4  ,coming to a race          
concerning whom it was written few are  
their days  and full of trouble1 it     
behooved him to be made like unto his   
brethren1 therefore he accepted the     
inheritance of suffering1 and  became a 
man of sorrows1 and acquainted with     
grief4 ,himself took  our infirmities4  
,is poverty your portion8 ,is it no     
uncommon thing for you to suffer        
hunger1 cold and weariness8 ,do friends 
forsake and foes oppress you8  ,go and  
tell ,jesus4 ,though no longer suffering
 the sorrows of earth1 he  remembers    
them well4 ,think you that he has       
forgotten those  wilderness seasons when

 he suffered hunger2 or those times of  
weary  watching on the mountains2 or    
that dark night when all the disciples  
forsook him and fled2 or that sad hour  
when his ,father forsook him8  ,though  
gone to ,god's right hand he is the same
 ,jesus still4 ,his heart  is full of   
love and pity4 ,he knoweth our frame1   
for he has put on  our humanity4 ,he put
 on our humanity2 he has never put it   
off4 ,behold  the ,man6 ,and ,i beheld1 
and lo1 in the midst of the throne1 and 
of  the four beasts1 and in the midst of
 the elders1 stood a ,lamb as it  had   
been slain4 ,and ,i heard the voice of  
many angels round about the  throne1 and
 the beasts1 and the elders2 and the    
number of them was ten  thousand times  
ten thousand1 and thousands of          
thousands2 saying with a  loud voice1   
,worthy is the ,lamb that was slain to  
receive power1 and  riches1 and wisdom1 
and strength1 and honor1 and glory1 and 
blessing4    ,and is he absorbed by this
 homage8 ,i tell thee nay4    ,let us   

recall that parting scene at ,olivet4   
,his days of suffering are  now ended1  
and he is about to return to the glory  
which he had with  the ,father before   
the world was4 ,a few words of parting1 
and then a  cloud separates him from his
 sorrowing disciples4 ,a cloud1 the     
record  tells us4 ,so it appeared to    
them2 to us it seems rather a company of
  shining ones--a heavenly convoy sent  
to attend ,king ,jesus back to his      
heavenly throne4 ,in the midst of the   
homage of this heavenly host he  does   
not forget his sorrowful disciples1 but 
arrests the glad song for  a moment that
 he may send words of comfort down to   
them4 ,and while  they looked           
steadfastly toward heaven as he went up1
 behold1 two men  stood by them in white
 apparel1 which also said1 ,ye men of   
,galilee1  why stand ye gazing up into  
heaven8 ,this same ,jesus which is taken
 up  from you into heaven shall so come 
in like manner as ye have seen him  go  
into heaven4    ,this same ,jesus is not

 now absorbed by the homage of that     
great  multitude which no man could     
number4 ,surrounded by those which came 
out of great tribulation1 can he for a  
moment forget those who are  going      
through great tribulation8 ,he does not 
forget them4 ,the hand  that was nailed 
to the cross is still swift to obey the 
impulses of  that great heart of love1  
and hastens to wipe away the tear that  
gathers in the mourner's eye1 to bind up
 the broken heart and to  smooth the    
pillow of the dying4    ,we cannot read 
the record of ,christ's earthly life    
without perceiving  that his sympathy   
with suffering was deep and constant4   
,failing to  comprehend this1 some may  
add to your grief by uttering these     
chilling  words3 ,trouble not the       
,master4 ,remember1 and forget not the  
broken-hearted father whose only        
daughter died before the help of  the   
,good ,physician could be obtained4     
,there comes one from the ruler's  house
 saying unto him1 ,thy daughter is dead2

 trouble not the ,master4  ,the mournful
 message is heard by the ,master1 and   
turning to the  sorrowing father1 he    
said1 ,fear not2 believe only1 and she  
shall be  made whole4 ,how speedily joy 
came into that darkened home when ,jesus
  entered and took the maiden by the    
hand6    ,little know they that great   
heart of love who say to the sorrowful1 
,trouble not the ,master4 ,young        
disciple1 heed them not4 ,think no      
sorrow too trifling to pour into his    
sympathizing ear4 ,whatever  troubles   
you interests him4 ,in all their        
affliction he was  afflicted4 ,no tear  
falls unnoticed by him2 no sigh escapes 
unheard4  ,he keepeth you as the apple  
of his eye4 ,what encouragement to carry
  your griefs to ,jesus6 ,satan would   
suggest that we trouble not the         
,master4 ,he trembles to see such close 
communion between ,christ and  the      
,christian4 ,he knows that his power    
over the ,saviour's hidden  ones is fast
 passing away1 and he would be glad to  

raise all chilling  barriers to their   
delightful intercourse4 ,get thee behind
 me1 ,satan6  ,my ,saviour invites1 yea1
 urges1 me to come to him with all my   
sorrows1  and ,i will cast all my cares 
on him1 for he careth for me4 ,it is    
good  for me to draw near to ,god4      
,again and again have ,i found it       
good--oh  how good6 ,all sympathy is    
sweet1 but his sympathy is exceeding    
sweet4  ,yes1 so sweet is it that       
trouble is no longer trouble1 because   
,christ  shares it with me4 ,he changes 
the valley of ,baca into the land       
,beulah4 ,he gives me songs in the      
night1 and his presence turns my        
darkness into day4    ,trouble not the  
,master4    ,i tell you1 ,satan1 it is  
no trouble for the ,master to care for  
me2 no  trouble to soothe my sorrowing  
spirit2 no trouble to wipe away my      
tears2 no trouble to pillow my aching   
head upon his bosom2 no trouble  to give
 me beauty for ashes1 the oil of joy for
 mourning1 the garment  of praise for   

the spirit of heaviness4 ,many and many 
a time has he  done this1 blessed be his
 name6 ,nothing troubles him but my     
sins4  ,would to ,god they might trouble
 him no more6 ,they grieve him2 then let
  me forsake them4 ,by his help ,i will4
 ,begone1 unbelief1 pride1  worldliness1
 ingratitude--begone6 ,it is ye that    
trouble my ,master6      ,illustration  
,,viii4   ,the ,love4      ,my          
meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 consider his love for  me4    ,the     
record of ,christ's deeds of mercy      
toward a multitude of sick and          
suffering ones gives us a wonderful     
glimpse of his heart4 ,the thought  of  
his perfect sympathy with his people has
 comforted the ,church in  all ages4    
,but draw a little nearer and consider  
his personal love for  you1 dear young  
,christian4 ,listen to his voice saying 
so tenderly1 ,i  have loved thee4       
,forget for a moment the multitude that 
need his  compassion and the disciples  
who share his sympathy1 and try to      

realize his deep1 personal love for you4
 ,consider that love as shown  on       
,calvary4 ,remember the great price he  
has paid for your redemption4    ,during
 the dark days of the ,netherland revolt
 there went forth a  decree from the    
cruel ,philip the ,second2 and though   
many a bloody  edict had gone out before
 from that throne1 this one in cruelty  
exceeded them all1 for it condemned to  
death all the inhabitants of  the       
,netherlands4 ,heretic was branded upon 
every one1 and1 without  respect to age 
or sex1 they were doomed to destruction4
 ,now1 if a  mighty deliverer could have
 traversed those gloomy streets         
proclaiming  full deliverance for those 
who were condemned1 with what joy would 
he  have been hailed6 ,not only would   
the public thanks of the nation have    
been his1 but each rescued one would    
have hastened to express his own  thanks
 to his deliverer4    ,let then your    
heart overflow with grateful love when  
you remember the  great ,deliverer4     

,guilty was branded upon every forehead 
when ,jesus  came to the rescue2 and    
while the thanks of all the redeemed are
  ascending to the throne1 let your     
praises unite with theirs1 for you  too 
were under condemnation when ,jesus     
offered pardon4 ,his terms were         
simple--only believe2 and through the   
grace of ,god you were led to  accept   
the offer of everlasting life4 ,there is
 therefore now no  condemnation1 for the
 ,son hath made you free4    ,no        
condemnation6 ,how sweet it sounds6 ,how
 much it means6 ,christ hath  fulfilled 
the ,law's requirements1 and you are    
free4 ,as we meditate  upon it we seem  
to hear the ,saviour saying1 ,lovest    
thou me8 ,dear  ,lord ,jesus1 we cannot 
love thee as thou hast loved us4 ,a     
mother's love  is as naught when        
compared with thy love1 for she may     
forget1 but  thou hast said thou wilt   
never forget us4 ,but yet our hearts    
cherish  most fondly this secret of thy 
love to us4 ,i have loved thee with an  

everlasting love4    ,it gives us joy in
 our loneliest hours4 ,we love to think 
about it when  we are all alone4 ,never 
are we less alone than when alone1 for  
then it  is we hear the sweetest        
whispers that ever fell on mortal ears4 
,and  when we hear the voice of our     
,beloved1 can we be indifferent to his  
love8 ,i tell thee1 nay4 ,love1 a faint 
reflection of his own1 rises in  our    
heart1 and falling on our knees before  
him1 we exclaim1 ,lord1  thou knowest   
all things2 thou knowest that ,i love   
thee4 ,sadly we feel  that it is a poor 
spark of love--nothing like his great   
love to  us--yet we rejoice that the    
little spark is there1 and pray that it 
may be kindled into a steady flame4     
,lord1 thou knowest all things4  ,oh how
 glad we are of this6 ,thou knowest     
every emotion of our heart  toward thee4
 ,thou knowest our grief because we do  
not love thee more4    ,but this        
meditation has its practical bearings4  
,we may not always  dwell upon the high 

mountain apart thinking about our       
,saviour's love4  ,let our communion    
with ,christ be as close and            
confidential as  possible1 but let us   
never forget that ,he who spent whole   
nights  communing with his ,father also 
spent whole days ministering to others4 
,let1 then1 the love of ,christ         
constrain us4    ,standing safely upon  
the ,rock ,christ ,jesus1 let our hearts
 go out in  pity for those who are still
 breasting the billows4 ,faint and      
exhausted1 they seem ready to perish4   
,help1 ,master1 help6 ,let our  prayers 
for them ascend unceasingly4 ,the       
,master is not far off1 and in  answer  
to our prayers he will come and rescue  
them with his strong  arm4 ,let the love
 of ,christ constrain us to labor for   
the perishing  around us4 ,this is our  
working-time1 and this principle of love
 is the  life of our work4    ,this word
 constrain has several meanings4 ,it    
might be thus  expressed3 ,the love of  
,christ transports us4 ,it carries away 

our  souls in ecstasy even from earth to
 heaven1 and fills us with holy         
rapture4 ,how often at the table of the 
,lord have we been thus  transported by 
thoughts of his everlasting love6 ,and  
as we went on our  pilgrim way we cast  
frequent glances back to that hour of   
heavenly  brightness4 ,earth grew dim   
during those moments of holy communion4 
,fain would we have tabernacled there4  
,the love of ,christ urges us1 prompts  
us4 ,sweet it will be to rest  in the   
arms of his love4 ,but this rest        
remaineth2 we have not yet  reached it2 
to the present belong toil and labor4   
,there must be no  loitering in the     
,christian life4 ,where the love of     
,christ fills the  heart there can be no
 loitering4 ,it is a prompting          
principle1 ever  leading us to new      
endeavors for the ,master4    ,the love 
of ,christ unites us4 ,though           
diversities of opinion mark  those who  
bear the ,christian name1 yet1 if the   
,saviour's love fills  our hearts1 we   

have one common platform where we may   
meet and hold  sweet fellowship4 ,our   
experience is the same3 we love him     
because he  first loved us4 ,our ,hope  
is the same3 ,christ in us1 the hope of 
glory4 ,our home is the same3 and there 
shall be one fold4 ,our  ,shepherd is   
the same3 and ,i will set up one        
,shepherd over them4 ,and  though our   
creeds may differ1 our chorus is the    
same3 ,thou art  worthy1 for thou wast  
slain1 and hast redeemed us to ,god by  
thy blood  out of every kindred1 and    
tongue1 and people1 and nation4 ,angels 
and  archangels round the throne join in
 the heavenly melody1 saying1 with  a   
loud voice1 ,worthy is the ,lamb that   
was slain to receive power1 and  riches1
 and wisdom1 and strength1 and honor1   
and glory1 and blessing4  ,and every    
creature which is in heaven1 and on the 
earth1 and under  the earth1 and such as
 are in the sea1 and all that are in    
them1  being united by the love of      
,christ1 join in the song which         

celebrates  his wondrous love4          
,illustration           ,,ix4   ,the    
,life ,abundant4      ,my meditation of 
him shall be sweet when ,i consider the 
life more  abundant which he gives4     
,we are amazed at the languid1 feeble   
lives of many around us4 ,among  the    
aged we naturally look for inactivity1  
but1 alas6 even the  youths faint and   
are weary1 and the young men utterly    
fall4 ,before  the time of old age the  
grasshopper becomes a burden1 and we    
hear  the young exclaiming1 in          
world-weary tones1 ,i have no pleasure  
in  them4 ,they said in their hearts1   
,go to1 now2 ,i will prove thee with    
mirth2 therefore enjoy pleasure4 ,and   
behold they found it vanity4  ,they     
builded houses1 and planted vineyards1  
and gathered silver and  gold2 but1     
looking back on all the works their     
hands have wrought1  they are compelled 
to acknowledge that all is vanity and   
vexation of  spirit4 ,therefore they    
hate life and all their labor which they

 have  taken under the sun4 ,for what1  
say they1 hath man of all his  labor1   
and of the vexation of his heart1       
wherein he hath labored under  the sun8 
,for all his days are sorrows1 and his  
travail grief2 yea1 his  heart taketh   
not rest in the night4 ,this also is    
vanity4    ,how marked and beautiful the
 change when ,jesus takes possession of 
these weary souls6 ,i am come1 says the 
,master1 that they might have  life1 and
 that they might have it more           
abundantly--life in greater  quantity2  
good measure1 pressed down1 and shaken  
together1 and  running over4    ,we hear
 much about the power of love to arouse 
the dormant faculties  and animate the  
feeble spirit4 ,when this love is the   
dear1 deep love  of ,jesus1 who can     
estimate its life-giving power8 ,truly1 
we hardly  begin to live till ,jesus    
reveals himself to us--until1 kneeling  
at his  cross1 we consecrate to him our 
time1 our talents and our all4 ,from    
henceforth life has for us new beauty1  

because ,jesus is the charm of  our     
life4    ,life more abundantly6 ,let us 
enter more deeply into the meaning of   
these words4 ,let us understand that    
religion does not close the door  upon  
any lawful calling4 ,the days of        
religious seclusion are long  past1 but 
the days have not yet come when men have
 fully learned that  daily business is  
not antagonistic to ,christian life1 but
 that it is  one of the means of its    
development4 ,it has been truly said    
that there  have been noble bands of    
,christians who have gone to heaven     
despising  ambition1 refusing crowns1   
disdaining sceptres1 unwilling to be    
cumbered with wealth1 willing to bear   
hardship and suffering2 but  there shall
 be another band of men who shall do    
more mighty things  than they--men of   
higher grace who shall conquer enemies  
more strong  and terrible1 who shall go 
to heaven even with crowns and sceptres 
or  with great wealth4 ,through         
abounding grace they learn ,christian   

development in spite of1 and by means   
of1 those external things which  cause  
the spiritual shipwreck of multitudes4  
,let the spirit of the ,saviour1        
dwelling in us richly1 sanctify all     
commerce1 all learning1 all politics1   
all art4 ,may religion dignify  our     
every act4 ,religion was not simply     
designed for the dying hour4  ,christ   
shall be magnified in my body1 whether  
it be by life or by  death4 ,for to me  
to live is ,christ4    ,dear ,lord      
,jesus1 thou hast showed me the path of 
life1 and by thy  presence1 even on     
earth1 thou hast given me fullness of   
joy4 ,thou  hast given me power when    
faint1 and increased strength when ,i   
had no  might4 ,therefore my life shall 
praise thee4 ,a new creature in         
,christ1 henceforth ,i will not live    
unto myself1 but unto ,him which  died  
for me and rose again1 for the love of  
,christ constraineth me4                
,illustration      ,illustration        
,x4   ,the ,forgiveness4      ,my       

meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 consider the full and  free forgiveness
 he imparts4    ,the hour in which we   
first felt the joy of sins forgiven can 
never be  forgotten4 ,the burden had    
grown so heavy that we could carry it no
  longer1 so1 bending the knee at the   
foot of the cross1 the burden was  cast 
upon ,christ4    ,for many days our joy 
and peace were so great that we fondly  
hoped to  be burdened no more2 but as   
old wounds often break out anew1 so it  
is  with the soul1 and the memory of    
sins that are past often sweeps  over   
the ,christian like a bitter wave4      
,daily sins cause daily grief to  the   
heart that loves the ,lord4 ,the only   
way of peace is to carry them  at once  
to ,jesus1 confess all and seek         
forgiveness4 ,we never seek in  vain4   
,but these past sins1 these iniquities  
of our youth1 how they rise up  to      
condemn us and take away our peace6     
,thou writest bitter things  against me1
 saith ,job1 and makest me possess the  

iniquities of my  youth4 ,my sin is ever
 before me1 cries ,david in the         
bitterness of  his soul4 ,it must have  
been a lifelong grief to ,peter that he 
had  denied his ,lord and ,master4      
,others might easily forget his hour of 
weakness and sin while they listened to 
his fearless words on the day  of       
,pentecost and heard him exclaim1 ,him1 
being delivered by the  determinate     
counsel and foreknowledge of ,god1 ye   
have taken1 and by  wicked hands have   
crucified and slain4 ,but though others 
could  forget1 how often must ,peter's  
soul have been saddened by the memory   
of his weakness and sin6 ,sounding along
 the corridors of memory1 ever  and anon
 these words1 ,i know not the man1 must 
have smote upon his  ears like a funeral
 knell4 ,the recollection of that look  
of love must  often have brought tears  
to his eyes and filled his heart with   
tender  grief4    ,how many of us recall
 with deepest sorrow hours of weakness  
when1  yielding to strong temptation1 we

 fell into sin6 ,perhaps no eye but     
,god's marked our wandering steps1 no   
ear but his heard our words of  sin1 no 
heart but his read the dark secret4 ,the
 hour of true  contrition came when1    
ashamed and deeply grieved1 we scarcely 
ventured  to look up to our offended    
,father1 but casting our tearful eyes   
upon  the ground1 we knelt and cried in 
anguish1 ,thou hast set our  iniquities 
before thee1 our secret sins in the     
light of thy  countenance4 ,remembering 
that if we confess our sins he is       
faithful  and just to forgive us our    
sins and to cleanse us from all         
unrighteousness1 we freely confessed    
all1 and in the deep peace that         
followed we found a fulfillment of the  
promise4 ,i acknowledge my sin  unto    
thee1 and mine iniquity have ,i not hid4
 ,i said1 ,i will confess my            
transgressions unto the ,lord1 and thou 
forgavest the iniquity of my  sin4      
,but though the ,lord is ready to       
forgive1 and plenteous in mercy  unto   

all them that call upon him1 yet these  
past sins are weapons that  the great   
adversary often uses successfully in his
 warfare with the  pilgrims1 causing    
many almost to stand still when they    
should be  running in the way of ,god's 
commandments4    ,think you that our    
,god desires from us constant mourning  
over sins  that are past8 ,if these are 
to lie a perpetual burden on our hearts1
  robbing us of our peace and clouding  
our hopes of heaven1 what  advantage    
then hath the ,christian8 or what profit
 is there in the  atonement of ,christ8 
,we have somewhere heard of a chemist   
who was lecturing before his  class4 ,a 
number of rags of varied hue lay before 
him1 and by means of  strong chemicals  
he was changing their colors into       
whiteness4  ,presently he paused1 and   
holding up a piece of ,turkey red1 he   
remarked1 ,ah6 now we shall have some   
trouble1 for of all colors this  is the 
hardest to extract4 ,again and again he 
dipped it into the  strong solution1 but

 with little effect2 then cast it aside1
 saying1  ,it must either remain as it  
is1 or else lie in the solution till its
  very fibres are destroyed4    ,but the
 blood of ,christ has power to extract  
even scarlet stains4  ,though your sins 
be as scarlet1 they shall be white as   
snow2 though  they be red like crimson1 
they shall be as wool4    ,then why art 
thou cast down1 ,o my soul8 for the     
righteousness of  ,god1 which is by     
faith of ,jesus ,christ unto all them   
that believe1 is  for the remission of  
sins that are past1 as well as for the  
constantly recurring sins of the        
present4    ,shall we1 then1 never think
 of our past sins8 ,yes2 think of them  
as  the mariner thinks of dangers past1 
and as the redeemed in glory think  of  
past tribulations4 ,he maketh the storm 
a calm1 so that the waves  thereof are  
still4 ,then are they glad because they 
be quiet2 so he  bringeth them unto     
their desired haven4 ,yes2 think of them
 with  gratitude to ,god for            

deliverance1 and let this be your song  
as you  press on3 ,he sent from above1  
he took me2 he drew me out of many      
waters3 he delivered me from my strong  
enemy1 and from them that hated  me2 for
 they were too strong for me4 ,when ,i  
said1 ,my foot slippeth1  thy mercy1 ,o 
,lord1 held me up4 ,the ,lord is my     
rock1 and my fortress1  and my          
deliverer2 the ,god of my rock3 in him  
will ,i trust2 he is my  shield1 and the
 horn of my salvation1 my high tower1   
and my refuge1 my  ,saviour4 ,for who is
 a ,god1 save the ,lord8 and who is a   
rock1 save  our ,god8 ,therefore ,i will
 give thanks unto thee1 ,o ,lord1 among 
the  heathen1 and ,i will sing praises  
unto thy name4    ,think of them1 also1 
with humility and self-distrust1 and let
 this be  your constant prayer3 ,hold up
 my goings in thy paths1 that my        
footsteps slip not4 ,keep me as the     
apple of the eye2 hide me under  the    
shadow of thy wings4    ,but oh do not  
carry the memory of past sins as a      

weight to drag your  soul down to the   
dust6 ,if the ,lord has forgiven and    
forgotten them1  why not rejoice in this
 wonderful token of his love toward you8
  ,casting aside every weight1 you may  
thus rise to the enjoyment of a  present
 heaven4    ,illustration               
,illustration           ,,xi4   ,the    
,help4      ,my meditation of him shall 
be sweet when ,i remember the stones of 
help he has given4    ,for forty days   
the champion of the ,philistines had    
defied the armies  of ,israel4 ,he was a
 man of great stature--a giant--and a   
man of war  from his youth4 ,and all the
 men of ,israel1 when they saw the man1 
fled from him and were sore afraid4     
,all1 yet not all1 for one  accepted    
,goliath's challenge and stepped forth  
to battle with him4 ,who  was he8 ,the  
strongest1 bravest and oldest veteran in
 the army8 ,no2 he  was not a soldier1  
but a shepherd-boy1 and too young to be 
enrolled4  ,a stripling the king calls  
him1 and his weapons are only five      

smooth stones6 ,is it any wonder that   
his elder brother chided him  and that  
,goliath disdained him8 ,trusting in the
 ,lord who delivered him  out of the paw
 of the lion and out of the paw of the  
bear1 he went  forth confident of       
victory4 ,he took a stone from his bag  
and put it in  his sling1 and buried it 
in the giant's forehead so that he fell 
prostrate to the ground4 ,how wonderful6
    ,there are giants still in the      
land--giant powers that defy the armies 
of the living ,god4 ,there are giant    
sins and giant fears that throw         
themselves across the path of every     
,christian and threaten his             
destruction4 ,and if this page shall    
meet the eye of some youthful  warrior  
who would fain overcome those spiritual 
foes that challenge  the soul1 permit me
 to choose five smooth stones for you1  
with which  you shall prevail to lay the
 giants low4    ,the presence of ,god is
 one of these stones3 ,thou ,god seest  
me4  ,sometimes1 like ,david's first    

stone1 it is enough to kill the ,goliath
  of temptation4 ,when sinners entice   
us1 there is power enough to defend  us 
in the thought that the many eyes of the
 ,most ,high are looking on  us1 and the
 soul starts back appalled1 saying1 ,how
 then can ,i do this  great wickedness1 
and sin against ,god8    ,the power of  
,god is another of these precious       
stones4 ,david declined  to go forth to 
battle with ,saul's armor4 ,he could not
 go with weapons  which he had not      
proved1 but he took to himself the whole
 armor of  ,god4 ,he had proved it1 and 
knew by experience that there was more  
than protection in that panoply4        
,goliath was a giant1 but he was not    
,god4 ,he was mighty1 but he was not    
almighty4 ,he was potent1 but he was    
not omnipotent4    ,the wisdom of ,god  
is still another of these stones4 ,the  
mighty man  of ,gath was mailed from    
head to foot4 ,he was completely covered
 with a  coat of iron and brass4 ,his   
whole body was protected2 only his      

forehead was left exposed that he might 
be able to see his antagonist4  ,and1   
strange to say1 the first smooth stone  
went straight to this only  place where 
it could harm him1 and sunk into his    
forehead4 ,god's  wisdom guided it to   
its own place4    ,the faithfulness of  
,god is another of these stones4 ,in his
 holy word  he has made unto us many    
exceeding great and precious promises1  
and  his faithfulness ensures their     
fulfillment4 ,he will do as he said4    
,heaven and earth may pass away1 but his
 promises shall never pass  away4 ,if   
ordinary means will not suffice for     
their accomplishment1  miracles shall be
 wrought4 ,the sun and moon shall stand 
still1 if need  be4 ,taking the past as 
pledge of the future1 there shall not   
fail one  good word of all that the     
,lord our ,god hath spoken4    ,the love
 of ,god is the last stone of help4 ,and
 the last shall be  first4 ,it is the   
smoothest and most precious of the five4
 ,there is  some gold in all the others1

 but this one is all gold1 and the most 
fine gold4 ,in the presence1 power1     
wisdom and faithfulness of ,god much    
love is mingled4 ,he goes with us and   
upholds us and guides us and  remembers 
his covenant because he loves us1 so    
that our last thought  crowns and       
comprehends all the others4 ,the love of
 ,god is first and  last and best4      
,presence1 power1 wisdom1 faithfulness  
and love1 these  five2 but the greatest 
of these is love4    ,illustration      
,illustration           ,,xii4   ,the   
,deliverance4      ,my meditation of him
 shall be sweet when ,i consider him as 
my  ,deliverer4    ,how dense the gloom 
that gathers round the record of ,adam's
 sin and  fall6 ,reading this chapter   
without the cross before our eyes1 it   
seems  the saddest in all the inspired  
volume4 ,issuing from the abyss of woe1 
,satan has found an entrance into a     
newly-created world4 ,sin and death     
have bridged the gulf that separated    
earth from hell1 and are swift to       

follow in ,satan's track1 eager to      
complete the ruin his hellish hate      
devised4 ,fiends from the pit rejoice1  
while angels1 with grief-clouded  faces1
 gaze upon the guilty pair4 ,adam1 where
 art thou8 ,sinful man  hears the       
summons1 and1 compelled by power divine1
 appears in the  presence of his        
offended ,maker4 ,can any hide himself  
in secret places  that ,i shall not see 
him8 saith the ,lord4 ,though they hide 
themselves in the top of ,carmel1 ,i    
will search and take them out  hence4   
,truly1 there is no darkness1 nor shadow
 of death1 where the  workers of        
iniquity may hide themselves4    ,but   
when we read this record in the light of
 the cross1 our grief  speedily changes 
into gladness4 ,that the promise made to
 ,satan1 ,thou  shalt bruise his heel1  
has not been retracted1 each disciple of
  ,christ can testify4 ,the old enmity  
hissed forth by the arch-apostate  and  
his followers when the almighty ,arm    
hurled them into their own  place1 has  

not yet been destroyed4 ,the conflict1  
begun in ,paradise1  between the seed of
 the woman and the serpent--that        
conflict darkly  shadowed forth in the  
mythology of heathen nations and        
painfully  experienced by each          
regenerate heart--is raging still4 ,o   
wretched man  that ,i am6 who shall     
deliver me from the body of this death8 
cries  the ,christian4 ,o my ,father1 if
 it be possible1 let this cup pass from 
me6 prays the ,christian's ,lord and    
,master4 ,that the bruising is not      
light1 ,gethsemane and ,calvary bear    
mournful testimony4 ,nevertheless1  it  
is not vital4 ,thou mayest bruise his   
heel1 ,satan1 but not his head4  ,from  
the abode of demons a yell of triumph   
must have risen when the  ,light of     
,life was extinguished on the cross4    
,but the triumph was  short-lived4      
,rejoice not against me1 ,o mine enemy2 
when ,i fall1 ,i  shall arise4 ,that    
which thou sowest is not quickened      
except it die4  ,thou shalt bruise his  

heel because ,omnipotence allows it1 for
 it  pleased the ,lord to bruise him1   
but it shall bruise thy head4           
,traveling in the greatness of his      
strength1 ,jesus plants his feet  upon  
the necks of his enemies and chains the 
captives to his triumphal  car4 ,the    
,lion of the tribe of ,judah has seized 
the prey4 ,judah1 thou  art he whom his 
brethren shall praise4 ,let all the     
people praise  thee1 ,o ,god2 let all   
the people praise thee4 ,and those who  
will not  render him willing homage     
shall be trampled under the wheels of   
his  advancing chariot4 ,but these mine 
enemies1 which would not that ,i  should
 reign over them1 bring hither1 and slay
 them before me4    ,shiloh1 the        
,pacificator1 has come2 and though the  
conflict has not  ceased1 the combatants
 are already singing the conqueror's    
song4 ,what  meaneth this shout of      
triumph that cometh up from the         
battle-field8 ,it  is the voice of them 
that shout for the mastery4 ,they go    

forth  singing1 ,thanks be unto ,god1   
which giveth us the victory1 through our
  ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,we hear their  
song above the clash of arms2 amid  the 
smoke of the battle-field we see their  
look of quiet confidence2  and as they  
fall in the conflict they shout1 ,o     
,death1 where is thy  sting8 ,o ,grave1 
where is thy victory8    ,from heaven   
above is now proclaimed the blessing    
above the curse2 and  though ,eden was  
lost through the disobedience of ,adam1 
,paradise shall  be regained through the
 obedience of ,christ4    ,mercy closed 
,eden's gate4 ,behold1 saith the ,lord1 
the man is become  as one of us1 to know
 good and evil2 and now1 lest he put    
forth his  hand1 and take also of the   
tree of life1 and eat1 and live for     
ever1  therefore the ,lord ,god sent him
 forth from the garden of ,eden4 ,life  
everlasting1 even in the garden of      
,eden1 would be no boon to a            
sin-stricken race4    ,the gates are    
open now not only that the ,king of     

,glory may come in1  but also for the   
generation of them that seek him1 that  
seek thy  face1 ,o ,god of ,jacob4 ,they
 shall ascend into the hill of the      
,lord2  they shall stand in his holy    
place4      ,illustration               
,,xiii4   ,the ,hearer of ,prayer4      
,my meditation of him shall be sweet    
when ,i consider him as the  ,hearer and
 ,answerer of prayer2 for his promises  
concerning prayer are  many1 making us  
always confident when we come to the    
throne of the  heavenly grace4 ,surely1 
every ,christian may approach with      
confidence1  saying in his heart1 ,my   
,god will hear me4 ,he may adopt the    
language  of full assurance and say1    
,father1 ,i know that thou hearest me   
always4 ,the ,bible abounds in promises 
relating to prayer4 ,we also  find there
 many illustrations of ,god's           
willingness to answer the  prayers of   
his children4    ,but some may say1     
,notwithstanding the promises which     
appear so  positive1 we do not always   

receive that for which we ask4 ,there   
are  many reasons why this is so4       
,sometimes our motive in asking is      
wrong4  ,ye ask1 and receive not1       
because ye ask amiss4 ,sometimes we do  
not  ask in faith1 consequently1 no     
answer comes2 for thus reads the        
faithful promise3 ,all things whatsoever
 ye shall ask in prayer1  believing1 ye 
shall receive4 ,therefore ask in faith1 
nothing  wavering4 ,there is another    
reason why we do not always receive the 
things for which we ask4 ,in our        
ignorance and short-sightedness we      
often ask for that which ,god in his    
wisdom sees would be hurtful to  us4    
,loving us with more than a mother's    
love1 he withholds the evil  which seems
 to us good1 and sends the good which   
seems to us evil4  ,though ,god's       
providence may seem to contradict his   
promise1 yet this  is a faithful saying3
 ,no good thing will he withhold from   
them that  walk uprightly4 ,the wicked  
often prosper for a time4 ,they are not 

in  trouble as other men2 neither are   
they plagued like other men4 ,their     
eyes stand out with fatness1 they have  
more than heart can wish4  ,behold1     
these are the ungodly who prosper in the
 world2 they increase  in riches4       
,how shall we solve this seeming        
contradiction8 ,suppose we cannot solve 
it4 ,shall we therefore arraign the     
justice of ,god8 ,shall we reject the   
promise because we cannot understand it 
in the light of ,god's  providence8 ,oh1
 not so4 ,let us remember that now we   
know only in part4  ,but do we not often
 forget the condition of this promise8  
,do we not  make the promise void by our
 unworthy walking8 ,no good thing will  
he  withhold from them that walk        
uprightly4 ,if ye abide in me1 and my   
words abide in you1 ye shall ask what ye
 will1 and it shall be done  unto you4  
,we must remember that ,god's standard  
of judging between good and evil  is    
very different from ours4 ,in this our  
thoughts are not as ,god's  thoughts4   

,we call poverty1 sorrow1 sickness and  
bereavement evil2 ,god  often shows us  
that they are good4 ,we ask health2 in  
answer ,god sends  sickness1 which he   
blesses to the healing of all our       
spiritual  maladies4 ,he can make our   
sick-chambers very ,pisgahs1 so that we 
shall  thank him for sickness4          
,sometimes in our weariness and         
discouragement  we pray for death4 ,god 
in answer sends sufficient grace4 ,he   
maketh our  feet like hind's feet1 equal
 to the way4 ,is not his a more         
excellent way8 ,it seems to us every    
,christian should be satisfied  with    
answers like these4 ,is it not better to
 have our portion  appointed by ,god8   
,it is better when praying for temporal 
blessings  always to say1 in spirit if  
not in words1 ,nevertheless1 not my     
will1  but thine be done4    ,there are 
some things for which you may ask       
without any limitations1  and these are 
spiritual gifts2 for this is the will of
 ,god1 even your  sanctification4 ,you  

may also have this confidence when      
praying for  the conversion of friends4 
,god has provided salvation sufficient  
for  all4 ,in our ,father's house there 
is room enough1 and in our ,father's    
heart there is love enough1 for all4    
,none need perish with hunger4 ,as  ,i  
live1 saith the ,lord ,god1 ,i have no  
pleasure in the death of the  wicked2   
but that the wicked should turn from his
 way and live4 ,if1  then1 you have a   
desire in your heart for the conversion 
of a soul1 be  assured that ,god        
awakened that desire4 ,it is a token of 
his readiness  to bless4 ,have faith in 
,god1 and wait on thy ,god continually4 
,plead till the answer comes2 though it 
tarry1 wait for it4 ,what  things soever
 ye desire when ye pray1 believe that ye
 receive them1  and ye shall have them4 
,illustration           ,,xiv4   ,the   
,reward4      ,my meditation of him     
shall be sweet when ,i think of his     
reward for  faithful labor4    ,the     
weariness of work is often very great1  

but if sufficient  recompense follows   
our endeavors1 if success crowns our    
working1 we  soon forget past toils1 for
 the desire accomplished is sweet to the
  soul4 ,but if we can see no good      
resulting from our labors1              
disappointment and grief increase our   
fatigue4 ,yes1 the weariness of  grief  
far exceeds the weariness of successful 
labors1 though they may  be labors more 
abundant1 in season and out of season4  
,the  faithful minister of ,christ will 
here bear me witness1 for of all  times 
of exhaustion he will acknowledge this  
to be the greatest1 when  he goes from  
the pulpit to the closet with this      
despairing cry3 ,who  hath believed our 
report8 ,master1 we have toiled all the 
night and  have taken nothing4    ,it   
was morning when upon the shore of      
,tiberias three tired fishermen  were   
seen4 ,they were sad as well as weary1  
for the night had yielded  them no      
recompense4 ,from the crowd that pressed
 upon him to hear the  word of ,god1    

,jesus stepped forth and entered into   
,simon's boat4 ,and  when he had left   
speaking1 he said unto ,simon1 ,launch  
out into the  deep1 and let down your   
nets for a draught4 ,naturally enough1  
,simon1  answering1 said1 ,master1 we   
have toiled all the night4 ,they were   
very tired now1 and were greatly in need
 of rest and refreshment4 ,all  the     
night4 ,slowly must the hours have worn 
away while they labored  and waited4    
,and then he added1 ,we have taken      
nothing4 ,we can almost  hear the tone  
of disappointment in which he said it4  
,it would have  been no marvel if he had
 added1 ,lord1 if we have been so       
unsuccessful  during the time that is   
generally the most favorable for        
fishing1 will  it not be useless for us 
to make another attempt8 ,besides1 we   
are  weary all over and almost sick with
 disappointment2 let us at least  wait  
till the falling darkness favors our    
work4    ,but ,simon ,peter's answer was
 marked by more faith than this4 ,while 

he  reminded the ,master how long and   
unsuccessfully they had toiled1 he      
quickly added1 ,nevertheless1 at thy    
word ,i will let down the net4  ,and a  
great multitude of fishes was the result
 of this act of faith  and prompt       
obedience4 ,peter and all that were with
 him were astonished  at the draught of 
fishes which they had taken4    ,to our 
mind this astonishment does not confute 
the idea that this act  of obedience was
 prompted by faith4 ,the result so      
speedily followed1  and was so great in 
its magnitude1 that the strongest faith 
might well  be taken by surprise4 ,have 
you not sometimes been surprised by the 
blessed and abundant answer to prayer   
which you have received8 ,perhaps  the  
salvation of a dear friend was the deep 
desire of your heart4 ,for  this you    
toiled till you nearly fainted at the   
mercy-seat4 ,you prayed  unceasingly1   
and you believed it was the prayer of   
faith2 yet when the  answer came you    
were almost overcome with astonishment4 

,contemplating this scene1 let us take  
new courage4 ,the sowing-time is  often 
a time of exhaustion4 ,it is also a time
 of weeping2 from very  weakness ,god's 
seed-bearers weep4 ,the work is great2  
who is  sufficient for these things8    
,sometimes ,god in his infinite wisdom  
sees fit to withhold from them the      
knowledge of the results they are       
really accomplishing4 ,often he calls   
them away before the seed is  fully     
ripe1 and they never see the harvest1   
nor hear the joyful song  of the reapers
 who come after them4 ,they sow in      
tears1 and then they  lie down at the   
close of the day1 and with sighs and    
tears they pass  away2 but ,god watches 
over the precious seed1 and the         
tear-watering  causes it to flourish    
more abundantly and ensures a more      
glorious  harvest4 ,at the time of      
planting1 if the husbandman sees no     
signs of  coming rain1 he steeps his    
seed over night in water that it may    
spring  up sooner2 but no seed springs  

up so soon as that which is steeped in  
tears4 ,he that goeth forth and weepeth1
 bearing precious seed1 shall  doubtless
 come again rejoicing1 bringing his     
sheaves with him4    ,the present reward
 of work is very great1 and much to be  
desired4 ,in  all labor there is profit4
 ,every deed done for the good of others
  brings a blessing to our own souls3   
seeking their happiness1 we find  our   
own4 ,god's laborers are blessed above  
all others4 ,he never forgets  to reward
 the smallest work of love2 even the cup
 of cold water given  in his name shall 
be remembered4 ,when we fail to         
accomplish the good  we designed1 we    
cannot say that our labors were in vain 
or that we  have spent our strength for 
naught4 ,god's designs have been        
accomplished2 our souls have been       
disciplined2 and as we sit down upon    
the ruins of our brightest plans and    
fairest hopes1 we glorify ,god far  more
 by our cheerful submission than we     
could have done by successful  labors4  

,but the future reward1 how great it is 
and how enduring6 ,the  harvest-time    
will be a time of joy4 ,past labor and  
weeping will be  forgotten when the     
,lord of the vineyard shall call the    
laborers that  he may reward them       
abundantly4 ,what a scene will then be  
presented to  our view6 ,from north1    
from south1 from east1 from west1 will  
they  come--some who have toiled through
 the heat and burden of a long day2     
others who have labored but one short   
hour4 ,i1 too1 will obey the  call1     
saying1 as ,i come and kneel before the 
,god of the harvest1  ,master1 behold my
 sheaves4 ,i know they are very few and 
of little  worth2 yet1 ,master1 behold  
my sheaves4 ,then shall these cheering  
words come to me1 and not to me only1   
but to all the faithful  laborers3 ,well
 done1 good and faithful servant2 enter 
thou into the  joy of thy ,lord4        
,weary worker in the vineyard1 waste not
 your strength in weeping4 ,say  not1 ,i
 have labored in vain2 ,i have spent my 

strength for naught1 and  in vain2 for  
surely your judgment is with the ,lord1 
and your work1 or  your reward1 with    
your ,god4 ,thus saith the ,lord1       
,refrain thy voice  from weeping1 and   
thine eyes from tears2 for thy work     
shall be  rewarded1 saith the ,lord4    
,illustration           ,,xv4   ,the    
,soul's ,portion4      ,my meditation of
 him shall be sweet when ,i consider him
 as my  soul's best portion4    ,again  
and again in ,god's holy word are we    
warned to avoid  covetousness4 ,from the
 midst of the thunders and lightning of 
,sinai  issues the emphatic command1    
,thou shalt not covet4 ,take heed1 and  
beware of covetousness1 saith the       
,master1 for a man's life  consisteth   
not in the abundance of things which he 
possesseth4 ,let  your conversation be  
without covetousness1 enjoins the great 
apostle1  and be content with such      
things as ye have2 for he hath said1 ,i 
will  never leave thee1 nor forsake     
thee4    ,in order1 then1 to gain this  

sweet content1 let us meditate upon     
,christ1 who is our soul's eternal      
portion4 ,let us consider what we       
already possess1 and also meditate upon 
things to come1 till our  hands shall   
relax their grasp upon earthly things   
and our hearts cling  more closely to   
,christ4 ,our lips vainly declare1      
,christ is all1 if  our lives contradict
 our lips4 ,the worldling looks at our  
daily life1  and soon judges whether or 
not we are satisfied with ,christ4      
,conversation means more than mere      
words4 ,in its original meaning it      
includes the whole life4 ,our whole     
lives1 then1 must prove that ,christ  is
 our all4    ,can we be contented in    
sickness1 in sorrow and in poverty8     
,yes1 we  can2 for he hath said1 ,i will
 never leave thee1 nor forsake thee4 ,in
  sickness the ,lord will make all your 
bed2 he will strengthen you upon  the   
bed of languishing2 his left hand will  
be under your head1 while  his right    
hand will embrace you4 ,in sorrow he    

will be with you1 for he  has said1     
,when thou passest through the waters1  
,i will be with thee2  and through the  
rivers1 they shall not overflow thee3   
when thou  walkest through the fire1    
thou shalt not be burned2 neither shall 
the  flame kindle upon thee4 ,in poverty
 be content1 for though you are  poor   
and1 it may be1 despised of men1 you are
 not forgotten by ,god4  ,that you might
 have eternal riches he became poor--so 
poor that he had  not where to lay his  
head4 ,the manger was his cradle and the
 rich  man's tomb was borrowed for his  
burial4 ,for ye know the grace of our   
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that1 though he   
was rich1 yet for your sakes he  became 
poor1 that ye through his poverty might 
be rich4    ,christ is our eternal      
portion1 for he hath said1 ,i will never
  leave thee1 nor forsake thee4 ,lo1 ,i 
am with you alway were his last  words  
on earth4 ,be content1 then1 with such  
things as ye have4 ,having  ,christ1 ye 
possess all things1 for all things are  

yours2 and ye are  ,christ's1 and       
,christ is ,god's4    ,the things       
present1 which belong to us through the 
covenant of peace  made with ,christ1   
are precious and greatly to be desired4 
,we have the  promise of all things     
needful for this life4 ,my ,god shall   
supply all  your need4 ,no good thing   
will he withhold from them that walk    
uprightly4 ,bread is sure2 water is     
sure4 ,the young lions do lack1  and    
suffer hunger2 but they that seek the   
,lord shall not want any good  thing4   
,therefore ,i say unto you1 ,take no    
thought for your life1 what  ye shall   
eat1 or what ye shall drink2 nor yet for
 your body1 what ye  shall put on4      
,consider the ravens and the lilies1 and
 be not  faithless1 but believing2 for  
if ,god so feedeth the ravens and       
clotheth the lilies1 how much more will 
he feed and clothe you1 ,o  ye of little
 faith6    ,come and meditate upon his  
promises1 for they are positive and     
sure1  and full of sweet comfort4 ,all  

your wants are supplied by your ,lord   
,jesus4 ,are you sick8 ,he is your      
,healer4 ,are you weary8 ,he is your    
,rest4 ,are you in trouble8 ,he is your 
very present ,helper4 ,are the days     
dark8 ,he is your ,sun4 ,are you in     
danger from the darts of the  adversary8
 ,he is your ,shield4 ,does the desert  
sun beat hot upon your  head and the    
desert sand scorch your pilgrim feet8   
,he is as the  shadow of a great rock in
 a weary land4 ,when the wicked1 even   
your  enemies and your foes1 come upon  
you1 he is your ,fortress and your      
strong ,tower4 ,he is your ,teacher1    
,brother1 ,friend and ,saviour4 ,what   
more do you desire8    ,and when things 
present are about to pass away for ever1
 and your  trembling feet touch the cold
 waters of the river of death1 before   
the  last fond grasp of earth is given1 
,christ will take your hand in his1  and
 as he draws very near to you1 you will 
feel in that hour that  ,christ is the  
best portion your soul can possess4 ,his

 finger will  point plainly toward      
things to come1 and he will doubtless   
give you  glimpses of glory before the  
time4    ,we need not1 however1 wait    
till the last hour to consider the      
things  ,god has laid up for us4 ,the   
lesson of present content is more easily
  learned while we sit1 like ,bunyan's  
,patience1 waiting for our good  things4
 ,passion would not be satisfied till   
his lap was filled with  golden         
treasure1 but ,patience1 with empty     
hands1 was very quiet1  though ,passion 
laughed scornfully4 ,patience1 says     
,bunyan1 is  willing to wait4    ,what a
 beautiful figure of the ,christian6    
,and what are these good  things for    
which the ,christian is willing to wait8
    ,first of all1 he has a home in the 
future4 ,no earthly home can be         
compared to it1 for it is a home where  
change and death never come4  ,the      
earthly home may be made desolate by    
death1 but in the heavenly  home there  
shall be no vacant place4 ,there shall  

be no more death1  neither sorrow nor   
crying1 neither shall there be any more 
pain2 for  the former things are passed 
away4    ,the ,christian has also a     
crown laid up in the future4 ,here      
thorns may  bruise his aching brow1 but 
there he shall be crowned4 ,and earthly 
crowns will pale before the ,christian's
 crown of glory4 ,if he is wise  in     
winning souls1 they shall be placed as  
jewels in his crown2 for  though all    
will have bright crowns1 some shall be  
surpassingly  glorious1 being studded   
with immortal souls4    ,let me1 dear   
,lord1 be one of those who turn many to 
righteousness4  ,give me a glorious     
crown1 and ,i will gladly lay it at thy 
feet4 ,no  matter if it must be with    
weeping that ,i now go forth to win     
souls1 no  matter if my heart be weary  
and my hands be heavy1 the reward will  
more than compensate for the weariness  
and weeping1 and every redeemed  soul   
shall shine in my diadem of glory4      
,let the worldling keep his portion and 

clutch his paltry treasures  till they  
crumble to dust beneath his eager       
fingers1 but let      ,my soul to heaven
 aspire1    ,and fix its all on ,god4   
,he is my best portion1 and my          
meditation of him shall be sweet when   
,i remember that this good part1 which  
his grace has enabled me to  choose1    
shall not be taken away from me4        
,illustration      ,illustration        
,,xvi4   ,the ,cross4      ,my          
meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 consider his cross and  mine4    ,the  
cross is the emblem of our religion4 ,to
 it the awakened sinner  flies when     
conscience fills him with gloomy fears4 
,there is no place  of safety for him   
save in its blessed shadow4 ,looking up 
with faith1  he sees ,jesus1 the        
suffering ,saviour1 and with the sight  
peace and joy  fill his heart4 ,as he   
starts upon his pilgrim course the cross
 is set  before him1 and these are his  
marching orders3 ,if any man will come  
after me1 let him deny himself1 and take

 up his cross1 and follow me4  ,oh how  
he learns to love that cross of shame6  
it becomes radiant with  glory1 and as  
he journeys he sings1      ,in the cross
 of ,christ ,i glory4    ,as he bears   
his own personal cross1 which sometimes 
is exceedingly  heavy1 he lays the      
heaviest end of it upon ,christ1 and    
looks up  joyfully through his tears to 
the great ,cross-,bearer and learns to  
glory in tribulation4 ,looking up1 what 
does he see8 ,beyond the cross  he sees 
the crown4 ,how dazzling6 how enduring6 
,no stain nor rust shall  ever mar its  
beauty2 none shall ever rob it of its   
sparkling gems4    ,tell me1 ,i ask1 who
 shall wear these bright crowns8 ,and he
 said unto  me1 ,these are they which   
came out of great tribulation1 and have 
washed their robes1 and made them white 
in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,out  of     
great tribulation into great exaltation4
 ,what a striking contrast6  ,what a    
happy exchange6 ,like the ,master1 they 
passed from a lowly state  of trouble   

into a lofty state of triumph4 ,because 
they were not  ashamed of him in his    
grief1 he was not ashamed of them in his
 glory4  ,they were saved not because   
they suffered1 but because they trusted 
in  ,him who suffered for them4 ,some of
 them suffered even unto the death1  but
 the blood that made white their        
garments was not their own2 it was  the 
blood of the ,lamb4 ,therefore are they 
before the throne of  ,god1 and serve   
him day and night in his temple3 and he 
that sitteth on  the throne shall dwell 
among them4    ,how happy are they now6 
,former trials1 when recalled1 only lead
 them  to new songs of praise4 ,they    
remember all the way of the past1 and   
strike the harp-strings with exultant   
fingers when they think of their        
sufferings1 now exchanged for endless   
joys4    ,consider your cross1 young    
disciple1 and meditate upon it without  
bitter thought4 ,it was a wise and      
loving ,hand that laid it upon your     
shoulder1 and that same ,hand will lift 

it when he thinks you have  carried it  
long enough4 ,he doeth all things well4 
,the end shall be  better than the      
beginning1 and in eternity you will     
understand it all4  ,your voice will    
rise in higher1 loftier strains when you
 remember the  sickness that was        
sanctified and the sorrow that led you  
nearer to  your ,god4      ,oh what a   
load of struggle and distress    ,falls 
off before the cross6 ,the feverish     
care2    ,the wish that we were other   
than we are2    ,the sick regrets2 the  
yearnings numberless2    ,the thought1  
this might have been1 so apt to press   
,on the reluctant soul2 even past       
despair2    ,past sin itself1--all1 all 
is turned to fair1    ,ay1 to a scheme  
of ordered happiness1    ,as soon as we 
love ,god1 or rather know    ,that ,god 
loves us6444 ,accepting the great pledge
    ,of his concern for all our wants   
and woe1    ,we cease to tremble upon   
danger's edge2    ,while varying        
troubles form and burst anew1    ,safe  

in a ,father's arms we smile as infants 
do4      ,illustration           ,,xvii4
   ,the ,presence4      ,my meditation  
of him shall be sweet when ,i remember  
his near and  constant presence2 for he 
is the joy of my life and the life of my
  joy4 ,joy without him is hardly worth 
the name of joy1 and sorrow with  him is
 better than joy4    ,when my heart is  
overwhelmed because of enemies and foes1
 my terrified  soul turns quickly to    
him1 and ,david's prayer becomes all my 
own3 ,be  not thou far from me1 ,o      
,lord2 ,o my ,strength1 haste thee to   
help me6  ,deliver my soul4 ,the answer 
quickly comes3 ,wait on the ,lord2 be of
  good courage1 and he shall strengthen 
thine heart4    ,but oh1 my ,saviour1   
they mar my path4 ,remove these enemies1
 even for  thine own name's sake2 for   
then shall ,i run in the way of holiness
 and  my ever-brightening path shall    
show forth thy praise4    ,and again the
 answer comes3 ,commit thy way unto the 
,lord2 ,my  presence shall go with thee4

    ,nearer and nearer draws the        
,saviour2 sweeter and sweeter is his    
presence in this time of my soul's      
sorest need4 ,he lifts my prostrate     
soul and bids my weary eyes survey the  
upward path4 ,how glorious to  behold6  
,he tells me these light afflictions are
 working out a far  more exceeding and  
eternal weight of glory4 ,and when ,i   
feel his  strong arms around me1 my soul
 breaks forth in singing3      ,i have  
no foe1 with thee at hand to bless2     
,ills have no weight1 and tears no      
bitterness4    ,blessed is the man who  
has learned the secret of a happy life1 
and1  like ,enoch1 walks with ,god4 ,we 
care not to know the outward            
circumstances of him whose inner life is
 hid with ,god4 ,his delighted  soul    
bathes in the sunshine of ,god's smile2 
his face reflects the  peace that flows 
like a river through his spirit4    ,it 
was the presence of ,christ that made   
the ,emmaus journey so  delightful4 ,we 
know that the favored two started with  

slow steps and  heavy hearts1 and there 
was a deep undertone of sadness in their
  voices as they talked together of all 
the strange things that had  happened4  
,but what a change came over them6 ,a   
stranger joined their  company1 and as  
he talked with them their hearts burned 
within them1  till1 drawing near the    
journey's end1 they felt so unwilling to
 lose  his company that they constrained
 him to come in and tarry with them4    
,and so it came to pass that the last   
hours of the day were the best  hours4  
,in the morning it was cloudy and dark1 
but at evening-time it  was light1 for  
as they sat at meat the ,sun of         
,righteousness shone full  and clear    
into their hearts1 dispersing all the   
clouds4    ,does not this journey remind
 us of some of the days of our          
pilgrimage8  ,the morning found us      
heavy-hearted4 ,we knelt at the         
mercy-seat1 while  sighs and groans took
 the place of songs and rejoicings4     
,with slow  steps and aching hearts we  

began the duties of the day4 ,but soon  
there  came a change4 ,jesus1 our ,lord1
 drew near4 ,he spake some cheering     
promise1 uttered some whisper of his    
love4 ,our hearts began to melt2  again 
we knelt at the mercy-seat4 ,we prayed1 
we praised2 we rose and  hastened to our
 duties1 singing as we worked2 and so   
the hours sped  on4 ,night fell2 still  
he tarried3 we slept in sweet security1 
for so  he giveth his beloved sleep2 we 
woke to find that we were still with    
,jesus4    ,happy the soul that hath the
 abiding presence of the ,saviour4 ,be  
this  our constant prayer3 ,abide with  
us4 ,lord1 ,i am not worthy that thou   
shouldst come under my roof1 but yet my 
heart cries out1 ,abide with  me4 ,give 
me light in the evening-time4 ,abide    
with me until the day  break and the    
shadows flee away4      ,not a brief    
glance ,i beg1 a passing word1    ,but  
as thou dwell'st with thy disciples1    
,lord--    ,familiar1 condescending1    
patient1 free--    ,come1 not to        

sojourn1 but abide1 with me4            
,illustration      ,illustration        
,,xviii4   ,the ,appearing4      ,my    
meditation of him shall be sweet when ,i
 consider his appearing4    ,to those   
who have refused the ,saviour's offer of
 mercy the thought of  his second coming
 is full of terror4 ,with them there is 
a certain  fearful looking for of       
judgment and fiery indignation4 ,having 
trodden under foot the ,son of ,god1 and
 counted the blood of the  covenant     
wherewith he was sanctified an unholy   
thing1 is it any  wonder if they fear to
 fall into the hands of the living ,god1
 knowing  full well that the fearful and
 unbelieving shall have their part in   
the lake which burneth with fire and    
brimstone8    ,but the event which      
strikes such terror into the hearts of  
those who  are without ,christ and      
without hope in the world1 fills the    
heart of  the ,christian with exceeding 
joy4 ,there is comfort1 yea1 great      
comfort1 in the thought of ,christ's    

coming4 ,the apostles departed from     
,olivet with new hope and joy after     
receiving this angel message3 ,this     
same ,jesus which is taken up from you  
into heaven shall so come in  like      
manner as ye have seen him go into      
heaven4 ,ever since1 the  waiting       
,church has been gazing steadfastly     
toward heaven1 looking for  that blessed
 hope1 and the glorious appearing of the
 great ,god and our  ,saviour ,jesus    
,christ4 ,and ever and anon angel voices
 have uttered  words of comfort to the  
waiting ones4 ,often the voice is the   
voice of  our ,beloved1 the ,angel of   
the ,covenant4 ,i will come again1 he   
says1  and receive you unto myself2 that
 where ,i am1 there ye may be also4     
,hear his last prayer3 ,father1 ,i will 
that they also1 whom thou hast  given   
me1 be with me where ,i am2 that they   
may behold my glory4 ,hear  the last    
words of inspiration3 ,surely ,i come   
quickly4 ,and the  waiting company of   
believers joyfully respond1 ,amen4 ,even

 so1 come1  ,lord ,jesus4    ,the       
thought of his coming comforts those    
whose dearest friends sleep  in ,jesus1 
for them will ,god bring with him4 ,this
 shall be a time of  glad reunions4 ,let
 us not sorrow as others which have no  
hope4 ,we  shall soon be ever with one  
another4    ,there is deliverance in the
 thought of ,christ's coming2 for we    
that  are in this tabernacle do groan1  
being burdened4 ,yes1 young disciple1   
we have not yet reached that state of   
perfection when we have no  burdens4 ,we
 are yet in the body1 and the burden of 
sorrow is often  upon us2 and though we 
try to cast this burden on the ,lord1 we
 yet  look forward with joy to ,christ's
 coming1 for then sorrow and sighing    
shall flee away1 and ,god shall wipe    
away all tears4 ,and though  ,christ has
 delivered us from the penalty of the   
broken law1 yet the  burden of sin is   
often upon us1 and many times with      
contrition and  shame we bow before the 
mercy-seat1 saying1 sadly1 ,father1 ,i  

have  sinned against heaven and in thy  
sight1 and am no more worthy to be      
called thy son4 ,the burden of death is 
upon us1 and ,christ's coming  gives    
comfort to those who through fear of    
death are all their  lifetime subject to
 bondage4    ,trembling disciple1       
perhaps you are fearing what may never  
come upon  you4 ,you may be among the   
number of those who shall be alive at   
the  coming of the ,lord4 ,the time may 
not be distant1 for nearly all the      
prophecies have been fulfilled and the  
signs of the times seem to  declare     
plainly1 ,the coming of the ,lord       
draweth nigh4 ,many a time1  it is true1
 the waiting ,church has fancied it     
heard the sound of his  chariot-wheels1 
but the time was not yet4 ,where is the 
promise of his  coming8 cries the       
scoffing world4 ,behold1 ,i come        
quickly4 ,believers  closely clasp this 
promise to their hearts while they pray 
for  patience to wait4 ,generations have
 passed away1 but the word of the  ,lord

 endureth for ever4 ,i come quickly4    
,perhaps this generation  shall not pass
 away till all be fulfilled4 ,it may be 
so4 ,certainly  there is upon the earth 
distress of nations1 with perplexity2   
men's  hearts are failing them for fear1
 and for looking after those things     
which are coming on the earth4    ,my   
,lord1 ,i stand continually upon my     
watch-tower1 remembering the            
benediction1 ,blessed are those servants
 whom the ,lord when he cometh  shall   
find watching4    ,last of all and best 
of all1 there is glory in the thought of
  ,christ's coming4 ,there is comfort1  
great comfort2 there is  deliverance1   
great deliverance2 there is glory1 great
 glory1 a far  more exceeding and       
eternal weight of glory4 ,behold1 ,i    
show you a  mystery2 we shall not all   
sleep1 but we shall all be changed1 in a
  moment1 in the twinkling of an eye1 at
 the last trump2 for the trumpet  shall 
sound1 and the dead shall be raised     
incorruptible1 and we shall  be changed2

 for this corruptible must put on       
incorruption1 and this  mortal must put 
on immortality4 ,so when this           
corruptible shall have  put on          
incorruption1 and this mortal shall have
 put on immortality1  then shall be     
brought to pass the saying that is      
written1 ,death is  swallowed up in     
victory4 ,what a glorious picture6 ,no  
doubt is here  admitted4 ,we shall be   
changed2 this corruptible must put on   
incorruption2 this mortal must put on   
immortality4    ,this thought of glory  
overwhelms us2 it is a weight of glory4 
,to be  ever with one another is        
blessedness2 to be ever with the ,lord  
is  glory4 ,to be free from this body of
 sin and death is deliverance2 to  wear 
the likeness of our glorified ,lord is  
transfiguration--wonderful1  dazzling1  
glorious6    ,is it any wonder1 then1 if
 our meditation is sweet when we reflect
  upon the glorious appearing of the    
great ,god and our ,saviour ,jesus      
,christ1 who shall change our vile body1

 that it may be fashioned  like unto his
 glorious body1 according to the working
 whereby he is  able even to subdue all 
things unto himself8 ,no wonder the     
apostle  calls it a blessed hope4 ,it   
sustains the heart of the aged          
,christian  who has fought a good fight 
and finished his course4 ,it also helps 
the young disciple to run with patience 
the race that is set before  him4       
,this same ,jesus shall come again4     
,how8 ,in like manner as ye have  seen  
him go into heaven4 ,behold he cometh   
with clouds1 and with  ten thousand of  
his saints4 ,and why does he come8 ,to  
take his weary  children home4 ,i will  
come again and receive you unto myself4 
,wherefore1 comfort one another with    
these words4      ,illustration         
,,xix4   ,the ,conclusion4      ,let us 
hear the conclusion of the whole matter4
    ,we have meditated upon the names of
 ,christ1 and have found in them a      
sweet significance4 ,jehovah ,tsidkenu  
satisfied the demands of the  broken    

law1 making us righteous in the sight of
 ,god4 ,jehovah ,shalom  gave a peace   
which even this tumultuous world cannot 
take from us4  ,jehovah ,nissi leads us 
forth to battle against our mighty foes1
 and  always gives us the victory2      
thanks be to ,god6 ,jehovah ,rophi      
healeth  all our diseases with marvelous
 skill3 even the broken heart is not    
beyond his power1 for his own word      
declares1 ,he healeth the broken in     
heart1 and bindeth up their wounds4     
,jehovah ,jireh quiets all our  fears   
for the future1 for his name is         
sufficient pledge that he will  supply  
all our need4 ,jehovah ,shammah         
completes and crowns our joy1 for  in   
his presence is fullness of joy2 his    
presence is salvation4    ,we have      
rejoiced in the earnest of our          
inheritance4 ,glimpses of  glory before 
the time have made us homesick4 ,his    
perfect work has  filled our minds with 
amazement as we meditated upon our      
adoption1  justification1 sanctification

 and redemption4 ,the thoughts of his   
chastenings were not painful1 because we
 knew a blessing was concealed  in the  
blow4 ,his compassion for the multitude 
seemed to us a sweet  thought2 but as we
 learned something more about his       
sympathy with all  his sanctified ones1 
and his deep personal love for each     
individual  ,christian1 our hearts      
melted within us1 and drawing nearer to 
this  great heart of love1 we joyfully  
exclaimed1 ,this is my ,beloved1 and    
this is my ,friend1 ,o daughters of     
,jerusalem4    ,we have considered the  
life more abundant which he gives1 until
 life  with ,christ seemed the happiest 
life man can know4 ,thoughts of the     
full and free forgiveness of all our    
sins1 even sins of scarlet hue1  were   
comforting thoughts2 and while we cast  
the past behind our backs1  we looked   
forward to the future with new          
confidence1 remembering the  stones of  
help provided by him to slay the giant  
sins4 ,deliverance  from the curse was  

certainly a pleasant thought2 and as we 
gazed into  ,paradise regained1 we gave 
thanks because ,christ had purchased for
 us  the right to the tree of life which
 stands in the midst of the  ,paradise  
of ,god4    ,our meditation was sweet   
when we thought of his faithful promises
  concerning prayer1 for his word       
confirmed our own experience1 and we    
learned to kneel and ask with a more    
unwavering confidence4  ,considering his
 reward for faithful labors made us     
almost forget the  weariness of work as 
we seemed already to hear his ,well     
done1 thou  good and faithful servant2  
enter thou into the joy of thy ,lord4   
,christ as the soul's best portion      
filled the heart with deep1  unspeakable
 joy1 and we took up our cross1 singing 
as we walked1  because his near presence
 made us almost unmindful of its weight 
upon  our shoulder4    ,on ,olivet we   
had our last glimpse of our living      
,lord4 ,here we stood  gazing up into   
heaven at this same ,jesus1 who is as   

dear to us as  he was to the twelve4    
,our hearts thrilled over his parting   
blessing1  and the thought of his coming
 again filled us with delight4    ,our  
meditations are over now4 ,they have    
been sweet1 or1 as it may be  rendered1 
as the calm evening hour4 ,meditating   
upon ,jesus has  increased our joy3 ,i  
will be glad in the ,lord4 ,around his  
very name  sweet thoughts thickly       
cluster4 ,jesus6 my ,jesus6 ,in that    
dear name the  best music of heaven     
comes down to me4    ,how sweet it      
sounds6 ,a bundle of myrrh it is--a hill
 of  frankincense--a mountain of spices4
 ,through all the livelong day1  through
 all the silent watches of the night1 my
 mind may turn to ,him  whose name is as
 ointment poured forth1 and no bitter1  
doubting1  fearful thought shall ever   
mingle with my musing4 ,no dark thread  
shall  ever weave itself into the silver
 web of my sweet meditation of him1  for
 my unbelief is banished when my ,jesus 
is near4 ,all my grief fades  away in   

the presence of his glory1 and he his   
own self is the joy of  my heart and the
 heart of my joy4    ,my ,beloved is    
mine1 and ,i am his4 ,all that he is is 
mine1 and all  that ,i am is his4 ,he is
 more than all the world to me1 and     
without him  heaven would not be worth  
having4 ,whom have ,i in heaven but     
thee8 and  there is none upon earth that
 ,i desire besides thee4 ,jesus6 my     
,jesus6  ,eternal musings will not      
exhaust this hive of honey4 ,he has     
saved me  from my sins and betrothed me 
to himself for ever4 ,o my soul1 how    
much owest thou unto my ,lord6 ,the     
greatness of my indebtedness ,i will    
not fully realize till ,i stand upon the
 yonder shore1 and perhaps not  even    
then4      ,jesus1 ,i ne'er can pay     
,the debt ,i owe thy love4    ,i am1 and
 ever will be1 debtor4 ,thy gifts to me 
have been so great  that1 though my     
giving cannot enrich thee1 ,i would fain
 relieve my  grateful heart by giving   
thee some token of love4    ,in the     

stable at ,bethlehem the ,eastern sages 
open their costly  treasures4 ,the sight
 is a strange one1 and there seems a    
strange  incongruity between the gifts  
and the receiver2 also between the giver
  and the receiver4 ,the wise men bow   
before a babe1 and lavish the  riches of
 the ,east upon the infant of the lowly 
manger4 ,lavish1 did  ,i say8 ,let not  
the thought of waste be here implied4   
,this babe is the  holy child ,jesus1   
the ,king of the ,jews4 ,bring costly   
sacrifices4 ,the  kings of ,tarshish and
 of the isles shall bring presents2 the 
kings of  ,sheba and ,seba shall offer  
gifts4 ,yea1 all kings shall fall down  
before him2 all nations shall serve him4
    ,jesus1 ,saviour1 once a child6     
,jesus1 my exalted ,king6 what shall ,i 
bring to thy footstool8 ,what shall ,i  
give my ,lord8      ,were the whole     
realm of nature mine1    ,that were a   
present far too small4    ,but ,i am    
poor1 very poor4 ,no good works have ,i 
to bring2 no incense of  holy prayers2  

no golden thoughts in which there       
mingles no alloy of  impurity4          
,thou willest that thy bride should be--
      ,i bless thy will--most poor1 most
 low1    ,receiving everything from     
thee1      ,my ,lord and ,god4 ,then be 
it so4      ,that ,i have nothing of my 
own1      ,freely and gladly ,i to all  
declare4    ,this is my portion1 this   
alone1      ,that thou permittest me thy
 name to bear4    ,have ,i then nothing 
to give8 ,stay1 holy ,christ2 ,i have a 
heart4 ,true1  it is polluted--more than
 this1 it is broken--yet ,i have heard  
that  though      ,our ,god requires a  
whole heart or none1    ,yet he will    
accept a broken one4    ,accept the     
gift4 ,take it and make it holy2 fill it
 with love to thee4  ,fill it even to   
overflowing2 so that1 having received   
all from thee1 ,i  may be able to give  
thee all4 ,let me be wholly thine--thine
 in every  thought and passion of my    
soul4 ,here1 ,lord1 ,i give my soul to  
thee2 ,i  am thine4      ,poor heart of 

mine1 awake1 arise6      ,and thou1 my  
,bridegroom1 my life's ,sun1    ,draw me
 to reach the heavenly prize1      ,oh1 
do thou draw1 and we will run4    ,draw 
after thee thy fainting bride1      ,who
 still is far1 too far1 from light and  
grace2    ,till in thy presence1 at thy 
side1      ,she see thee wholly--see    
thee face to face4    ,my meditation of 
him makes me long to see ,him whom1     
having not seen1 ,i  love4 ,i would see 
him--not as ,i have seen him in the     
sanctuary and in  his holy supper1 but  
,i would see him face to face4 ,i would 
see him  as he is2 and1 blessed be his  
glorious name for ever6 ,i shall one day
  see him thus4 ,oh blessed hope6 ,these
 eyes shall see ,jesus2 ,for ,i know    
that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that he   
shall stand at the latter day  upon the 
earth2 and though after my skin worms   
destroy this body1 yet  in my flesh     
shall ,i see ,god2 whom ,i shall see for
 myself1 and mine  eyes shall behold1   
and not another4    ,and1 better than   

all beside1 ,i shall be like him2 for we
 know that  when he shall appear we     
shall be like him1 for we shall see him 
as he  is4 ,such knowledge is too       
wonderful for me3 it is high2 ,i cannot 
attain unto it4      ,jesus6 the very   
thought is sweet2    ,in that dear name 
all heart-joys meet2    ,but sweeter    
than the honey far    ,the glimpses of  
his presence are4      ,no word is sung 
more sweet than this2    ,no name is    
heard more full of bliss2    ,no thought
 brings sweeter comfort nigh    ,than   
,jesus1 ,son of ,god most high4         
,jesus1 the ,hope of souls forlorn1     
,how good to them for sin that mourn6   
,to them that seek thee1 oh how kind6   
,but what art thou to them that find6   
,no tongue of mortal can express1    ,no
 letter write1 its blessedness3         
,alone who hath thee in his heart       
,knows1 love of ,jesus1 what thou art4  
,o ,jesus6 ,king of wondrous might2     
,o ,victor6 glorious from the fight2    
,sweetness that may not be expressed1   

,and altogether loveliest4      ,,the   
,,end4