The Cheapest Robe.

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How strange it seems, to think of wearing the same robe for millions of years, without getting tired of it, or wanting to have any other. It is the best robe, then, because it is so lasting.

I have now been giving you many reasons why this robe is the best. I have only one other reason to speak of. This robe is the best because it is SO CHEAP.

It would be cheap at any price. If Jesus should ask thirty thousand pounds from every one who wanted it, it would only be like buying a splendid palace for a farthing. But then very few would be able to get it. However, the blessed thing for us to know is, that Jesus asks no price for this glorious robe. He gives it away. He charges nothing for it. He invites poor, naked souls to come and "buy" it from Him; but He says they must buy it "without money and without price." Lazarus, the poor beggar, who sat at the rich man's gate, desiring to be "fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table," had gotten one of these robes. The dying thief, who was crucified with Jesus, got one of them before he died. Thousands of poor slaves, without one farthing to give in exchange, have obtained it. And all who desire to have it must be willing to receive it in just the same way. Rich men and wise men, princes and kings, may have it if they will, but they must be willing to receive it just as the very poorest do, without giving anything for it. Every one who desires to get this precious robe must come to Jesus, saying, in the language of that beautiful hymn

"Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling:

Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Saviour, or I die!"

If you are really sorry for your sins; if you are willing to let Jesus put this robe on you, and are desirous by His grace to love and serve Him, then He will say in reference to you—“Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him."

Here, then, we have six good reasons why we should consider this as the best robe. It is so, because it is so necessary; because it is so valuable; because it is so suitable; because it is so beautiful; because it is so lasting; and because it is so cheap:

Now the important thing for each of you to do, my dear children, is to try and get this robe. Every one needs it. Try to get it now. If you put it off it may be too late. It never can be too soon to begin to love and serve God, and seek the salvation of our souls; but sometimes it is too late. An old man one day took a child on his knee, and talked to him about Jesus, and told him to seek the Saviour now, and pray to Him and love Him. The child knew that the old man was not a Christian, and he felt surprised. Then he looked up into the old man's face and said "But why don't you seek God?”

The old man was much affected by the question, and replied—“Ah, my dear child, I neglected to do so when I was young, and now my heart is so hard that I fear I never shall be able.”

An intelligent, well-educated boy, about twelve years. of age, was once attending a meeting where a minister

The Child's Conversion,

191

of the Gospel was conversing with and praying for some of his people who were anxious about their salvation. When the meeting was over, the little boy went up to the minister and asked the solemn question, "What must I do to be saved?" He was told to "go home and read the Bible, and pray for a new heart." "But, sir," said the little fellow, with great emotion, "I am afraid I might die before I get home, and then it will be too late." "True, my dear child," said the minister. And then he explained to him what it means to believe in Jesus. He told him he must be sorry for his sins, and trust that God would forgive them on account of what Jesus had done and suffered for him. Then the good man kneeled down with the little boy, and prayed God to pardon and save him for Jesus' sake. The boy complied with the advice given him. He began that very moment to believe in Jesus, and he went home feeling quite comforted and happy. Jesus put the best robe on that boy then; and he has now been for more than thirty years a consistent member of the Church of Christ.

My heart's desire and prayer for you all, my dear children, is, that Jesus may put this best robe upon all of you, and make you happy in wearing it for ever!

"I will help thee."--ISAIAH xli. 10.

Two persons are spoken of here-I, and thee. "I," the person speaking, is Jesus, our God and Saviour; and "thee," the person spoken to, means everybody who needs His help, and seeks it. This is one of the promises of Christ. He says they are all "exceeding great and precious;" and this promise is one of the most precious in the Bible.

It is precious, because it belongs to so many people. Suppose it had said, "I will help the Queen of England;" it would then only belong to one person in this country. Suppose the promise had been, "I will help the ministers.

Sir John Franklin.

193.

of the Gospel, or the Sunday-school teachers; the rich, or the poor; the young, or the old ;"-then it would refer only to a small number of persons. But it does not mention any particular class of people. It says, "I will help thee." This means you and me, and everybody who needs it, and comes to Jesus for it.

In this passage Jesus is presented to our notice as a helper. We may have many helpers, but Jesus is the best.

There are four reasons why Jesus is the best helper ! He is so, in the first place, because He is ALWAYS NEAR

TO HELP.

It is of no use to have a helper unless he is always near when we need him. If we were hungry, it would not help us to know that a hundred miles off there was a nice loaf of bread. If we were travelling in the desert of Arabia, where it is very hot and sandy, and we were parched and almost dead with thirst, would it help us at all to remember that in England there were many cool and sparkling springs of water? We might own a hundred such springs in this country, but they could do us no good then; we want help near us when we need it.

You have all heard of Sir John Franklin and his crew. Some years ago they went off towards the North Pole,. and they have never been heard of since. I suppose they got through the first winter pretty comfortably, but the second was very severe; and when it came, it found them entangled in the ice, without wood to make fires and keep out the cold, and without food to eat. What was to be done? There were many desiring to help them,. but they were far off in England. There was the wife of