is, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor the left: remove thy foot from evil."1 A life of irreligion and carnal pleasure, on the other hand, is called " a broad way," because there is no difficulty in finding it; and men easily walk in it, by the mere rule of choosing what is tempting at the moment, and giving scope to their natural feelings and inclinations. It calls for no sacrifices; it imposes no necessity of bridling the tongue, or curbing the passions, or resisting the various temptations to ease and indulgence. And though indeed it leads to destruction, yet by far the greater number are found upon it, because they think it pleasant for the time, and hope that by some means or other it will lead them right at last. They find, however, by degrees, that what seemed easy at first, becomes hard and miserable as they go on. "The way of transgressors is hard." Though at first it seemed soft and easy, it becomes as irksome and wearying as a hard way to a traveller. Disappointment and vexation meet them at every step; a cheerless gloom surrounds them, and threatening shadows rest upon the path before them. They find too late and too truly that it leadeth to destruction. Far different is it with the way of duty and obedience. Though difficult indeed to find, and hard at first to walk in, it becomes more large and easy3 as we advance; so that we are able not only to walk with ease, but even to run with liberty in the way of God's commandments. "At the first," says the son of Sirach, of heavenly wisdom," she will walk with a man in crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline; until she may trust his soul, and try him 1 Prov. iv. 25-27. 4 Ps. cxix. 32, 45. 2 Prov. xiii. 15. 3 Ps. xviii. 36. with her laws. Then will she return the straight way to him, and comfort him, and show him her secrets." Use renders easy and delightful what is hard to those who are unaccustomed to it; and though there be few indeed who walk in these ways of wisdom and virtue, yet they cheer and support one another with mutual help; and the end is life eternal. Let us pray with the psalmist, "Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name."1 If, in looking back, we see too plainly that we have moved in a winding and devious line, let us often say, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse Thou me from secret faults.” Accustom yourself early to self-denial and obedience, and be not dismayed if it seems hard at the beginning. You will find how faithful is the answer to that natural inquiry, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word." XL. CHRIST IS THE WAY. truth, and the life: no John xiv. 6.-See also Heb. x. 19, 20. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the man cometh unto the Father but by me." Isa. xxxv. 8, 9. John x. 9. Eph. iii. 18. OUR blessed Saviour is called "the Way," (and in another scripture "the Door,") because it is by Him alone that sinful men obtain an entrance into heaven. The veil that was hung before the Holy of Holies,* and which none might pass through but the highpriest once a-year, signified to us, that there was no way to heaven under the law. 'By the law is the knowledge of sin," not the means of deliverance from the power or punishment of sin. And by the rending of the veil at the time of our Saviour's death, it appears to have been signified that a way was henceforth opened 66 3 Ps. cxix. 9. 6 Matt. xxvii. 51. 66 to the penitent unto life eternal, even by the blood of Jesus Christ. Thus we are taught that no man cometh unto the Father" but by the one great Mediator. And we are exhorted to have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. Let us then renounce from our very hearts all trust and dependence on our own merits, or on any outward forms and observances, as if they were in any real sense the way of access unto God. Saying with the psalmist, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life,"1 let us depend simply on the power of Christ to raise our bodies from the dead, as well as now to quicken our souls to the life of righteousness. XLI.-THE THIEF IN THE NIGHT. "Watch, therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Matt. xxiv. 42-44.-See also 1 Thess. v. 2 Pet. iii. 10.. Rev. iii. 3; xvi. 15. : THAT grace which bringeth good out of evil, has caused a lesson of holy admonition to spring even out of the craft of such as break God's law for the sake of dishonest gain. A thief gives no notice when he will come, but awaits the hour when we are least on our guard, and when the world is buried in sleep. If the householder knew at what hour the thief would come, he would watch, and would not suffer him to break his house. He who has reason to expect some secret plunderer, but cannot tell whether he will come at the beginning, or in the middle, or at the end of the night, stands continually on the watch, that he may not be taken by surprise. open 1 Ps. xvi. 11. 2 2 Luke xii. 39. And thus has my gracious Saviour reminded me that I should always be on the watch, and hold myself ready for His coming. I know that He will surely come, and know not the hour when He cometh. I know also that my time must come to die, and know not how soon the day of my death may overtake me. How fearful is the thought of being taken by surprise, and of being found unprepared for the one event or the other! my sins unrepented of; my heart unsanctified; my Saviour unsought; no treasure laid up in heaven; no progress made in the work which God has given me to do on earth! How unspeakably foolish were those virgins who, having no oil in their lamps,' gave way to slumber before they were provided with what they would need at the Bridegroom's coming! Let me watch lest that cry should take me by surprise, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!" and lest I should see his train pass by in joyful readiness, and with the voice of joy and melody, while I should be hindered from joining it for ever. Let me watch against sloth, and surfeiting, and carnal security, and all the temptations of the evil one. Let me watch over my heart and conscience, over my tongue, and over all my ways. Let me watch for opportunities of doing and receiving good; for the coming of Christ and the day of judgment. In time of affliction let me watch that I be not discontented, but may improve the chastisement to the purposes for which it is sent; and in time of prosperity, that I be not lifted up with pride, nor trust in uncertain riches. In every duty let me watch, that it be done faithfully and heartily, as if it were the very last work which I had to do; and in time of recreation and ease, that I may not be drawn aside from duty by the love of pleasure. Still let me remember my Saviour's solemn word, "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and 1 Matt. XXV. keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." XLII. THE REFLECTION FROM THE WATER. "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.' Prov. xxvii. 19.-See also Acts xv. 9. Rom. iii. 22-30. THERE is not a ripple on the bosom of yonder lake. It is like a sheet of the purest and clearest glass, and reflects as faithfully as a mirror the surrounding hills and forests. The rocky mountain is seen on the unruffled water, with all its various hues of lichen, moss, and foliage, and with every shadow that is cast either by the passing clouds, or by such projecting crags as catch more brightly the rays of the declining sun. The vessels that are moored along the shore are pencilled with faultless exactness on the bosom of the lake; and we see the cattle browsing on the tender shoots as clearly in the water, as when we watch them on the shore. "As God has taught us that the heart of one man resembles the heart of another, as truly as the picture in the water resembles the surrounding scene. in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. This does not mean that the tastes and principles of men are not in fact greatly modified by difference of age, character, education, or condition in life; but it means, that we may be greatly helped in the knowledge of our own hearts by witnessing the faults of others; and in ministering to the happiness of others, by observing what we ourselves want or wish for. There is by nature in all hearts the same enmity against God; the same love of present and sensual 1 Rom. viii. 7, 8. |