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uttermost; the sweet thought that the Father's reconciled countenance is ever smiling upon me, that His heart is always beating for me, that He watches not to censure but to encourage, that He guards me as a tender, loving mother guards a loved child is the true way, the only way, to become forgiving and loving as the Father in heaven.

X.

The Life of Love the Life of Sacrifice.

"And it came to pass that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head. And He said unto another, Follow Me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."-LUKE ix. 57-62.

HEN two young, bright beings learn to love

WH

each other and begin the life of love, perhaps they little think, they begin also to live the life of sorrow. Yet to love is, to sorrow. The more we love, the higher we live, and the higher we live the deeper On earth, there is nothing purer nor more blessed than mother-love, and do not tearful eyes, aching hearts, anguish-stricken spirits for ever attend

we sorrow.

mother-love? Love in action is sacrifice; it must give itself. Wherever then true, pure love lives, true, pure sacrifice continually is made. And to look away from love, as seen on earth, its rays broken by the objects against which they are refracted, to the eternal sun of love-how is it with the Deity Himself? "God is love." "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." "God is love." "He is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." "God is love." "He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied." Why did the Lord of all, "make Himself of no reputation and take upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being formed in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross?" Why did He, who is Lord of Angels, angels who love to do His good pleasure; not please Himself, but endure reproach, ignominy and scorn? With deepest reverence and adoration, but with all boldness, we may answer, Because He loves. He loves a lost world, He loves a lost world as only an Infinite Being can love. Love makes Him our Redeemer. He redeems us that we

too may love, even as He loves.

When the Lord Jesus, walking by the shore of the sea of Galilee, looking straight into the hearts of the two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, said, as they were

And

casting their nets into its waters, "Follow Me;" those men little thought, as they felt their hearts drawn to Him as they never had to any, whither He would lead them. They little thought what depths of love and self-sacrifice they would with Him sound, nor what heights of goodness attain. How far from them to imagine then, how much of deep anguish and inexpressible sorrow, the life of love would cost them. when first we were drawn by the love of Christ to follow Him, it entered not our hearts to conceive the life He would reveal in us. To represent the Christian life, as one of sacrifice is not fashionable. The world in the Church teaches an easy-going, comfortable kind of Christianity, that accommodates itself to the forms and fashions, the rules and maxims of worldly life-but however much teachers may delude, the great Teacher never deludes; however the so-called priests may deceive, the High Priest never deceives. When Christ says "Follow Me," He says also, "Leave all." When He commands any to come after Him, He demands that they take up their cross. Jesus Christ cries, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest," and He adds, "Take My yoke upon you." To the lovely and loved young man who sought to follow Jesus, but whose heart was centred in his riches, the Lord declared: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have

treasure in heaven, and come and follow Me." To none has Christ ever offered love without sacrifice, the crown without the cross, life except through death.

But now let us look at the man who came to Jesus and said, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. Had such a profession been made to a mere man, how gladly would it have been hailed. But I hope we are true and noble enough to understand, how utterly impossible it is for the Lord to care for anything save the heart, or what springs from the heart. The profession of this man looked at merely as a profession is simply perfect "I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest." But how hateful the presumption of the loveless, who in pride, wilful ignorance, or in worldly ambition thus profess. Hollowness and worthlessness are patent to Him who searches the heart. Christ knows that nothing but love-love in its nature like His own, unselfish and purely devoted to the Father, can bear men and women through the fiery temptations and trials which His disciples must brave and endure.

Vain, utterly vain, is it that the mechanism of an engine be perfect, that the water and fuel be abundant, and the driver ready to work, if there be no heat. What is wanted to make our profession real, our confession true, is the fire of love. Vain is it that we present our bodies as a sacrifice, if they are not made living sacrifices, through the love of the Lord Himself burning within.

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