That which guides the man of God is the Word of God. "No," he says; "for so it was charged me by the Word of the Lord." The Word of God is a shield. It is a strong fortress-a rock on which the feet of His saints are secure. Any kind of temptation and every kind of doubt can overcome the man who places confidence in his faith, in his prayers, or in his own sincerity; but no temptation can conquer the man whose soul is stayed upon the

Word of God.

He might have said: "The words of the Lord are spirit, and they are life. To look at them merely in their surface or literal sense, is only carnal. When the Lord forbade me to enter into the king's house, or to eat and drink anything there, He simply wished to express His horror for idolatry. That seems clear. But to eat, to drink-God doesn't regard these things. Besides, the Lord has pity on the sinner. Is not that what the Lord seeks? Now I see. It is the soul of Jeroboam God is endeavouring to bring back. If He sends me to utter a sentence of extermination, it is that He may save him from his rebellious ways. Who knows? Perhaps, in going in and sitting down to table with him, and by showing him that I am not a prejudiced man, I may find a way to his heart. On the other hand, if I refuse, he will attribute my refusal to intolerance. His heart, already perhaps half moved, will close again and harden, and the great object that I have discerned in God's mission

will be defeated by my narrowness.

Should I

accept and go in with him, he will see at once that the man of God is also a man of some heart and understanding; that it is possible to serve God, and yet remain lowly and considerate. Moreover, I will not enter, as it were, alone; God is there with me; God is always with His children. I think I'll go in and seek to confirm the good intentions of the king. As for what has been commanded me, 'Thou shalt not return by the same road'-why, that's evidently a manner of speaking, meaning that God wished me to deliver my message promptly, to keep my aim well before me, and not to embarrass myself with any other affairs."

The prophet could have said all this; but he holds simply, narrowly, to the commandment of the Lord. He neither adds to it nor takes from it.

He takes the commandment of God as God has given it to him. God has spoken, and that is enough. He prefers the word of God to the word. of man, and it is by that Satan is confounded. Christian reader, go thou and do likewise.

When the morning paints the skies,

And the birds their songs renew,

Let me from my slumbers rise-
Saying, "What would Jesus do?"

When I ply my daily task,

And the round of toil pursue,

Let me often brightly ask,

"What, my soul, would Jesus do?"

I

Would the foe my heart beguile,
Whispering thoughts and words untrue,
Let me to his subtlest wile

Answer, "What would Jesus do?"

When the clouds of sorrow hide
Mirth and sunshine from my view,
Let me, clinging to Thy side,
Ponder, "What would Jesus do?"

Only let Thy love, O God,

Fill my spirit through and through, Treading where my Saviour trod, Breathing, "What would Jesus do?"

E. H. BICKERSTETH, M.A.

"WHERE IS THE GUEST-CHAMBER?”

MARK XIV. 14.

READER, with eternity before thee, with the awful concerns of a never-dying soul hanging on the issues of this question, I ask thee solemnly before God, "Hast thou a place in thine heart for the Master?" Oh! sad case for thee if thou hast not. Turn not away from looking this matter in the face. Say not, "This was a well furnished room, but my heart is not prepared; my heart is not furnished; it is all sinful and vile and wretched." Jesus will

enter in if thou art ready and willing to take Him. He will make it fit for Him. He will furnish it for Himself. He Himself is all that is needed to make the chamber "all glorious within." Thou canst not make it ready thyself. Christ is standing at the door. Oh let Him in, and all will then be done. He will make that chamber a guest-chamber, a place of joy and gladness, a place of song and victory. Only let Him in. Take Him as thy Saviour. Look to Him as having forgiven all thine iniquities, as having pardoned all thy sins. Look at the cross and see it all done, and done, sinner, for thee.

Cease from all thine own doings, and accept, just as thou art, the finished work of Jesus. Take this finished salvation, this all-sufficient, ever-loving Saviour, into thine own heart now. Listen to the sounds of redeeming love ringing in thine ears from heaven, in answer to the deep-seated inquiry in thy soul, "What must I do to be saved?" "It is finished!" Nothing to be done to save thyself; thou hast been saved by the doing of another. He has done the work. "It is finished!" Oh listen,

believe, and rejoice!

Master of a household, head of a family, owner of an establishment with servants under thee, and for whose moral as well as spiritual welfare thou art responsible, "the Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest-chamber?" Are all the members of thy household children of God? Are thy children daily trained up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?" Are thy servants taught that they serve not thee but the Lord Christ? Art thou living before them as a witness for Jesus? Is there something of heaven about thee and thy children and thy household? Master! master! "the Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest-chamber ?" What answer canst thou make to God in these matters? Say not, "I pay them well; I work my servants not too hard; they have plenty of opportunities of attending to these things; I don't meddle with their religion; it is entirely a matter between their own souls and God." Master, say not so!