"ALONE WITH JESUS."

JOHN viii. I-II.

THE sinner and Jesus were left alone. They must always be so. None should come in there, specially where sin is the question to be settled. There is no place there for priest or minister, friend or relative, rite or ritual, sect or system. All must go out, and the sinner be left alone with his great High Priest and Saviour. So long as the scribes and Pharisees remained there was not a word passed from the lips of the Saviour to her, nor from her lips to Him. When all had gone out, He spoke to her. Not till then. Sinner, learn the lesson. Nothing must stand between thy soul and the Saviour-no priest, or saint, or friend, however dear. Till they are all gone out thou wilt never hear thy Saviour's voice speaking to thy soul. He is thy Saviour, and only He. All must go out, and thou be alone with Him. Not till then wilt thou hear His voice saying to soul, "Neither do I condemn thee." go out, then," one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last; " beginning with the priest,

thy troubled Let them all

and ending with "the last" thing thy soul is clinging to, whatever it may be. Let all go, and listen to His voice only. Listen, sinner, and rejoice. Listen, and press closer to the arms of redeeming love. Listen, while the Spirit of God re-echoes in thine ear the words which set this poor soul free, "Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more."

What a glorious discharge for this poor trembling one! The law thundered, Satan charged, conscience accused, man pointed the finger of scorn. What of it? Above them all she heard the voice of God proclaiming, "Neither do I condemn thee." She could look them all in the face, for God had looked upon her. She could face every frown, and tremble not, for heaven's sunshine had fallen upon her stricken soul in the smile of Jesus. The storm that raged within had subsided, for He who ruled the winds and the waves had uttered His voice, and now there was a great calm.

And mark the order-pardon first, then obedience. This is God's order.

Human religion exactly reverses it. It says, "Go, and sin no more, and then you may hope to be forgiven." It puts the sinner altogether off the work of Christ for pardon, and places him on his doings for it. It puts something between the soul and the finished work of Jesus; and no matter what that may be, it is a reversal of God's order, and keeps it from peace. God's way is first to pardon, and then to enjoin

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obedience. And why? Because man can do nothing in this world without a motive. And the more powerful the motive in the soul, the more effectually will the work be done. So it is here. Man cannot abstain from sin and be holy without a motive for doing so. And therefore to tell him first go and sin no more," would be folly. You must have the motive first. What is that motive? The love of God shed abroad in his own soul. Christ has forgiven him while yet a sinner; and this free, unmerited grace to one so unworthy is the great motive constraining him to holiness of life. Oh that men would see the wisdom of this! Oh that all professors of religion knew the great yet simple way of becoming truly happy as well as holy! This is "heaven's easy, artless, unencumbered plan." Let the Spirit of God show that pardon to the soul first in the finished work of the Lord Jesus, and holiness will surely be the result.

Alone with Jesus! What a sweet and holy spot! What a blessed refuge to which the soul may betake itself from the charges of Satan, the accusations of the world, and the sorrows of life! Sweet spot for the heart to unfold itself in the ear of infinite love, tenderness, and compassion! Precious as is the mother's bosom to her child, how much more the bosom of Jesus! There the self-condemned and the penitent may bathe His feet with tears. There the aching heart, stung with the scorn and reproaches of the world, may find sweet repose.

Thrice blessed and holy spot! What could the child of sorrow do without it? It is the one green spot in the desert. It is the refreshing spring when all around is dreariness and desolation. This world of ours is full of bleeding hearts. No eye sees them. They are shut up, carried, alas! under a deceitful exterior. Sunlight playing on the countenance, but the bitterness of sorrow underneath; the surface all radiant with smiles, the centre all dark with grief. Oh, who can estimate the privilege of being "alone with Jesus!" There God reveals His smiling face on every blood-bought child. There he gets sympathy-oh, what sympathy There he obtains strength for every hour of need. There he learns more of himself and his own weakness, and more of the preciousness and all-sufficiency of Christ. There sin is confessed, iniquity acknowledged, motives are sifted, actions weighed, conscience examined, and the soul grows.

No-not alone! not in the wilderness,
Where the dark shadows lie,

Where the very air has a shivering thrill
As of a parting sigh;
Something dropped out of life,

Leaving it grey and chill

A ray of its sunshine dark,

A tone of its music still.

Still not alone! My Lord, my Life is near

The shining of His face

Can touch the cold grey shadows into light,

E'en in a desert place.

I lay my hand in His,

Through all the roughen'd way—

I lean my heart on His,

Through all the dreary day.

No-not alone! not in the silent night,
Weary with throbs of pain,

And heavy with pressure of fevered thoughts
Weighing on heart and brain.

Does He not watch with me?

Can I not hear His voice,

Nearer and dearer than all of earth,

Bidding my heart rejoice?

No-not alone! Is there no other voice

Far off, I know not where,

Of one who weeps and prays-hot tears like mine

Can I not hear the prayer?

Pale lips, that softly say,

"Father, it is Thy will;"

Meek hands, that bear the cross,

Folded in patience still,—

Are ye not one with me,

One in our deep true love,
One in the hope we "see not yet"
Of rest and light above?

We are watching through the night,
Veil'd from each other's ken-

But the morning light is fair and sweet,
We shall know each other then!