depth of Mary's distress reveals the depth of her love. Her sadness reveals

Secondly: The imperfection of her faith. He, whose loss she was mourning, was at that moment standing by her side. She supposed "Him to be the gardener." Ah, me! how often, through the lack of faith, we degrade the grandest things in the universe! We only see common labourers, gardeners, where the divinities are present and in action. For this lack of faith she was very inexcusable; for had she not been told He would rise from the dead on the third day? She wept for the very reason that she ought to have rejoiced. What poor blind creatures are we! We often see nothing but a "gardener," where in reality stands the Divinest messenger of God! O for eyes to see the Divine, even under the humblest form of life, and to detect blessings even in disguise. How often do we weep when we ought to rejoice. Like Jacob we say, "All these things are against us," whereas in reality, as in his case, they are for us. Piety has its dark moods; days when the sea of life becomes very rough, and when neither stars nor sun appear. Here we have― II.—PIETY RISING INTO RAPTURE. "Jesus saith unto her, Mary, she turned herself and saith unto Him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master." Christ does not condemn the tears. There is no harm in weeping. He Himself wept.

"The very law which moulds a tear

And bids it trickle from its source,

That law preserves the earth a sphere,

And guides the planets in their course."-Rogers.

He only suggests the impropriety of the cause. Her exclamation, Rabboni," indicates that she had risen into an ecstasy of soul. Two facts are here to be observed

First: The rapidity of our mental changes. This woman passed, as in a moment, from anguish to ecstasy. To such changes we are ever exposed, at least in this world. We can pass with the swiftness of lightning from one pole of experience to another. Though clouds of darkest gloom and most portentous shapes may overspread the heavens of the soul, one thought can sweep them

clean away, and make the azure arch blaze with the light of noon. The awful swiftness with which we can pass from mood to mood urges the necessity of implicitly confiding in that God Who alone can keep us in "perfect peace." Another fact to be observed here is

Secondly: The power of Christ's voice. What effected this change? One word of His; the word "Mary." He pronounced it, no doubt, with an intonation which she recognised. She knew the voice, it rang with the old notes of love. Neither the mysterious sorrows of Gethsemane, the agonies of the Cross, the tortures of death, nor the darkness of the grave, had changed that loving voice. It sounded" Mary" now as ever. Thus by a word Christ can lift the soul into the highest bliss. It was not the voice of the angels that uplifted her, but that of Christ. Here we have

III.-PIETY GOING INTO ACTION. "Go to My brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and to My God, and your God." This she promptly attended to. Notice here

:

First Christ's merciful identification with His disciples. "My Father, and your Father." The good of all ages are one with Him, children of the same Infinite Father. This command indicates

Secondly: The heavenward direction which her sympathies should take. Look upward, "I ascend." "Seek those things that are above." Notice

Thirdly: The right direction of religious feeling. Do not live in mere sentiment; turn your feelings into actions. Action will at once express temper and utilise your emotions. Go and work. Piety in duteous action is piety in its highest and safest state. Sighs of sorrow and shouts of rapture are verily worse than worthless, unless they pass into duteous deeds, and consolidate the character. Tears should invigorate the moral heart as rain strengthens the oak. DAVID THOMAS, D.D.

LONDON.

SKETCHES ON II.

CORINTHIANS,

BY DAVID THOMAS, D.D.

The False and True Method of Estimating Men.

"LET SUCH AN ONE THINK THIS, THAT, SUCH AS WE ARE IN WORD BY LETTERS WHEN WE ARE ABSENT, SUCH WILL WE BE ALSO IN DEED WHEN WE ARE PRESENT. FOR WE DARE NOT MAKE OURSELVES OF THE NUMBER, OR COMPARE OURSELVES

WITH SOME THAT COMMEND THEMSELVES: BUT THEY MEASURING THEMSELVES BY THEMSELVES, AND COMPARING THEMSELVES AMONG THEMSELVES, ARE NOT WISE. BUT WE WILL NOT BOAST OF THINGS WITHOUT OUR MEASURE, BUT ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE RULE WHICH GOD HATH DISTRIBUTED TO US, A MEASURE TO REACH EVEN UNTO YOU."-2 Cor. x. 11-13.

I. The false "Let such an

First: To

In these verses we have two subjects worthy of notice. and true method of estimating the character of OTHERS. one think this that such as we are in word by letters," &c. judge by public report is a wrong method.. It would almost seem that there was a general impression in Corinth that not only was Paul's "bodily presence" somewhat contemptible, but that his letters were not a fair representation of himself, that they displayed an elevation and a heroism of which the writer was destitute, and from this general impression he was judged and considered to be something of a boaster and charlatan. How common it is for people to judge those they have never seen by general report! But a miserably false standard of judgment is this. Not unfrequently have I received impressions concerning a person whom I have never seen, which a subsequent personal acquaintance has completely dispelled. As a rule, the public estimate of men, both in Church and State, is most fallacious and unjust. Secondly: To judge by personal knowledge is the true method. "Let such an one think (reckon) this, that such as we are in word by letters, such will we be also in deed when we are present." The meaning of this seems to be, wait until I come amongst you and you will find that I am true to the character of my letters, that I will act out their spirit. A man's own letters, even when rightly interpreted, will not give a free and a complete idea of the author. The author is greater than his book, the man greater than his productions. One hour with an author will give me a better idea of him than I could obtain from all the productions of his pen, however voluminous. II. The false and true method of estimating OUR OWN CHARACTERS. The false method is comparing our own character with the character of

First:

others.

"Measuring themselves by themselves." This the Corinthians seem to have done, and this, perhaps, is the general tendency of mankind. We judge ourselves by the characters of others. When we are accused we are prone to say we are not worse than so-and-so. A false standard this, because (1) The mass of mankind are corrupt. (2) The best of men are more or less imperfect. (3) There is only One perfect character -Jesus Christ. In these words Paul indicates (a) That it is a terrible thing thus to judge ourselves. "We dare not (are not bold enough) make ourselves of the number." Truly it is a terrible thing, for it leads to fearful issues. (b) That it is an unwise thing thus to judge ourselves. Those who compare themselves with others "are not wise," or are "without understanding." Secondly: The true method is judging ourselves by the will of God. "According to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us." Though the apostle by the expression "rule which God hath distributed" primarily refers to the Divine limits of his apostolic work, as will appear again, the "rule" applies also to his personal character. God's will is the standard or canon by which all characters are to be determined. CONCLUSION. "Search me, O God,, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting."

The True Sphere of Human Usefulness and the Source of Human Glory.

"FOR WE STRETCH NOT OURSELVES BEYOND OUR MEASURE, AS THOUGH WE

REACHED NOT UNTO YOU FOR WE ARE COME AS FAR AS TO YOU ALSO IN PREACHING

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. NOT BOASTING OF THINGS WITHOUT OUR MEASURE, THAT IS, OF OTHER MEN'S LABOURS; BUT HAVING HOPE, WHEN YOUR FAITH IS INCREASED,

To

THAT WE SHALL BE ENLARGED BY YOU ACCORDING TO OUR RULE ABUNDANTLY. PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE REGIONS BEYOND YOU, AND NOT TO BOAST IN ANOTHER MAN'S LINE OF THINGS MADE READY TO OUR HAND. BUT HE THAT GLORIETH, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD. FOR NOT HE THAT COMMENDETH HIMSELF IS APPROVED, BUT WHOM THE LORD COMMENDETH."-2 Cor. x. 14-18.

USEFULNESS.

HERE are two subjects for meditation. I.-The true SPHERE OF HUMAN First: It is a sphere in which we are placed by Divine appointment. Paul teaches that his sphere of labour in Corinth was according to the Divine will. "We stretch not ourselves beyond our measure (overmuch) as though we reached not unto you." As if he had

said I am not come to Corinth merely by my own inclinations, or as a matter of impulse or caprice, or as an intruder. I am come here by the will of God. I am licensed by Him to this sphere. Secondly: The consciousness that we are in this sphere is a just reason for exultation. "Not boasting of things without our measure." As if Paul had said, my boasting, or my exultation is not that I have entered into the sphere of other men's labours, but that I am in the sphere to which I have been divinely commissioned." The opponents of Paul, in Corinth, boasted of the influence they had gained in the Church which he himself had founded by his self-sacrificing labours, and whose members owed, either directly or indirectly, their conversion to him; whereas his rejoicing was that he was doing the work of God in the sphere to which he had been sent. Thirdly: It is a sphere which widens with our usefulness. Although Paul felt that Corinth was the sphere to which he had been sent, he felt that the field would be widened according to his spiritual success. Having hope when your faith is increased (that as your faith groweth) that we shall be enlarged (magnified) by you according to our will (province) abundantly." The increase of their faith would lead to an enlargement of his sphere of labour. The true method of extending the sphere of labour to which we have been sent, is by the multiplication of our converts. Each soul which a minister brings to Christ enlarges the field of his usefulness; enables him to break up new ground still farther on. Another subject for meditation here is II.-The true SOURCE OF HUMAN EXULTATION. In what did Paul exult or "boast"? First: Not in crediting himself with the labours of other men. He did not "boast in another man's line (province) of things made ready to our hand." How common it is for men to credit themselves with the labours of others! We find this in every department of labour. In literature there are plagiarists, in scientific discoveries and artistic inventions there are unjust claimants, and even in religion one minister is often found to claim the good that others have accomplished. Paul was above this. The genius of Christianity condemns this mean and miserable dishonesty. Paul exulted Secondly: Not in self-commendation. "For not he that commendeth himself is approved." That conscience approves of our conduct, though at all times a source of pleasure is not a true source of exultation; for conscience is not infallible. Conscience sometimes deceives. What then was his true source of exultation? "He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord." "God forbid that I should glory save in the

cross."

G