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He who in the days of His flesh said, "I am meek," &c.; He who from His throne in glory said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock," is "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." His Divine majesty assures of His ability, His meekness of His readiness to receive and save.

II. THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. "All ye that labour and are heavy laden." This description is applicable to the entire human race. From a variety of circumstances men persuade themselves that these terms do not include them. Nevertheless the fact remains that men everywhere do labour under a yoke of pride, of covetousness, of ambition, of self-indulgence, of worldliness. To everyone then is this appeal addressed.

III. THE BLESSING PROMISED. "Rest." Rest, because the sinner when he comes to the Saviour enjoys freedom from the love, dominion, and consequences of sin, and the alarms of a guilty conscience. How suited is the blessing to man! When Christ's invitation is accepted there is rest to the

(1) Mind. From earnest minds all through the ages there has, at one time or other, gone forth the cry, "O that I knew where I might find Him!" Never will the desire thus expressed be satisfied until the seeker obeys the call of Christ and finds the words verified, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."

(2) Conscience. Man is a responsible being. Full well he knows that he is a guilty one. Conscience will not, cannot be at rest. From no source, save one, can relief come. The stricken conscience can only be at peace when the sinner comes to the Saviour and discovers that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."

(3) Heart. Man has the capability of exercising affections of the noblest kind. Many objects may be found worthy of our love, but how friends change, and how suddenly oftimes are they snatched away by death, leaving the heart desolate. Only can the heart be at rest when its love flows forth to Him of whom it can say, "My Beloved is mine."

(4) Will. The natural man is not subject to the law of God. He strives for independence, yet is led captive by Satan at his will. From this condition arises a state of anarchy, and it is

only as one realizes that the greatest freedom is obtainable through subjection to the "perfect law of liberty," that this state is changed and rest is obtained.

ST. PAUL'S, MILLWALL.

THOMAS J. DIXON.

The Disciples in the Storm.

“AND WHEN EVEN WAS NOW COME, HIS DISCIPLES WENT DOWN UNTO THE SEA, AND ENTERED INTO A SHIP, AND WENT OVER THE SEA TOWARD CAPERNAUM. AND IT WAS NOW DARK, AND JESUS WAS NOT COME TO THEM," &c.-John vi. 16-21.

THIS incident in the history of Christ gives us the opportunity to notice

I. THAT THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST SOMETIMES MEET WITH STORMS EVEN WHEN THEY ATTEMPT TO CARRY OUT THEIR

MASTER'S COMMANDS. True, we have no record here of a positive command to cross the Sea of Galilee, but the whole narrative suggests that it was the Saviour's will. He desired to be alone after resisting the temptation to let the people crown Him as their king. The disciples were not permitted to accompany Him. There are periods in our history when we have to be alone with God, the nearest and dearest friend not permitted to be present. It was the disciples' duty to reach the other side of the sea; whilst endeavouring to do so the wind rose and blew against them, the storm increased every moment in its fury; however great their exertions they could make no headway. It is natural for man to reason that the God who rules all things should remove all obstacles from the path of those who are engaged in His service. But it is not so. "It must needs be that offences should come." It is through many tribulations we are to enter the kingdom. Meeting with failures and disappointments in life is no evidence that we are not the children of God. These storms may constitute a part of our training for a higher and nobler service.

II.-THAT IT BEHOVES THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS AS IF THEY HAD BEEN

LEFT TO THEMSELVES. The disciples did not cease to row against the wind and the waves; neither did they change the course of the boat and steer towards the place they had left, saying to themselves, "The Master is there, we will wait till the storm is over and then cross with Him in the boat." The evangelist states, "And Jesus was not come to them." Probably they felt that deeply, and thought it would be easier to fight against the elements if they had His presence; but He was alone on the mountain, and they were left alone in this terrible danger. It would have given them greater assurance if He had been with them, still they did not relax their efforts to reach the shore. Many a missionary has had to struggle for years against the strong winds of persecution and the mighty waves of ignorance, superstition, and crime without seeing any results. Not a few ministers of the Gospel have been labouring for years without drawing the attention of men, and without enjoying much of what the world calls prosperity; they appeared as if they had been left to themselves, "and Jesus had not come to them." Let it be so; nevertheless, it is our duty to do our work and not relax our efforts. It may be that this kind of training is necessary to teach men that prosperity is of God and not of man, and to keep the spirit of self and pride from entering the heart. Also it is possible that our Father wants us to learn the lesson of finding happiness in the performance of duty apart from the pleasure of visible prosperity. The greatest success of life after all is to obey the voice of heaven, whether it be to row against the fierce winds of adversity in the night, or to sail on the smooth sea of prosperity.

III.—THAT THE COMING OF THE MASTER IS NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZED BY THE DISCIPLES. "And they were afraid." The scene was so strange and unexpected, they were not prepared for it. They had never seen a person walking on the sea, and were afraid till they heard the words, "It is I, be not afraid." Christ was coming to their help, though they knew Him not. times in our little lives and insignificant histories.

It is so at Some years

ago we were struggling against adversity, do whatever we would the wind was too strong for us, but suddenly there was a lull in the storm. We did not understand it then, but now we perceive that Jesus came to our assistance, walking on the waves of our sorrow and distress. Abraham did not recognize his heavenly visitors till the Lord spoke about the fate of Sodom. Moses was going to examine the bush that burned and was not consumed: he knew not that the Lord was there. The two disciples going to Emmaus did not know the Saviour when He came to them till the breaking of bread. The pressing cares of life often prevent men seeing the God who is coming to their help so frequently; and the din and tumult of the world are such that they cannot hear His voice. When we begin to realize God's presence in adversity, it is so strange that we say to ourselves, "It is a dream; it is too good to be true." Living too far from the spiritual is the cause of that; because there is nothing strange in that the God who feeds the ravens should help His children when they are in trouble.

IV. THAT THE MASTER'S PRESENCE REMOVES ALL DIFFICULTIES FROM THE DISCIPLES' WAY. The disciples had to row till Jesus came. When they received Him into the boat they soon reached the other side. We know not whether the storm suddenly abated, or whether He caused the boat to glide towards the shore in spite of the contrary wind and boisterous waves. It is immaterial. The disciples' difficulty was over and their peril gone as soon as they recognized Christ. We are not to perplex ourselves as to the manner in which deliverance comes, that is to be left in God's hands. Daniel knew not whether means would be provided to keep him from the lions' den, or whether he was to be kept from harm there; he was certain God would preserve his life. The three young men in Babylon the same. If we will but let the Christ enter our hearts, He will protect us in His own way. His presence will dispel our fears, remove all hindrances to spiritual progress, and bring the heaven of God into our spirits.

OFFORD ROAD.

JENKIN JONES.

Homiletical Commentary.

NOTES ON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES.

"Wars and Battles."

Chapter iv. 1-3.—" FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? COME THEY NOT HENCE, EVEN OF YOUR LUSTS THAT WAR IN YOUR MEMBERS? YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT: YE KILL, AND DESIRE TO HAVE, AND CANNOT OBTAIN: YE FIGHT AND WAR, YET YE HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK NOT. YE ASK, AND RECEIVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK AMISS, THAT YE MAY CONSUME IT UPON YOUR LUSTS."

"WAR" is a word appropriated almost exclusively to the strifes that are fought out on the wide battle fields of nations. We do not expect to find it used for anything less imposing than the shock of contending armies, the confused noise, and What is war? the garments rolled in blood. It is when nation rises against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, that there are wars and rumours of wars; it is when passion has taken possession of the heart of a people, and when under its fell sway they send forth to kill and to lay waste the territory of another people who have risen against them, that we speak of them as being "at war." The word is of such fearful import, it carries with it such fearful results, that we shrink from using it except in connection with wide-spread desolation, bloodshed, and death. And yet, speaking of the assemblies of professedly Christian men, of the relation in which these men stood mutually toward each other, and of their actual treatment the one of the other, the apostle does not see anything out of place in applybattles in the ing this terrible expression to what he saw going Church. on among them; he does not shrink from speaking

Wars and

about "wars" and "battles in connection with them: nay, he goes so far as to assert, in the plainest and most direct words he

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