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lion. By faith, the woman reoeived our Lord's inyitation, "com« unto me and I will gire you rest." Bj faith, she embraced that inyitation, and embracing it, cast on the sins under which she had been so long labouring and heavy-laden. By faith, she boldly came to the Pharisee s house, and confessed oy her con- duct that she had found rest in Christ. Her faith worked by love, and bore precious fruit But it was not love hntfaiw that saved her soul.
. [Go in peace.] This was a phrase which was a common val- eidiction among the Jews, like our *' goodbye" or " God be with you.'* Pool thinks that our Lord speciallv referred to that '* peace" which is the fruit of faith, described in Rom. v. 1. He
Earaphrases the expression thus : " Go thy way, a blessed and appy woman, ana in the view and sense of thine own blessed- ness, be not troubled at the censures and reflections of super- cilious persons, who may despise and overlook thee because thou hast been a great sinner "
LUKE Vm. 1—8.
1 And it oame to pats afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tioiiigs of the kingdom of Qod : and the twelve were with him.
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infir-
mities, l£ary ealled Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Choza. Herod's steward, and Susanna, ana many others, wMch mimstered unto him of their substance.
Let us mark, in these verses, our Lord Jestts Chrisfs unwearied diligence in doing good. We read that "He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God." "We know the reception that He met with in many places. We know that while some believed, many believed not. But man's unbelief did not move our Lord, or hinder His working. He was always "about His Father's business." Short as His earthly ministry was in point of duration, it was long when we consider the work that it comprised.
Let the diligence of Christ be an example to all Chris- tians. Let us follow in His steps, however far we may
244 EXPOsrroRT thoughts.
come short of His perfection. Like Him, let us labour to do good in our day and generation, and to leave the world a better world than we found it. It « °ot for nothing that the Scripture says expressly: "He that abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he
walked." (1 John ii. 6.) , . ^ , j
Time is undoubtedly short. But much is to be done with time, if it is well economised and properly arranged. Few have an idea how much can be done in twelve hours, if men wiU stick to their business and avoid idleness and frivolity. Then let us, like our Lord, be diUgent, and " redeem the time."
Time is undoubtedly short. But it is the only season in which Christians can do any active work of mercy. In the world to come there will be no ignorant to instruct, no mourners to comfort, no spiritual darkness to enHghten, no distress to relieve, no sorrow to make less. Whatever work we do of this kind must be done on this side of the grave. Let us awake to a sense of our individual responsibility. Souls are perishing, and time is flying- Let us resolve, by God's grace, to do something for God's glory before we die. Once more let us remember our Lord's example, and, like Hun, be dili- gent, and "redeem the time."
Let us mark, secondly, in these verses, the potter of the grace of God, and the constraining influence of the Urn of Christ. We read that among those who fol- lowed our Lord in His joumeyings, were "certam women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities."
We can weU imagine that the difficulties these holy women had to face in becoming Christ's disciples were
y