dear head-knowledge a person may possess, while his heart is full of wickedness. Here is a man who talks of loving God with all his soul, and loving his neighbour as himself, while he is actually "tempting" Christ, and trying to do Him harm, and anxious to justify himself and make himself out a charitable man ! Let us ever beware of this kind of religion. Clear knowledge of the head, when accompanied by determined impenitence of heart, is a most dangerous state of soul. " If ye know these things," says Jesus, " happy are ye if ye do them." (John xiii. 7.)
Let us not forget, in leaving this passage, to apply the high standard of duty which it contains, to our own hearts, and to prove our own selves. Do we love God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, and mind ? Do we love our neighbour as ourselves P Where is the person that could say with perfect truth, " I do ? " Where is the man that ought not to lay his hand on his mouth, when he hears these questions P Verily we are all guilty in this matter ! The best of us, however holy we may be, come far short of perfection. Passages like this, should teach us our need of Christ's blood and righteousness. To Him we must go, if we would ever stand with boldness at the bar of God. From Him we must seek grace, that the love of God and man may become ruling principles of our lives. In Him we must abide, that we may not forget our principles, and that we may show the world that by them we desire to live.
Notes. Lt7kb X. 25—28. 26. — [A certain Lawyer stood up.] An English reader must re-