ter to the wants of a sin-burdened world, and do good to bodies and souls. Blessed be God ! the greatness which Christ commended is within the reach of all. All have not learning, or gifts, or money. But all can minister to the happiness of those around them, by passive or by active graces. All can be useful, and iaU can be kind. There is a grand reality in constant kindness. It makes the men of the world think.
Let us observe, thirdly, in this passage, our LorcTs gracious commendation of His disciples. He said to them, "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations."
There is something very striking in these words of praise. We know the weakness and infirmity of our Lord's disciples during the whole period of His earthly ministry. We find Him frequently reproving their igno- rance and want of faith. He knew full well that within a few hours they were aU going to forsake Him. But here we find Him graciously dwelling on one good point in their conduct, and holding it up to the perpetual notice of His Church. They had been faithful to their Master, notwithstanding all their faults. Their hearts had been right, whatever had been their mistakes. They had clung to Him in the day of His humiliation, when the great and noble were against Him. They had " continued with Him in His temptations."
Let us rest our souls on the comfortable thought that the mind of Christ is always the same. If we are true believers, let us know that He looks at our graces more than at our faults, that He pities our infirmities, and that He will not deal with us according to our sins. Never had
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master sueb poor, weak servants as belierers are to Christ, but nerer had servants such a compassionate and tender Master as Christ is to believers ! Surely we cannot love Him too well. We may come short in many things. We may fail in knowledge, and courage, and faith, and pa- tience. We may stumble many times. But one thing let us always do. Let us love the Lord Jesus with heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. Whatever others do, let us "continue with Him," and cleave to Him with purpose of heart. Happy is he who can say with Peter, however humbled and ashamed, " Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." (John xxi. 15.)
Let us observe, lastly, wJmt a glorious promise our Lord holds out to His faithful disciples. He says, '' I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me ; that ye may eat and- drink at my table in my king- dom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
These words were our Lord's parting legacy to His little flock. He knew that in a few hours His ministry among them would be ended. He winds it up by a wonderful declaration of good things laid up in store for them. We may not perhaps see the full meaning of every part of the promise. Enough for us to know that our Lord promised His eleven faitiiful ones, glory, honour, and rewards, far exceeding anything they had done for Him. They had gone a little way with Him, like Bar- zillai with David, and done a little for Him. He assures them that they shall have in another world a recompense worthy of a king.
Let us leave tiie whole passage with the cheering