knowledge. 2. To initiate, and direct, and condnct, a wide variety of intelligent action, The body, which otherwise would be only an opaque mass of living, throbbing energy, but groping because of darkness, losing the right way I missing aim and vainly beating the air, wastiug terribly the vital force it had, becomes by that " lamp" all suddenly, as it were, endowed with capability. It is a capability of the higher sort-based on immense contributions of knowledge, and not on mere addition of physical strength. It is perhaps impossible to make any well-founded comparisons among the works of God, and i~ approaches irreverence to attempt it; but among them all, when we think fixedly of 1t, where can we find one more to amaze us, and more to be admired for the way it is obtained and the results it obtains, than "the body full of light"? lL A MARVELLOUS WOE OF MAN-THE BODY ALL DARK-AND HOW HE OOMES WITH IT so. The body is "all dark" when the lamp that God made for it or meant for it is not there or is not alight. And this may be so, whereas it never was there, the man being born blind; or whereas it was once there and alight, yet some "accident" has put it out and destroyed it; or whereas it was once there and alight, yet disease, and perhaps disease that was more or less the direct consequence of sin and vice, had put it out and destroyed it. In each and all of these cases what suggestion of serious thought and solemn wonder or searching inquiry there is I !IJ. A MARVELLOUSLY AGGRAVATED FORM OF THIS HUMAN WOE-WHAT AND WHENCE rr Is. This is when the lamp is there, and when it is lighted, but its light is con- tradictory, confusing, bewildering, and worse than any ordinary darkness. It is a distemper of the eye, that falsifies all incoming impressions, misleads and misdirects all outgoing action. The result may be termed "darkness," but only because it is nol light, and of thi,s darkness it must be added, "how great" it is I Or, as there is present the lamp, and as there i,s in action the eye, the result may for one briefest moment be termed " light," but only the very next moment to incur the comment and criticism of the unerring Discerner and Judge of all things: "If therefore the very light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness I " IV, A MARVELLOUS PORTRAIT AND TYPE-01:1' THE MIND-TAKEN l:l'ROM THE BODY. Reason, instinct, conscience, the instruction of revelation, the highest possible instruction, that of the Bpi,rit, each and all are the lamp and light of the mind. But what are they when they are not each severally "single;" when they are made "evil;" when error adulterates truth; when impurity, and self-seeking, and self- confidence, and undocility, and resistance of holy motions, and the doing of despite to the Spirit;-when one or more or all of these baulk or block the straight, steady advance and operating of the good and true and holy? If error prostitutes t~uth, and an evil spirit usurps the seat of the good Spirit, then the state of that man, in whom scenes of mischief and disaster such as these have their way, is worse than if he had not reason or conscience, and had been left unvisited of Divine instruction and Divine importunity.-B. Ver. 24.-Bingknes, of service. To the most suggestive Instruction and. wamlng respecting singleness of eye follows now the subject, an evident sequel, of smglenese of devotion. The most perfect perception and intelligence are certainly no guarantee of devotion of service, loyal and Ull6Werving; but if there be the ready mind and· honest disposition t.o this, then the sight, clear and quick, and perception unerring, will be most tributary to that service. The vainest waste of effort, the most prodigal dissipation of euergy, must be the reward of the man v.:ho does not see with a per~ect sight this-that he cannot "serve two masters." ~ead in the i;;reat lessons belon~g to this language of our Lord by generally and liglitly dwelling upon the medita- tion o!- L How PERVADING AND PENETRATING A FA~ OF HUMA'l'I' LIFE SERVIOE IB; THAT IT VTh"DICATES ITSELF .AS NOTHING LESS THAN A LAW 01" RUMAN NATURE, INEVITABLE, USEFUL, HONOUR.ABLE; AND THAT Il'B VARIOUSNESB, DRAWING WITHIN 1TB BENEFICENT B.ANGE EVERY AGE AND EVERY KANNER OF INTEREST, 18 MOST NOTABLE, IL How SERVICE 18 BOUND UP IN TJIE VERY NAME, THB HA.TUBE, AND HIGHEST ASPECTS AND OBLIGATIONS 01:1' WBAT llEN CALL RELIGION, Ill. How, THEN, IT MUST BE TliE GREATEST OUTRAGE 01!1 BEASON, RIGHT, 001!1- l!CIENCJE, AND THE SOUL 80 TO BEBVE AS TO UNDO WlTll THE ONE H4ND WHAT 18 DONlll CII, VI.1-84.] T1IE GOS'.P:l<JL ACCORDING TO 8T. MATTHEW. 261
WITH THE OTHER i AND THAT THIB IT 18, WITH THE MOST OHABITABLE CONSTRUCTION, TO ESSAY TO II SERVE TWO MASTERS." IV. BUT, LASTLY, HOW (WHEN A LITTLE MOBE CAREll'ULLY CONSIDERED) THAT OUTRAGE IS ONE WHI<ra MEANS VEBY TREASON IN THE HEART ITSELF. IT MEANS NOT WASTE ONLY NOB FOLLY ONLY, BUT INFIDELITY; AND THE SE'I"l'ING AT NOUGHT OF ALT, PROMISE AND ENGAGEMENT 01' TBB BEABT TO THB "l!'IBST AND GBJU.T CO.IUU!m- J4ENT,"-B,
Vere, 25-84.-The condemnation of the foll of the world. Theee ten verses form one section and cover one subject. Its connection with that of the foregoing verse is pro- nounced, "'rherefore," because of this," I say unto you." We are not in any doubt as to it, and the fact guides us to the understanding of the principle tbat forms the basis of the section. Notice here four ways in which this section may be e:xbibitcd. l. THE CONDESCENSION-AN UNDIVIDED SERVICE 18 CLAIMED; BUT IT IS MET BY THE OFFEB OF AN UNDIVIDED TBUSTINGNESS TO BE REPOSED AND TO BE REWARDED. II. SJN's NATIVE DOOM OF TOIL LIFTED OFF BY THE INVITING GOSPEL OF TBUSTI~G DEPENDENCE; IT IS THE GOSPEL OF A LEGITIMATELY AUTHORIZED DEPENDENCE; AND OF ONE GUARDED FROM SLOTH, Ill. THE ABJECT SLAVERY OF AN UNREASONABLE TOIL BUPEBBEDED BY THE SWEF.T FREEDOM OF OHILDBEN'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEm FATHER. IV. THE LOYAL SEEKING AND FOLLOWING OF THE SOVEREIGN GOOD FOB LIFE AND JIEABT, THE SUREST EARNEST OF ALL OTHER THINGS FINDING TREIB PLAOE; AND OF TO-DAY AND TO-MOBBOW BEING PROVIDED FOB.-B.