Ver. 34.-The right estimate of temporal possession. I. THE RIGHT ESTmATE ITBELY. This is a mean between extremes. 'l'o despise worldly pussessions, to speak of them as if they were to be trampled underfoot as always worthless, is not a Christian state of mind. The worldly man overvalues and the ascetic undervalues. The Christian, taught by his Master, learns to use the world as not abusing. It is not well in ordinary circum11tances to make comparisons ; a wise and devout man will use everything for God according to its nature and its scope. But there may come a time when the man has to make his election between the temporal and the eternal, between what the world has tD give and what Christ has to give. Then it will be seen where the affections are. A treasure is not a treasure in itself; it is a treasure relatively to its possessor. Where the heart is, there the treasure is. One may see the pearl of great prioe where another sees a trifle, as it were a mere nothing. No one estimates temporal possessions rightly unless he is willing to sacrifice them for eternal interests. There is only one answer to the question," Wliat shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" A man will surrender all his wealth to keep his life. How much more, then, should he be willing to surrender his wealth to keep hie spiritual hope, hie vital con- nection with the boundless spiritual wealth resident in Christ? 'l'his is Dot a question for the few rich men only; it is for every one who has possessions to lose. They may not have to be given up outright; they may not be in danger of loss through perse- cution; but they may have to be risked through adopting truly Christian principles of life. II. THOSE WHO ABE TO GAUT THE BIGHT ESTIMATE. In making the estimate, everything depends on the life and character of him who has to make it. 'l'be estimate 1s made, if one may say so, in an unconscious kind of way. It is a personal; practical decision, not a mere speculative one with little or no influence on the life. The decision is made, an<l some of the consequences of it attained, before the critical character of those consequences is discerned. In great moments of life we may have to decide on the spur of the moment; and the only man who can decide rightly is the spiritual man-he whose inner eye is open to see things as they really are. Tho pearl of great price is to be seen intuitively or not at all. There must be a firm resolution fixed in the heart to gain and to ki,ep this pearl at whatever cost. Once we have got into right relations with Christ, comparisons between his claims an<i the claims of other beings are not hard to make. In making compari~ons between one temporal possession and another, the character of those who make the comparison may or may not be a matter of importance. But in distinguishing between the temporal and the eternal, character is everything. We must have the Spirit of Christ (JIJ, x. 1-30.J 'J.'HE EPISTLE TO THE HEni~E WS.
worldng in us most energetically if we would be lifted above all danger of sacrificing the eternal to the tempornl.-Y.
Ver. 36.-Bomething to do and something to wait/or. I. SOMETHING IN THE PAST. "Having done the will of God." 'l'be writer did not hereby mean that his readers hnd done all the will of God; he simply recognized the fact that they had complied with the will of God in Christ Jesus as far as that will had been made known in distinct words and could be complied with in distinct acts. Jesus had been proclaimed to them as the Christ; they had accepted him as such fully and practically; they had welcomed him as the Fulfiller of the Law and the prophets. 'l'hey had received his Holy Spirit. They had renounced all faith in Judaism as necessary to acceptable service of God. Their position might be expressed thus: "We have done the will of God a.~ far a.sit has been made known to us; if there be anything more for us to do on earth let us know, and we will do it." Now, the question for us is-Have we got as far as these people? They were standing on the fact that what they knew of God's will they had done. Have we done what we know of God's will? Or, to go further back still-Have we knowledge of what it is that God wills us to do? We all have to wait, but what is our standing-place as we wait? 'l'hat will make all the difference. Have we done the whole of what can be done any day? "Now is the accepted time, now is .the day of salvation." 'l'he five wise virgins trimmed their lamps and filled their oil-vessels, and ~hen they could wait with composure and confidence. Long as Christ's coming seems to the truly faithful, it will come all too soon for some. II. SOMETHING IN THE PRESENT. The spirit of patient waiting. It must have been yery hard to wait among persecutors and unjust spoliators. The second coming of the Master seemed the only effectual way of deliverance. But this second coming was a thing to be waited for, until it came in the fulness of time. God bas to think of all individuals and all generations. God has to make all thing;s work together for good to every man. We have to wait for others, as others have had to wait for us. The prin- ciple is laid down at the encl of eh. xi. Meanwhile waiting is not altogether waiting. Something is given by the way. ·Even as Jesus had ineffable joys and satisfactions in the days of his flesh, there are like experiences for us. Patience is only truly patienco when it is combined with hope, and true hope built on faith must be a gla<lness to the heart. III. SOMETHING IN .THE FUTURE. Something perfectly definite and certain. We I.mow not how long we may have to wait, but at the end of the waiting there is some- thing worth waiting for. Long did Israel wait in Egyptian bondage, but liberty came at last. Long did Israel wander in a comparatively little tract of land, but the settled. life of Canaan came at last. Many generations lived and died with nothing save gracious prophecies to solace them, but the Christ came at last. And so Christ will come again without sin unto salvation.-Y.