THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. 105 The house of the Lord.-The temple at Jerusalem was emphatically "the house of the Lord;" but under the Christian dispensation, any place devoted to the preaching of the gospel, and the worship of God, is, for the time, "the house of the Lord." There the gospel is preached, and the ordinances are observed according to divine appointment. There Jesus has promised to be graciously present, and manifest himself to the souls of devout worshippers. And there sinners are converted, and saints edified, and all urged to prepare for the house of God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. How deep should be the interest of every Christian in the prosperity of God's house! The duty of attendance. every Sabbath is essential. "Let us go up." Attendance "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together." Absence from ordinances may prove a great loss, as the absence of Thomas from the company of the disciples lost him delightful intercourse with a risen Saviour. Besides, absence from ordinances is a bad example to others; and if all are absent, how can there be observance of ordinances? Surely it is profitable to be there. We meet with Christ there, he commands the blessing there, and we enjoy a foretaste of heaven there. "I have been there, and still would go : "Tis a little heaven on earth below." We should invite others. "They said unto me, Let us go." If it is good for me to be there, it must be equally good for others; hence, I should be anxious for the welfare of my family, my neighbours, and my friends, and invite and urge them to attend the house of God. Divine ordinances are essentially social, and the more present the better; hence, we should excite and encourage each other in waiting upon God. How selfish is that man who seeks to go to heaven himself, and never tries to take others along 106 THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. with him! How unlike is his bosom to Christ's; for Christ's was so full of love, that he would have embraced the whole world! The gladness excited.-"I was glad." It is the way of duty. The way of duty is the way of safety; and being in the way, we may expect the Lord to meet us, and to bless us. Many have found peace there, and why may not I? Many have held sweet communion there with Christ, and with each other, and why may not I? Many have been so happy there, that they thought it was almost heaven. Surely, then, nothing should gladden my soul so much as going up to the house of God! MARCH 5. The Furnace of Affliction. "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."-Isa. xlviii. 10. The furnace of affliction.-This is of divine appointment. Jehovah tried the Israelites in Egypt, and the captive Jews in Babylon; and he tries his people still. He appoints the rod. He sends affliction into the city, and he sends it into the house, for good. Afflictions are often likened to a furnace, because fire is employed to purify and try metals. Some are tried by poverty, some by bodily disease, some by the misconduct and loss of dear friends, and some by persecution. These are so many fires to purify us, to make us have done with earth, as unfitted to bring happiness to the soul, and to make us look for and long after the satisfying realities of eternity. These trials are very painful, but they do not destroy the gold or the silver; they only destroy the alloy mixed up with them. The design of God in putting us into the furnace is to purify. If gold is to be made pure, it must have the alloy separated from THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION. 107 it; and how is this to be done without fire? If glass is to be transparent, it must be frequently heated. In like manner, if Christians are to be brightened for heaven, they must be loosened from earth, and have their alloy of evil separated from them by the fires of affliction. "When thou hast tried me I shall come forth as gold." The Christian chosen there." I have chosen thee." The furnace has often been the instrument of conversion. Manasseh's dethronement, captivity, and dungeon were a furnace. He cried to God in his affliction: he was heard and restored to his kingdom. The prodigal's poverty and hunger made him come to himself; when he returned to his father, and was welcomed, clothed, and feasted. How many have read and listened to the word of God in the light of eternity, and prayed at the gates of death, who might never have done so in other circumstances! The furnace proves the Christian's faith, hope, and patience. The Christian needs his faith strengthened, and his hope brightened; and he prays for this. May not God answer his prayer by casting him into the furnace, where only such blessed results can be attained? Suffering in the furnace assimilates to Christ. He suffered, and learned obedience practically by suffering; and can we expect to escape? He can feel all the better for others by having suffered himself. Is it not so with us? A few weeks' affliction will teach us more sympathy for others than years of health. Suffering in the furnace is a check to sin. The Jewish captivity thoroughly cured them of their propensity to idolatry, and drew forth renewed covenant engagements of adherence to God; and how often has the furnace restrained us from evil, weaned us from folly, led us to Jesus, led us to holiness, and led us to heaven! 108 FAITH QUESTIONED. MARCH 6. Faith questioned. "Do ye now believe?'-John, xvi. 31. THE subject of this question-the nature of this questionand the answer expected, demand our attention. The subject of this question.-It doubtless refers to divine truth, and the Saviour revealed in it. If we have faith, we shall believe all that God reveals in his word. It will not do merely to believe one truth, or such truths as please us, but we must believe the whole of the divine testimony, which is evidenced by miracles, by prophecy fulfilled and fulfilling, and by heartfelt experience. Faith also receives all that God gives. He gives his son Jesus Christ, and all the blessings of salvation with him, and these faith gladly receives and appropriates. Faith also claims all that God promises. He promises salvation and eternal life to every believer; and every believer claims them, and experiences their comfort. O my soul, dost thou believe the whole truth? Is thy faith fixed and settled on Christ, its sum and substance? And dost thou feel the possession of a treasure far better than ten thousand barren opinions. The nature of this question.-It is personal. It does not refer to the faith of others, but it comes directly to ourselves, and comes from one who knows our hearts, and whom it is not possible for us to deceive. It is authoritative. Jesus has a right to ask, and he does ask every one, “Do ye now believe?" We cannot set the question aside; we cannot remain silent when Jesus requires us to speak; we cannot fasten the question upon others, but we must fasten it upon ourselves, and give an answer as in the presence of Omniscience. It refers to time: "Do ye now believe?" It prohibits delays; it forbids looking forward FAITH QUESTIONED. 109 Like to a convenient season, or a death-bed repentance. a formidable obstruction in our path, it requires us to pause and consider, and come to a decision. O my soul, when Jesus says, "Now," wilt thou say, "To-morrow ?” The answer expected.-It must be affirmative. If I now believe, I shall be somewhat acquainted with the process. Convicted and self-condemned, I saw Jesus in the gospel, his heart throbbing with love to me. That love sank deep into my heart. He required me to believe on him, and what was I to withstand him? I believed, and I am conscious of it. If I now believe, my mind and heart will be influenced and changed; I will feel love to Jesus, and love to all; I will be anxious to maintain and extend his cause around me; and I will be ready to make sacrifices for Christ. If I now believe, my conduct will be changed. The best evidence of faith is sincere, cheerful, and universal obedience. Do I know myself, and am I known to others by such fruits? MARCH 7. The Christian Race. "So run that ye may obtain."-1 Cor. ix. 24. How exciting is the race for honour, for riches, and for fame! How much time, and labour, and influence are spent, often without success. Reader, art thou wasting thy energies on that which satisfieth not? Art thou overlooking the certain to gain the uncertain? Art thou contenting thyself with the trivial and the temporary, when thou mightest possess the important and the eternal? What must I obtain ? what must I do? and how am I to begin? are the questions that demand attention. What must I obtain ?-Something worthy of my |