4" Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds; and look for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." 1 Heb. iv, 14. 2 Heb. x, 24, 25. 3 Gal. iv, 18. 4 Matt. v, 13-16. 51 Cor. vi, 19, 20. 6 Heb. xii, 1-3. 7 Tit. ii, 13, 14.

ILLUSTRATION. The mission of the converted Gadarene.

1" Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, 'What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I beseech thee, torment me not.' (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.)

4" And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought Jesus, saying, 'If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.' And he said, 'Go.' And when they were come out, they went into the swine: and, behold, the whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus, 5 and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at his feet, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

Then the whole multitude besought Jesus to depart from them.

"And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but sent him away, saying, 'Return to thine own house, and go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.' And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city, 10 and in Decapolis, how great things Jesus had done for him; and all men did marvel."

1 Luke viii, 26, 27.

4 Matt. viii, 30-34.

9

2 Mark v, 2, 3, 5-7.
5 Luke viii, 35, 37.

7 Luke viii, 38, 39. 8 Mark v, 19. 9 Luke viii, 39.

3 Luke viii, 28, 29. 6 Mark v, 18, 19. 10 Mark v, 20.

Motives and encouragements to work for Christ.

2

"By Jesus let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. And the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.'

3"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God. Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and un

learned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

5"Be not weary in well doing; but go to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee; and giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the

rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

1 Heb. xiii, 15, 16. 22 Cor. v, 14, 15. 32 Tim. i, 8. 42 Tim. ii, 22-26. 52 Thess. iii, 13. 6 Mark v, 19. 72 Pet. i, 5-11.

Chapter Seventh.

THE CHRISTIAN MOURNING.

The prayer of a mourning saint.

"I WOULD Seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: who doeth great things and unsearchable-marvellous things without number; to set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. 3 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed:-lead me to the rock that is higher than I. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.' ""

Be

1 Job v, 8, 9, 11. 2 Ps. lxxxvi, 7. 3 Ps. lxi, 2. 4 Ps. cxix, 75, 76. 5 Ps. Ivii, 1, 2.

ILLUSTRATION. Death of David's child.

1"The Lord struck the child of David, King of Israel, and it was very sick. David therefore

E