Cling in thy grief;cribe yasHI 103 Cling to the loving One: duq Hiw I' went ene viií út He gives relief" to 9tis sadə 1903s I si: ad ovil I bee om Jace disd 19ds I 9m disjes tsut,qd oa The Abbess of Jouarre; the i eor, th Power of Prayer & 1979 877 us the holy Sufferer, sweating as it were great Mayowe, beloved really cleave to our loving drops blood, falling how to the ground. In Jesus with full purpose of heart! 1909 1 the garden, it was not God imputing sin, and imputing sin, and Cling to the mighty One, ile 918 brod pouring out wrath, but there was great conflict as to what was immediately before Him. He knew that Godo must then forsake Him that divines wrathbando judgment ifordsin vinhalb its darkness and powerl mastifall upon His holy soulas Satan, too, and many wopld do their worst towards this righteous One in that hour. That on es sorrow so pressed upon His soul, that He cried,ad binone endT JAN, EXTRACT: duob on gen978W *Abba, Father, if it be possible, let this cup Na small town in Normandy, named Jouarre, pass from me. It was unutterable sorrow, but there once stood a famous nunnery, long since there was perfect submission: Not my will, in ruins, but still remembered as the home of bat thineskesdonesHis prayer was unto Him Charlotte de Bourbon Charlotte was born in who was able to save him from deathtqmHe was the middle of the sixteenth centurypiand her heard.om Anwangell from heaven wash sentrotb father was t the Duke of Montpensier, ofthe strengthen Him ands then Hesent at loncesto royal house of Bourbon. His property> <had Caiaphase Bilate, and straight to Calvaryboble become reduced, and being unable toogives his drank the soup Hei puthawayusin Hen died. daughter a dowry equal to her rank, hea stern, Bat He could not ben holdens of death;39and proud Romanist resolved that she should enter God raised Him from the dead on the third days the blessed" Lord practically learned obedience A div test3oo at end) bad 19 a[nunnery.) to drow out oulaziobito quit This resolution was very distressing to the child's mother on many accounts, but especially We may have a singleleye on great emergen. because she had her eyes opened to the errors of cies, but indis another thing to be habitually in Romanism, and, by the grace of God, had been the spirit and path of practical obedience.bo) to brought to know the truth as it is in Jesus. As Bylbeing made perfect, we may understand she was unable to change her husband's mind, that, having finished His work perfectly, He she made the best use of the time during which was able to present an already accomplished her dear child was yet to be left in her charge, salvation to every believers You must not think by instructing her in the blessed truths of the for demonient that the Lord Jesus was not always gospel, spending many hours with her over the perfect;beitswould be a very wicked thought. word in her private chamber, where mother and Here it is being made perfect as having accom-daughter often orept and prayed together. Alplished what was necessary as a sacrifice and the though Charlotte does not seem to have been High Priest for His. people roing & nь wod brought to know the Lord at this time, the teach-How many of us here to-night obey Christing, prayers, and tears of her affectionate ChrisAre there any who do not obey Christ? If so, tian mother were not to remain unfruitful. God you have not osalvation; you are unpardoned, never forgets the prayer of faith, Christ, His unsaved What is it to obey Christ? It is first own dear Son, has pledged Himself that the to accept salvation from Him as a free gift. He request made in His name shall be granted. is publishing salvation still, blessed be His This the Father never can forget. Oh, that this name; but it is not given to those who merely simple, yet all-important, truth were ever prehear of Him speak of Him, think of Him, but sent to the minds of those who love His name! it is given to all those that OBEY HIM. Oh, At the early age of thirteen, Charlotte was torn how blessed it is to have ETERNAL SALVATION! from her dear mother's arms, and taken by her Very few will accept it; most seem to despise it. father to the nunnery of Jouarre. There, in It is free to all but many refuse Some say, I accordance with the gloomy system of Romanism, will have it, but I must do something for it.' her hair was cut away, her dress was changed to Noo;Jeklis/says, give eternal dife; I will give coarse linen and haircloth, a cord was tied around you-restidae 18: mill om 2169) bn gap her waist, and, with downcast looks and heavy Jesus is a changeless Priestubbelieve, too, heart, she trod the stone-bound cloisters by day, that He will be a Priest for ever; for though we and rested at night on the floor of her tomb-like shall not need a priest, when we are up there in cell. A few years passed away; her loving God's own presence, to restore our souls, as we do mother had fallen asleep in Jesus; and, beset now, yet we shall know Him then as a blessing on every side by false teaching and example, Priest, ever bringing forth, as it were, the bread Charlotte began to be not only in some measure and wine; feeding us on His own flesh and blood, reconciled to her condition, but, partly to believe and blessing us as He blessed-Abrahamsst di] that her self-denial and sufferings were well 916 pleasing to God, and that the reward of a life of mother's prayers had burst the gates of brass? such useless seclusion would be certain glory in and smitten the bars of iron in suider♫ds Not all heaven. But her mother's prayers, though al- the power of Romish (superstition, with a Buirmost obliterated from beromeniory, were not bolto hack it. could hinder the accomplishment/ forgotten before God. The time was at hand of a lonely Christian mother's epiaser for her for the long-looked for answer to be given,ands helpless child.d Vain had been all the efforts of that, too, when, according to all appearance, the the adversary to destroy the seed sown in secret nun of Jouatre was quite established in self by a mother's voices and watered by her stearføl righteousness foroshedhan obtained so high a supplications; vain other enticements of a gaydy character for piety and self-denial,that, although religiousness; vain the stone walls and iron, graži still, very young, she had been raised to the lofty tings of the gloomýl convent ;10' thei snare was! position of Lady Abbess and head of the whole broken, and the prisuren escaped mot 1095296 content.mort diazh 9H d'sob to abiz 19dto sa Adopting various disguises, she viled, through: 9 9 80 France. Her peril was great: detection was Π 1 Suddenly light entered the nuhhery of Jonarre in othe form of Protestant tracts. The Lady Abbess read them, and their teachings revived in her memory the lovingqwordki which her de parted, mother had spoken long years before in her private chamber at home The large Bible, and the truths read from it by a voice now silent in the grave, the prayers the tears, the exhortad tions, the happiness of her childhood, alb came back again as fresh as if but off yesterday.The Spirit saroused conviction in her hearts and she fled as waldosta sinner tabthe cross of Christ Counting her own righteousness but dash filthy rågs, she looked to the blood of Christmaszalóne able to put a way her sins, and as the blind man rejoices when his eyes behold the sun, so did the Abliéss of Jouarre when the light of the gospel beamed brightly or her soulidCharlotte de Bour bon was saved! But how was she to escape her gilded chains as Lady Abbess of the Romisha source of bitter disappointment to the pride of convént?ei Fori dinun to leave a convent in those the Bourbons-But she was not dong allowed std days, sand if return to the world,"as it was cal remain in the obseirityske diadi willingly sought. led was certain death, and that too, by one of William, Princes of Grange, drad; heard? of her the most cruel methods that religiousness could piety, and the Asacrifices she bhad made; nand devise. When recaptured, the unhappy prisoner being himself as Protestant,Chez sought and ob! was first subjected to a mock trial before a secret tained her hand in marriageɔ is raised tribunal of monks, and then carried hoca dungeon position [higher than that she had resigned fur where a niche in the wall had been previously the Lord's saker she became an example alike to prepared, in which she was placed with a loaf the noble dadies off her court-iandy the slowly oft bread hand jugoofs water, dand as wald being mothers in their families and if the meekness, built up in front, she pas literally sentombed charity, and devotion, which characterized the alive, and left to perish miserably! Skeletons whole after-life of Charlotted'de, vkởũi bón ɔ were have been found from time to timelthus entombed blessed to anybitotooowasotraceable to the teache in the crumbling, walls of ruined monasteriesing and prayers of that mother who, in ther childs How, then, should Charlotte de Bourbon escape? hood had sought to lead her to Him who said In this, food her mother's prayers were to prove Suffer the little children to come unto me, and effectualbolt was in the year 1572 that the noise forbid them not doud") enoirolg a yd-bra of battle was heard around Jouarie. It came bAs Princess of Orange, and the highest dudy nearent nearer tothe very doors of the convent. of rankoin the Netherlands, sheq haponowille Infvain did the nuns supplicate their images sphere of opportunity for adorning hém Cleriştian the gates were assailed by an infuriated soldiery professiomandi thus giving glory to Him whil they yielded and the nuns, driven in terror from had loved her and bonght deri with His qprecious their cloistered home, sought a temporary/shelter blood And when at last the time of berlepar in the neighbouring woods, Charlotte de Boit-ture arrived, she designed her spiritd into Hi bon was freed The proud sélféwill of her ducal hands to ithoaeconfidence andyan assured hope father had imprisoned her there, but her gentle which nothing duit faitli im that blood could give 1 1 Surely a Christian mother's prayers proved an presence of God Himself, in which I can stand unspeakable blessing to the Abbess of Jouarre in perfect safety and security for ever and evePLE It will interest the reader to know that she But, beloved, there is another thing in which was an ancestress of our presem Queen. Her this wondrous love of Christ abounds, and that daughter houisa was the wife of Frederick the is, in washing our feet. Do not think this to bet Fourth,thed Elector Palatine of the Rhine, and a simple history of armereb action that once grandmother to Sophia: Duchess of Brunswick, occurred. The circumstances are most remarkėj who was the dmother of George the Firsts of able: the supper, the emblem of the Lord'sı Englands whose great grandson, the Duke of death was ended and the Lord was inespirit in Kent, was the e father of Queen Victoria. Thus the power of not only having come from God, the Sovereign of: Great Britaing derives her buto as the word is,*wentifto. God?'vise., line descent from one who, but for a mother's prayers. Spirit, the blessed Lord was at this moment on might have lived and died the Abbess of Jquarte! the other side of death. He riseth from supper, es moitostab :tong on fr9q 19H 1990611 He slays aside His garments, He girds Himself Notes of an Address on John xiii. 1-15 with a towel. He takes water. He pours it into a 50 10 979 901 no91 basin,Heg begins to wash the disciples feet, He E are assured beloted friends, that that washes them. He wipes them Somfar is ther wample morrative before us. 9 9 10 9 2 " there is a deeper meanings in it;s for our Lord that chath seen sme hath seen the Easher," who wash the 9 express image of the invisibles God. God manifest in the flesh, who left the peace and glory of heaven, and died on the Cross of Calvary in dove tous even Helis the same yes terday, stolday; and for ever; we are assured, saya that His love to us must be boundless and changeless. Hence, when dwey looks onward, we see the same loving One soon coming for us** the Lord Himself shall descends from heaven with a shout and His kaints, diving hors dead, shall be changed and raised to meet Him, to be forever with the hord.olm Toto vibetastaos bus 86 That same loving heart is engaged wondrously for is now yes at this very moment to What is Hebdoings forousda Who can answer that ques-Lord Jesus Christ, ascal High Priest, is an High tion? Certain it is that He is doing many Priest for saved people. The Lord only washed thing so for us; though we) likes these disciples the disciples feettoThe Lord Jesus ever liveth to when: Henwashed their feet,s-knew not what make intercession for those who come to God by He was doing, sod Jesus-does! as great deal we Him. We need while here, because/conscions doondts give Him credit for: we do not under every now and then of defilement, a high priest, stand, we are so dull, so ignorantaWell, Heds and that God who gave His onl⚫begotten Son building His Church that is certains; and He is to die for us on the cross, has appointed Jesus shepherding list sheep that aisbcertain He Himself, who alone was fitted for that, order of said, after the Pharisees and scribes had devised priesthood after the power of an bendless life, tof destroy Him,” On this, rock bbwill build (my and who also was adequate to meet us under all Charrch}}: Now, Christ is doing that. He is not our circumstances, and Jehovah swore by Hims sending a religion into the world to make the self, saying Thou art a priest foreverafter the world better, birt gathering out His members, order of Melchisedec. Now, beloved weare and building-up: the Church, His own body, conscious every! nów) and (théng of losing your gathering out that which will be presented by communion, of getting away from the presence and-by a glorious Church, without spot or of the Lord; and losing our joy and peaceș blemish. Again, He said that? wondrous word, more than that we are conscious of sing as the i gosto prepare a place for you! Now, do children of Godpowe, ares conscious of having not pretend to understand what that means; but failed in obedience of having contracted defile! there isbne thing very comfortings to my own ment. Now comes in a most important questionės soolǝaboatliteitis this that when Christ went How is this meta In the first place, let us to prepare that placed Hevent into heaven with remember that the Lord Jesus, by His one His own blood. And now I who know myself offering on the cross, has perfected for ever them to be a sinner, my soul being conscious of sin, I that are sanctified. Now nothing must be know there bis that precitais) blood in the very allowed to interfere with that-finished work of B the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, by which He exhaustless in its efficacy and suitability to has been able to give us an introduction, on the four need;\ it is presented to our souls in the ground of holiness as well as grace, into the consciousness of having failed, and restores presence of God for ever. The priesthood of us to communion with the Lord. And I bethe Lord affects our communion; it is that which lieve we should give glory to the Lord, that God has been pleased to provide to meet us as He thus seeks to teach us and fit us to walk His children in conscious failure and disobe with flim. And as He is infinite holiness, and dience. And if the soul is not instructed some- cannot trifle with sin, as the Holy Ghost, through what in this. when we turn out of the path of John, says, "These things[write Dunto yon, that the truth, and find our souls declining, we shall ye sin not," nevertheless. He also gives us to not, perhaps, have our communion restored. I understand that, "if we sin, we have an believe the Lord intended us to learn something Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Christ the of this from this blessed narrative. He came to righteous." Peter, and Peter said, "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" Jesus said, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. And oh! the loving heart of Jesus, the unselfish heart of Jesus, the changeless heart of Him who, poured out His soul unto death for us on the cross, the question is not about His having part with us, but our having part or fellowship with Him. As if He had said, "It is a blessing I am conferring on you; you need to have your feet washed, you need to have the daily defilement taken away which you contract in your walk, otherwise you can have no part with me." Now, let us apply this a little as to our experience, because the Lord Jesus is ever living, and ever loving, and has not only His watchful eye on us, but His loving arm stretched ont for us. He desires that we should have part with Him now, fellowship with Him now, communion with Him now. And it is often the case, when the child of God is cast down, and feels sorrowful, and is conscious of failure, that the Lord Jesus is dealing with him. He little thinks then, perhaps, that Christ is thus teaching him by the Spirit; he little thinks, that as the Lord Jesus holds up the defiled feet of His disciple. and exhibits them to His own view, as well as to theirs, that He, at the same time, washes those feet, and wipes those feet. When the Lord finds we have departed, He makes us feel -what no power on earth could teach us-that we have strayed and departed; and being brought into His presence, then comes in that precious word, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." But more, dear brethren. As the Lord Jesus deals with us, and leads us to self-examination and confession, how comes it, after the darkness, and after having condemned ourselves, that our souls are found again in full joy, and in happy communion with Him? He that washed away the defilement of the disciples' feet, presents by His own word, and by the teaching of His own Spirit, that wondrous provision God has made for us--the Great High Priest who is ever presenting the same blood, which is Many of God's children do not see the wondrous provision God has made for us as saints, as saved people, in the priestly intercession, the presenting of the blood. Some children of God spend hours, and days, and weeks, and months, and even years, in despondency, when they should be beholding the Great High Priest, and enter into the holiest, by the blood, with praise and worship. Jodi Josly e zi 1 There is a word here we cannot pass over.} Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. We are › to imitate Him As a matter of fact, we are all weak, and all, more or less, selfish Christians; though saved people, yet we are erring and sinful people. Now the Lord says, when your brother gets into this position of failure and defilement, you act towards him as I do towards youze should imitate the Lord Jesus Christ, in respect to our brother's failings. If my brother fails. I should go myself, and try to restore him by means of the word of God. We should in this way be a great blessing to our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Oh, let us never forget that Christ is engaged for us at this moment! Let us mark His dealings with us not only as our Shepherd, but as our Great High Priest, and we shall be able then to say, He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness," And seeing that He is our Shepherd, that He has been our sacrifice for sin, His blood still speaks for us in heaven, and will speak for us in heaven ș we can say, in the confidence of His unchanging iove, 5 Surely, goodness; and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." 61 "Faith is like the cable of the ship when a storm arises; the rope is strained to its utmost, and yet it does not break." "The Lord has bound up the rod of correction in our bundle of blessings." "How careful should we be to keep the dwelling cleansed where the Lord of Glory dwells.** What God did to Save us "God Commenteth His love toward us, in that, while we were Ti. 97yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. v. 8.) bri WHAT is the gospel? -not, you must first love God, but that He loves you; not, you must first seek Jesus, He is seeking you. 19:mi (İzorg 9at it 9 do ONE PENNY¡H fested in the gift of His Son, who died the death 'I into the court, where I have to meet one go to whom I owe a large sum of money. I cannot 17-pay it, and the sentence is, that the money must The gospel is for lost sinners, so, it is for be paid on a given day, or I suffer.!! you!!com bon eÁSON BALL PUE, If this be true, God is reconciled, and is not now imputing trespasses to us who believe, having imputed them to Him who bore them on the cross, who died to make atonement for us, putting them away by the sacrifice of Himself. I leave the court, but cannot pay it, and so abscond from the country, fly to the antipodes, to get away from justice; but the person to whom I owe the money has devised a plan, whereby through another he may receive the debt; and can say, ***Go after him into the land of his exile; seek him out; tell him the debt is paid, and that for the rest of his life I and the law are reconciled towards him. Tell him that he is free." wards him. Tell him that he is freed, The creditor is reconciled to me, and all that I, the debtor, want, is simply to know it, and on knowing it, to be reconciled to him, and in relation to him to have perfect peace. bai As long as the sinner says, The doom which is due to my sins must be paid, and I cannot pay it, he will only get away from God as far as he can; in fact, he would rather not think of it, but goes to his sports, games, follies, and sins, being happy only when he can banish the thought.. God devised a way: "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." The Son of God came down in the person of Jesus, took my sin; and, like the friend who came into court, paid the debt due.... " Here is the gospel the Lord laid down His life for us, died the just for the unjust. "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; ...the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquities of us all." The debt was thus paid; the price of pardon was His life, and He laid it down, He bore our sins on the accursed tree, was delivered for our Hence I repeat it, God is reconciled; He does offences," rose without them, and is without sin not want to be reconciled; but wants you to to be; before God for us. And as He stands there, shows you the cross, where His loye was mani- God His love was mani- God says to every believing sinner, "I have cast J Registered for Transmission Abroad.] |