THE INDISPENSABLE. "One thing thou lackest."-MARK x. 21. 312 LAE How very near some people come to true religion, and yet they are not true believers. They are so nearly like Christians, that we can scarcely distinguish the difference; and yet they are not the children of God, by faith in Jesus Christ. The conduct is changed, but not the heart. They have never passed from death unto life. Theyd are not born of the Spirit. They are not taught of God. Like the young man who came to Christ, they are prepared to do many things, but not to make a full, free, and absolute surrender to the Saviour They are moral, well disposed, kind hearted, and have tolerably correct views of gospel doctrine, and yet they lack one thing. We must be born again. We must be created anew in Christ Jesus. We must be brought under the training and teaching of the Holy Spirit. Every thing short of this, leaves us in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity. Yes, we must have the life of God within us, and where that is, sin is perceived, loathed, and forsaken. The Lord Jesus Christ is received, to save, to teach, and to govern. The affections are weaned from earth, and are set upon things above. The treasure is in heaven, and consequently the heart is there. Every thing needed, or desired, is treasured up in Jesus, and therefore he is precious to the soul. The one grand object and aim is, to be like Christ, to honour Christ, and be with Christ. Then every thing is given up to Christ, and if required, even life itself, for Christ. With Mary at the Saviour's feet, we choose the good part, enjoy the one thing needful, and have no reason to fear, that it will be said to us, "One thing thou lackest." If we have not the one thing, we cannot be happy; we are not safe, for we are not holy. But if we are in possession of the great secret, then we receive grace from Christ, realize union to Christ, and live in fellowship with Christ. We submit to his will, lay down at his feet, and contentedly follow wherever he leads. Now we are meet for heaven, prepared for sickness, and can triumph over death. We have Christ now, and we shall possess Christ for ever. He is our portion, and on him we shall live, and in him we shall rejoice, in time and eternity. With Christ ruling in the heart, we shall be holy; with Christ pleading for us in heaven, we shall be safe; with Christ working for us in providence, we shall be supplied. Instead then of lacking one thing, and that the grand thing, we have all things. Reader, how is it with you? Don't stop short of the mark. The young man brought a question to Christ, to be solved, but he did not bring his soul to be saved. He had no objection to do many things, but he would not part with all for Christ. He loved his wealth, his station, and his respectability, more than the Saviour. He had not been soundly convinced of sin, or stripped of self; nor did he know, that without Christ, he was wretched, and miserable, poor, and blind, and naked: and therefore he went away from Christ very sorrowful, to live rich, die in sin, and perish for ever. He was not far from the kingdom, but he never entered it. He was almost saved, but he was completely lost. And methinks, one of his bitterest reflections in hell must be, that he came to Christ and would not make the required surrender; that he found the pearl of great price, but would not go and sell all that he had and buy it. By the gates of heaven, he passed to the depths of hell! Ah foolish choice of treasures here! Must this base world be bought so dear? * In vain the charms of nature shine, SICKNESS FOR GOD'S GLORY. "This sickness is for the glory of God."-JOHN xi. 4. GOD's glory should be our constant object and aim. For this we were created, redeemed, and converted. In order to this, we are taught, tried, and delivered. Every thing that befals us, or is required of us, is in order that God may be glorified. But, for our comfort and encouragement, we learn from his holy word, that our good and his glory, are so united, that he cannot seek the one, but he must produce the other. What a gracious, what a glorious arrangement is this! Our bodily sickness, even when not designed to issue in death, or be preparatory to a miracle, is for God's glory. It is intended to wean us, from the things which are seen and temporal; that we may be taken up, with things which are not seen, which are eternal. To draw us from this world, and worldly things, and to bring us nearer to God, that we may enjoy closer communion and fellowship with himself. To afford a better opportunity, for the Lord to grant brighter, and sweeter, manifestations of himself to the soul. That he may display his power and grace, in supporting, consoling, and restoring us again. To draw out the heart in prayer, and bring down sweet and encour aging answers. To quicken our pace, in our journey homewards, and exercise all the graces, which the holy, and ever blessed Spirit, has wrought in the soul. There is also a sickness of soul, which is for the glory of God; when it is sick through conviction of sin, which makes it loath itself, and sets it against sin. Then it can no longer enjoy the vain, empty, and frivolus amuse ments of the world, nor feel at home in the company of the carnal. Then the soul be comes sick of self, from a discovery of its inherent vileness, wickedness, and opposition to God. It becomes weary of looking to duties, or religious observances, and looks from all to the Lord alone. It wearies of the world, its customs, fashions, and carnal pleasures. And sickening of all confidence in the flesh, it learns to place its trust, con fidence, and dependance in the Lord alone, Thus, God is glorified in his grace, who has provided a suitable and sufficient portion for us in himself; and thus by the Spirit's work in the heart, God becomes all in all. Let us then, in all times of bodily sick. ness, make it our first, our earnest, and im. portunate prayer, that God may be glorified. That by every pain we feel, and all the weakness we suffer, he may get glory to his ever |