tihvavy of €he theological ^tmimvy 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 
 •3^1 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 The Estate of 
 Victor^H. Lukens 
 B V 4253 . C8 r 18 74 
 Cullis, Charles. 
 The king of love 
 
THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
/ 
 
 THE KING OF LO 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OF 
 "HOW TO ENTER INTO REST," Etc, 
 
 JE MEURS OU JE M'ATTACHE. 
 
 WILLARD TRACT REPOSITORY, 
 
 12 WEST STREET, BOSTON. 
 239 Fourth Ave., New York. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by 
 
 CHARLES CULLIS, 
 In the OfSce of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 
 
TO THE MEMORY 
 
 OF 
 
 HIS GREAT GOODNESS. 
 
"If we hope for that we see not, then do we with 
 patience wait for it." — Rom. viii. 25. 
 
 *' Though it tarry, wait for it, it will surely come." 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 TT seems to me there is one great ring 
 throughout the world ; throughout all 
 nature; throughout the universe; one 
 commanding influence to which above 
 every other our hearts turn and obey. 
 One strong cord which knits and knots 
 all the other cords that bind our life ; one 
 sound that vibrates above and through 
 every other ; one ray of light that gives 
 light by which to see all others; one 
 note of music which harmonizes every 
 other; one centre to which all must 
 converge. 
 
 Is it love ? 
 
 'VLove is born of God." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. HIMSELF 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 3 
 
 II. WE TO HJM 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 II. WITHIN US. . 
 
 
 
 
 -»J 
 
 IV. BESIDE US . 
 
 
 
 
 31 
 
 V. AROUND US 
 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 VI. IN STILLNESS 
 
 
 
 
 61 
 
 VII. JOY IN HIM 
 
 
 
 
 69 
 
 VIII. PEACE . 
 
 
 
 
 83 
 
 IX. THE NEW HOME . 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 . 91 
 
B 
 
"The King of lov< ray Shepherd is, 
 Whose goodness faileth never ; 
 Nothing I lack, if I am His, 
 And He is mine for ever.'* 
 
HIMSELF 
 
 "To know the love of Christ." — Eph. iii. 19. 
 
 j^IMSELF, Jesus Himself; Human, 
 Divine ; God and Man ; the One, 
 in whom alone, whatever is divine within 
 us can find satisfaction ; the One, towards 
 whom our poor human nature stretches 
 out its hands, and cries for deliverance 
 and rest and peace ; this One — He is the 
 King of Love ; He is God ; God is Love. 
 Oh, what a God is this God of ours ! 
 How does His love never weary, never 
 tire, never faint ! Has He not grown 
 foot-sore with following the straying 
 sheep in the wilderness r Is not His 
 shoulder yet weary with the burden of 
 carrying them to the fold ? Has not 
 
4 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 the pain yet caused Him to forget to re- 
 joice ? Is this Shepherd, weary and worn, 
 with bleeding feet and aching limbs, 
 journeying to the highest heights, pur- 
 suing to the lowest depths, is He a King ? 
 Who but the Highest of all could 
 venture to the lowest ? Who but Love 
 could hear such slights, such rebuffs ? 
 What but the mighty tenderness of God 
 Himself could thus seek and thus Jind ? 
 
 Ah ! we can but imagine, we can but 
 guess, we can but reach out towards 
 this love ; and 3^et it cati penetrate our 
 inmost soul. Oh, to know it ! Oh, to 
 have it for our own ! 
 
 Let us turn often and watch this won- 
 drous thing. Let us gaze and gaze, till 
 it enters deeply within our soul. 
 
 And first let us consider, wherein has 
 it shown itself r 
 
 ..." See, His hands are nailed, they 
 cannot strike thee ; His feet also, He 
 cannot run from thee ; His arms are 
 wide open to embrace thee ; His head 
 hangs down to kiss thee ; His very heart 
 
HIMSELF. 5 
 
 is open, so that therein, see, look, spy, 
 behold, and thou shalt see nothing but 
 love, love, love to thee ; hide thee there- 
 fore, lay thy head there with the Evan- 
 gelist. This is the cleft of the rock 
 wherein Elias stood. This is the pillow 
 of down for all aching heads. Anoint 
 thy head with this oil ; let this ointment 
 embalm thy head, and wash thy face. 
 Tarry thou here, and quite sure art thou 
 I warrant thee. Say with Paul, Who 
 can separate me from the love of God r 
 Can death, can poverty, sickness, hunger 
 or any misery persuade thee that God 
 loves thee not ? Nay, nothing can sepa- 
 rate thee from the love wherewith God 
 hath loved thee in Christ Jesus ; whom 
 He loveth. He loveth unto the end."* 
 
 " Hereby perceive we the love of God, 
 because He laid down His life for us." 
 (i John iii. i6.) 
 
 '' I am the Good Shepherd, the Good 
 Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." 
 (John X. II.) 
 
 * Bradford. 
 
6 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 This is the love of the Son ; the be- 
 loved Son, in whom the Father is well- 
 pleased ; the only begotten ; the bright- 
 ness of God's glory, and the express 
 image of His person. 
 
 How came it then, that such an one — 
 precious, beloved, one with the Father, 
 gave His life ? gave it for enemies and 
 murderers ; children of darkness and dis- 
 obedience r 
 
 Surely we should have snatched our 
 dearest one from such a lot ; it would 
 have been far easier to bear the bitter- 
 ness and shame oneself than to see them 
 suffer. But God — let His well- beloved 
 go ; even sent Him ; and to what a fear- 
 ful, what an awful change ! From a 
 home of light to a land of darkness ; 
 from before the face of Love to the 
 hatred of wicked men ; from power 
 to weakness ; from glory to shame ; 
 from honour to ignominy; from majesty 
 and life to drink the bitter death- 
 cup to the very dregs. How could it 
 ber 
 
HIMSELF, 7 
 
 It is the mystery of Love to which no 
 heart has ever yet pierced ; but every 
 heart that has embraced it for its own, 
 vibrates, struck by the same chord, as it 
 dwells on the Oneness of the Father and 
 the vSon — the One God who is Love, and 
 then reads : — 
 
 " The Father sent the Son to be the 
 Saviour of the world." (i John iv. 14.) 
 
 Oh, what majesty, what depths, what 
 length and breadth and height, in these 
 simple words ; what oneness of purpose, 
 what perfection of love, what fellowship 
 of the spirit. And this God is our God. 
 This love is for us. He wishes us to be 
 very personal, to make no mistake about 
 it, therefore He tells us, — *' I have loved 
 thee with an everlasting love," (Jer. xxxi. 
 3), and that we may not say it is too 
 mighty for us to know, in another 
 place He specially speaks of it in His 
 human nature, *' I drew them with the 
 cords of a man, with bands of love." 
 'Hos. xi. 4.) 
 
 No, it is not too mighty ; it is not too 
 
8 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 tender; we need it all; we little know 
 ho7v we need it. 
 
 It is beyond us, and away from us, 
 outside us and around us, spreading far 
 and near, overflowing its borders, stretch- 
 ing wider than ocean's reach, encompas- 
 sing the earth, brooding over this sin- 
 stricken world, inhabiting eternity, and 
 ■yet — and yet there is a home for us in its 
 very centre ; the only home where rest is 
 to be found ; the only centre from which 
 we shall never wish to spring, even in 
 the very heart of our Lord. " Abide in 
 7ne," 
 
 And as if this— think of it— as if this 
 were not enough ; He, Love, looks down, 
 — perhaps with that blessed, tender, piti- 
 ful look, that we fancy He must have 
 laid on the little children, the disciples 
 would have sent away from Him — He 
 looks down, and what does He see r A 
 heart, evil and defiled, miserable and 
 poor and wretched ; and as if He had 
 not yet bestowed enough. He adds, — 
 '* And I myou," 
 
HIMSELF. 9 
 
 Is it not wonderful ? 
 
 " Abide in me," to show us His 
 beauty ; " and I in you," to make us 
 beautiful for Himself. And when w^e 
 know this, we know a little, just a little 
 of what it means when it says, — "The 
 King brought me into His chambers." 
 (Cant. i. 4.) Into the heart that bled and 
 broke for me, into the heart that suffered 
 and died for me, into the heart where 
 " love strong as death " — (Cant. viii. 6) ; 
 broke the bands of death, and rose tri- 
 umphant over the grave, and lives at 
 God's right hand, until the church. His 
 bride, whom He loved, and for whom He 
 gave Himself — sanctified and cleansed 
 — shall be presented unto Himself; a 
 glorious church, not having spot or 
 wrinkle or any such thing, but holy 
 and without blemish (Eph. iv. 25, 27); 
 and He shall come forth crowned, " in 
 the day of the gladness of His heart" 
 (Cant. iii. 11); and shall "see of the 
 travail of His soul, and be satisfied** 
 (Is. liii.) 
 
10 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 Is not this blessed to look for, and all 
 through Him ? does it not make us long 
 ever more earnestly to know '* the King in 
 His beauty?" (Is. xxxiii. i. 7), to "know 
 the love of Christ, which passeth know- 
 ledge ?" (Eph. iii. 19.) Oh ! what a King 
 to serve, where He Himself is Love, and 
 the service all love ; and where, the 
 more we gaze, the more we know and 
 feel His love. What can Ave say of 
 Him? 
 
 " My Beloved is white and ruddy, the 
 chiefest among ten thousand. His head 
 is as the most fine gold ; His locks are 
 bushy and black as a raven ; His eyes 
 are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of 
 water, washed with milk and fitly set. 
 His cheeks as a bed of spices, as sweet 
 flowers; His lips like lilies, dropping 
 sweet-smelling myrrh. . . His counte- 
 nance is as Lebanon, excellent as the 
 cedars ; His mouth is most sweet ; yea, 
 He is altogether lovely.'' (Cant. v. 10, &c.) 
 And the New Testament can find no 
 fuller or more perfect description, and so 
 
HIMSELF. 1 1 
 
 sums all up in a short word, and calls 
 Him : — " The pearl of great price." Is 
 it not enough that "This is my beloved, 
 and this is my friend ? " (Cant. v. 1 6.) 
 
II, 
 
" Lord Jesus, if I cannot say 
 
 That I have love to Thee ; 
 Do thou, I pray Thee, day by day, 
 
 Reveal thy love to me." 
 
 "When the heart says, sighing to be approved, 
 *0h, that I loved,' and stops — God answers, 'Loved.'" 
 
 "Oh Lord, let that become possible to me by Thy 
 grace, which by nature seems impossible to me." — 
 Thomas a Kej^pis. 
 
WE TO HIM. 
 
 " To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." 
 Eph. iii. 19. 
 
 A ND if this is our Pearl, how must we 
 set it ? 
 
 No two people will set a jewel pre- 
 cisely in the same manner; yet, if they 
 have any just appreciation of it, their 
 object will be the same. They will 
 strive to give it such a setting as will 
 make the gazer forget that it is set — 
 lost in admiration of the gem. 
 
 Such must be our aim, our desire, 
 our fervent longing. The life that is 
 bestowed upon us must be gathered up 
 so close to the Pearl, that the frail set- 
 ting will be forgotten, in the lights and 
 
1 6 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 shades and glory that the gem will 
 cast over it. 
 
 Therefore we come to this — that all 
 our life must be love^ feeble and poor 
 though it be, and unworthy the name 
 of love ; yet in the eyes of the King, it 
 is the most — the only — fit setting for the 
 Pearl ; and the soft lustre that spreads 
 from the jewel will extend over the set- 
 ting, glorifying it with its own light. 
 
 '* Oh, wonderful, that Thou should'st let 
 So vile a heart as mine 
 Love Thee with such a love as this, 
 And make so free with Thine." * 
 
 Let us see what one of old says of 
 this love of God in the heart : — " The 
 noble love of Jesus impels a man to do 
 great things, and stirs him up to be 
 always longing for what is more perfect ; 
 nothing is sweeter than love; nothing 
 more courageous, nothing higher, no- 
 thing wider, nothing more pleasant, 
 nothing fuller nor better in heaven and 
 
 * Fnber. 
 
Wi: TO HIM. 17 
 
 earth, because love is born of God, and 
 cannot rest but in God above all created 
 things. He that loveth, flieth, runneth, 
 and rejoiceth ; he is free, and is not 
 bound. He giveth all for all, because 
 he resteth in One highest above all 
 things, from whom all that is good 
 flows and proceeds." " 
 
 Do you know something of this r Do 
 you k-now what it is to have your very 
 soul athirst for the love of God r to 
 stretch out your hands eagerly that they 
 may be filled with the love of Christ, 
 good measure, pressed down, and run- 
 ning over, till men shall turn to gaze, 
 and whisper that "you have been with 
 Jesus?" (Acts. iv. 13.) 
 
 Perhaps the answer comes, that you 
 know the thirsting, and the stretching 
 out for fullness, but you do not know 
 what it is to be filled ; you are weary 
 with seeking, and are fain to cry out. 
 
 Oh, that I had wings like a dove, for 
 
 * Thomas a Kempis. 
 C 
 
 iC 
 
i8 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 then would I flee away and be at 
 rest.'' (Ps. Iv. 6.) Listen then, '' But 
 the dove found no rest for the sole of 
 
 her foot, and she returned unto him 
 
 then he put forth his hand, and took 
 her and pulled her in unto Jiiin'' (Gen. 
 viii. 9.) 
 
 That is where you will find the rest 
 of love, tired, longing soul ; not in turn- 
 ing to weep over your poor store ; not 
 in summing up what you have, or have 
 not, of love ; not in gazing at the empti- 
 ness, and only longing for what should 
 be there. Not in any of these things ; 
 but in resolutely turning away from all 
 the goodness, as well as from all the 
 badness in you ; in turning away from 
 all the love in you, as much as from all 
 the want of love, and instead of that, 
 — "Beholding, as in a glass, the glory 
 of the Lord ; " for then comes the change 
 in self, and ''We .... are changed into 
 the same image, as by the spirit of the 
 Lord." (2 Cor. iii. 18.) 
 
 It is by gazing into LLts face, that we 
 
WF TO HIM. ,9 
 
 learn His love, and that at last our own 
 heart responds, and finds that it can 
 pour out love and thanks, and we are 
 rr'ady to say, as the disciples, " Did not 
 our heart burn within us w^hile He 
 talked with us by the way, and while 
 He opened to us the scriptures ? " (Luke 
 xxiv. -^2.) Only, that with us, it may be 
 for ever the present, and not the past^ for 
 when he vanished from earthly sight, and 
 ascended on high. He left us this blessed 
 assurance of His certain and continual 
 presence, "/.<?, / am zvith you alzvays." 
 (^lat. xxviii. 19.' 
 
 And this blessed life has no end ; 
 blessed indeed, because full of love, and 
 therefore growing ever more perfectly 
 in the '* Holiness without which no man 
 shall see the Lord." (Heb. xii. 14.) 
 Abiding in Him and he in us, our path 
 becomes '*as a shining light, shining 
 more and more unto the perfect day." 
 (Pro. iv. 18.) And we begin to know the 
 truth of those lines in the "Rhythm of 
 St. Bernard," applying them to our life 
 
20 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 in Christ, our knowledge of Him, our 
 love and satisfaction in Him : — 
 
 ** Oh thirst for ever ardent, 
 Yet, evermore content.''^ 
 
 Do you understand it ? do you know it ? 
 I think you must ; surely it is growing, it 
 is nearing, it is coming. 
 
 " The love of Jesus what it is, 
 None but His loved ones know." 
 
 And you being a loved one, have already 
 begun your share in knowing what it is 
 prayed that " the Father would grant 
 you ; .... to know the love of Chi'isty 
 which passeth knowledge." Oh, won- 
 drous prayer, and yet not wondrous, for 
 it comes to us from the heart of God ; 
 an inspiration of the Holy Spirit ; and 
 you, having heard the loving voice of 
 Jesus once, can never, will never, rest 
 till you hear it always. But we have yet 
 something to learn of the manner in 
 which this love comes to us ; ratner, it 
 is already come to us ; let us ser; more 
 then of the way in which it corr.ei tt^ u<i 
 
III. 
 
God is never so far off, 
 
 As evtn to be near; 
 He dwells within, our spirit is 
 
 The home He holds most dear. 
 
 To think of Him as by our side, 
 
 Is almost as untrue 
 As to remove His throne, beyond 
 
 Those skies of starry blue. 
 
 So all the while I thought myself 
 « Homeless, forlorn and weary I 
 Missing my joy, I walked the earth, 
 Myself God's Sanctuary." 
 
 Fai}?:r. 
 
 I Cor. iii. i6. 
 
WITHIN US. 
 
 "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the 
 Holy Spirit which is given unto us."— RoM. v. 5. 
 
 TTERE is the great secret— the great 
 force — the constraining influence 
 which draws out our heart in love to 
 Christ ; and love to Him can come out 
 of our poor, weak, evil heart, for it comes 
 just in the same way as all the other 
 Christian graces— that is, it is God's love, 
 which we receive from Him, to return to 
 Him, and He accepts it as our very own 
 gift. 
 
 It is not that we have a scanty supply 
 
 of love ourselves, and must diligently 
 
 ' trade with that and make it more ; no, it 
 
 is a divine, spiritual love, which is of 
 
24 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 God, and yet dwells with us — "The love 
 of God is shed abroad in our hearts by 
 the Holy Spirit." (Rom. v. 5.) 
 
 Could we receive it in a more precious 
 way ? God's own love, and it is shed 
 into our hearts by the blessed Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 And how does He bring God's love 
 into our heart, making it so one with us, 
 that we can give it back to Him as our 
 own ? Not by occupying us with our- 
 selves, with what we have or have not, 
 but thus, — He takes of the things of 
 Jesus and shows them unto us — "He 
 shall receive of mine, and shall show it 
 unto you .... He shall take of mine, 
 and shall show it unto you." (John xvi. 
 
 14, 15O 
 
 We cannot be looking at two things at 
 the same moment — not at ourself and at 
 Christ ; and we read that the Holy Spirit 
 convinces of " sin " those who " believe 
 not ; " but, having believed, it seems 
 to me, His great work is to reveal the 
 Lord Jesus to us, and the more clearly 
 
WITHIN US. 25 
 
 and fully we see and know Him, the 
 more clearly and fully do we see all 
 else. 
 
 There is, and always will be, an under- 
 current of the knowledge of our sinful 
 nature and past sins ; but if we stop to 
 gaze at these, will it not weaken and 
 unnerve us ? Perhaps with you it is a 
 great grief that, since knowing Christ as 
 your Saviour, you do not feel your past 
 sins more deeply ; you think that if only 
 you were more conscious of the exceed- 
 ing sinfulness of sin, and of your own 
 sins in particular, it would fill you with 
 love to Him who has redeemed you, and 
 that on the other hand, if you had real 
 deep love to Him, that would bring you 
 under deep conviction of sin. 
 
 Both are needed, but they will not 
 come in seeking for them as for things 
 by themselves ; but the more we know 
 Christ Himself, the more shall we love 
 Him, and the more shall we shrink away 
 from everything that is hateful and dis- 
 pleasing to Him. 
 
26 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 Do we not need, and shall we not seek 
 a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit 
 within us r How do we know what He 
 will not work upon us and in us — to 
 what new and lovely paths He will lead 
 us ; for, following Him, delivering our- 
 selves up to Him, "the heart 
 
 launches out on the boundless ocean of 
 the love of God. It comes to 'know 
 the love of Christ,' of which yet it is 
 conscious that it * passeth knowledge/ 
 Hungering and thirsting for righteous- 
 ness, it has come to know Jesus, and 
 been * filled,' and yet never did it know 
 such quenchless yearnings for a holier 
 life ; ' * perfect/ yet * not already per- 
 fected ; ' * satisfied,' yet * hungering and 
 thirsting ; ' at rest, yet * earnestly con- 
 tending;' knowing the love of Christ, 
 yet panting to comprehend what is its 
 breadth, and length, and depth, and 
 height ; always rejoicing, yet sorrowful ; 
 an inward knowledge of God has solved 
 all the paradoxes of His Word."* 
 
 * Walking in the Light— R. P. S. 
 
WITHIN US. 27 
 
 Ah, St. Paul well knew what He was 
 saying when He told the brethren to 
 *' strive together with Him for the love 
 of the Spirit." (Rom. xv. 30.) 
 
 How holy, how gentle. His leadings ; 
 how near to Christ ; how one with Him ; 
 how abounding with love, and therefore 
 with joy, peace, and hope— for love 
 reveals to us all secrets ; loving, we are 
 full of joy in the object of our love; 
 eager, bold, glad, for we have but one 
 object at heart — to love and show that 
 we love ; and already we are triumphant, 
 exultant in Him. 
 
 Full of peace, for there is nothing 
 unresting ; the dove, who finds rest with 
 Him, wanders no more ; the wanderings 
 were too sad, too lonely, too full of bitter 
 cravings and impossibilities — now, in His 
 presence, there is fullness of joy — and 
 He continually — always — makes that one 
 "full of joy with His countenance;'* 
 abundantly satisfied, full of peace to the 
 very centre. Winds may blow, and 
 tempests fall with terrible violence, yet 
 
28 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 the soul — the true, real, living self — is 
 still at peace, unshattered, untormented ; 
 because, whatever betides, God ^^ keeps 
 those in perfect peace whose minds are 
 stayed on Him, because they trust in 
 Him" (Is. xxvi. 3); and our mind, still 
 less our heart, cannot trustingly be 
 stayed, except where we love. 
 
 Full of hope— for the past life tells us 
 that what has been shall be — and love 
 exults in the knowledge that " goodness 
 and mercy do follow" and crown every 
 day ; and not only that, but each day 
 leaves a full grand assurance for the 
 future. — 
 
 "Then on Thy grandeur I will lay me down, 
 Already life is heaven to me ; 
 No cradled child more softly lies than I ; 
 Come soon, Eternity."* 
 
 For whether in life or death, nothing, I 
 am persuaded, shall separate us from 
 the love of God, which is, in Christ 
 Jesus, shed abroad in our heart by the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 * Faber. 
 
IV. 
 
" Give thy heart's best treasure. 
 From fair nature learn ; 
 Give thy love, and ask not, 
 Wait not a return. 
 
 " And the more thou spendest, 
 From thy little store ; 
 With a double bounty, 
 
 God shall give thee more." 
 
 A. A. Procter. 
 
 " Love that gives its own for naught, 
 Is like the God of Heaven." 
 
BESIDE US. 
 
 ** The love of Christ constraineth us." — 2 Cor. v. 14. 
 
 " Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these 
 my brethren, ye did it unto Me" — Matt. xxv. 40. 
 
 TN the great and terrible trials of life, 
 the anxious and dreaded ones, all 
 who are Christ's, know what it is to 
 commit them to the love and wisdom of 
 God, and to rest on Him. I will not 
 speak of these, but in relation with the 
 small, insignificant troubles of life, let 
 us consider this word of the King's — 
 " Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the 
 least of these My brethren, ye did it 
 unto Ale," 
 
 Oh, are our daily lives, the blameless. 
 
32 THE KING OF LOV^. 
 
 loving lives that become the children 
 of a King whose name is Love ? Are 
 they gentle, lowly, humble-minded; every 
 action, an action of love to Him ? 
 
 For such they may be. Spent with 
 JesuSy such they must of necessity be. 
 
 But then, how is it that we meet so 
 many Christians who are quick-tempered, 
 ill-te pered, cross, vain^ worldly-minded, 
 irritable, full of worries, teasing, abrupt, 
 sarcastic, rough, to be approached on 
 some subjects, and at some times, with 
 extreme caution ; impatient, ungracious, 
 self-seeking, ready with sharp words, 
 puffed up, easily provoked, ready with 
 scandal and unkind gossip; doubting, 
 dark, miserable, desponding ? 
 
 These, all together, are much ; each 
 taken separately is called " a very small 
 thing," and a '* servant of Jesus Christ " 
 thinks nothing of excusing his roughness, 
 or sharp words, or want of forethought. 
 
 But oh ! ought His servants to be 
 guilty of these things ? Dear friend, 
 the shame you bring on yourself is little ; 
 
BESIDE US. 33 
 
 it is nothings in comparison with the 
 shame you bring on Christ by not 
 honouring Him. 
 
 Do you belong to Cli^'isf, and are you 
 " worried to death ? " 
 
 Have you His comforting presence and 
 boundless love, and can any one and 
 anything " put you out in a minute r " 
 
 [May you be full of joy with His 
 countenance" (Acts iii. 28), and is there 
 " nothing worth living for ? " 
 
 Has Christ forgiven you all your 
 trespasses, and is there some one to 
 whom you mean "to tell out your 
 mind ? " Did Christ " not please Him- 
 self r" (Rom. XV. 3) ; and do we seek 
 the pleasantest seat — the warmest corner 
 — the first sight of a new book ? 
 
 Did He '^suffer for us^ leaving us an 
 example that we should follow His 
 steps " (i Peter iii. 21); and do we grudge 
 the small inconvenience of running a 
 message — laying down our work, or 
 reading, to oblige another ? When He 
 was "reviled, did He not revile again" 
 D 
 
34 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 (i Peter ii. 23), and does an interruption 
 in an important, or oftener still, in an 
 unimportant occupation, make us hasty 
 and irritable ? 
 
 Did publicans and sinners draw near 
 to Him to find and meet a loving wel- 
 come, and are we ungracious and sharp 
 to those who love us, and whom we 
 love ? 
 
 Is He the Author of that love which 
 "covereth a multitude of sins " (i Peter iv. 
 8), and are we, His servants, eager with 
 a bit of scandal because it is amusing, — 
 with a bit of unkind gossip, because it 
 passes away the time ? 
 
 Oh, what is the reason that we are 
 so un-Christlike ; so miserably mean and 
 little, and with it all, quite ready to pass 
 it over and excuse ourselves ? Surely it 
 is the want of love — surely, love to Him, 
 would put these things right, for the 
 very lowliest and humblest act may be 
 done to Him, out of love to Him. " All, 
 .... the very least things which all 
 must do every day ; which our Lord 
 
BESIDE US. 35 
 
 includes under the name of * daily- 
 bread. ' So that we may stop at nothing 
 short of all, but our whole being, doing, 
 thinking, living, willing, having, longing, 
 be wrapt up, gathered, concentrated, in 
 the one will and good pleasure of God." * 
 
 You are ready for His service ; it is 
 the delight and joy of your life to work 
 for Him, will you not then begin, where 
 perhaps His eye will rest most approv- 
 ingly of all upon you, in your own 
 narrow circle, and live such a life of 
 love, as will make men wonder, for 
 the)^ will see, not you, but Christ living 
 in you. 
 
 Think, if He had to live your life, 
 how He would live it ? What gracious- 
 ness, what gentleness, what obligingness, 
 what a quickness to see and supply the 
 wants of others, there would be ; what 
 loving thought before correction, what 
 glad, bright sympathy in joy, what 
 tenderness in trouble ? 
 
 Are you not ready for this, for His 
 
 * Dr. Pusey. 
 
36 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 sake r Has He not loved you enough ? 
 or are you ready for a great sacrifice, 
 and reluctant for a small one ? Are you 
 anxious to serve Him in much, and not 
 ready to please Him in little ? 
 
 " Let not your heart be troubled ^' 
 (John xiv. i), is as much a command as, 
 '* Thou shalt not steal ; " but it seems 
 as if very many never even think that 
 it is a command at all ; they give as 
 a sort of answer, " Oh, but I have so 
 many things to think about and to 
 trouble me ! " Christ did not forget that 
 you would have those " many things " 
 when He said those words, and yet He 
 said them twice over. These things 
 would not "trouble" you, if you were 
 absolutely living with Him ; you have 
 no right to hug your worries and 
 troubles, as if they were a very im- 
 portant part of your Christian life, and 
 showed great zeal and earnestness. They 
 are not so ; they are a great hindrance 
 to your growth in grace ; a great dis- 
 honour to the Lord Jesus Christ; yet we 
 
BESIDE US. 
 
 37 
 
 have got into such a habit of troubling 
 and worrying about insignificant little 
 matters, which for the most part are 
 sure to be over and forgotten before to- 
 morrow, that we think them a necessity : 
 that there is something peculiar about 
 our trials, whi^h makes it impossible for 
 us to take them calmly, and rest them 
 on Jesus, waiting for Hii/i to deliver us. 
 
 But, we may get rid of them all. We 
 may give them up, tf we "mil. When 
 you begin to worry, it is not that Christ 
 has gone away from you, but that you 
 have shut your heart away from Him. 
 If you really believed that He who is 
 Love and Power, were witJi you^ could 
 you be so foolish ? Would you not rather 
 turn and put your hands in His, and 
 look into His blessed face of Love ? 
 
 If you do that, trouble, worry, im- 
 patience, will melt away, for though He 
 is Love, yet are His eyes as " a flame of 
 fire." The fire of His love not only burns 
 away all that is sinful, but strengthens 
 that which is weak and feeble — in a 
 
38 THE KING OF LOVE, 
 
 word, unites us to Himself, " purifying 
 us even as He is pure." (i John iii. 4.) 
 
 Troubles and afflictions, be they large, 
 or be they small, are not sent to let us 
 worry and fret, but to make our trust, and 
 confidence, and hope in God, stronger 
 and stronger, till at last Hathing shall be 
 able to take us from Him. Everything 
 that tends to strengthen us in Him 
 should fill us with encouragement. 
 
 Perhaps some one says that if it were 
 for Christ alone it would be easy, but 
 that worries and troubles come through 
 others. Yes, it is so ; we are all — the 
 very best — only '* earthern vessels ; " but 
 yet, God knew, not only that troubles 
 would come, but how they would come, 
 and still He said, " Let not your heart 
 be troubled." 
 
 He knew there would be temptations 
 to anger and need for forbearance, and 
 He not only says, '* forbearing one 
 another," but, " forbearing one another 
 in love." 
 
 He knew there would be occasions for 
 
BESIDE US, 39 
 
 vain-glory, and He speaks of " lowliness 
 and meekness." He knew we should be 
 tempted to impatience, and He speaks of 
 " long-suffering." 
 
 He knew we must rebuke, and He tells 
 us to do it in the *' spirit of meekness." 
 
 He knew jve must sometimes speak 
 truths that are not pleasant, and He tells 
 us of ** speaking the truth in love." 
 
 He knew we should be tempted to be 
 selfish, and He tells us, " Christ pleased 
 not Himself." 
 
 He knew that we should be tempted 
 to be irritable and unsympathising, 
 therefore He prays " that the God of 
 Patience and consolation will grant us 
 to be like-minded one lo anolher according 
 to (marg. after the pattern of) Christ 
 Jesus. (Rom. xv. 5.) 
 
 Do you think there is any little trouble 
 He cannot overcome ? Only give your- 
 self completely and absolutely to Him ; 
 ask Him to be especially careful about 
 you in these little matters ; pour out your 
 very heart and soul as an offering to Him, 
 
40 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 and do the least act for love to Him, 
 and you will find Him sufficient for all. 
 
 Does He not treasure up the times 
 when from your love to Him you forbore 
 to speak ; when you listened patiently to 
 another for His sake ; when you took the 
 last place, for His sake ; when you did 
 that uninviting errand for His sake ; 
 when you applied yourself to that dis- 
 tasteful, fidgety little task for His sake ? 
 
 Oh, for what an One we may love and 
 live, who will so graciously and lovingly 
 accept these little offerings ! Will you 
 make them for His beloved sake ? and 
 remember for your comfort. His own 
 words : — 
 
 "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of 
 the least of these, ye did it unto Me." 
 When you thus live, how natural and 
 true will you find it to repeat : — 
 
 " Ah Jesus, Jesus, dearest Lord, 
 
 Forgive me if I say 
 For very love, Thy sacred name, 
 
 A thousand times a day." * 
 
 * Faber. 
 
** Oh, for freedom, for freedom in worshipping God, 
 For the mountain-top feeling of generous souls, 
 
 For the health, for the air, of the hearts deep and broad, 
 Where grace, not in rills, but in cataracts rolls. 
 
 "Most good is the brisk wholesome service of fear, 
 And the calm wise obedience of conscience is sweet ; 
 
 And good are all worships, all loyalties dear, 
 All promptitudes fitting, all services meet. 
 
 "But none honours God like the thirst of desire, 
 Nor possesses the heart so completely with him ; 
 
 For it burns the world out with the swift ease of fire, 
 And fills life with good works, till it runs o'er the brim. 
 
 " Then pray for desire, for love's wistfullest yearning. 
 
 For the beautiful pining of holy desire ; 
 Yes, pray for a soul that is ceaselessly burning, 
 
 With the soft fragrant flames of this thrice happy fire. 
 
 " For the heart only dwells, truly dwells, with its treasure, 
 And the languor of love captive hearts can unfetter ; 
 
 And they who love God cannot love him by measure, 
 For their love is but hunger to love him still better. 
 
 " Is it hard to serve God, timid soul ? Hast thou found 
 Gloomy forests, dark glens, mountain-tops on thy way ? 
 
 All the hard would be easy, all the tangles unwound, 
 Wouldst thou only desire as well as obey. 
 
*• For the lack of desire is the ill of all ills ; 
 
 Many thousands through it the dark pathway have trod, 
 The balsam, the wine of predestinate wills 
 
 Is a jubilant pining and longing for God. 
 
 " 'lis a fire that will burn what thou canst not pass over; 
 
 'lis a lightning that breaks away all bars to love ; 
 'Tis a sunbeam the secrets of God to discover ; 
 
 'Tis the wing David prayed for, the wing of the Dove. 
 
 '* I have seen living men — and their good angels know, 
 How they failed and fell short thro' the want of desire ; 
 
 Souls once almost saints, have descended so low, 
 
 'Twill be much if their wings bear them over the fire. 
 
 ** I have seen dying men, not so grand in their dying 
 As our love would have wished, and thro' lack of desire. 
 
 Oh that we may die languishing, burning, and sighing, 
 For God's last grace and best is to die all on fire. 
 
 " Oh then wish more for God, burn more with desire. 
 Covet more the dear sight of His marvellous face ; 
 
 Pray louder, pray longer, for the sweet gift of fire 
 
 To come down on thy heart with its whirlwinds of grace. 
 
 "Yes, pine for thy God, fainting soul ! ever pine, 
 Oh, languish mid all that life gives thee of mirth ; 
 
 Famished, thirsty, and restless, — let such life be thine, — 
 For what sight is to heaven, desire is to earth. 
 
 *' God loves to be longed for, He longs to be sought, 
 For He sought us Himself with such longing and love. 
 
 He died for desire of us, marvellous thought ! 
 
 And He yearns for us now to be with Him above." 
 
 Faber. 
 
'* And here we offer and present unto Thee, O Lord, 
 ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, 
 and lively sacrifice unto Thee ; and although we be 
 unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto Thee 
 any sacrifice, yet we beseech Thee to accept this our 
 bounden duty and service ; not weighing our merits, but 
 pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ, our Lord." 
 
 ** Accepted in the Beloved." — Eph, i. 6. 
 
AROUND US. 
 
 "DUT beside this narrow, daily life, 
 there is another — there is the life of 
 active service in which we take part, 
 whether in connection with or apart 
 from our own home, for, knowing Christ 
 ourselves, it is impossible, but that 
 sooner or later, in some way or other, 
 we find means of bringing others to know 
 Him. 
 
 God has given to each their own 
 special place ; but, oh, are we, in that 
 place, offering the very highest and best 
 service to Him — the service that springs 
 of love : Love, you know, is never 
 contented with less than the very best; 
 it is quick to detect possibilities of 
 
46 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 service, eager to follow them, strong to 
 bear, attempts what is even beyond its 
 strength, for it forgets its own weakness 
 and unfitness, resting in Him who is 
 Strength, and Power, and Wisdom, and 
 stretches out to fulfil all its desire and 
 hope, and longing, in the service of 
 Christ its Example. He came as " ser- 
 vant of all," and in that deep lowliness 
 proved Himself "first" and *' chiefest," — 
 " the chiefest among ten thousand." And 
 now He lives everlastingly the Priest 
 and the King of those who, following in 
 His footprints, strive also to be " ser- 
 vants of ally' that they may completely 
 be " the servants of Jesus Christ." 
 
 And what footprints ! But for love, 
 none surely would ever dare even to try 
 the art of placing his own feet within 
 them ; but love is so humble and brave, 
 it cannot help but venture. 
 
 We read of the Queen of Sheba, 
 that when she came to see Solomon, 
 she brought with her " a very great 
 train, with camels that bare spices, and 
 
AROUND US. 47 
 
 very much gold, and precious stones." 
 (I Kings X. 2.) Such was the custom in 
 the East when visiting princes ; the first 
 act was to present a rich gift : so did Jacob 
 send a present down to Egypt by his ten 
 sons ; so had he formerly sent to Esau ; 
 so did the Magi bring and present to our 
 Lord ; and doubtless the noble Queen of 
 Sheba had very specially prepared a 
 costly gift for the monarch whose fame 
 had so attracted her. 
 
 Yet we read nothing of it, when she 
 appeared before him ; we only read that 
 she " communed with him of all that was 
 in her heart" — for perhaps when she 
 saw his riches and gold and precious 
 stones, she felt the gift she had fancied 
 so great would be as nothing where all 
 was "riches and wealth, and honour," 
 such as none other king had ever had, 
 and such as none would ever have again. 
 (2 Chron. i. 12.) 
 
 Everything was wonderful to her — 
 even "the sitting of his servants, and 
 the attendance of his ministers, and their 
 
48 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 apparel, and his cup-bearers, and his 
 ascent by which he went up unto the 
 house of the Lord." (i Kings x. 5.) 
 
 She was a Queen, with servants and 
 ministers, and yet never had she seen 
 anything like it, and at last it tells us — 
 "there was no more spirit left in her." 
 She was lost; there was no room for 
 self any longer, now that she knew King 
 Solomon and his glory, and she turns 
 and speaks to him : " It was a true report 
 
 that I heard and behold, the half 
 
 was not told me !" — and yet now, for the 
 first time, she hastens to bring forth her 
 presents : — 
 
 "A hundred and twenty talents of 
 gold " (2 Chron. ix. 9) ; but what was 
 that, when "the weight of gold that 
 came to Solomon in 6?;^^ (" each"*) year 
 was six hundred three score and six 
 talents of gold!" (i Kings x. 14.) "And 
 of spices great abundance and precious 
 stones " (2 Chron. ix. 9) ; but, "he had of 
 the merchantmen, and of the traffic of 
 
 ♦ Wordsworth. 
 
AROUND US. 4g 
 
 the spice merchants, and of all the kings 
 of Arabia, and of the governors of the 
 country ! " Yet with all this, " neither was 
 there any such spice as the Queen of Sheha 
 gave Ki72g Solomon*' Surely it was that 
 " because of the savour of his good 
 ointment, his name was to her as oint- 
 ment poured forth" (Cant. i. 3), and 
 therefore in his presence it could not be 
 otherwise than that " her spikenard sent 
 forth the smell thereof" (Cant. i. 12); 
 little and small in themselves, but 
 weighty with love, she brought her 
 lowly offerings, not because of herself 
 but because of the king. 
 
 So w^ill it be with us, — of what value is 
 our service ? Of what worth our ignorant 
 faltering work ? 
 
 Of what worth ? 
 
 In our eyes of none, yet still we offer it 
 because of love ; and see what He says 
 of one in whom His love thus brings 
 forth service : — 
 
 "I have compared thee, O my love, 
 to a company of horses in Pharaoh's 
 E 
 
50 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 chariots " (Cant. i. 9) ; and Pharaoh's 
 horses, perfect in strength, alert to 
 obedience, were each one worth " 150 
 shekels of silver/' (2 Chron. i. 17.) 
 
 " Thy cheeks are comely with rows of 
 jewels ; " that is, *' comely through rny 
 comeliness which / had put upon thee, 
 saith the Lord." (Ezek. xvi. 14.) 
 
 **Thy neck with chains of gold," — for 
 precious indeed to Him, is the faith 
 which unites each believer to the Head. 
 
 " Behold, thou art fair, my lov^e ; 
 behold, thou art fair, thou hast doves' 
 eyes," for though in times past ** ye have 
 lien among the pots," now are ye, '* as 
 the wings of a dove covered with silver, 
 and her feathers with yellow gold." 
 (Ps. Ixviii. 13.) 
 
 Is not the service of one, thus loved 
 and cared for, and who can return for 
 all answer, " Behold, Tho7L art fair my 
 Beloved" (Cant. i. 16); is it not precious 
 — is it not to Him as " none other spice ? " 
 Listen how he asks for it : — 
 
 " O my dove, that art in the clefts of 
 
AROUND US. 51 
 
 the rock, in the secret places of the 
 stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me 
 hear thy voice ; for sweet is thy voice and 
 thy countenance is comely." (Cant. ii. 14.) 
 " Thy voice sweet and thy countenance 
 comely ? " How then in His service will 
 it attract ; how will it command ; how 
 beseech ; how implore ; how rejoice ; 
 how weep ; not, perhaps, with great 
 words of eloquence, but as *' a still small 
 voice," simple and natural ; speaking of 
 the things it has heard and seen and 
 looked upon — in truth and love, heart 
 answering to heart. Love, with winged 
 feet, seeking the unloving and unlovely. 
 Love, carrying the gospel of glad-tidings 
 to those who do not care to seek it. 
 Love, entreating those who have for- 
 saken their first love to return, for " the 
 Lord's hand is not shortened that He 
 cannot save, nor His ear heavy that He 
 cannot hear." Love, " feeding the flock 
 of God. . . . taking the oversight thereof 
 . . . willingly. . . . and of a ready mind " 
 (i Peter, v. 2); forgetting self, mindful 
 
52 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 only of the chief Shepherd and the flock 
 — His flock. Love, seeking to draw out 
 the living water, Sunday by Sunday, to 
 the class which is dull and heavy, which 
 is giddy, which seems unimpressible. 
 Love, daily teaching, unobserved, in the 
 quiet school. Love, laid aside, yet there 
 *' helping together by prayer." (2 Cor. i. 
 2.) Love, plying the arduous task of 
 showing gentleness and firmness, and, if 
 may be, healing, to the sick in body. 
 Love, not slothful, diligent, just and true 
 in business. Love, obeying and serving 
 earthly masters in singleness of heart. 
 For all service— lowly or high, small or 
 great — nothing but love, love, love. 
 Love from God, bringing out love to 
 Him ; Love for God causing love to our 
 neighbour. 
 
 "Herein is love, not that we loved 
 God, but that He loved us. . . Beloved, 
 if God so loved us, we ought also to love 
 one another. If we love one another, 
 God dwelleth in us, and His love is 
 perfected in us. God is love, and he 
 
AROUND US. 53 
 
 that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, 
 and God in him'* (i Jno. iv. lo, ii, 
 12, 1 6.) Love then is the preparation, 
 the commencement, the continuance of 
 service. 
 
 To some, their work is apparent; not 
 sought perhaps — or perhaps it is 
 sought ; however it be, it is from God, 
 of God. 
 
 With others, it is not so apparent — 
 still perhaps, to be undertaken. It is to 
 be for the God you love — it is to be for 
 those who love Him — it is to be for those 
 who love Him not. 
 
 It is to be for these, and yet, all the 
 time, it will imperceptibly mould and 
 fashion you for your mansion that is 
 preparing, the house eternal in the 
 heavens, for though now " in building " 
 it is built " of stone made ready before it 
 is brought thither ; so that there is neither 
 hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron 
 heard in the house, while it is in build- 
 ing." (i Kings vi. 7.) All is perfected 
 that enters there. " Earth is the work- 
 
54 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 shop where God makes men ; Heaven is 
 the palace where He shows them." * 
 
 What service of love is to be yours ? 
 There were many different services in the 
 house of the Lord of old, among whom, 
 " were very able men for the work of the 
 service ofthe house of God." (i Chr.ix. 13.) 
 Keepers of the gates and entry-porters, 
 rulers, those set over the vessels, singers, 
 harpers, and many other offices ; all per- 
 formed as to the Lord ; all of God ; and 
 many are pictures of lowly acts of love 
 that we may perform : but the most im- 
 portant of all was the service of the 
 priests — it v/as the highest, the fullest, 
 the most sacred. 
 
 We know the King of Love — we love 
 Him ; has our love carried us to the 
 uttermost limits, to the greatest possibi- 
 lities of service to Him ? Honourable is 
 the career of a soldier in the ranks ; but 
 what of him w^ho rises to command ? 
 
 Have we chosen, rather, have we ac- 
 cepted, the very highest God will bestow 
 
 * From a sermon. 
 
AROUND US. 55 
 
 upon us r Are we shrinking back from 
 a place wherein the love of God is ready 
 to place us, because we deem ourselves 
 unfit for it r Is there some special place, 
 needing a worker, beyond oitr capabili- 
 ties (but who that may live and rely 
 on God will measure his own powers), 
 and none to enter in and work there, and 
 shall we not, for His sake, step forward, 
 and fill up the gap ? Is there not some- 
 times more true humility in fulfilling a 
 hard and difficult task than in drawing 
 back and renouncing it ? 
 
 I do not see how we can ever draw 
 back, if we believe that the Lord will 
 open to us His good treasure. 
 
 St. Paul, writing to the Colossians, 
 prays that they may " be filled with the 
 knowledge of His will, in all wisdom 
 
 all pleasing . . . all might . . . 
 
 all patience and long-suffering," and the 
 reason this is possible for us is, that it 
 is not of self — but — " according to His 
 glorious power." (Col. i. 9, 10, 11.) "Is 
 not this destructive of the grasshopper 
 
S6 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 system ? Do you remember what that 
 is r Let us read the report of the un- 
 faithful spies. (Num. xiii. 33.) * We zvere 
 in our own sight as grasshoppei's^ and so we 
 were in their sight' God's people, to- 
 day, as of old, sadly elevate self, and 
 debase their Lord, when they take the 
 position of grasshoppers in the presence 
 of the giants with whom they have to do 
 battle. Never can it be true, except 
 when we go a-warfaring on our own 
 charges." 
 
 Our God will teach each the truth of 
 these things for his own individual work ; 
 only, let us not miss the highest that He 
 will bestow ; let us measure, not self, but 
 the power of Christ, and also, what is fit 
 service, for a service of love, to a King 
 of Love ; let us aim at all that is likest 
 and nearest to Him, Love. Let us re- 
 member He is the "faithful witness" 
 
AROUND US. 57 
 
 (Rev. i. 5), and let us be faithful wit^- 
 nesses to Him ; '* faithful unto death " 
 '(Rev. ii. 10) ; not only unto the death of 
 the body, but unto the death of which St. 
 Paul speaks, when he says :— " I protest 
 by your rejoicing which I have in Christ 
 Jesus / die daily" (i Cor. xv. 31); then 
 shall we wear " a crown of life," even 
 here, as well as in the world to come. 
 
 He is *' the first-begotten from the 
 dead," and let us offer to Him, not only 
 our first-fruits, but the whole harvest of 
 our being. 
 
 He is " the Prince of the Kings of 
 the earth," and let us live as those 
 whom He shall not be " ashamed to call 
 brethren." 
 
 He hath loved us and washed us from 
 our sins in His own blood, and hath made 
 us " kings and priests mito God and His 
 Father." 
 
 '« Kings unto God, we may not doubt our power, 
 
 We may not languish when he says, ' Be strong,'— 
 We must move on through every adverse hour. 
 And take possession as we pass along. 
 
58 THE KING OF LOVE, 
 
 "Yes, all is for us — nothing shall withstand 
 Our faithful, valiant, persevering claim ; — 
 The rod of God's Anointed in our hand, 
 And our assurance His unchanging name. 
 
 " We need no haste, when He has said, ' Be still ' — 
 No peace where He has charged us to contend ; 
 Only the fearless love to do His will, 
 And to show forth His honour to the end, 
 
 •' O ye that faint and die, arise and live ! 
 
 Sing ye that all things have a charge to bless ! 
 If he is faithful who hath sworn to give, 
 Then be ye faithful and possess. 
 
 *' Take thy whole portion with thy Master's mind — 
 Toil, hindrance, hardness, with his virtue take — 
 And think how short a time Ihy heart may find 
 To labour or to suffer for his sake." * 
 
 Will you, accept the office ? 
 
 ♦ L. A. W. 
 
VI. 
 
'* There is a secret in the days of God, with His own 
 children, which sweetens all He does." 
 
IN STILLNESS. 
 
 ** To you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to 
 believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." — Phil. 
 ii. 29. 
 
 A SPECIAL gift of love are those 
 suffering seasons which God is apt 
 to give to His own. 
 
 Once it was the service of love, now it 
 is the rest of love. 
 
 The absorbing work and interest must 
 be laid aside ; what was bound so close 
 must be unloosed ; that which seemed to 
 depend on you must do without you ; the 
 place that none other could fill must be 
 supplied by another ; and you ? you must 
 be still and suffer. But what is that 
 when it comes of love r 
 
 " I could from all things parted be, 
 But never, never, Lord, from Thee." 
 
62 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 We read in St. Luke's gospel that 
 short story in the life of Mary and 
 Martha ; Martha was busy about much 
 serving, Mary *' sat at Jesus' feet, and 
 heard His word." Both parts were 
 acceptable to God, but only 07ie was 
 needful ; and Jesus calls it *' that good 
 part which shall not be taken away from 
 her." 
 
 Service He may give, and He may 
 take away, but the ^* quiet abode at His 
 feet" is yours for ever. And how do 
 you know to what wondrous blessing 
 God will lead you — to what revelations 
 of Himself now that you are laid by — 
 unable for work, in stillness, and perhaps 
 in suffering ; fit for no outward tumult 
 and bustle ; only able to listen to 
 His voice, and not to that sometimes ; 
 but even then you are not forsaken, 
 for— 
 
 ** Leaning on Jesus breast," * 
 " There ti:e weary be at rest." f 
 
 John xiii. 25. f Job iii. 17. 
 
IN STILLNESS, 63 
 
 Perhaps you fancied these still hours 
 and days — possibly months, or even 
 years — were to be dry and arid, but 
 " they thirsted not when He led them 
 through the deserts,*' for where He is ^' the 
 desert blossoms as the rose." (Ps. 48, 21.) 
 ** The thirsty ground shall become a 
 pool, and the thirsty land springs of 
 water; in the habitation of dragons, 
 where each lay, shall be grass, with 
 reeds and rushes." (Isa. xxxv. 7.) 
 
 How cool, how resting, and satisfied. 
 Truly, " My people shall be satisfied 
 with my goodness, said the Lord." 
 (Jer. xxxi. 14.) 
 
 Have you accepted your gift of still- 
 ness and suffering, or turned away 
 because it was not to your taste ? Are 
 you looking upon it as a hard painful 
 thing given you to bear, and have you 
 been looking so exclusively at the lesson 
 that you have forgotten the teacher ? 
 You cannot be too faithful to the lesson, 
 but be as faithful to Him who teaches it. 
 " He knows the learner as well as the 
 
64 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 lesson,"* and "Every good and every 
 perfect gift is from above, and cometh 
 down from the Father of Lights, in whom 
 is no variableness, nor shadow of turn- 
 ing." (Jas. i. 17.) His heart is full of 
 love, and tenderness, gentleness, and 
 compassion, as He draws you aside in 
 the wilderness, and bids you take Him- 
 self as your portion ; and what deep, 
 soft, tender pictures He gives of Himself, 
 that none may say, — I am too weak, too 
 timid ; a mother comforting, a hen brood- 
 ing over her chickens and covering them 
 with her feathers, an eagle bearing her 
 little ones upwards on her own wings. 
 
 So this quiet time is a special gift of 
 love, to be accepted and laid at His feet, 
 and then lifted "rejoicing in i7/!> strength," 
 and borne as a crown, bestowed upon 
 you to beautify you in His eyes, to adorn 
 you in His sight ; to fit you for Himself; 
 to satisfy you with His love. 
 
 Yes, that is it ; quietness in itself, for 
 any length of time, would be unbearable ; 
 
 * From a Sermon. 
 
IN STILLNESS. 65 
 
 but quietness with the one we love best, 
 who can measure, who can tell the 
 satisfaction ? How much we are willing 
 to miss, to lose, to forego, that we may 
 be with that one ; how we hunger for 
 that companionship, and has it not long 
 been an eager cry of yours, — " the com- 
 panions hear Thy voice, cause me to hear 
 it?" (Cant. viii. 13.) 
 
 Oh, He is going to speak to you now, 
 so wondrously ; He has made it very 
 still and quiet, and do you not love 
 Him enough, do you not want and 
 need Him enough, to be content for 
 a short time to do nothing but receive 
 from Him ? 
 
 " To give than to receive more blest, 
 
 Thou said'st: Oh, Thou giver free ! 
 Good measure, shaken down and press'd 
 
 Together, now I ask from Thee ; 
 Oh ! give to me, dear Lord, and still 
 
 Increase thy boons, make broad the place 
 Where Thou dost dwell in me, and fill 
 
 My hands with gifts, my heart with grace ; 
 But let me look upon thy face, 
 
 What need to mourn if thou on mine 
 But little comeliness should trace ; 
 
 When love can give me all of Thine ; 
 
 F 
 
66 THE KING OF LOVE, 
 
 The loved are fair, the loved are dressed 
 In garments rich and fresh and rare ; 
 
 Oh ! bless Thou me, and I am blest ! 
 Oh ; love Thou me, and I am fair." ♦ 
 
 " He maketh me to lie down in green 
 pastures " (Ps. xxiii. 2), " satisfied with 
 favour, and full with the blessing of the 
 Lord." (Deut. xxxiii. 2}^.) 
 
 * Dora Greenwell, 
 
VII. 
 
** Joy, — peace in flower." 
 
 From a Sermon. 
 
 *< Of all the lights you carry in your face, joy will reach 
 the furthest out to sea." 
 
 H. W. Beecher. 
 
 "Be much with God and your face will shine, let all 
 men see the new creation." 
 
 Bramwell. 
 
JOY IN HIM. 
 
 T J E says, — " He will rejoice over thee 
 with joy ; He will rest in His love ; 
 He will joy over thee with singing*' 
 (Zeph. iii. 17) ; and if you know the least 
 little bit of this, can you keep from joy 
 yourself ? 
 
 If there is the music of love in your 
 heart, there will be joy in your face, joy 
 in your words, joy in your ways. 
 
 Christ's, bought with the price of His 
 most precious blood ; redeemed, sanc- 
 tified, kept by the power of God, we 
 have good cause to ''joy and rejoice." 
 (Phil. ii. 17.) 
 
 Who should be so bright, who so glad, 
 who so rejoicing as those who "know 
 
70 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 the king in His beauty," who know His 
 love, for whatever our path, whether of 
 service or rest or suffering, whether 
 lowly or great, the same song flows 
 through it ; — love. 
 
 Yes, those who are His have some one 
 in whom they do well to rejoice ; the 
 thought of self has past and daily passes 
 away, and being at liberty from that 
 slave and hindrance, they can joy " in 
 the Lord." 
 
 Oh, there is so much said about joy, 
 for God has given us such a portion in 
 Himself as the heart cannot contain ; 
 think of it, Himself — ** A well of water 
 springing up into everlasting life " 
 (John iv. 14) ; and this to be " in" us ! Is 
 it any wonder that this " sweet affection 
 of the soul " * to Christ bursts forth, 
 joying to be united to Him, joying in 
 the union, joying in all that brings glory 
 and honour to Him, joying in the joy 
 yet to be. Is it any wonder that David 
 
 * Cruden. 
 
JOY IN HIM. 71 
 
 cries out, " God, my exceeding joy J' 
 (Ps. xliii. 4.) 
 
 We read of the "joy of the Lord 
 being our strength." (Neh. viii. 10.) 
 
 Of having Christ's "joy fulfilled" in 
 us. (John xvii. 13.) Of "joy in the Holy 
 Ghost" (Rom. xiv. 17), and "joy of the 
 Holy Ghost." (i Thes. i. 6.) Of "joy" as 
 a fruit of the Holy Ghost. (Gal. v. 22.) 
 
 Do we think enough of it ? If not, 
 surely it is that we do not think enough 
 of Christ, for He is so lovely that at the 
 thought of Him joy cannot help itself, 
 but springs up unbidden. 
 
 Let us see where joy is to be with us r 
 The source is above — in the Father, the 
 Son and the Holy Ghost. It flows down 
 and springs up in us, first in our soul. 
 
 " My sold shall be joyful in the Lord " 
 (Ps. XXXV. 9) ; and then it bursts forth in 
 the heart ; " My servants shall sing for 
 joy of heart'' (Ps. Ixv. 14); then it flows 
 out in praise. " My mouth shall praise 
 thee with joyful lips" (Ps. Ixiii. 5); and 
 the feet are strengthened and *' leap for 
 
^^ THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 joy" (Luke vi. 23); and "everlasting 
 joy is on their heads." (Isa. li. 1 1.) 
 
 It does not cease because of earth's sor- 
 rows and troubles, for even " the widow's 
 heart sings for joy." (Job xxix. 13.) 
 
 "They that sow in tears shall reap in 
 joy" (Ps. cxxvi. 5); and He gives them 
 " the oil of joy for mourning " (Isa. Ixi. 3). 
 He even "turns their mourning into joy." 
 (Jer. xxxi. 13.) The Lord Jesus, "for 
 the joy that was set before Him endured 
 the cross " (Heb. xii.) ; and therefore 
 tells His disciples that their sorrow 
 shall be turned into joy." (John xvi. 20.) 
 All this because our joy is to be in the 
 Lord and not in self, not in any other. 
 
 The sorrows of life and the joy in the 
 Lord flow on side by side, and every 
 vaca nt place in your heart He wiWJilt with 
 His love and joy, for what cannot He do ? 
 
 "I must have all things, and abound, 
 While God is God to me." 
 
 The more you have of LLiin, the more 
 you will find you have this joy ; do not 
 seek it but Him. "To know Him is 
 
JOY IN HIM. 73 
 
 the strength of obedience and the/iTK of 
 communion." * " Joy of God is the 
 strength of work for God ; work for God 
 is the fixing of joy in God ; "f but do not 
 seek the circumference and so miss it, 
 through not finding the centre. 
 
 It is joy in^ not apart from the Lord, 
 and since you yourself are " in the Lord," 
 "enter thou into His joy.'* 
 
 Can you read the 103rd Psalm and not 
 be joyful ? Look at what is contained in 
 it. There are two parts to be noticed. 
 
 The Lord's part and our part. Within 
 me ; iniquities, diseases, a life in danger 
 of destruction, a hungry mouth, a youth 
 fainting and aging, oppression, sins, 
 transgressions, a feeble frame, altogether 
 nothing stronger than dust" (Ps. ciii. 
 I, 2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 14), and we feel it no 
 wonder that this poor nature of ours 
 seeks that for which it has a natural 
 affinity, and that David in another place 
 says — "My soul cleaveth to the dust," 
 
 Then how shall we loose the soul and 
 
 * Adolph Saphir. f From a Sermon. 
 
74 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 cause it to spring from the dust, and 
 *' mount up with wings as eagles " 
 (Isa. xl. 31), seeking and searching 
 straight into the face of Light ? Just 
 by looking on the Lord's part in your 
 soul, for it is to them that 'Svait on the 
 Lord" that He reveals Himself. You 
 are waiting — ^are you willing to receive ? 
 Let us see what is said of Hivi in the 
 103rd Psalm : we have looked quite long 
 enough at self. We find that for every 
 need in us He has a corresponding — no, 
 not corresponding — an overflowing ^yyi^^^Xy 
 to meet it. He " forgiveth," " healeth," 
 *'redeemeth," "crowneth with loving- 
 kindness and tender mercies," *' satis- 
 fieth," " reneweth," so that there is no 
 failing old age in spiritual life, but 
 strength and vigour ever increasing. 
 He is "merciful," "gracious," "will not 
 always chide," " hath not dealt with us 
 nor rewarded us according to our sins." 
 " He hath removed our transgressions ; " 
 how far r — from north to south ? No, 
 that is not far enough — they are actual 
 
JOY IN HIM. 75 
 
 definite points — but from " east to west;" 
 for however far you follow, however fast 
 you travel, the west will always sink 
 before you, and the east will rise in the 
 far distant. 
 
 Beside this. He " pitieth " us ; He 
 ^^ k?tow£th" this poor frame of ours; He 
 ever " remembereth " that we are dust — 
 " A bruised reed shall He not break, and 
 the smoking flax shall He not quench." 
 (Isa. xlii. 3.) " The crooked shall be 
 made straight, and the rough places 
 smooth." (Isa. xl. 4.) 
 
 So you see however low down you are, 
 God turns it all to good — you can never 
 be too low for Him. Do you feel very 
 low : — Yes ? Well, He knew you would, 
 and has given you a message — ^' I d^vell 
 
 with him that is of a contrite 
 
 and humble spirit." (Isa. xv.) Why does 
 He dwell there ? Just to lift you up above 
 it all, " to revive the spirit " and to " re- 
 vive the heart ; " and you know you ivill 
 be revived with Him dwelling there ; 
 Him, — ^joy, strength, comfort, love. 
 
76 THE KmG OF LOVE. 
 
 Oh ! what a blessed dwelling it will 
 become. Was it lonely and sad ? *' The 
 wilderness and the solitary place shall 
 be glad for them." (Isa. xxxv. i.) Was 
 it arid and barren, and full of straggling 
 poisonous weeds ? " The desert shall 
 rejoice and blossom as the rose. It 
 shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice 
 even with joy and singing; the glory of 
 Lebanon shall be given unto it, the 
 excellency of Carmel and Sharon : they 
 shall see the glory of the Lord, and the 
 excellency of our God." (Isa. xxxv. 2, 3.) 
 "Ye shall go out with joy, and be led 
 forth with peace : the mountains and 
 hills shall break forth before you into 
 singing, and all the trees of the field shall 
 clap their hands. Instead of the thorn 
 shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of 
 the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree." 
 (Isa. Iv. 12, 13.) 
 
 Were you weak and feeble, and of a 
 fearful heart ? Here is a command, 
 whereof you may rejoice and be exceed- 
 ing glad, — you are no longer to look at 
 
JOY IN HIM. 77 
 
 the "weak hands," the "feeble knees," 
 the " fearful heart : " ''Be strong, fear 
 not." (Isa. XXXV. 4.) Why ? being as I 
 am, how can such things be ? " Behold, 
 your God .... God . ... He will come 
 and save you." (Isa. xxxv. 4). 
 
 And He being come, the eyes that 
 strove so hard to see, but were only 
 dazed by the light, receive their sight ; 
 the sight of Hini gives the sight to see 
 all else. 
 
 The ears that listened and heard with- 
 out understanding, are unstopped, and 
 the tender blessed name and voice of 
 Jesus falls like music, and whispers love, 
 joy, and peace. 
 
 The halting, limping man, who knew 
 not what way to go, what voice to obey, 
 "leaps as an hart;" for the way in 
 which he goes, though it is " the way of 
 holiness," yet if he even be " a fool, he 
 shall not err therein." (Isa. xxxv. 8) : 
 and surely the reason is that, "Thus 
 saith the High and Holy One that in- 
 habiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, 
 
78 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 I dwell in the high and holy place" 
 (Isa. Ivii. 15) ; and being there with Him, 
 " in His light we also see light." 
 
 And then the tongue that was so silent 
 and tied, and spoke but anguish and 
 woe, sorrow and disappointment, what 
 of it ? " The tongue of the dumb shall 
 singy' — yes, it has something whereof to 
 sing and rejoice ; for waters have broken 
 out, and streams flow through the land — 
 " A well of water springing up unto 
 everlasting life" (John iv. 14); rivers of 
 living water" (John vii. :>)S)', ^* And it 
 shall come to pass in that day that the 
 mountains shall drop down new wine, 
 and all the hills shall flow with milk, 
 and all the rivers of Judah shall flow 
 with waters, and a fountain shall come 
 forth of the house of the Lord, and shall 
 water the valley of Shittim." (Joel iii. 
 
 18.) _ 
 
 This is a prophecy, a promise of bless- 
 ing when God " shall bring again the 
 captivity of Judah and Jerusalem " (Joel 
 iii. I ) ; but perhaps we, who are the 
 
JOY IN HIM. 79 
 
 house of the Lord, the temple of the 
 Holy Ghost, may find an application to 
 ourselves — and let us follow it up. Shall 
 we also " water the valley ? " Shall the 
 light and the joy and the brightness of 
 " Christ in us " attract and draw those 
 that are weary and tired ? draw them to 
 the fountain of life from which we slake 
 our thirst ? 
 
 Oh, let it be so ; let us win, let us 
 draw, let us claim for Christ by the joy 
 of our life. *' He that winneth souls is 
 wise " (Prov. xi. 30) ; and '* our power 
 in drawing others after the Lord rests 
 mainly in our joy and communion with 
 Him ourselves."* 
 
 Oh, let us not miss this ivinniug; " that 
 if any obey not the w^ord, they may with- 
 out the word be won by the conver- 
 sation." (i Pet. iii. I.) 
 
 Oh, we who have been so blest, we 
 who are so filled and loved, let us draw 
 others to love and joy. 
 
 We know what trouble and grief and 
 
 * From a Sermon. 
 
8o THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 distress are ; we know what it is to be 
 empty and void and waste; we know 
 what it is to have our ^^ soul melted because 
 of trouble" (Ps. cvii. 26): but now He 
 has brought us into our desired haven — 
 the haven where they, if they did but 
 know it, would also be. He has brought 
 us out *' into a wealthy place ; " let us 
 show how rich and full and satisfied we 
 are ; and it is one of the strange things 
 of God's kingdom, that if another comes 
 to share these same riches, we too feel 
 ourselves to grow richer. 
 
 And then at the last — " The ransomed 
 of the Lord shall return, and come to 
 Zion with songs and everlasting ]oj upon 
 their heads : they shall obtain joy and 
 gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall 
 flee away." (Isa. xxxv. 10.) 
 
VIII. 
 
'' All joys harmonised." 
 
 l^BiM A Sermon. 
 
 The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, 
 
 A fountain ever springing ; 
 All things are mine since I am his, — 
 
 How can I keep from singing ? " 
 
PEACE. 
 
 "The Peace of God." 
 
 T^HIS is deeper than joy ; we may 
 be without joy ; we cannot be with- 
 out peace, if we are His ; for where the 
 " Prince of Peace " governs, there must 
 be peace ; and is it not blessed that '' of 
 the increase of His .... peace there 
 shall be no end ? " (Isa. ix. 9.) 
 
 Therefore, hearken unto Him, and 
 then shall "thy peace be as a river" 
 (Isa. xlviii. 18), deep, and still, ever 
 flowing on to the ocean of love. 
 
 If the heart is full of love, there must 
 be peace; "Love is our zveight," * and 
 
 * St. Augustine. 
 
84 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 that weight balances us, and holds us 
 firm through all that would otherwise 
 toss us to and fro on the waves of this 
 troublesome world. 
 
 Christ gave us a *' twofold peace when 
 He left this earth — one a legacy, the 
 peace of the cross ; the other a gift, com- 
 munion with a risen Saviour ; " and it is 
 this peace of His, which, because it 
 " passes all understanding, keeps our 
 hearts ; " it is a sort of covenant and re- 
 membrance between us and Him, that 
 lies deep in our hearts, full of blessing 
 and grace. 
 
 '' The God of hope fill you with all joy 
 and peace in believing, that ye may 
 abound in hope through the power of 
 the Holy Ghost." (Rom. xiv. 15.) "Joy 
 and peace," because you "know in Whom 
 you have believed ; " it is no wavering, 
 uncertain trust, but stayed on God. 
 " Oh God, my heart is fixed, my heart is 
 fixed ^ I will sing and give thanks." Held 
 in His hand, in His heart, " His left 
 hand under your head, his right hand 
 
PEACE. 8s 
 
 embracing you " (Cant. ii. 9) ; surely it is 
 indeed peace. 
 
 ** Resting in Him, and waiting pa- 
 tiently for Him^' it is peace. 
 
 "Risen with Christ," and yet ''hid 
 with Him," it is peace. 
 
 "Knowing the love of Christ," it is 
 peace ; and it is the " God of peace who 
 shall bruise Satan under your feet. 
 (Rom. xvi. 20.) 
 
 The " God of peace who shall sanctify 
 you wholly." (i Thes. v. 23.) 
 
 The " God of peace who shall make 
 you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle 
 you (Heb. xiii. 20), and the " God of 
 peace shall be with you." (Phil. iv. 9.) 
 
 Can you say but that He " maketh peace 
 in all thy borders, and filleth thee with 
 the finest of the wheat?" (Ps. cxlvii. 14.) 
 
 This peace is just a simple full heart- 
 rest in Christ. The turbulent eagerness 
 of joy may pass, but it passes only to 
 deepen, just as the waters of a great river 
 bubble and rise, rushing with full strength 
 and life, eager to meet what lies before, 
 
86 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 and you find them again far far away ; the 
 same waters, the same life, but oh, what 
 a depth ! how bright, how full, how con- 
 centrated. How perfectly they give back 
 the reflection of the skies ! stilly Avith 
 fulness of life. So with the spiritual life : 
 there is a quiet fixing of joy in God, 
 which has brought peace, a peace which 
 nothing can disturb, for it is founded on 
 a Rock, and that Rock is Christ. 
 
 True, the surface may still quiver and 
 toss, lifted with storm and wind ; still it 
 may ripple and smile, and exult in the 
 breeze, but the great volume beneath is 
 still. 
 
 There is room for all where the foun- 
 dation is sure and steadfast. 
 
 " Blessed are the single-hearted, for 
 they shall enjoy much peace," says 
 Thomas a Kempis, and surely that gives 
 us the root. A "single" heart enjoys 
 this wondrous peace, for its object, aim, 
 desire, is but one — Christ — "to know 
 Him; " and it presses onward towards 
 its mark, free and unshackled, and 
 unembarrassed. 
 
PEACE. 87 
 
 What, if in that knowing of Himself^ 
 Christ has added a glimpse of the^' fellow- 
 ship of His sufferings?" ^Phil. iii. 10.) 
 *'To you it is given in the behalf of 
 Christ." Have you watched with Him 
 " one hour ? " Once He prayed that some 
 would "watch with Him one hour ;" but 
 their eyes were heavy with sleep, for 
 they knew Him not perfectly then, and 
 when He came for comfort He found 
 them sleeping. 
 
 Did He come to you and find you 
 waking r perhaps ^* willing agai^ist your 
 will,'' perhaps praying His own prayer, 
 " Father, if it be possible remove this 
 cup from me/' and He loved you so. He 
 stayed you up against yourself; he added 
 the full blessing from which you shrank, 
 and for which, as you look back, you 
 thank and praise Him, though you dared 
 not pray for it. 
 
 " Knowledge by suffering entereth, 
 And life is perfected in death." 
 
 What knowledge has suffering brought 
 to you ? Much, doubtless ; but above all, 
 
88 JHE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 has not the slender thread of love (which, 
 nevertheless, seemed then great and 
 strong) that bound you and your life 
 and your God, has it not grown a mighty 
 knotted cable — strong as death ? And 
 perhaps it is the suffering more than 
 aught else, that has brought to your 
 consciousness this wondrous revelation 
 of God's love, and that has harmonised 
 the joys into "perfect peace.'* 
 
 Perfect peace, still and ever increasing; 
 "the peace of God^ which passeth all 
 understanding." The darkness and 
 shadows find no place, they flee away ; 
 all is love, all is peace — 
 
 " • • • white and pure, with sunniest affections, 
 Full from the face of Christ ; 
 And both, across the sun besilvered tide, 
 Help to the haven where the heart would ride." 
 
IX. 
 
" It was not that our love was cold, 
 
 That earthly lights were burning dim ; 
 But that the Shepherd from His fold 
 Had smiled, and drawn them unto Him. 
 
 ** Praise God, the Shepherd is so sweet ! 
 Praise God, the country is so fair ! 
 We would not hold them from His feet ; 
 We can but haste to meet them there." 
 
 And then, with Him go hand in hand, 
 Far into bliss." 
 
 Dean Alford. 
 
 'All that life is Love." 
 
 St. Bernard. 
 
THE NEW HOME. 
 
 " T O, a great multitude, which no man 
 could number. . . These are they 
 which came out of great tribulation, and 
 have washed their robes and made them 
 white in the blood of the Lamb. There- 
 fore are they before the throne of God, 
 and serve Him day and night in His 
 temple : and He that sitteth on the 
 throne shall dwell among them. They 
 shall hunger no more, neither thirst any 
 more; neither shall the sun light on 
 them, nor any heat : for the Lamb which 
 is in the midst of the throne shall feed 
 them, and shall lead them unto living 
 fountains of waters : and God shall 
 wipe away all tears from their eyes." 
 (Rev. vii. 4, 17.) 
 
92 THE KING OF LOVE. 
 
 '' These are they which follow the 
 Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These 
 were redeemed from among men, being 
 the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb. 
 And in their mouth was found no guile, 
 for they are without fault before the 
 throne of God. . . Yea, they may rest from 
 their labours, and their works do follow 
 them." (Rev. xiv. 4, 5, 13.) 
 
 " Blessed are they which are called 
 unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." 
 (Rev. xix. 9.) 
 
 " There was no more sea. . . God shall 
 wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and 
 there shall be no more death, neither 
 sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be 
 any more pain. . . No temple therein — no 
 need of the sun, neither of the moon to 
 shine in it. . . No night there ... in no 
 wise enter into it anything that defileth 
 . . . no more curse ... no night . . . 
 no need of candle, neither light of the sun." 
 (Rev. xxi. I, 4, 22, 2Z, 25, 27 ; 3, 5.) 
 
 " God wilf dwell with them, and they 
 shall be Llis people, and God Himself 
 
THE NEW HOME. 93 
 
 shall be with them, and be their God. . . 
 The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb 
 are the temple of it . . . the glory of God 
 did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light 
 thereof . . . the throne of God and of the 
 Lamb shall be in it, and His servants 
 shall serve Him ; and they shall see His 
 facCy and His name shall be in their fore- 
 heads. The Lord God giveth them light, 
 and they shall reign for ever and ever." 
 (Rev. xxi. 3, 22, 23 ; xxii. 3, 4, 5.) 
 
 " Come thou biight and holy morning, 
 Lord, our Sun arise ; 
 Send the angels of Thy coming, 
 Thro' the silent skies." * 
 
 E. F. B. 
 
"If we hope for that we see not, then do we with 
 patience wait for it." — Rom. viii. 25. 
 
''* Oh, to be there ! ' 
 
 Where never tears of sorrow 
 Shall dim the eye, nor aching pain, nor care 
 Shall ever cloud our morrow, 
 
 Oh, to be there ! 
 
 " Oh, lovely home ! 
 Thy fragrant, thornless flowers 
 Droop not, nor die, — but everlasting bloom 
 Crowns all thy golden hours, 
 
 Oh, lovely home ! 
 
 *' Oh, let me go ! 
 Death shall not there dissever 
 Our loving hearts, — Rivers of pleasure flow 
 At God's right hand for ever, . 
 Oh, let me go ! 
 
 "For Thou art there. 
 Who unto me hast given 
 Eternal life, making me pure and fair : 
 And this to me is Heaven 
 
 That THOU art there." 
 
BOSTON : 
 
 Printed by T. R. Marvin & Son, 
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