the wish to get it. Is
not that true about you? Don't you feel that if this is all which
religion has given you it stops short? The gospel comes and says, 'If
you love Christ Jesus because you know that He died for you,' then there
will be something else than the copybook. That copy and pattern will be
laid to your heart and transferred there. You will not have to go on
trying to make a bungling imitation; you will get it photographed on
your spirit, and on your character more distinctly and more clearly down
to the very minutest shade of resemblance to the Master, and with simple
loving trust you will go on from strength to strength glorifying God in
your life. They that begin with the cross of Christ, and make the
sacrifice their all in all, will advance heavenward joyously; the cross
and the sacrifice will be the pattern of your pilgrimage here, and the
perfectness of your characters unto the likeness of the Son. The cross
is the agency of sanctification as well as the means of
forgiveness--saving grace to save us from the world, saving grace to
help us everywhere and in everything for our salvation, and saving grace
to help us to conquer our self-will, and saving grace to bind us to Him,
whose abundant goodness and gratitude no man can tell. If we love Him we
shall keep His commandments; if we love them we shall grow in grace, and
not else. None else, my brother, my sister, but the Eternal Exemplar
stands there as our refuge; and if you want to be filled with this
all-saving grace, deep down to the bottom of His tender heart, if you
want to be good, and of pure mind, then you have to begin with that
Saviour who died for you, and trust to the cross for your forgiveness.
Then listen to Him saying, 'Any man who comes after Me, let him take up
My cross'--take it up, mark--'and follow Me.'

HALLOWING CHRIST

'Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts.'--1 Peter iii. 14, 15.

These words are a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, with some very
significant variations. As originally spoken, they come from a period of
the prophet's life when he was surrounded by conspirators against him,
eager to destroy, and when he had been giving utterance to threatening
prophecies as to the coming up of the King of Assyria, and the voice of
God encouraged him and his disciples with the ringing words: 'Fear not
their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts Him