nd Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at
the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard,
very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her
hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment." [28]

How exquisite the picture! how rare the intercourse, how precious the
results! A few of the Lord's own people met together with the Lord
himself; the one expensive thing mentioned being bought for him. It was
only "a supper"; and there were sorrows before them, and sorrows behind,
and only the spikenard was "very costly,"--that consecration to God which
gives him all we have: but its fragrance filled the house. And not all
Arabia was ever so perfumed.

And must Christians give no other feasts but such as that? some one may
ask. There is another sort mentioned, nay even insisted upon; but if the
first looks to you dull, the second will seem--impossible! You will find
a full description of it in Luke xiv. 13. And so far as I know, this is
the only sort of great entertainment that Christians are encouraged to
give; ruling out in toto the tit-for-tat customs of modern society. "For
they cannot recompense thee." But it also spares you the perplexing
question of full returns, for _these_ people have given you nothing.
Only the Lord has given,--and now bids you keep open house for him in his
absence. And do you see? the great Master of assemblies will count the
invitations as given to himself, and will one day make a royal return for
them all when he cometh in his kingdom. "They cannot recompense thee."
[29] What!--never invite your friends unless they happen to be poor? O,
yes indeed,--invite them, enjoy them, make much of them, precious things
as friends are; yet _spend_ the most on the portionless lives that are
all around you. There are fancy fountains in the rich man's grounds,
throwing up jets of water just to catch the sunlight: let your small
rills of refreshment flow silently to places where the tide is out and
the streams run dry.

"They cannot recompense thee; but thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just." [30]

And as soon as you make ready a blessing--not a compliment--in your hand,
unfashionable dresses will not matter, untutored tongues will sound
sweet; and your feast will be all glorified, for the Lord himself will be
there.

"Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto
them for whom no