te court of appeal. Like
Mary, "sit at the feet of Jesus," willing only to learn of Him. How many
perplexities it would save you! how many fatal steps in life it would
prevent--how many tears! "It is a great matter," says the noblest of
modern Christian philosophers, "when the mind dwells on any passage of
Scripture, just to think _how true it is_." (_Chalmers' Life_).

In every dubious question, when the foot is trembling on debatable
ground, knowing not whether to advance or recede, make this the final
criterion, "What saith the Scripture?" The world may remonstrate--erring
friends may disapprove--Satan may tempt--ingenious arguments may explain
away; but, with our finger on the revealed page, let the words of our
Great Example be ever a Divine formula for our guidance:--"_This_
commandment have I received of my Father!"

"ARM YOURSELVES LIKEWISE WITH THE SAME MIND."

Ninth Day.

PRAYERFULNESS.

"He continued all night in prayer to God."--Luke, vi. 12.

We speak of _this_ Christian and _that_ Christian as "a man of prayer."
Jesus was emphatically so. The Spirit was "poured upon Him without
measure," yet--_He prayed_! He was incarnate wisdom, "needing not that
any should teach Him." He was infinite in His power, and boundless in
His resources, yet--_He prayed_! How deeply sacred the prayerful
memories that hover around the solitudes of Olivet and the shores of
Tiberias! He seemed often to turn night into day to redeem moments for
prayer, rather than lose the blessed privilege.

We are rarely, indeed, admitted into the solemnities of His inner life.
The veil of night is generally between us and the Great High Priest,
when He entered "the holiest of all;" but we have enough to reveal the
depth and fervor, the tenderness and confidingness of this blissful
intercommunion with His heavenly Father. No morning dawns without His
fetching fresh manna from the mercy-seat. "He wakeneth morning by
morning; He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned." (Isa. l. 4).
Beautiful description!--a praying Redeemer, wakening, as if at early
dawn, the ear of His Father, to get fresh supplies for the duties and
the trials of the day! All His public acts were consecrated by
prayer,--His baptism, His transfiguration, His miracles, His agony, His
death. He breathed away His spirit in prayer. "His last breath," says
Philip Henry, "was praying breath."

How sweet to think, in holding communion with God--_Jesus_ drank of t