Christ is the grand secret of peace with God. Without it we shall never find inward rest, whatever we may do in religion. Without it we may go to services daily and receive the Lord's Supper every week,—we may give our goods to the poor, and our bodies to be burned,-we may fast and wear sackcloth, and live the lives of hermits,all this we may do, and be miserable after all. One true believing touch of Christ is worth all these things put together. The pride of human nature may not like it. But it is true! Thousands will rise up at the last day and testify that they never felt comfort of soul till they came to Christ by faith, and were content to cease from their own works, and be saved wholly and entirely by His grace.

Let us see lastly, in this passage, how much our Lord desires that those who have received benefit from Him should confess Him before men. We are told that He did not allow this woman, whose case we have been reading, to retire from the crowd unheeded. He enquired, "who had touched Him." He enquired again, until the woman came forward and "declared" her case before all the people. And then came the gracious words, "Daughter, be of good comfort. Thy faith hath made thee whole." Confession of Christ is a matter of great importance. Let this never be forgotten by true Christians. work that we can do for our blessed Master is little and poor. Our best endeavours to glorify Him are weak and full of imperfections. Our prayers and praises are sadly defective. Our knowledge and love are miserably small. But do we feel within that Christ has healed our souls? Then can we not confess Christ before men? Can we

The

not plainly tell others that Christ has done everything for us, that we were dying of a deadly disease, and were cured, that we were lost, and are now found,—that we were blind, and now see?-Let us do this boldly, and not be afraid. Let us not be ashamed to let all men know what Jesus has done for our souls. Our Master loves to see us doing so. He likes His people not to be ashamed of His name. It is a solemn saying of St. Paul, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. x. 9.)-It is a still more solemn saying of Christ Himself, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed." (Luke ix. 26.)

NOTES. LUKE VIII. 41-48.

41.-[And behold.] Chemnitius remarks, that all the three Gospel writers who record the miracle of the raising of Jairus' daughter begin their account with this expression "behold!" It seems intended to call our attention partly to the greatness of the miracle, and partly to the singular goodness of God in raising up friends to the Gospel even in the synagogues.

Let it be noted that Jairus lived at Capernaum, and that the Gospels mention no less than three persons of rank and influence in Capernaum, for whom our Lord wrought special miracles. One is the nobleman whose son was healed. (John iv. 46.) Another is the centurion whose servant was healed. (John vii. 2.) The third is Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue.

42. [She lay a dying.] The Greek word so translated would be rendered more literally, "she was dying at the point of death."

[The people thronged him.] Let us mark the pious observation of Quesnel on this circumstance :-"Abundance of Christians, as it were, press upon Christ, in hearing His word, receiving the sacraments, and performing the outward part of religion; but few touch Him by a lively faith, a true Christian life, the prayer of charity, and the meditation, love, and imitation of his mysteries. The numerous assemblies and multitudes of people who fill the churches, and make the crowd at sermons, and yet

cease not to go on in their usual course, in following the world and their own passions, throng and press Christ, but do not touch Him."

43.-[A woman having an issue of blood.] In order to realize this woman's case, and the greatness of the miracle here recorded, we should read Leviticus xv. 19. We shall then see that her disease rendered her ceremonially unclean. Bearing this in mind, we shall understand her desire to avoid publicity and observation. At the same time, let us not fail to note the high position which our Lord occupies in working this cure. He works it as our great High Priest. He bestows health and ceremonial cleanness, and yet in doing so contracts no uncleanness himself.

44.-[Border of His garment.] Parkhurst, in his lexicon, says, that this was 66 a tassel, or tuft of the garment, which the Jews in general, and our blessed Lord in particular, wore in obedience to the Mosaic law (Numb. xxii. 12), and which the Scribes and Pharisees affected to wear remarkably large, as badges of extraordinary piety, and of uncommon obedience to the divine commandment."

45.-Who touched me!] This expression would be translated more literally," who is the person that touched me."

[Master.] Let it be noted that the word so translated is only used by St. Luke in the New Testament, and is only applied to Christ. It signifies literally, "one who is set over anything to take care of it." It is a title of respect, and an acknowledgment of authority.

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46.-[Virtue.] The word so translated is more frequently rendered "power," "might," or strength." The whole expression of the verse is a very peculiar one.

48.-[Hath made whole.] The word so rendered might have been equally well translated " hath saved." There is, probably, an intentional use of a word of deep double meaning.

LUKE VIII. 49–56.

49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not believe only, and she shall be made whole.

51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in,

save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

52 And all wept, and bewailed her : but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called,

saying, Maid, arise.

55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

THE verses we have now read, contain one of the three great instances which the Holy Ghost has thought fit to record of our Lord restoring a dead person to life. The other two instances are those of Lazarus and the widow's son at Nain. There seems no reason to doubt that our Lord raised others beside these three. But these three cases are specially described as patterns of His almighty power. One was a young girl, who had just breathed her last. One was a young man, who was being carried to his burial. One was a man, who had already lain four days in the grave. In all three cases alike we see life at once restored at Christ's command.

Let us notice, in the verses before us, how universal is the dominion which death holds over the sons of men. We see him coming to a rich man's house, and tearing from him the desire of his eyes with a stroke. "There cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, thy daughter is dead." Such tidings as these are the bitterest cups which we have to drink in this world. Nothing cuts so deeply into man's heart as to part with beloved ones, and lay them in the grave. Few griefs are so crushing and heavy as the grief of a parent over an only child.

Death is indeed a cruel enemy! He makes no distinction in his attacks. He comes to the rich man's hall, as well as to the poor man's cottage. He does not spare the young, the strong, and the beautiful, any more than the old, the infirm, and the grey-haired. Not all the gold of Austra

lia, nor all the skill of doctors, can keep the hand of death from our bodies, in the day of his power. When the appointed hour comes, and God permits him to smite, our worldly schemes must be broken off, and our darlings must be taken away and buried out of our sight.

These thoughts are melancholy, and few like to hear of them. The subject of death is one that men blink, and refuse to look at. "All men think all men mortal but themselves." But why should we treat this great reality in this way? Why should we not rather look the subject of death in the face, in order that when our turn comes we may be prepared to die? Death will come to our houses, whether we like it or not. Death will take each of us away, despite our dislike to hearing about it. Surely it is the part of a wise man to get ready for this great change. Why should we not be ready? There is One who can deliver us from the fear of death. (Heb. ii. 15.) Christ has overcome death, and "brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." (2 Tim. i. 10.) He that believeth on Him hath everlasting life, and though he were dead yet shall he live. (John vi. 47; xi. 25.) Let us believe in the Lord Jesus, and then death will lose his sting. We shall then be able to say with Paul, "To me to die is gain." (Phil. i. 21.)

Let us notice, secondly, in the verses before us, that faith in Christ's love and power is the best remedy in time of trouble. We are told that when Jesus heard the tidings, that the ruler's daughter was dead, He said to him, "Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole."-These words, no doubt, were spoken with