en the Master and His disciples! Two hours had
not elapsed after He washed their feet, when "there was a strife among
them which should be the greatest!"

Let the mental image of that lowly Redeemer be ever bending over us.
His example may well speak in silent impressiveness, bringing us down
from our pedestal of pride. There surely can be no labor of love too
humiliating when _He_ stooped so low. Let us be content to take the
humblest place; not envious of the success or exaltation of another;
not, "like Diotrephes, loving preeminence;" "but willing to be thought
little of;" saying with the Baptist, with our eye on our Lord, "He must
increase, but I must decrease!"

How much we have cause to be humble for! the constant cleaving of
defilement to our souls; and even what is partially good in us, how
mixed with imperfection, self-seeking, arrogance, vain-glory! A proud
Christian is a contradiction in terms. The Seraphim of old (type of the
Christian Church, and of believers) had six wings--_two_ were for
errands of love, but "with _four_ he _covered_ himself!" It has been
beautifully said, "You lie nearest the River of Life when you _bend_ to
it; you can not drink, but as you _stoop_." The corn of the field, as
it ripens, bows its head; so the Christian, as he ripens in the Divine
life, bends in this lowly grace. Christ speaks of His people as
"lilies"--they are "lilies of _the valley_," they can only grow in the
shade!

"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God." "Go" with what
Rutherford calls "a low sail." It is the livery of your blessed Master;
the family badge--the family likeness. "With this man will I dwell, even
with him that is _humble_." Yes! the humble, sanctified heart is God's
_second Heaven_!

"ARM YOURSELVES LIKEWISE WITH THE SAME MIND."

Eighteenth Day.

PATIENCE.

"He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter."--Isa. liii, 7.

How great was the _patience_ of Jesus! Even among His own disciples, how
forbearingly He endured their blindness, their misconceptions and
hardness of heart! Philip had been for three years with Him, yet he had
"not known Him!"--all that time he had remained in strange and culpable
ignorance of his Lord's dignity and glory. See how tenderly Jesus bears
with him; giving him nothing in reply for his confession of ignorance
but unparalleled promises of grace! Peter, the honored and trusted,
becomes a renegade and a coward. Justly might his dishonored Lord,