becomes wholly engrossed with its own concerns. It goes out to
3. It is no narrow life.—It is large and wide, like him out of whose bosom it came. It diffuses itself through our whole being; nay, it expands that being, in order to get fuller room for its own unfolding. It does not straiten nor wither up the soul, but enlarges it in every part.
4. It is no selfish life.—It does not turn the soul in upon itself till it becomes wholly engrossed with its own concerns. It goes out to others liberally, desiring to make all men partakers of its health and gladness. It looks around upon the needy, hungry spirits that are feeding on the world's poor husks, and it longs to invite them to its own richer fare.
5. It is no useless life.—It is by the very necessity of its being incapable of lying idle. As the beam must shine, so must this life be useful. "He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." It is most actively and unweariedly communicative. Its hands are full of blessing; and it is not in its nature to be passive, or heedless, or unwilling to dispense.
6. It is no gloomy life.—"Joy unspeakable and full of glory," is the portion of those in whom it dwells. The "fountain of life" pours itself into a "river of pleasure," and there is no drying up nor discolouring of its waters. It has never saddened one human spirit; but it has gladdened multitudes that no man can number.
Yet, after all, how little of this life is tasted here! A few of the leaves of the tree have been dropped upon us from above, and we have found them full of life and healing; but the tree itself is above, and the time of our sitting under it has not yet come.
But it shall come ere long, and He who has "shewn us here the path of life," will lead us to that tree of life, that we may partake, not merely of its leaves or of its shadow, but of its fruit, on which we shall feed unhindered. "When he who is our life shall appear," then shall the fulness of the life be known. We know him as our life even now,