Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/364

 meadow escape  our  riot. Let none  of  us  go  without  his part in  luxury. Let us  every  where  leave  tokens  of joy."  (Wis.  ii.  8.)  But  afterwards  it  plunges  the  poor soul  into  vexation,  and  trouble,  and  distress.  Its  happiness goeth  in  pleasantly:  but  in  the  end  it  will bite  like  a  snake,  and  will  spread  abroad  poison  like  a basilisk." (Prov. xxiii.  31.)  "Their  grapes  are  grapes of  gall,  and  their  clusters  most  bitter." (Deut. xxxii.  32.)

III. The conduct  of  God  is  perfectly  opposite  to  this. He keeps  his  good  wine  for  the  last. He first  afflicts and tries  his  friends,  and  then  comforts  and  crowns them. " Thou  hast  shown  Thy  people  hard  things,  Thou hast  made  us  drink  the  wine  of  sorrow." (Ps. lix.  5.) But afterwards,  "  they  shall  be  inebriated  with  the  plenty of  Thy  house,  and  Thou  shalt  make  them  drink  of  the torrent  of  pleasure." (Ps. xxxv.  9.)  Christ  did  not change the  water  into  wine,  until  that  of  His  entertainer" had  failed,  for  spiritual  comfort  is  not  found  until  sensual  pleasures  are  abandoned  and  contemned.  Thus  the manna  did  not  fall  from  Heaven,  until  the  food  which the  Israelites  had  brought  from  Egypt  had  failed,  and afterwards  again,  "  Manna  ceased  after  they  ate  of  the corn of  the  land."    (Josue,  v.  12.)

I. Jesus  entering  the  temple  "  found  in  it  those  that sold  oxen,  and  sheep  and  doves,  and  the  changers  of money  sitting." (John ii.  14.)  These  were  sold  and bought for  the  sacrifices,  yet  our  Divine  Master  was  displeased, that  traffic  should  be  carried  on  in  the  house of God. Learn from  this  to  respect  the  sacredness  of