Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/417

 hand and  the  other  on  Thy  left,  in  Thy  kingdom."  It  is unfortunately  natural  for  every  one  to  be  ambitious  for the  first  place.  This  principle  hurled  the  angels  from  heaven. "  I  will  ascend  into  heaven,"  said  the  apostate  Lucifer, "  I  will  exalt  my  throne  above  the  stars  of  God."  (Is. xiv.  13.)  The  same  ambition  lost  Paradise  for  our  first parents.  "You  shall  be  as  gods"  (Gen.  iii.  5),  said  the tempter  to  Eve.  This  same  passion  attacks  the  Apostles. Examine  if  it  have  any  influence  on  your  conduct  How much  safer  is  it  to  follow  the  example  of  Christ,  and  to be  content  with  the  lowest  places!

III. Consider the  answer  of  Christ,  "  You  know  not what  you  ask." Those who  desire  the  vanities  and  the honors of  this  world  certainly  do  not  know  what  they ask. He continues,  "Can  you  drink  of  the  chalice  that I  shall  drink"  (Matt.  xx.  22),  that  is,  can  you  join  me  in my  bitter  passion? Christ insinuates  by  this  question that our  future  glory  will  be  proportionate  to  our  sufferings in  this  life. Our seats  in  heaven  will  approach  to that  of  Christ  in  the  same  proportion  as  our  sufferings approach to  His  afflictions. Encourage yourself  to  drink deep of  this  chalice  of  sufferings,  for,  "as  you  are  partakers of  the  sufferings,  so  shall  you  be  also  of  the  consolations." (2 Cor.  i.  7.)

I. These  two  Apostles  seemed  ready  to  drink  the chalice which  was  proposed  to  them. "They say  to Him,  we  can." (Matt. xx.  22.)  This  spirit  of  alacrity may proceed  from  different  motives;  it  may  proceed first from  ambition,  which  prompts  a  man  to  refuse  no