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followed Him. They were with Him in the house, at the table, in the
closet, in the field. They were with Him as pupils with a teacher, daily
receiving from His lips lessons of holy truth. They looked to Him as
servants to their master, to learn their duty. They served Him cheer-
fully, gladly. They followed Him, as soldiers follow their commander,
fighting the good fight of faith. “And they that are with Him are called,
and chosen, and faithful.”
“He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk,
even as He walked.” “Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he
is none of His.” This conformity to Jesus will not be unobserved by the
world. It is a subject of notice and comment. The Christian may not
be conscious of the great change; for the more closely he resembles
Christ in character the more humble will be his opinion of himself;
but it will be seen and felt by all around him. Those who have had
the deepest experience in the things of God are the farthest removed
from pride or self-exaltation. They have the humblest thoughts of self,
and the most exalted conceptions of the glory and excellence of Christ.
They feel that the lowest place in His service is too honorable for them.
Moses did not know that his face shone with a brightness painful
and terrifying to those who had not, like himself, communed with
God. Paul had a very humble opinion of his own advancement in the
Christian life. He says: “Not as though I had already attained, either
were already perfect.” He speaks of himself as the “chief” of sinners.
Yet Paul had been highly honored of the Lord. He had been taken in
holy vision to the third heaven and had there received revelations of
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divine glory which he could not be permitted to make known.
John the Baptist was pronounced by our Saviour the greatest of
prophets. Yet what a contrast between the language of this man of God
and that of many who profess to be ministers of the cross. When asked
if he was the Christ, John declares himself unworthy even to unloose
his Master’s sandals. When his disciples came with the complaint
that the attention of the people was turned to the new Teacher, John
reminded them that he himself had claimed to be only the forerunner of
the Promised One. To Christ, as the bridegroom, belongs the first place
in the affections of His people. “The friend of the bridegroom, which
standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s
voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must