There is another principle, which crowns and governs and gives character to all others :it is charity, love properly so called. This, in its root, is the nature of God Himself, the source and perfection of every other quality that adorns Christian life. The distinction between love and brotherly love is of deep importance; the former is indeed, as we have just said, the source whence the latter flows; but as this brotherly love exists in mortal men, it may be mingled in its exercise with sentiments that are merely human, with individual affection, with the effect of personal attractions, or that of habit, or suitability in natural character. Nothing is sweeter than brotherly affections; their maintenance is of the highest importance in the assembly; but they may degenerate, as they may grow cool; and if love, if God, does not hold the chief place, they may displace Him-set Him aside-shut Him out. Divine love, which is the very nature of God, directs, rules, and gives character to brotherly love;, otherwise it is that which pleases us-that is, our own heart-that governs us. If divine love governs me, I love all my brethren; I love them because they belong to Christ; there is no partiality. I shall have greater enjoyment in a spiritual brother; but I shall occupy myself about my weak brother with a love that rises above his weakness and has tender consideration for it. I shall concern myself with my brother's sin, from love to God, in order to restore my brother, rebuking him, if needful; nor, if divine love be in exercise, can brotherly love, or its name, be associated with disobedience. In a word, God will have His place in all my relationships. To exact brotherly love in such a manner as to shut out the requirements of that which God is, and of His claims upon us, is to shut out God in the most plausible way, in order to gratify our own hearts. Divine love, then, which acts according to the nature, character, and will of God, is that which ought to direct and characterize our whole Christian walk, and have authority over every movement of our hearts. Without this, all that brotherly love can do is to substitute man for God. Divine love is the bond of perfectness, for it is God, who is love, working in us, and making Himself the governing object of all that passes in the heart. J. N. D.

THE CHURCH. — ITS MINISTRY. (Continued from page 272.)

(3) Having seen the various classes of ministry, we are now to inquire whence comes the power for its exercise. And this brings us, again, face to face with that most evident fact, which is also most constantly ignored, that the Holy Spirit is present in the Church as the only power for ministry, of whatever kind. This is, in a way, admitted by all evangelical Christians, only to be practically denied by the various schemes for usefulness adopted in the different denominations.

What is power ? Is it the eloquence that attracts and holds multitudes under its spell ? The apostle answers for us-"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (i Cor. 2:4, 5.) Here, as in other things, '' that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God, "Who "has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; . . . yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things which are; that no flesh should glory in His presence." (i Cor. 1:27-29.) We measure power by work done, not by the show made. The work of an evangelist is that of bringing souls to Christ. One maybe a very attractive and eloquent preacher; he may draw thousands to hear him; nay, large numbers may profess to have been saved under his ministry; but the only test of his power is whether souls have been truly saved. If that has been the case, then we know that the Holy Spirit has been at work; for new birth is His work alone, by the word of truth, no matter what instrument may have been used. So, too, with the teacher. He may be a learned man, a scholar, as was Moses in all the learning of the Egyptians, and yet be without power to impart in any living way the unsearchable riches of Christ. "The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God." (i Cor. 2:2:) There may be the greatest accuracy of Scriptural doctrine, without one particle of power.

The same may be said of the pastor. One may be never so well qualified naturally to sympathize with, guide, cheer, and admonish his brethren, and yet fail in every particular to accomplish anything for God Power in an evangelist is shown in the conversion of souls; in a teacher, in the divine instruction and upbuilding of the people of God; and in a pastor in their true, real shepherding. We repeat-alas! that we all profess to believe it, but so little realize it- that there is not one particle of power apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, . . . For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom ; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will." . . . And God hath set some in the Church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that miracles; then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." (i Cor. 12:4, 7-11, 28.) The very mingling, in these verses, of so-called supernatural gifts with the more ordinary ones, is significant. Is it not meant to show us that in the things of God all operations are supernatural? that the true exercise of the gift of teaching is as much a divine function as the working of a miracle? and that the one requires the Holy Spirit as much as the other? Were this truth acted upon, we would see less dependence upon man and more upon God. We would see more true prayer, more deep self-judgment, and we would, as a result see more divine power exercised. Man's power, alas! is like Saul's armor for David, only a hindrance. How often must God strip His people, as in Gideon's day, of all earthly strength, showing them that the treasure is in earthen vessels -and vessels to be broken at that-that the excellency of the power may be seen to be of Him alone. (Judg. 7:1-20; 2 Cor. 4:5-10.)

Let it not be thought for a moment that we would despise knowledge in its true place. Ignorance is no more power than knowledge. There is no virtue in ignorance. Let the man of God be a diligent student. If he is well instructed in human knowledge, it can be of great value. The only danger is in substituting this knowledge for the power of God. Beautiful it is to see the man of learning, laying it all at the Lord's feet, and, as an empty vessel, waiting to be filled and used by Him. But we will leave this portion of our subject as one upon which we need, not instruction, but exhortation, not theory but practice. May God awaken His servants afresh to see where their weakness and their power lies.

(4) We come now to that which is closely related to what we have just left-apparently the same subject. If the source of all ministry is an exalted Christ, and the Holy Spirit is the only power, the whole question as to its exercise would seem to have been settled. And such, we are persuaded, is really the case. A Christ-given and a Spirit-used ministry is assuredly all that the Church of God needs. And yet just here we are brought face to face with a subject which perhaps more than any other, demands our earnest and prayerful examination,-a subject which claims attention from its great antiquity, as well as its great and overshadowing prominence in the present economy in the professing church. We mean the clerical system, which rests upon ordination for its authority. This system had its beginnings in the early church; it was practiced, no doubt, very soon-perhaps immediately-after the times of the apostles. It has taken root so deeply in the very organism of the professing Church that none of the deliverances granted by God to His beloved people from time to time, have availed to loose its hold. It has survived the reformation under Luther, when the Church received again in clearness the foundation truth of justification by faith; it remained after the great awakening of the eighteenth century had revived the people of God. It flourishes amid the gorgeous ritualism of the Roman and Anglican establishments, and no less does it thrive surrounded by the inornate simplicity of Presbyterianism and the independency of Congregationalism. We see it accompanied by all the pomp of ecclesiastical splendor-robes, music, anointing, and all the circumstance devised by man's ingenuity, and borrowed from all times and all religions:we see it also in the simple "laying on of hands," or the modest "minute of approval "in some religious society. Nay, had we eyes to see, we might doubtless trace it in the entirely informal "recognition of gift," which carries with it the weight of authority not divine.

Well may we pause and examine this system. Its very universality demands this, and the fact that it confronts us when we seek to establish the simplicity of scriptural order. Can it be true that what bears the test of orthodoxy so well-"Semper, ubique, ab omnibus "-always, everywhere, and by all observed-is after all a human invention entirely contrary to the spirit and teaching of the word of God ? In all humility, but in all firmness, our reply must be, Yes.

Man is slow to believe God. Even the saved soul finds roots of unbelief still remaining. It is hard to trust, and to go on leaning upon an invisible arm. There can be but little doubt that this unbelief on the part of God's people-this unwillingness to lean upon Him alone, has been the origin of all the various substitutes which put something visible between God and the soul-some visible authority, some one who has official right to speak for God. Coupled with this is the principle of succession-the power to hand down from one to another the authority originally received from God. It makes very little difference through whom this succession comes-whether through bishops, the successors of the apostles, or through the ministers and elders who received their ordination at the hands of the apostles-in either case the principle of succession is established, and in favor of this principle there is no scripture, but very much against it.

Succession denies the cardinal truth that the Holy Spirit is just as really present and as fully active now as when He first descended to form the Church at Pentecost. Instead of teaching us the presence of the One who is all-sufficient to call, equip, and sustain the servants of Christ, it points us back through the intervening centuries-centuries filled with all manner of unspeakable departure from God-to the original call of faithful men set apart for a special work, which work ceased on the establishment of the Church.

If we ask for Scripture for this, we are pointed to the various passages which speak of ordination in the Acts and the epistles. We must therefore take up these scriptures, and sec what they have for us on this subject.

"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." (Tit. 1:5.) The word translated here " ordain " is χαθιστημι, meaning to establish, or set up. It is translated "ordain" also in Heb. 5:i; 8:3, referring to the high-priesthood. We have the same word, variously translated, in Matt. 24:45-made ruler; Luke 12:14-made judge ; Acts 6:3-appoint over this matter. It is the word of most frequent occurrence in connection with the establishment of authority. In Mark 3:14 – "And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him "-the word is simply made, πoίεω; i Tim. 1:12, "Putting me in the ministry," the word is here "place," τιθημι, translated in chapter 2:7, ordain. The same word is used also in Acts 20:28-"over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,"-and in i Cor. 12:18-"God hath set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased Him." It is interesting to note that every one of these passages refers to God's act, whether it be putting the apostle into the ministry, placing elders over the church at Ephesus, or setting all the various members in the body according to His pleasure.

In Acts 14:23 we have another word-χειρoτovεω:"And when they had ordained them elders in every church." In 2 Cor. 8:19 the same word is translated chosen, which is a more literal rendering, as it means to stretch out the hand, to point out or designate a particular person.(Some authorities would suggest the idea of raising the hand, as in voting, and deduce from this the election by the people of their officers!) These are the passages which refer to ordination. We must now look at the persons ordained, and the manner of their induction into office. This latter is said to have been by the laying on of hands. This expression is used frequently in the gospels, as showing our Lord's manner of healing. The significance of the act seems to be that of taking possession of for the bestowment of blessing. In the Acts we have it used in connection with the bestowal of the Holy Ghost.(Acts 8:17, 18; 19:6.) The thought of conferring something is evident here as well as in the case of Timothy, (i Tim. 14:14;* 2 Tim. 1:6,) where a gift was actually bestowed in this way. *It was by prophecy-a supernatural pointing out-with laying on of hands.* No sober student of Scripture would claim such a thing from ordination now.
When the deacons were appointed by the apostles, (note, not by the saints, but by the apostles,) " they prayed and laid their hands on them." (Acts 6:6.)

In Acts 9:12, 17 the act is one of bodily healing, and typically of spiritual; while in Acts 13:3 it was the act of the saints, expressive of fellowship in the work to which the apostle Paul, and Barnabas, had been called by the Holy Ghost. The lesser surely could not have ordained an apostle.

In i Tim. 5:22 he is exhorted to "lay hands suddenly on no man," to identify himself with no man until he was clear as to his worthiness, whether for fellowship, service, or office.

The passage in Hebrews 6:2, we need hardly say, from its connection, refers to the Old Testament practice of laying on of the hands of the worshiper upon the victim, designating it as his substitute, and thus identifying himself with it. (Lev. 1:4, etc.)

The persons ordained were deacons, elders, and bishops. Acts 6:1-6, in connection with i Tim. 3:8-13, where there seems to be an allusion to Stephen in verse 13, makes it quite clear that the seven appointed by the apostles to care for the distribution of temporal means were deacons. Titus 1:5-7 shows beyond a question that elders and bishops were the same persons. Sec, also, the parallel passage, i Tim. 3:i, 2, and Acts 20:28, where the word " overseers " is but a translation of επισχoπoς, bishop. We have really, then, but the one case of bishop or elder to examine.

Elder is a word that has descended from the patriarchal times of Israel.(Ex. 3:16.)The family was the model of government, and in the family the father, as the elder, had authority. This was transferred to the nation, where the heads of houses became the heads of the nation; and in this sense we have frequent mention of the word in the gospels and Acts. (Matt. 26:3, 47, 57, 59; Acts 4:5, 8.) In Acts 11:30 we have the first application of the word to the leaders in the Church of God, and thereafter it is quite frequently so used. (Acts 14:23; 15:2, 23; 20:17; i Tim. 5:i, 19; Tit. 1:5; i Pet. 1:; 2 John 1:)

Just here we might call attention to the distinction between elders and bishops. Elder was, as we have seen, the ordinary title of the leading people among the Jews-the rulers. It means simply an older person, and is used apart from the idea of office in such passages as i Tim. 5:i, 2 (where we have elder women, the feminine form of the word); i Tim. 5:19; i Pet. 5:i; 2 John 1:; 3 John 1:Older men were naturally the ones qualified for oversight; and from them the apostles appointed bishops or overseers. Elder, then, designates the person, and bishop the work to which he was called. From what we have seen, the terms were used interchangeably.

We have now the material before us from which to gather the teaching of Scripture as to ordination and office in the church of God.

We find that Titus was left in Crete for the purpose of establishing elders or bishops in every place. The qualifications are given-the same as in i Tim. 3:There is no mention of laying on of hands by Titus, nor by Timothy, in connection with the description of the qualifications of a bishop. It is inference indeed-probable, we might say-that Timothy ordained elders; and it would be further inference that this was by the laying on of hands. Taken, however, in connection with the ordination of deacons, to serve tables (Acts 6:1-6), where hands were laid upon them by the apostles, there is no reason for opposing the thought that Timothy or Titus did set apart elders as bishops in this way. The important point to guard, however, is that this laying on of hands was not exclusively applied to ordination, but was, as we have seen, a simple and ordinary act accompanying healing, the gift of the Holy Ghost, identification and fellowship in service. Paul and Barnabas indicated God's choice of elders in every assembly. (Acts 14:23.) Here, again, there is no mention of laying on of hands, though it might naturally accompany the choice. The omission is significant, as showing how comparatively unimportant the act was.

One thing, so far, is clear-that the appointment of elders was restricted to those who were especially commissioned by the apostle. So far from this showing that succession in office was contemplated, it does the reverse. Neither Timothy nor Titus were elders or bishops. Timothy was a young man. We never read of elders or bishops ordaining their successors. There is no hint of such a thing. Ordination then was an apostolic act, clone either directly by the apostle or by those commissioned to act for him.

It is important to note that the name and functions of the elder were derived from Judaism, and that the synagogue furnished the model for this office. We should not overlook the fact that the book of Acts is a history of the transition period from Judaism to Christianity, and that many Jewish practices were permitted during this time to make the change as gradual as possible. Timothy was circumcised. (Acts 16:1-3.)The decree sat Jerusalem(Acts 15:), while they declared freedom from the ceremonial law, forbade those practices which would stumble the conscientious Jew-eating strangled things, and blood. Every Sabbath the apostle went into the synagogue to preach. What wonder, then, that in establishing the assemblies he should, under divine guidance, have set up elders to rule? God was tenderly caring for his beloved people, and would give them no needless shocks. This is the thought underlying the whole book of Acts.

But where have we a hint that ordination was to go on ?i Corinthians is pre-eminently the book of church order, and yet we have no mention of church officials. The house of Stephanas(i Cor. 16:15, 16) addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints, and the brethren were exhorted to recognize by obedience their devoted service. In i Thess. 5:12, 13 we have the same thought. Office and ordination are not even suggested. In Phil. 1:i bishops and deacons are mentioned, but only as part of the assembly at Philippi, to share with the rest the precious unfoldings of Christ in that epistle.

As the Church emerged from the influence of Judaism, it laid aside the swaddling-bands of customs which were appropriate only to a state of infancy, and was left free to be guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit alone. While we bless God for the apostles-the visible representatives of Christ's authority on earth-we recognize that they were connected with the foundations of Christianity, and were never intended to be perpetuated. They have given us the inspired epistles. They nourished the infant Church, and they are now waiting with the Lord until He comes. Then their names will be displayed in the twelve foundations of the heavenly city. But there is not a whisper of Scripture that they have representatives upon earth.

But with the presence of the apostles goes ordination to office, as we have seen. Having passed from under the care of inspired men on earth, the Church has likewise passed from that which was a witness of that care.

So then we are left, not in a state of ruin or incompleteness, but as God intended we should be left, with the Holy Ghost as the only representative of divine authority, and the word of God our all-sufficient guide. The gifts remain, gifts of oversight, as well as of teaching; but the office, the designation by apostolic authority of a certain person for a certain place, has passed. It is well, too, to remember that gift was always distinguished from office even in the apostles' days. They never ordained men to preach or to teach, but only to take charge in the Church. A deacon might preach as did Stephen (Acts 7); not, however, because he was a deacon, but because he had a gift from Christ. An elder might labor in word and doctrine (i Tim. 5:17), not because he was an elder, but because he had the gift. The exhortation in Rom. 12:6-8 was to saints, not to office bearers:- "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,'' etc.

It may be urged that the apostle provides for succession in 2 Tim. 2:2. "The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." But a glance will show that it was the truth which Timothy had received he was to transmit to faithful men – a responsibility which remains for all time.

We are living in times of ruin. That which came so fair from the hands of the Lord, has become so
mutilated as to be practically unrecognizable. The allure is ours, and ours alone. Even now the Church should be "as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." Her failure, we are persuaded, is not due in any degree to the lapse of ordination of any kind whatever ; but to the want of obedient recognition of the Lord's authority and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

If the Church were just as God would have it today, we are persuaded we would not have ordination in it.

And so we return to the wondrous simplicity of God's order for the exercise of ministry:"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (i Pet. 4:10, 2:) If this is not enough, we can never have more.

To all objections about unworthy men thrusting themselves forward, disorder and irregularity, we can only say, if there is faith and subjection to God, there will be no such difficulties; if there is not faith, the sooner we realize it by being permitted to fall into confusion, the better. God never intended we should get on without Him. Peter on the water, sinking and crying for help, may not have been as decorous an object as his fellows sitting in the boat, but who was nearer to the Lord? Let us never exchange His all-sufficient power for the formal proprieties of a human ministry.

In closing this part of our subject we would again call attention to the fact that for godly men, whether ordained or not, who are Christ's gifts to the Church, we have only the hightest regard and affection. We recognize their gifts. We lament that they should be fettered by this system which we have been examining. Let us pray for all Christ's servants everywhere.

No WORLDLY gain, no earthly advantage, could compensate for the loss of a pure conscience, an un-condemning heart, and the light of your Father's countenance.

CHAPTER IX. (Continued from page 278.)

But once again our Preacher turns; and now he sees that it is not assuredly possible for the advice he has given to be followed, and that even in this life neither work, device, knowledge, nor wisdom, are effective in obtaining good or in shielding their possessor from life's vicissitudes.'' The swift" -does he always win the race ?Are there no contingencies that more than counterbalance his swiftness ?A slip, a fall, a turned muscle, and-the race is not to the swift. The strong-is he necessarily conqueror in the fight? Many an unforeseen and uncontrollable event has turned the tide of battle and surprised the world, till the "fortune of war" has passed into a proverb. The skillful may not be able at all times to secure even the necessaries of life; nor does abundance invariably accompany greater wisdom, whilst no amount of intelligence can secure constant and abiding good.* *There seems to be an intensive force to these words, constantly and in each phase becoming stronger, in evident antithesis to the "work, device, knowledge, and wisdom," that Ecclesiastes had just counseled to use to the utmost in order to obtain "good" in this life.*

Time and doom hap alike to all, irrespective of man's purposes or proposings, and no man knows what his hap shall be, since no skill of any kind can avail to guide through the voyage of life without encountering its storms. From the unlooked-for quarter, too, do those storms burst on us. As the fishes suspect no danger till in the net they are taken, and as the birds fear nothing till ensnared, so we poor children of Adam, when our "evil time " comes round, are snared without warning.

Absolutely true this is, if life be regarded solely by such light as human wisdom gives:"Time and doom happen alike to all." The whole scene is like one vast, confused machine, amongst whose intricate wheels, that revolve with an irregularity that defies foresight, poor man is cast at his birth; and ever and anon, when he least expects it, he comes between these wheels; and then he is crushed by some "evil," which may make an end of him altogether or leave him for further sorrows. All things seem to work confusedly for evil, and this caps the climax of Ecclesiastes's misery.

Here is the sequence of his reasoning :

Firstly, There is no righteous allotment upon earth; the righteous suffer here, whilst the unjust
escape. Nay,

Secondly, There is an absolute lack of all discrimination in the death that ends all; and,

Thirdly, So complete is that end, bringing all so exactly to one dead level, without the slightest difference; and so impenetrable is the tomb to which all go, that I counsel, in my despair, "Eat, drink, and be merry, irrespective of any future."

Fourthly, But, alas! that, too, is impossible; for no "work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom," can assure freedom from the evil doom that haps, soon or late, to all."

Intensified misery! awful darkness indeed! And our own souls tremble as we stand with Ecclesiastes under its shadow and respond to his groanings. For the same scene still spreads itself before us as before him. Mixed with the mad laughter and song of fools is the continued groan of sorrow, pain, and suffering, that still tells of "time and doom."

A striking instance of this comes to my hand even as I write; and since its pathetic sadness makes it stand out even from the sorrows of this sad world, I would take it as a direct illustration of Ecclesiastes's groan. At Nyack on the Hudson a Christian family retire to rest after the happy services of last Lord's Day, the 21st of October-an unbroken circle of seven children, with their parents. Early on the following morning, before it is light, a fire is raging in the house, and four of the little children are consumed in the conflagration. The account concludes:"The funeral took place at eleven o'clock to-day." That is, in a little more than twelve hours after retiring to sleep, four of the members of that family circle were in their graves! Here is an "evil time" that has fallen suddenly indeed; and the sad and awful incident enables us to realize just what our writer felt as he penned the words. With one stroke, in one moment, four children, who have had for years their parents' daily thought and care, meet an awful doom, and all that those parents themselves have believed receives a blow whose force it is hard to measure. Now listen, as the heathen cry, " Where is now their God ? " Why was not His shield thrown about them ? Had he not the power to warn the sleeping household of the impending danger ? Is He so bound by some law of His own making as to forbid his interfering with its working ? Worse still, was He indifferent to the awful catastrophe that was about to crush the joy out of that family circle ? If His was the power, was His love lacking?

Oh, awful questions when no answer can be given to them ;-and nature gives no answer. She is absolutely silent. No human wisdom, even though it be his who was gifted "with a wise and understanding heart, so that none was like him before him, neither after him should any arise like unto him," could give any answer to questions like these. And think you, my reader, that nature does not cry out for comfort, and feel about for light at such a time ? Nor that the enemy of our souls is not quick in his malignant activity to suggest all kinds of awful doubt ? Every form of darkness and unbelief is alive to seize such incidents, and make them the texts on which they may level their attacks against the Christian's God.

But is there really no eye to pity ?-no heart to love?-no arm to save ?Are men really subject to blind law-"time and doom"?

Hark, my reader, and turn once more to that sweetest music that ever broke on distracted reason's ear. It comes not to charm with a false hope, but with the full authority of God. None but His Son who had lain so long in His Father's bosom that He knew its blessed heart-beats thoroughly, could speak such words-"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings."Here are poor worthless things indeed that may be truly called creatures of chance. " Time and doom " must surely "hap" to these. Indeed no; "not one of them is forgotten before God." Ponder every precious word in simple faith. God's memory bears upon it the lot of every worthless sparrow; it may "fall to the ground," but not without Him. He controls their destiny and is interested in their very flight. If it be so with the sparrow, that may be bought for a single mite, shall the saint, who has been bought at a price infinitely beyond all the treasures of silver and gold in the universe, even at the cost of the precious blood, of His dear Son,-shall he be subject to "time and doom"? Shall his lot not be shaped by infinite love and wisdom? Yes, verily. Even the very hairs of his head are all numbered. No joy, no happiness, no disappointment, no perplexity, no sorrow, so infinitesimally small (let alone the greatest) but that the One who controls all worlds takes the closest interest therein, and turns, in His love, every thing to blessing, forcing "all to work together for good" and making the very storms of life obedient servants to speed His children to their Home.

Faith alone triumphs here; but faith triumphs; and apart from such tests and trials, what opportunity would there be for faith to triumph ? May we not bless God, then, (humbly enough, for we know how quickly we fail under trial,) that He docs leave opportunity for faith to be in exercise and to get victories ? God first reveals Himself, and then says, as it were, " Now let Me see if you have so learned what I am as to trust Me against all circumstances, against all that you see, feel, or suffer." And what virtue there must be in the Light of God, when so little of it is needed to sustain His child! Even in the dim early twilight of the dawning of divine revelation, Job, suffering under a very similar and fully equal "evil time, "could say, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord:" accents sweet and refreshing to Him who values at an unknown price the confidence of this poor heart of man. And yet what did Job know of God ? He had not seen the cross. He had not had anything of the display of tenderest unspeakable love that have we. It was but the dawn, as we may say, of revelation; but it was enough to enable that poor grief-wrung heart to cry, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." Shall we, who enjoy the very meridian of revelation light;-shall we, who have seen Him slain for us, say less ? Nay, look at the wondrous possibilities of our calling, my reader,-a song, nothing but a song will do now. Not quiet resignation only; but "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness,"-and that means a song.

How rich, how very rich, is our portion! A goodly heritage is ours. For see what our considerations have brought out:a deep need universally felt; for none escape the sorrows, trials, and afflictions, that belong, in greater or less degree, to this life.

The highest, truest, human wisdom can only recognize the need with a groan, for it finds no remedy for it-time and doom hap alike to all.

God shows Himself a little, and, lo! quiet, patience, and resignation take the place of groaning. The need is met.

God reveals His whole heart fully, and no wave of sorrow, no billow of suffering, can extinguish the joy of His child who walks with Him. Nay, as thousands upon thousands could testify, the darkest hour of trial is made the sweetest with the sense of His love, and tears with song are mingled.

Oh, for grace to enjoy our rich portion more.

But to return to our book. Its author rarely proceeds far along any one line without meeting with that which compels him to return. So here; for he adds, in verses 13 to the end of the chapter, "And yet I have seen the very reverse of all this, when apparently an inevitable doom, an 'evil time,' was hanging over a small community, whose resources were altogether inadequate to meet the crisis-when no way of escape from the impending destruction seemed possible-then, at "the moment of despair, as ' poor 'wise man ' steps to the front (such the quality there is in wisdom), delivers the city, comes forth from his obscurity, shines for a moment, and, lo! the danger past, is again forgotten, and sinks to the silence whence he came. But this the incident proved to me, that where strength is vain, there wisdom shows its excellence, even though men as a whole appreciate it so little as to call upon it only as a last resource. For let the fools finish their babbling, and their chief get to the end of his talking; then, in the silence that tells the limit of their powers, the quiet voice of wisdom is heard again, and that to effect. Thus is wisdom better even than weapons of war, although, sensitive quality that it is, a little folly easily taints it."

Can we, my readers, fail to set our seal to the truth of all this ? We, too, have known something much akin to that "little city with few men," and one Poor Man, the very embodiment of purest, perfect wisdom, who wrought alone a full deliverance in the crisis-a deliverance in which wisdom shone divinely bright; and yet the mass of men remember Him not. A few, whose hearts grace has touched, may count Him the chief among ten thousand and the altogether lovely; but the world, though it may call itself by His name, counts other objects more worthy of its attention, and the poor wise man is forgotten "under the sun."

Not so above the sun. There we see the Poor One, the Carpenter's Son, the Nazarene, the Reviled, the Smitten, the Spit-upon, the Crucified, seated, crowned with glory and honor, at the right hand of the majesty in the heavens; and there, to a feeble few on earth, He sums up all wisdom and all worth, and they journey on in the one hope of seeing Him soon face to face, and being with Him and like Him forever. F. C. J.

(To be continued.)

This not a mere historical lesson. I believe it is a lesson specially pressed on us in a time like this. Caleb was the one man of his time, a true-hearted man, who, when a whole generation abandoned God, wholly followed Him. When everything is drifting away, beloved, what a thing it is to stand and act thus. When those whom once we looked up to go this way and that;-how like sheep the people of God are; how easily, also, they run this way and that! But the good part is to follow the shepherd, and we shall never be saved from the responsibility of doing this. Of late, more than ever before, this has been shown. Nor is it enough to say we will not follow this man or that,- which may be, after all, mere independency; but we must be wholly following God. This will make us independent of man indeed, and dependent on God sufficiently to be willing to follow any by whom He may be pleased to show us what is His way.

The babes in i John 2:had an unction from the Holy One and knew all things, and needed not that any should teach them. We might take this, and easily run into independence, and so nourish a pride that is far from God. Pride and humility, in a sense, lie very close together. The most thorough pride may be nursed upon a text like this. But mark how it is put before us:the unction is from the Holy One, and this reminds us that "the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

"Ye know all things," means simply what that does as to the blind man restored to sight. When we say we can see everything, it does not mean that we can see Australia; but with a clear day and good eyes we can see anything that is presented to us. So it is here:as anointed of the Holy One, we can discern what is of God and what is not.

Caleb means "whole-hearted." This characterized him. We do not know what gift he may have had:he lived for God with all he had; and so may any here. No more is needed.

In Joshua 13:and 14:the tribes get their inheritance; in 15:the lot of the tribe of Judah is detailed first, and at the end the cities of Judah. In the middle we have Caleb's portion and blessing. Here we have God showing us how to get possession of our inheritance as Caleb got hold of his.

How old we get so quickly, but should we spiritually ? Truly not. Eternal life is not destined for the grave; and here is a man who does not ever grow old. He had a receipt against old age. It is man's link with God that is power over nature, and we can walk with God and not grow old.

At forty years he spied out the land, and forty-five years later he is as vigorous to go in and "possess" as at first to spy. What is all the weariness and strengthlessness which so characterize the people of God, the witness of; but that we are too little like Caleb.

In Numbers, when the spies searched out the land, Hebron was the special place which got their attention. Hebron means "communion." The glorious fruitage of Eshcol belongs there, and Caleb gets it. It is worth being a Caleb to get the place of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.

But all the power of Satan is there to keep them out. The choicest blessing is the very thing the enemy would take possession of. The Anakim – the long-necked race – dwelt there, and called it the city of Arba,- Kirjath-arba, "a strong man," I suppose, and the head of the Anakim. They were giants; but, beloved, giants arc never the favorites of God. Little "Davids" are rather the men after His own heart.

Let us look at the names of the three leaders of these children of Anak, whom Caleb has to do with. Sheshai,- white. Ahiman,- who is my brother? Talmai,- my furrows.

These Anakim are the children of pride; as it was said, "Who can stand before the sons of Anak?" He who is the High and Lofty One, and Who inhabiteth Eternity, however, dwells not with such, but with the humble and contrite heart,-with him that trembleth at His word. But what is "white" in a sou of Anak? It is self-righteousness. They are too big, too self-sufficient, too apt to talk of themselves; and the child of God, alas, is capable of being self-conscious. He is not a son of Anak, of course, but the son of Anak has possession of him. "Who is my brother?" This is self-esteem in another way. It expresses pride of race and circumstances, and nobody equal to him. "My furrows." What I have made with my plow. My work, at least, I can take pleasure in. Everything in a son of Anak circles around self. Here again, alas, Christians can be kept out of Hebron (communion) by such things,- pride of character, pride of connection, spiritual pride of one's doings.

Caleb is ready to take possession of the land at eighty-five. He has no doubts. Only he says, "if
the Lord be with me." It is not doubt, but lowliness, and a very safe thing to say. Beloved, if the Lord be with us, what shall we not do? It is all right for us to speak of no confidence in ourselves, but don't let us stop there. Why do we not go on and have the most perfect confidence in God ? This we want just now. Men of knowledge are going this way and that, and the people of God are scattered like sheep; and sheep can scatter, you know. If we have attained true self-judgment, it will not be to give up confidence in God. Breaking with self is the way of true confidence in God. If there be not confidence in God, be sure of this, there is not the thorough break with self-confidence. "If God be with me," says Caleb, and so may we. Why may I not be able to drive out the Anakim, even if others have fallen? Ah, to be sustained by His arms, we must be weak enough to rest on them our whole weight. They are under us, but we want to feel them under us, by this.

There is no great history:the account is perfectly simple. He drives out the children of Anak, and takes possession:that is all. The man of greatest experiences in Genesis was Jacob, and the wonder is that most of them were before he became Israel:after that we find very few indeed. He nearly drops out of the history. Only a few more steps to Hebron, and then no more of the experiences of Jacob. What is the power of God ? Is He going to make a difficulty of doing anything? If He works, and we work His work, there is no need of even the consciousness of power. We rest in His arms, and let Him do it. Caleb drove out Anak, and took possession:that is all.

One thing more I am anxious for, for us all. Not only Hebron he gets. This is not all of the land he covets. There is something to complete "communion." He wants Debir, the name given to the most Holy place in the Temple of God. Its original name was Kirjath Sepher, meaning the "City of the Book." When a Caleb gets the book into his hands, it becomes a living oracle (Debir),- that from which God speaks to His people.

Joshua answers to Ephesians; and for the conflict there, we have only one offensive weapon. It says, "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." So our version reads. Is this enough for me ? Too much. I'd need the greatest mind and the biggest heart ever was to hold that sword. It is too heavy, had I to wield all that. It should read, "The sword of the Spirit, which is the saying of God,"-enough to suit a little hand, and yet do marvelous things. It is the needed word for the time, which the Spirit gives,- a weapon fitted to my hand for the occasion.

This is what we want,- the living Word for this moment, to-day for to-day and to-morrow for tomorrow. We want this; and if it be the sword of the Spirit we must be in the power of the Spirit to use it. But if with God thus, babes or old men, we shall be successful warriors here.

These Anakim may remind us, then, of our great need. The infidel evolutionist says man has fallen upward,- from a mere animal he has become a man. In a way it is true:an upward self-assertive rise has been his fall. It is an awful fall. Brethren, let us fall down before the Lord. In the scripture conflict between good and evil, Michael is the Warrior Angel; and why Michael? It means "Who is like God?" Wasn't this the very thing Satan tempted man with, "Ye shall be as God" ?Michael answers this in the end, and smites the Devil out of heaven. Oh that the Anakite spirit kept no saint out of his Hebron now. Thoroughly humbled, we shall find communion simple. Where we found it first we find it still. Jesus in His baptism goes where all those poor people went, who came as sinners to the baptism of repentance, empty and humble. They had nothing to talk about but their sins. Jesus says I must go there.

God made everything out of nothing, and so the New Creator of our souls delights to work, and works still. Conscious only of our infirmities, we may glory in these:for the power of Christ shall rest upon us. F. W. G.

Question 12.- Can you harmonize 1 Cor. 11:5, with 1 Cor. xiv 34. If women are to prophesy in this dispensation, where, or on what occasions are they to do so, as it was not permitted them to speak in the assemblies ?

Answer.-Prophecy is speaking directly from God, often revealing things in a supernatural way, but always conveying a direct message from Him. 1 Cor. 14:34, shows women were to be silent in the assembly ; therefore, evidently, the prayer and prophecy spoken of in the eleventh chapter, was of a private character, no doubt in the home.

Question 13.- Is it according to Scripture that Christ used fermented wine in instituting His Supper? Must it be fermented, thus changing its nature before it can symbolize the blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot ?

Answer.-The wine used at the Lord's Supper was unquestionably that partaken of at the Passover; the same, without doubt, also used in the drink offerings. Scripture speaks of no other kind of wine, and this was of such a character, that the abuse of it by the carnal Corinthians, resulted in drunkenness. (1 Cor. 11:21.)

Unfermented grape juice is not wine, and when the natural process of fermentation has been arrested by chemicals, or In some other artificial way, it becomes anything but a suitable symbol of the blood of Christ.

The remedy for drunkenness, as for all other sin, is Christ alone. If all liquors could be abolished from the world, that would not blot out one sin. All should have horror for drunkenness, as for every other sin ; and surely those who are endeavoring to diminish its evils, for Christ's sake, are entitled to respect and sympathy. But we are persuaded that God's way is the only true one-" Make the tree good, and his fruit good." When a man is born again he has a new nature which has no desire for sin; and if he mortifies his members, which are upon the earth, if he reckons himself to be "dead indeed unto sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus," sin will not have dominion over him.

TEACH ME TO DO THY WILL, FOR THOU ART MY GOD."

Another lesson learned, my God, with Thee !
I thank Thee for the victory won.
I did not know I'd need to learn this one,
And marveled why such exercise should be,
As o'er my task I bent most bitterly,
Examining my heart with scrutiny.

But e'er the discipline was over past,
I knew that I had deepest need to learn
This too. My Master, may I ever turn
To Thee when heaviness upon my heart is pressed
By some new sight of self I had not guessed!
I would this burden, too, upon Thee cast.

Then let me learn, though deep may be the pain.
I would not leave Thy school, my God ;-'tis well,
For through Thy discipline I'll have the more to tell
Of the surpassing grace and loveliness
Of Him who used my utter worthlessness
For His own glory and my endless gain.

Yea, let me learn; I would not pass my days
Indifferently, in carelessness and ease,
But from the world and all its folly cease-
At every step take counsel with Thy word,
And walk in sweet communion with Thee, Lord,
While to Thy blessed name be all the praise.

God's school is thorough, and the course life-long;
The object-lesson is His blessed Son;
The theme is endless when thou'st once begun;
But if thou'st ever tasted its sweet lore,
Thy thirsty soul will surely long for more,
And Christ become thy one, eternal song.

CHAPTER IX. (Continued from page 240.)

The last two verses of Chapter VIII. connect with the opening words of this chapter. The more Ecclesiastes applies every faculty he has to solve the riddle under the sun, robbing himself of sleep and laboring with strong energy and will, he becomes only the more aware that solution is altogether impossible. The contradictions of nature baffle the wisdom of nature. There is no assured sequence, he reiterates, between righteousness and happiness on the one hand, and sin and misery on the other. The whole confusion is in the sovereign hand of God, and the righteous and the wise must just leave the matter there, for "no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them." What discrimination is there here ? Do not all things happen alike to all ? Yes, further, does not Time, unchecked by any higher power, sweep all relentlessly to one common end ? Love cannot be inferred from the " end " of the righteous, nor hatred from the "end" of the sinner; for it is one and the same death that stops the course of each. Oh, this is indeed an " evil under the sun."

Darker and darker the cloud settles over his spirit; denser and still more dense the fogs of helpless ignorance and perplexity enwrap his intelligence. For, worse still, do men recognize, and live at all reasonably in view of, that common mortality? Alas, madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead; and then all hope for them, as far as can be seen, is over forever. Dead! What does that mean ? It means that every faculty, as far as can be seen, is stilled forever. The dead lion, whose majesty and strength while living would have even now struck me with awe, is less formidable as it lies there than a living dog. So with the dead among men :their hatred is no more to be feared, for it can harm nothing; their love is no more to be valued, for it can profit nothing; their zeal and energy are no more to be accounted of, for they can effect nothing; yea, all has come to an end forever under the sun. Oh, the awfulness of this darkness! "Then I will give," continues Ecclesiastes, "counsel for this vain life in conformity with the dense gloom of its close. Listen! Go eat with joy thy bread, and merrily drink thy wine; let never shade of sorrow mar thy short-lived pleasure; let no mourning on thy dress be seen, nor to thy head be oil of gladness lacking; merrily live with her whom thy affection has chosen as thy life-companion, and trouble not thyself as to God's acceptance of thy works-that has been settled long ago; nor let a sensitive conscience disturb thee:whatsoever is in thy power to do, that do, without scruple or question;* for soon, but too soon, these days of thy vanity will close, and in the grave, whither thou surely goest, all opportunities for activity, of whatever character, are over, and that-forever! " *I believe this is distinctly the hearing of these words, and not as in our version.*

Strange counsel this, for sober and wise Ecclesiastes to give, is it not? Much has it puzzled many a commentator. Luther boldly says it is sober Christian advice, meant even now to be literally accepted, "lest you become like the monks, who would not have one look even at the sun." Hard labor indeed, however, is it to force it thus into harmony with the general tenor of God's word.

But is not the counsel good and reasonable enough under certain conditions ? And are not those conditions and premises clearly laid down for us in the context here ? It is as if a whirlwind of awful perplexities had swept the writer with irresistible force away from his moorings,-a black cloud filled with the terrors of darkness and death sweeps over his being, and out of the black and terrible storm he speaks-Man has but an hour to enjoy here, and I know nothing as to what comes after, except that death, impenetrable death, ends every generation of men, throws down to the dust the good, the righteous, the sober, as well as the lawless, the false, and the profligate; ends in a moment all thought, knowledge, love, and hatred;-then since I know nothing beyond this vain life, I can only say, "Have thy fling;-short, short thy life will be, and vain thou wilt find this short life; so get thy fill of pleasure here, for thou goest, and none can help thee, to where all activities cease, and love and hatred end forever."

This, we may say, based on these premises, and excluding all other, is reasonable counsel. Does not our own apostle Paul confirm it ? Does he not say, if this life be all, this life of vanity under the sun, then let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die ? Yea, we who have turned aside from this path of present pleasures are of all men most miserable, if this vain life be all.

And are we to expect poor unaided human wisdom to face these awful problems of infinite depth without , finding the strongest evidence of its utter incapacity and helplessness? Like a feather in the blast, our kingly and wise preacher (beyond whom none can ever go) is whirled, for the time being, from his soberness, and, in sorrow akin to despair, gives counsel that is in itself revolting to all soberness and wisdom. Nothing could so powerfully speak the awful chaos of his soul; and-mark it well-in that same awful chaos would you and I be at any moment, my reader, if we thought at all, but for one inestimably precious fact. Black like unto the outer darkness is the storm-cloud we are looking at, and the wild, despairing, yet sad counsel, to "live merrily" is in strict harmony with the wild, awful darkness, like the sea-gull's scream in the tempest.

Let us review a little the path of reasoning that has led our author to where he is ; only we will walk it joyfully in the light of God.

" No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him."We have looked upon a scene where a holy Victim-infinitely holy-bowed His head under the weight of a judgment that could not be measured. It was but a little while, and the very heavens could not contain themselves with delight at His perfect beauty, His perfect obedience ;but again, and yet again, were they opened to express the pleasure of the Highest in this lowly Man. Now, not only are they closed in silence, but a horror seems to enwrap all creation. The sun, obscured by no earth-born cloud, gives out no spark nor ray of light; and in that solemn darkness every voice is strangely hushed. From nine till noon the air was filled with revilings and reproaches-all leveled at the one sinless Sufferer; but now, for three hours, these have been absolutely silent, till at last one cry of agony breaks the stillness ;and it is from Him who was oppressed and afflicted, yet opened not His mouth; was brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearer is dumb, so opened He not His mouth:- "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani"-"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ! "

There, my beloved readers, look there! Let that cross be before us, and then say, " No man knoweth
love or hatred by all that is before them." Are not both revealed there as never before ? Hatred ! What caused the blessed God thus to change His attitude towards the One who so delighted Him that the heaven's burst open, as it were, under the weight of that delight ? There is but one answer to that question. Sin. Sin was there on that holiest Sufferer- mine, yours, my reader. And God's great hatred of sin is fully revealed there. I know "hatred" when I see God looking at my sin on His infinitely holy, infinitely precious, infinitely beloved Son….

Let us meditate upon, without multiplying words over this solemn theme, and turn to the Love that burns, too, so brightly there. Who can measure the infinity of love to us when, in order that love might have its way unhindered, God forsakes the One who, for all the countless ages of the eternal past, had afforded Him perfect "daily" delight, was ever in His bosom-the only one in that wide creation who could satisfy or respond, in the communion of equality, to His affections-and turns away from Him ; nay, "it pleased the Lord to bruise Him"; "He hath put Him to grief." Ponder these words ; and in view of who that crucified Victim was, and His relationship with God, measure, if you can, the love displayed there, the love in that one short word "so" – "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son ; "-then, whilst viewing the cross, hear, coming down to us from the lips of the wise king, "No man knoweth love or hatred." Hush! Ecclesiastes, hush! Breathe no such word in such a scene as this. Pardonable it were in that day, when you looked only at the disjointed chaos and tangle under the sun; but looking at that cross, it were the most heinous sin, the most unpardonable disloyalty and treason, to say now, "No man knoweth love." Rather, adoringly, will we say, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And we have known and believed the love that God has to us."

Yea, now let "all things come alike to all:"-that tender Love shall shed its light over this stormy scene, and enable the one that keeps it before him to walk the troubled waters of this life in quiet assurance and safety. Death still may play sad havoc with the most sensitive of affections; but that Love shall, as we have before seen, permit us to weep tears; but not bitter despairing tears. Further, it sheds over the spirit the glorious light of a coming Day, and we look forward, not to an awful impending gloom, but to a pathway of real light, that pierces into eternity. The Day! We are of the Day! The darkness passes, the true light already shines !t Then listen, my fellow-pilgrims, to the Spirit's counsel:" But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the Day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation."

Our poor preacher, in the darkness of the cloud of death, counsels, "merrily drink thy wine." And not amiss, with such an outlook, is such advice. In the perfect Light of Revelation, lighting up present and a future eternity, well may we expect counsel as differing from this as the light in which it is given differs from the darkness. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand:let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the Day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." A men and A men.

(To be continued.)

THE CHURCH.– ITS MINISTRY. (Continued from page 248.)

When the evangelist has awakened the sinner and led him to Christ, through the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit, he has introduced him into the Church. Here his work as an evangelist ceases. To be sure the saved soul will love to hear the gospel of salvation again and again for his joy and establishment. He will find, if he goes on with God, that his relish for the simple elementary truths of redemption increases. To lose taste for the gospel is to lose taste for the love of God, and is one of the surest marks of spiritual declension. But though he delight in it, he no longer listens to it as one who needs to be saved. In that sense he is out from under the care of the evangelist, and needs other ministry. We might remark, in passing, that the evangelist, in the love which he surely has for new-born souls as their spiritual father, will see to it that, as they have through the Spirit of God been introduced into the Church, the body of Christ, so also they will be brought into fellowship with that Church as it may have local expression. It is strange to think of a true evangelist, with a real passion for souls, after they have been brought to Christ, showing indifference as to their ecclesiastical associations. And yet, do we not hear of new converts being advised to enter "the church of their choice," or of their family? Was it thus when the gospel was put before them ? Were they left to make choice of various ways of salvation, as by the law, or reformation, or by religious profession ? Ah, no.! they were told there was but one Way, and that out of Christ they must be lost forever. Scripture was given to prove this, and they were not left alone until they had accepted God's way of salvation.

So should it be in the matter of church fellowship. The evangelist-in imitation of the good Samaritan- having bound up the sinner's wounds, pouring in the oil and wine-the blood of Christ witnessed to and applied by the Holy Spirit,-brings the wounded man to the inn, where he can be taken care of. And in this matter of church fellowship, surely as great care should be taken as in the matter of salvation ; for God's honor is in question in both cases. So, instead of inviting the new convert to enter the church of his choice, he should rather be shown that he is already in the Church, a member of it, and now should simply recognize those who, in the place where he resides, form the local assembly. Scripture is here, as in all else, the guide. In answer to the objection that this would plunge him into difficulties, our answer must be, they are not made by the Word of God, and can all be resolved by it. We are bound to sadly own that it must be bewildering to the soul who has just found peace, to be brought face to face with the sectarianism which is our common shame; nor need we wonder if many are stumbled. But Scripture has a remedy even here, and the obedient following of that infallible guide will give relief, in its simplicity, for those who are really desirous of learning and doing God's will.

But to return. The evangelist introduces the convert into the Church. Here ministry of a new kind awaits him. After evangelists, in the passage we are considering, come "pastors." The word is literally "shepherds, " and fittingly designates those whom the Lord has qualified to "feed the flock of God." The sheep of Christ need care. The "good Shepherd," who laid down His life for them, will see that they are not merely delivered from the enemy, but guarded, led, and fed as well. It is here that the importance of the gift of pastor is seen. His it is to look after the Lord's people; to see that they do not go astray, and to seek to recover them if they do ; to comfort them under affliction ;to cheer and sympathize with them under trial; to warn them if they grow worldly or careless. He must be watchful, prayerful, constant. He must watch for souls as one who must give account. The pastor's work is necessarily largely of a private character. He need not be a public speaker, nor apparently take a prominent place. He deals largely with individuals alone, or in the retirement of the family circle. Here the true pastor finds his sphere of service, nor is it a limited one. And how such an one is welcomed by the Lord's people. Here is one who can rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep, – ready to give counsel, encouragement, or correction. Beloved brethren, can we be sufficiently thankful for pastors ?What would the Church of God be without them? – open to the attacks of the enemy, the weak neglected, the wanderers unsought, the unruly unwarned. And is it not well for us to pray that this precious gift of Christ may be more recognized and made use of ? Let those who have the care of Christ's flock awaken afresh to their responsibilities. They have a work which no man can do for them. That such a gift exists at the present time who can doubt, with this scripture before them ?But externality and superficiality are the characteristics of the day. Showy talents, eloquence, popularity, are now the most appreciated, and the useful ones, which look beneath the surface, which minister to the true health of the body of Christ, are too often despised and neglected. As a consequence the saints suffer ; they grow lean, and where a true pastoral care might develop them into usefulness, they shrivel up into spiritual decrepitude, and remain weaklings all their lives. . Of the qualifications for pastoral care we need but speak briefly. They are given in general in those passages which speak of oversight, and eldership. Of office we shall speak in a short time, and will ask the reader to dismiss from his mind, for the time being, all thought of official character in considering the following passage :"This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop (literally, if a man desire oversight) he desireth a good work. A bishop then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous :one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity ; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God ?) not a novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." (i Tim. iii 1-14, see also Titus 1:6-9; i Pet. 5:1-4.)

In general we would say, that the pastoral gift is the gift of rule and oversight. As is well known the word translated to rule (Matt. 2:6, Rev. 2:27 etc.,) means literally to shepherd, and is rendered "feed," in Jno. 21:16, Acts 20:28; i Pet. 5:2, where pastoral care is spoken of. Rule in Scripture is service, and he rules best who serves best.

We have noticed as one of the qualifications for a bishop that he must be "apt to teach, which means that he must be able to meet and answer questions, and make use of Scripture, in the performance of his duties. Closely linked, however, with the gift of pastor is that of teacher. In a distinctive sense, as contrasted with pastor, the teacher is he who is gifted to unfold the word of God. All God's children have an unction from the holy One, and need not that any man teach them; yet this does not do away with the need of teachers, as divine gifts. It is because they know all things that they are written to. (Jno. 2:20, 21.) By the Spirit they can understand, and so receive that which is given to them. They are privileged, and required, all of them, to search the Scriptures for themselves, and will be richly rewarded for diligent search. And it is the most diligent who will most appreciate the teacher – one who is able not only to understand but to impart truth.

Of the importance of this gift it would be almost impossible to speak too strongly. It is the truth that makes free, and keeps free; and it is the work of the teacher to minister the truth to the people of God. The word of God is to be unfolded, its perfections to be exhibited, its doctrines expounded, and its difficulties explained. The teacher is the student of this Book ; he gives himself wholly to it. In days like this where all sorts of error abound, from the open blasphemy of the infidel to the countless forms of parasitic growth which profess to be derived from the Scriptures,-in days like these when the very foundations are being undermined, we need teachers, men who turn us back to the "law and the testimony," and show us that, in the midst of the confusion of tongues, there is still a voice that speaks with no uncertain sound. It is the teacher who must meet the assaults of annihilationism, restorationism, higher criticism,-evils which have fastened themselves upon the very vitals of professing Christendom, and which are eclipsing many testimonies, and doubtless leading many souls to destruction. It is the teacher who leads us into the deep things of God's word, and by satisfying us with good, leaves no relish for evil.

The Lord did not intend that we should stop with the gospel of our salvation. That is but the beginning. Yet how prone we are to remain just there, to leave the wondrous truths hidden in the mines of Scripture, and to go on all our lives as babes and paupers.

The teacher prevents this, and for those who will hear, opens the treasure-house and brings out "things new and old." Let us pray for teachers ; that they may be kept dependent, and so, free from error; that they may keep the even balance of truth, and so present "the whole counsel of God; "and that the study and impartation of the treasures of God's word may never be with them a cold intellectual task, like the water which rusts the iron pipe through which it passes; but rather that all their service may be as the river which brings beauty and fertility to its own banks while it bears refreshment on to the country beyond.

Such, then, are the gifts of an ascended Christ to and for His Church. They are given for the whole Church, not for a part of it only. An evangelist or a teacher is such for the whole body of Christ. No denomination can claim them, no local assembly monopolize their services. The pastor may never exercise his functions beyond the pale of one assembly, yet he is a gift to the whole Church, and ministers, in his place, to the entire body.

There are other scriptures which give us the same gifts in somewhat different form, but these are the main ones, and others are modifications or parts of these. See Rom. 12:4-8, where prophecy, exhortation and teaching, rule and ministry, would all doubtless be included under the teaching and pastoral care of Ephesians. So also in i Cor. 12:we have the gifts of the Spirit where, leaving out those which were of a miraculous and therefore temporary (i Cor. 14:22.) character, all might be grouped again under the pastors and teachers of Ephesians.

While not all have the characteristics of, or qualifications for, prominent service in any of these ways, it is still true that all are needed, and none can be ignored. None are too insignificant to render valuable service. Nay,'' those members which seem to be more feeble are necessary." Every member of the body is a member of Christ, and is gifted to do a work which will edify the whole. How can he know his gift, and how exercise it ? Not by thrusting himself forward, in restless service, but simply by abiding in Christ. "But holding the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ:from whom the whole body, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Eph. 4:15, 16.)

How beautifully does each member fall into its place and do its appointed ministry here ! And what is the secret of this harmonious and effectual working ?-holding the Head.

Every word of this chapter, largely a list of names, is a precious storehouse of meaning for the edification of the people of God. First, we will see how God placed His people in the land. These things happened unto them for types. The type is the chief thing, this means ; and thus it gives the New Testament truth in the Old. The light of the New enables us to search it out. Every type is a prophecy. Thus we have the plainest ground for the assurance of the inspiration of God's word, and it is capable of being made perfectly simple. I trust we shall find in it the truth which sanctifies.

The people of Israel represent the Christian family, and so every tribe illustrates one aspect of the children of God. Judah means "praise." In Genesis 49:all these names are dwelt upon by Jacob, and Judah has a beautiful significance. Judah is the Royal tribe, the law-giver, as the one who was to have the scepter till Shiloh came; and it did. Then they refused Him, and it was taken away. Till then it was the seat of empire, and this will return to it again, for the Lion of the tribe of Judah is the Lamb that was slain.

In that tribe was the capacity for rule. Judah represents believers as a worshiping people, and this is ever the secret of strength. Israel's sweet psalmist and Solomon were of the tribe of Judah. It is the spirit of praise that is the spirit of power. It is also what enables us for the battle-field, and so we
find Jehoshaphat putting the singers in the front of the army, and God gave him the victory when they praised the Lord.

Judah has thus the first place when they come into the land beyond Jordan, and is apportioned its inheritance before any of the other tribes have anything. Judah has nearly all the south of the land (Simeon only certain cities, and Dan also inside Judah). Judah's territory ran from the salt sea to the Mediterranean. What we have to learn in all this is, that God's thoughts about His people find expression in it; nothing is accidental. What is shown in placing this tribe thus is that for rest in the land there must be the spirit of praise; He must have worshipers. In those words of Psalm 22:, " O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel," we see that the praises of His people furnish His dwelling-place. The blessedness, too, of heaven is constant praise. The infidel ridicules this as the monotony of heaven, but it is the expression of the heart filled up to overflow. It is the proof that the heart of man is brought back to God absolutely. It is unprompted praise, as when the Lamb takes the book, in Rev. 5:, the elders fall down at once and worship. It is the necessary outflow of hearts that are full. Is it not this that shows us God for what He is ?

Judah (meaning "praise") is the first to enter the land and the last to leave; and when he does leave, it is a complete break-up.

Joseph next inherits.

In Joseph, which means "adding," two tribes, or a double tribe, take a place in the land. This brings us to 2 Pet. i:"Add to your faith virtue,"-that is, courage, etc. Add is not exactly the thought, as a man in building would add one brick to another. It is rather the kind of addition which a plant or tree makes to itself from air and soil; and so the bud, flower, and fruit come. And so it is in Christianity. The new nature has in itself the nature of God morally, and so of necessity it unfolds in us the likeness of God. We need exhortation, of course. Alas, how much of feebleness of growth, and in many what would seem to be none at all! If a plant throws out branches, there must be the hidden work of spreading roots as well. See Peter's failure. He did progress, and the failure became a necessity for progress ; by it the ground became more plowed up and the roots got better hold, and in due time the fruit came.

In Joseph, then, there is the spirit of progress- courage first added, that the rest may be right. Let me say, if we have faith, the next thing we want is "virtue" (valor). In the midst of a hostile world, you will need to show your courage. And so we find, in Rom. 10:, while with the heart man believes unto righteousness, with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Unless a man bears outward testimony to Christ in the world, you cannot credit him with faith; but faith in the believer is invigorated by the act of confession. We have only to have courage, and leave results and consequences to God. Joseph has first to know the pit, as afterward the prison; and if we haven't this courage, how are we to get on to knowledge, which follows it ? How should God give us knowledge, when we have no mind to use and walk by it? "Whereto we have attained, let us walk by it." If we do use it, and walk in it, we shall have to suffer for it; even perhaps as Joseph, who was separated from his brethren.

Manasseh means "forgetting"; Ephraim, "fruit-fulness." We must know how to forget old experiences. A man busy with what is before him is not occupied with what is behind. So Paul, " forgetting the things that are behind, I press toward the mark, for the Prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus;" he presses on to that which is before, viz., Christ-in glory. Alas, how little of this Christians really show.!

Ephraim and Manasseh represent the practical side of Christian life-what the world looks for. It does not trouble much about worship, but it insists upon your being a good man. You must have good fruit. We have, then, in Ephraim on the north, and Judah in the south, the two sides of Christian character which (strangely) tend to fall apart – on the one hand, those who are strong for doctrine; and on the other, the mass who think very little about that. They love Christ, and are all for service, but care little about doctrine. The Bible, for them, has far too much in it. Even as to the Lord's coining, etc., they think there is no need of these things. The falling apart in Israel began rather in Ephraim than Judah, though there was fault in Judah. These things, then, have significance.

Judah lay to the south; east of it the Salt sea, the Sea, of Judgment, and Jordan running into it. Jordan, the river of death, runs down from beginning to end without watering anything, and falling at last into the deep pit of 1,300 feet below the Mediterranean ; and it never returns out of it-from it there is no escape. Yet it is but a "lake." And so God does not speak of Eternal Judgment as a sea – as a boisterous element, but as a "lake of fire," subdued under His hand. There is no mutter of blasphemy, no indulgence in sin there. Judah rises up from the lake right up to where the Temple of God and the voice of praise are; and it will be forever so.

Judah, then, to the south; Ephraim to the north, between them an interval, as if already ready to fall apart. They are apart:are they to remain so ? God has two tribes to put between to hold them fast. On the Jordan side, Benjamin:what does Benjamin mean? Jacob means "heel-catcher;" he was always grasping-grasping-often after what God wanted him to have ; but his methods were any thing but right. As with the birth-right, so all through. Never waiting quietly upon God; never trusting Him; full of restlessness, which, alas ! characterizes so many, and which is so often mistaken for spirituality. At Peniel he is crippled in this human strength, learns to cling to God instead of wrestling with Him ; and at Bethel that the secret of power is subjection to Him who is El-bethel, "God of His own house." On the way to Hebron, Benjamin is born. Rachel disappears, and Benjamin takes her place. Son of my sorrow, she says; son of my right hand, says Jacob. Benjamin is the type of Christ in us,-Christ as power on earth, as in Galatians:"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." What does this mean ? It is not conversion, or life merely. He has looked into the face of Christ, and seen it dimmed with the agony of death for him. He has looked into heaven, and seen the glory shine out of that face ; and now the cross is the end of Paul.

Christ is in the glory. He is the One to glory in. God has accepted Him for you; but He is also to be accepted by you for yourself. . . So Benjamin beautifully links these two-worship and fruitfulness-together. Be you sure this is the true and real holdfast. It is as Christ is before us, as we abide in the sunshine of His glory, that we find what holds these things together in the Christian, and among Christians. It is now no more self, good self or bad self, but Christ that lives in me:and so will the heart well up in praise and worship, as well as overflow in fruit-fulness.

The praise and worship are thus maintained on the one hand (Judah) with fruitfulness on the other (Ephraim). Benjamin holds both fast in power. Can we then say, beloved, " this one thing I do "?

It is easier to make Christ a whole object than half an object; we like, alas! better our own way, and have at last to meet God, not displayed as the true friend He is, but, Jacob-like, in opposition. We might have all the joy without the sorrow, all the gain without the loss. How much better it would all look to us when we look back in eternity, and we shall look back. Beloved, Christ is all. How blessed to let Christ clasp together for us our praises and worship, doctrine, and fruitfulness and activities in service.

And if there be a want in your soul unmet, then listen to those blessed words, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink, and then rivers of living water will flow out of you. How ? Drink! Nothing else ? Nothing ! As surely as you drink, out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water! F. W. G.

This precious portion of the inspired word, which gives the most exalted view of the Christian calling, emphasizes the fact that we are indebted to the grace of God, and the blood of Christ, for this marvelous position, of which we could not even have thought. "God, who is rich in mercy," thought of this. "By grace ye are saved." "Ye who sometimes," or formerly, " were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ." And how nigh are we thus brought ? " Made to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus;" or, as it is expressed in the first chapter, "blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Israel was blessed with all temporal blessings in earthly places on condition of keeping the law. Those who believe in Jesus are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places as the gift of grace through His precious blood.

It must be by grace that we have this calling on high. Even if Adam and Eve, while in their state of innocence, had been given a place in heaven, it would have been a matter of pure grace. By their obedience they could only keep their first estate. They could not earn a higher one. If so, it must indeed be grace which gives us a place there, – us who were away from God, lost and undone through sin ; lying, as a Christian poet expresses it, " at hell's dark door." But while grace alone might have been sufficient to give our unfallen parents a place in heaven, it required more than grace to give us a place there; that is, it required grace to lay a basis on which God could righteously pick us up, and give us a place in His holy presence. Justice required that sin be atoned for; as, without it – " without shedding of blood-is no remission." Hence it is said in our passage that we are "made nigh by the blood of Christ."

The first three verses tell us of the condition in which grace found us, namely, "dead in trespasses and sins," etc. But God who is rich in mercy, loved us in this condition, and sent the Son of His love to meet our deep need. He came where we were. Yes, while " a certain priest," and "likewise a Levite," could look on, but bring no relief – in other words, while Judaism could really do nothing for either Jew or Gentile, He who was rich in glory, and for our sake became poor, proved Himself to be the good Samaritan, -He came where we were! He did this in the fullest sense, – He put Himself in our place, died as our precious substitute on Calvary's cross, as an atonement for the trespasses and sins in which we were dead; thus, to meet our sad condition, He became, in a sense, dead with us. He who knew no sin was made sin for us, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, that we by His stripes might be healed. And then, as a proof of finished atonement, God, as is stated in the previous chapter, '' raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come."And as the exceeding greatness of the power which wrought this in Christ is to us-ward who believe, therefore in the next chapter – the portion we are dwelling upon-it is said that "God, for His great love, wherewith He has loved us … hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us," Jewish and Gentile believers, "sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Of course, the value of Christ's atoning death is not divinely appropriated to us till we receive Him in a true faith. But as soon as we do receive Him, the value of His death is ours, and therefore we are at once in God's eye seen as dead with Him – a truth taught in other epistles of Paul, -that is, we are seen as having died with our Substitute when He gave His life for us on Calvary; and, as a consequence, we are, as stated in the passage before us, quickened with Him, raised up with Him, and seated in the heavenly places in Him. In short, we are at once identified with Christ in His death, resurrection, and ascension, which took place more than eighteen hundred years ago. Yea more, we are identified with Him as now seated in the heavenlies. We are seated there in Him. As sure as He lives before the face of God, we live also. Such is the present exalted position or standing of all true believers in Jesus, however poorly they may be taught in these precious, truths. Of course, the work of Christ is perfect. If so, the standing of believers before God is perfect. It being in Christ, it must be perfect. Thus we start with perfection. God must have perfection, – He must have it for us; and therefore, in His great love, He provided it at His own cost. Hence we can in deep lowliness bring Him perfection by pleading Christ, by trusting in Him whom He delivered to death for us, and who is now in His presence in cloudless acceptance as our representative. Praise our God for this gracious and perfect provision! He has given us One on whom we can rest our .weary souls with the fullest confidence- One in whom the pure light of heaven cannot discover a spot or a flaw ; and as He is, so are we in God's thoughts.

"We praise, then, our God ; how rich is His grace ! We were far from Him once-estranged from his face; By blood we are purchased, are cleansed and made nigh, And blest in His presence, in Jesus, on high ! "

We have next, verse 7, God's purpose in giving us this perfect standing in His presence, namely, " That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."Thus, while we have even now this exalted position in Christ, and thereby a present object for the heart, we have a bright and sure hope of being with Him where He is,-the position and the hope being inseparably connected. "If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." The hope, our verse tells us, is to be realized "in the ages to come." The saints who depart this life before the Lord comes are now with Him; but the apostle here passes over that, and fixes the eye on ,the great hope, when the whole family, in redeemed bodies, will be at home-

" Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in."

This world has had its ages. This age is called '' the present evil world" or age. Satan is designated " the god of this world"-of this age. No wonder, then, that though God can and does work in this scene, He cannot rest in it. His holiness cannot rest where sin is, and His love cannot rest where misery is. If, then, our fellowship is with Him, we, entering into His thoughts, walking with Him, we cannot rest here. But '' in the ages to come " when all things will be brought in accordance with His mind, He will rest, and when He rests, His children can rest. They enter into His rest-a rest which will be forever.

"There we shall bathe our weary souls
In seas of heavenly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll
Across our peaceful breast."

God can then freely "show" all that is now in His heart-freely and fully "show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." God is exercising the riches of His grace toward us even now, blessed be His name ; but we walk by faith, then by sight; all will be fully manifested forever. Beside, all will be absent which here vexes and annoys, and everything present which can minister to our perfect and ever-enduring blessedness. And the brightest thought of all is, that we who were undone and defiled by sin, shall "be holy and without blame before Him in love " forever-in spirit and body suited to His holiness and love.

"Yes, in that light unstained,
Our sinless souls shall live;
Our heart's deep longings more than gained
When God His rest shall give.

" His presence there, my soul,
Its rest, its joy untold
Shall find, when endless ages roll;-
And time shall ne'er grow old."

" Our God the center is-
His presence fills that land,
And countless myriads, owned as His,
Round Him adoring stand."

And all this "through Christ Jesus." We shall need Him in glory as well as now.

And we now are to walk according to all this, and in the sense and power of it. The apostle mentions this in verse 10, and exhorts thereto throughout the epistle. Though the apostle teaches in verses 8 and 9 that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by works, yet in the next verse he says, " For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good. works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."Thus, though we are not saved by works, but simply on the principle of faith,. yet, being saved, we are to walk as saved persons. When we are"created in Christ Jesus," in other words, when we are quickened with Christ, raised up with Him, and seated in heaven in Him, surely we are saved, justified, born again, and good works must come in here, not to get this place in Christ, but because we are in it. The subsequent exhortations in this epistle accord with this. Says the apostle, "I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.""Be followers," or imitators, "of God, as dear children, and walk in love as Christ hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us." Thus we are to imitate the One to whom we are brought, and the love which brought us there. "For ye were sometimes," or formerly, "darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light." Further, we are exhorted to "put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." He is ever busy seeking to get us down from a sense of our heavenly calling, for if he can do even that, our walk, though it may to the eye of the natural man be correct, yet it will not be a heavenly walk, and we cease, till restored, to be a real testimony for Christ. Whereas, if we, in spite of all the powers of evil, maintain a true sense of the place which grace has given us, and of the consequent hope, and walk in the power which is for us, others may notice that, our eye is on the unseen-that our backs arc toward this poor world from which, through the cross, we have been delivered, and that our faces are set toward that into which, through grace, we are brought, with its bright outcome.

In closing, it may be well for us to be reminded that the apostle prayed that these Ephesian Christians might have "the eyes of their understanding enlightened," or, rather, the eyes of the heart, as the original word means, enlightened, that they might really know the calling of God, and its blessed hope. And surely we no less need prayer for this end. Oh, let us see that we have much more than an intellectual knowledge of these things. Let us be more before our God, asking that the eyes of our hearts may be more and more opened-that we may see with growing clearness our calling on high, and the sure hope it gives; so that the eyes of the heart seeing all this, the poor heart, prone to be untrue, may be taken captive in view of abounding grace, which has done, and will do, all this for us; and then out of the heart the mouth will speak; yea, more, the feet and the bands; that is, we shall have a word for Christ, also we shall run with alacrity in the path of obedience, and be glad to serve in any way, and this to "the glory of our God and Saviour. God is our sufficiency for this. R. H.

Question 10.-Please explain Matt. 18:10. To what does the expression, "their angels," refer?

Answer.-The first fourteen verses of this chapter are devoted to showing wherein true greatness consists. Again and again did the spirit of emulation show itself among the disciples, and notably so in connection with the prophecy of our Lord's sufferings, as in the passage before us, taken in connection with

Mark 9:30-37. More painful yet, this was manifested at the last Supper, when, we would think, all selfish ambition would be cheeked by the sorrow pressing upon them; but such are our hearts.

In answer to their iniquity, who should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven, our Lord placed a little child in their midst, and said that only those with the childlike, humble spirit could have any place in the kingdom. Such little ones were not to be offended-better far to be drowned, to lose an eye, a foot, or a hand, than to be an occasion of stumbling. Nor were these little ones, insignificant as they might be in men's eyes, to be despised. On earth they were thrust aside, forbidden to approach the Lord; but how different in heaven! There they had the place of closest access into the immediate presence of God. This brings ms to the expression "their angels." The meaning of the whole passage being clear, we have only to ask what construction of the words in question is most scriptural. Does "their angels" mean guardian angels, those who are appointed to care for the little ones? In support of this view, Dan. 10:13. 20, 21 is cited, to show that there were special angelic princes over nations, as Grecia, Persia, and Israel. Hebrews 1:14. it is claimed, would show the same guardianship in the case of individuals. Of course, it is perfectly clear that angels do minister to the people of God, more especially in the preceding dispensation, as now we have the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. But is the thought of individual guardianship a scriptural one? Does it not rather savor of Rome? National oversight is something different, and hinted at in the mention of "principalities and powers; " but,, then, do individuals have evil guardians as well as holy? No other Scripture has a hint of such a thing.

Nor is such a thought suggested in the passage we are considering; indeed, it would do violence to the context. On earth little ones may be despised; in heaven their angels behold the face of God. " Their angels," then, simply means the little ones themselves, but in spirit, not in body. We have this use of the word angel for the disembodied spirit in Acts 12:15. Peter had been shut up in prison under threat of death. The saints had come together to pray for his deliverance; and while so engaged, Peter, set free by the angel of the Lord, came and knocked at the gate where the saints were. On being assured that it was Peter himself, they said, " It, is his angel; " that is, he has been slain, and this is his spirit.

A similar, though symbolic, use we have of the word angel in the epistles to the seven churches (Rev., chaps. i-3:). Here the angel is the star or light of the Church, the spiritual part, we might say, represented at the close of each epistle by the words, "he that hath an ear ."

We would say, then, that Scripture does not warrant the thought of special guardian angels. They are all ministering spirits, engaged, unseen by human eye, in errands of providential care and mercy for the heirs of salvation. They are not prominently brought forward in the New Testament, doubtless for the simple reason that Scripture, foreseeing the misuse by men of this ministry, putting it in the place of Christ and the Holy Ghost, has kept them in the background. Christ, the Sun, has eclipsed the other lights which in darker days might come more prominently into view.

Question 11.-Please explain John 8:6, "Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground."

Answer.-The first and obvious thought would be that our Lord was seeking to arrest the attention of these accusers of the sinful woman. The silent pause, the quiet writing on the ground, as though writing in their hearts, might well serve to make them pause too, and let memory do its work, reminding them of sins on their part. But failing to touch consciences, hardened by self-righteousness, in this way, He rises, and in unmistakable words says, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her;" and again the pause and the writing, to impress it upon their hearts. And now even their dull consciences are aroused; not, alas, to lead them in confession to Him who is perfect love as well as perfect light, but to leave the light of that presence where all things are detected. .

But our Lord's acts were, beyond question, symbolical, and intended by their very character to convey spiritual truths. His feeding the multitude was intended to show not merely His divine power and goodness, but to symbolize the spiritual food- Himself-which gives life to the world (John 6:). When He opened the eyes of the blind man (John 9:), the spittle and clay cannot but suggest the contrast with the defiling nature of the act in the Old Testament (Number 12:14.). Therefore we can expect to find a significance in each part of this action of our Lord.

The dust of the earth suggests death.-"Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return." The writing cannot but remind us of those writings of God, the one upon the tables of stone, in the law, and the other upon the wall-"found wanting; " While the Lord's stooping, Himself, to write thus would suggest both the holy requirements of the law, the fact that they had broken it, and that He in grace would stoop to take His place in death to set the sinner free. "Thou hast brought me into the dust of death " (Ps. 22:15.). On this ground He can say to the poor child of sin and shame, "Neither do I condemn thee:Go, and sin no more."

I shall be satisfied;
Yea, but not here,
Where sin and death abide,
And every tear
Proclaims the heart's unrest,
The hungry, longing breast,
For that which satisfies,
And husheth all our cries.

I shall be satisfied
With Christ above.
Whatever He hath denied,
'Twas all in love.
Oh, for this little while,
Grant thine approving smile,
And let me walk with Thee,
Saviour, unfalteringly!

I shall be satisfied ;
No gift of thine
Ever thy face shall hide,
Saviour, from mine.
When I thy likeness wear,
Thou wilt no longer fear
To grant my heart's desire:
To this, Lord, I aspire.

I shall be satisfied;
Yea, and heart-free,-
Earth's fetters all untied
Eternally.
The desert path I'll trace,
Enraptured with the grace
That used such gentleness
In all my waywardness.

Heaven shall be satisfied
To have its own.
Earth shall be purified,
And cease its groan.
Then shall thine own heart rest
With her thy love hath blest.
Thou, and thy chosen bride,
Lord, shall be satisfied. H. McD.

(Extract.)

Marvelous is the mute, steadfast patience of vegetable life. It is through this that all the processes of life are carried on so perfectly in the plant. There is no restlessness, no self-will, no weariness, or self-conscious waywardness, to frustrate these processes. The most complete harmony is discoverable through all its parts, and woven in the very fabric of its nature. The buds appear in their proper order and place, the leaves have a fixed arrangement, the flowers blossom at determinate points. Not a leaf varies from its position, or a blossom from its order, any more than a star from its orbit. By its patient abiding in the vine, the branch receives without interruption the vital forces and juices that are needful to develop its growth and produce fruitfulness. Through storm and sunshine, through darkness and light, through winter and summer, there is nothing to hinder the intercommunion of vital substances and impulses between the branch and the vine. It is this patience that we are required to imitate, this faithfulness that we are to cherish. What is, in the plant, a -.natter of necessity-an unconscious result of unconscious physical powers-should be, in the believer, the blessed result of a living faith and a devoted love.

THE CHURCH.– ITS WORSHIP.

(Continued from page 204.)

The great occasion for Church worship is when believers are gathered together on the first day of the week to break bread:not that praise should be limited to that time, but then we have it in its completeness. We are then, or should be, "gathered to His name." (Matt. 18:20.) The Lord is in our midst, to lead our praises (Heb. 2:12). The Holy Spirit is present to guide, according to the word (i Cor. 14:25); and the memorials of our Saviour's dying love are there to be partaken of.

We cannot emphasize too strongly the importance, nor call the attention of believers too earnestly to the precious privilege of each Lord's day thus gathering about His person to offer true worship to His God and our God, and to Himself as well. It was the practice of the early Church (Acts 20:7), only discontinued when carnality, in the form of sacramentarian superstition, had crept in. Let us not be misunderstood. It is simply a memorial feast. It conveys no life nor grace of itself. The passage in John 6:docs not refer to it, but to the believing reception of Christ, who died for our sins. And yet who that has enjoyed the reality of the Lord's presence at. His table, has realized the presence and guidance of the Spirit of God, has had his heart lifted up in worship to his Father and God, and the soul of each knit like the soul of one man to his brethren's,- who that has enjoyed such a privilege would forego it, or lengthen the time between the holy, happy seasons ? Here it is the Church that worships, with none to preside, none to dictate the form, but each one free before God to be guided according to His word.

If it be asked what is the character of the worship, we must refer to the preceding pages. It is Christian worship in its fullest sense,-united, unhindered. If, now, Church worship is of such a character, we need not say that only Christians can truly join in it. If otherwise, either the sinner would be elevated to a place he could not occupy, or the saint would be degraded to the level of a pleader for mercy. How unseemly for one who knows Christ and God's love to pray for deliverance from His "wrath and everlasting damnation." How unseemly, on the other hand, to put such words in the sinner's mouth as "We praise Thee, O God:we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord." And how utterly inconsistent and perplexing to make each utter both!

From what we have just said we need hardly add that all Church worship should be in truth. How much this most palpable truth is ignored can be seen at a glance in any ordinary church hymn-book. Here for the sake of sentiment, poetry, or even rhyme, doctrines are presented utterly subversive of the truth of the gospel.

"Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thy grace rely,-
Assured if I my trust betray
I shall forever die"!

What worship can there be in words which every Spirit-taught believer knows are utterly unscriptural and misleading ?
We might multiply instances, but will leave this matter with the Christian reader, entreating him to make conscience of his singing, to refuse to utter the sweetest words (if such words could be sweet) which cast a doubt upon the grace and love of Christ.

We need hardly suggest that the meeting at the Lord's table being to remember Him, and so largely taken up with worship, should not be confounded with a teaching or preaching meeting. There may be teaching, but it should ever be of an appropriate character, calculated to elicit worship. On the other hand, there may be a need for a word of exhortation addressed to the conscience, but let the feast remain a feast to the Lord.

Beloved reader, having taken this imperfect survey of the worship of the Church, suffer a pointed question. How do you worship ? By the Spirit of God ? Where do you worship? In temples made with hands, or in the holiest ? Is your thought of praise, the music of the great organ, with trained and paid singers, or the melody of hearts, united to Christ and to one another, pouring out in worship the treasures of grace which have been made known to them ?

May the Lord touch the conscience of His beloved people, and woo them from the vanity of a mere form of worship by giving them to taste of its blessed reality.

VI.–MINISTRY.

We have now reached the point where we can safely take up the subject of Ministry without, by undue prominence, suggesting an overshadowing pre-eminence given to it in the thoughts of most.

In the previous papers we have seen the Church as the body of Christ, so contemplated in Scripture- as essentially, really, and organically one. We have seen the priesthood of all believers, and the prominence of worship in the Church economy. All these were matters of the first importance, needing to be clearly understood before we come to the subject of ministry. It may be a surprise to some to speak of ministry, as we now know it, as a temporary thing; and yet a moment's thought, with a glance at a few scriptures, will convince us that such is the case. In the list of gifts from an ascended Christ mentioned in Ephesians, we have both their continuity and their duration given:'' For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:till we all come, in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4:12, 13.) Gifts will not fail so long as the body of Christ is being formed, and so long as it needs edifying, and the saints perfecting. They will continue "until we all come unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," which will be when we arc with Him in glory. Then there will be no further need for, and hence no further existence of, ministry as we now know it. '' For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." (i Cor. 13:9, 10.) While saints were to covet earnestly the best gifts, they were shown a more excellent way-the following after love, which should endure when the necessity for gifts had passed (i Cor. 12:31).

We need hardly say that the results of ministry will abide forever, in the characters of the saints which have been formed thereby, and in the glory thus done to our blessed Lord; nor that rewards for faithful ministry will most surely be given and enjoyed through eternity. Rut this only shows that it is a thing of the past, the necessity for it gone with the earth-history of the Church.

So long, however, as the Church is upon earth, so long as sinners are to be brought into it, and saints to be edified, will there be absolute necessity for ministry, and that of a most varied and complete kind.

Let us now see what Scripture teaches as to the Source, Character, Power and Exercise of true ministry.

(I) The Source and Author of all true ministry is the glorified Head of the Church-the Lord Jesus Christ. '' Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men . . . and he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints," etc. (Eph. 4:8-13.)

We are reminded in a parenthesis (10:9, 10) that all gifts are the purchase of the death of Christ, that His ascension was preceded by His descent first into the grave. So is our adorable Lord ever contemplated now, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen." (Rev. 1:18; Heb. 1:3; 2:6-9.) As glorified, He has bestowed gifts upon men. That Church which He loved and for which He gave Himself, has not been forgotten or neglected by her absent Lord. He has sent down from His own presence in the glory all that is needed for the ingathering and upbuilding of His beloved people. As we enjoy the varied gifts of ministry, let us every remember their source. In this way we gain a clear perception of two things:the love and care of Christ, and the dignity of all Christian ministry. "No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth it, even as the Lord the Church." (Eph. 5:29.) In every gift, the more or less prominent, we see the love of Christ. True ministry there could be none apart from His gift. The effect, then, of enjoying it should ever be to lead our hearts, up in grateful, adoring love to Him. But if on the one hand His love is manifested, no less, on the other, do we see the dignity of all ministry and the responsibility attaching to it. '' Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24.) "For I neither received it" (the gospel) "of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal. 1:12.) Such and many other scriptures show the dignity attaching to a Christ-given ministry. Let no man despise it; in so doing he despises Christ.-"He that despiseth you, despiseth me." Nor let any man think to add to the dignity of Christian ministry by investing it with high-sounding names, official position and the circumstance attaching to human greatness. All this is but putting gaudy tinsel upon fine gold. If Christ is the source and author of ministry, it follows as self-evident that there is no place for, and certainly no need for, human authorization. Any attempt at such is but an interference, no matter how well meant, with the prerogatives of Another.

(2) As to the character of ministry, it is most varied and complete, taking in its range all manner of service needed for the Church. In the list already quoted from Ephesians 4:, we have apostles and prophets:these are connected with the foundation, "and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." (Eph. 2:20.) We need hardly say that these are New Testament prophets, not Old- men who spoke directly for God, often indicating in a supernatural way His mind as to the present or future. The apostles were intrusted with the planting of the Church and nourishing its infancy, as well as providing it for its whole earthly history, along with the rest of Scripture, with an infallible guide. This we have in the apostolic writings, which arc equally with the whole sacred volume, absolutely and perfectly inspired. (2 Pet. 3:15, 16; i John 4:6.) Thus, while we have not personally with us the apostles, we have them in their writings.

Evangelists, as their names would suggest, are heralds of the glad tidings, preachers of the gospel of the grace of God, who awaken the careless and win souls to Christ. It is not every one who is an evangelist, though all should have the love of souls, and be ready to point the sinner to Christ. But men who are evangelists by gift have the true passion for souls, true longing and travailing in birth for them; they are instructed how to present the gospel, how to gather in the souls, to distinguish true anxiety from false, and reality from mere expression. It is their joy to bring sinners to Christ, to see those who were in the world brought into the Church. The evangelist is a man of prayer, for he realizes that the work is all of God, and that "methods " arc but of little worth. He is a man of faith, who counts on the living God. He is a student of Scripture, that he may present only the truth to souls. He is a man of courage, not fearing to go even where '' bonds and imprisonment" may await him, that he may carry the glorious gospel of the blessed God to the perishing. He is a man of energy, instant in season, out of season. He is a man of perseverance, never faltering, nor discouraged if he fails to see immediate fruit from his labor. Lastly, he is a man of humility, glorying in another's work and success, above all, saying from the heart, "yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

If it be asked where are there such men, our answer must be, The Master knoweth. Doubtless there are many who while not ideally what we might expect, are truly Christ's – evangelists endowed and sent forth by Him, and showing in the blessed results of their labors that they are His gifts. As we look upon a world lying in the wicked one-the millions of souls in heathen darkness who have never heard of Christ-the millions in the bondage of Rome -the millions in Protestant lands, strangers to the grace of God-the multitudes at our very doors who fill the churches and say, "Lord, Lord," but who, it is to be feared, know Him not-shall we not pray for evangelists ? that those already in service may be stripped for their task, and that others may be raised up to go everywhere preaching the Word ? Let the younger brethren ask themselves, in the presence of God, if He have not called them to this work. Let us all be more aroused to the need of a perishing world around us. and be more intensely in earnest. Above all, let us be more in prayer than ever.

(To be continued.)

CHAPTER VIII. (Continued from page 212.)

Still continues the praise of "wisdom." For if, as the last verses of the previous chapters have shown, there be but very few that walk in her paths, she necessarily lifts those few far above the thoughtless mass of men; placing her distinguishing touch even on the features of her disciples, lighting them up with intelligence, and taking away the rudeness and pride that may be natural to them.

" Man's wisdom lighteth up his face-its aspect stern is changed."

If this, then, the result, listen to her counsels:" Honor the king," nor be connected with any conspiracy against him. .It is true that authorities arc as much "out of joint " as everything else under the sun ; and instead of being practically '' ministers of God for good," are but too often causes of further misery upon poor man; yet wisdom teaches to wait and watch. Everything has a time and season; and instead of seeking to put matters right by conspiracy, await the turn of the wheel; for this is most sure, that nothing is absolutely permanent here-the evil of a tyrant's life any more than good. His power shall not release him from paying the debt of nature; it helps him not to retain his spirit.

This too I saw,-'twas when I gave my heart
To every work that's done beneath the sun,-
That there's a time when man rules over man to his
own hurt.
'Twas when I saw the wicked dead interred,
And to and from the holy place (men) came and
went.
Then straight were they forgotten in the city of their
deeds.
Ah, this was vanity!

Thus our Preacher describes the end of the tyrant. Death ends his tyranny, as it does, for the time being at least, the misery of those who were under it. Men follow him to his burial, to the holy place, return to their usual avocations-all is over and forgotten. The splendor and power of monarchy now show their hollowness and vanity by so quickly disappearing, and even their memory vanishing, at the touch of death. And yet this retributive end is by no means speedy in every case. Sentence is often deferred, and the delay emboldens the heart of man to further wickedness. Still, he says, " I counsel to fear God, irrespective of present appearances. I am assured this is the better part:fear God, and, soon or ate, the end will justify thy choice."

Beautiful and interesting it is thus to see man's unaided reason, his own intelligence, carrying him
to this conclusion, that there is nothing better than to " fear God;" and surely this approves itself to any intelligence. He has impressed the proofs of His glorious Being on every side of His creature, man. "Day unto day uttereth speech;" and the Sun, that rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race, voices aloud, in his wondrous adaptations to the needs of this creation on which he shines, His Being-His eternal power and godhead. Not only light but warmth he brings, for "there is nothing hid from the heat thereof," and in this twofold benevolence testifies again to his Creator, who is Love and Light. Further, wherever he shines he manifests infinite testimonies to the same truth. From the tiny insect that balances or disports itself with the joy of life in his beams, to the grandeur of the everlasting hills, or the majesty of the broad flood of ocean-all-all-with no dissentient, discordant voice, proclaim His being and utter ' His creative glory. Nor does darkness necessarily veil that glory:moon and stars take up the grand and holy strain; and what man can look at all-have all these witnesses reiterating day and night, with ever-fresh testimonies every season, the same refrain, "The Hand that made us is divine," and yet say, even in His heart, " There is no God! " Surely all reason, all wisdom, human or divine, says "Fool!" to such.

Thus, step by step, human wisdom treads on, and, as here, in her most worthy representative, "the king," concludes that it is most reasonable to give that glorious Creator the reverence due, and to "fear" Him.

But soon, very soon, poor reason has to stop, confounded., Something has come into the scene that throws her all astray:verse 14-

'Tis vanity, what's done upon the earth; for so it is,
That there are righteous to whom it haps as to the vile;
And sinners, too, whose lot is like the doings of the just.

For surely this is vanity, I said."

Yes, man's soul must be, if left to the light of nature, like that nature itself. If the sky be ever and always cloudless, then may a calm and unbroken faith be expected, when based on things seen. But it is not so. Storm and cloud again and again darken the light of nature, whether that light be physical or moral; and under these storms and clouds reason is swayed from her highest and best conclusions. And the contradictions without are faithfully reflected within the soul.

"And so I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry:for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun." Here we get the heralds of a storm indeed. They are the first big drops that bespeak the coming flood that shall sweep our writer from all reason's moorings; the play of a lightning that shall blind man's wisdom to its own light; the sigh of a wind that soon shall develop into a very blast of despair.

What a contradiction to the previous sober conclusion, "It shall be well with them that fear God"! Now, seeing that there is no apparent justice in the allotment of happiness here, and the fear of God is often followed by sorrow, while the lawless as often have the easy lot,-looking on this scene, I say, "Eat, drink, and be merry;" get what good you can out of life itself; for all is one inextricable confusion.

Oh, this awful tangle of providences! Everything is wrong! All is in confusion! There is law everywhere, and yet law-breaking everywhere. How is it ? Why is it ? Is not God the source of order and harmony ? Whence, then, the discord ? Is it all His retributive justice against sin ? Why, then, the thoroughly unequal allotment ? Here is a man born blind. Surely this cannot be because he sinned before his birth! But, then, is it on account of his parents' sinning ? Why, then, do the guilty go comparatively free, and the guiltless suffer ? Sin, surely, is the only cause of the infliction. So the disciples of old, brought face to face with exactly this same riddle, the same mystery, ask, "Master, who did sin- this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither." Another-higher, happier, more glorious reason, Jesus gives:"Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." So the afflicted parents weep over their sightless babe; so they nurse him through his helpless, darkened childhood, or guide him through his lonely youth, their hearts sorely tempted surely to rebel against the providence that has robbed their offspring of the light of heaven. Neighbors, too, can give but little comfort here. Why was he born blind ? Who did the sin that brought this evident punishment?

Oh wait, sorrowing parents! wait, foolish friends! One is even now on His glorious way who shall with a word unravel the mystery, ease your troubled hearts, quell each rebellious motion, till ye only sorrow that ever a disloyal thought of the God of Love and Light has been permitted; and, whilst overwhelming you with blessing, answer every question your hearts – nay, even your intelligences – could ask.

Oh wait, my beloved readers, wait! We, too, look on a world still all in confusion. Nay, ourselves suffer with many an afflictive stroke, whose cause, too, seems hidden from us, and to contradict the very character of the God we know. One only is worthy to unlock this, as every other, sealed book-wait! He must make Himself known ; and, apart from things being wrong, this were impossible. "The works of God must be made manifest." Precious thought! Blessed words! Sightless eyes are allowed for a little season, that He-God-may manifest. His work in giving them light-accompanied by an ever-lasting light that knows no dimming. Tears may fall in time, that God's gentle and tender touch may dry them, and that for ever and ever. Nay, Death himself, with all his awful powers shall be made to serve the same end, and, a captive foe, be compelled to utter forth His glory. Lazarus is suffering, and the sisters are torn with anxiety; but the Lord abides "two days still in the same place where he" is. Death is allowed to have his way for a little space- nay, grasp his victim, and shadow with his dark wing the home that Jesus loves; and still He moves not. Strange, mysterious patience! Does He not care? [s He calmly indifferent to the anguish in that far-off cottage ? Has He forgotten to be gracious ? or, most agonizing question of all. Has some inmate of that home sinned, and chilled thus His love ? How questions throng at such a time! But-patience! All shall be answered, every question settled-every one; and the glorious end shall fully, perfectly justify His " waiting. "

Let Death have his way. The power and dignity of his Conqueror will not permit Him to hasten. For haste would bespeak anxiety as to the result; and that result is in no sense doubtful. The body of the brother shall even see corruption, and begin to crumble into dust, under the firm and crushing hand of Death. Many a tear shall the sisters shed, and poor human sympathy tell out its helpless. But the Victor comes! In the calm of assured victory He comes. And the "express image of the substance." of the Living God stands face to face as Man with our awful foe, Death. And lo, He speaks but a word – " Lazarus, come forth ! " – and the glory of God shines forth with exceeding brightness and beauty! Oh, joyous scene! oh, bright figure of that morn, so soon approaching, when once again that blessed Voice shall lift itself up in a "shout," that shall be heard, not in one, but in every tomb of His people, and once more the glory of God shall so shine in the ranks upon ranks of those myriads, that all shall again fully justify His "waiting''!
It was indeed a blessed light that shone into the grave of Lazarus. Such was its glory, that our spirits may quietly rest forever; for we see our Lord and Eternal Lover is Conqueror and Lord of Death. Nor need we ask, with our "modern poet, who sings sweetly, but too much in the spirit of Ecclesiastes,

Where wert thou, brother, those
There lives no record of reply,
Which, telling what it is to die,
Had surely added praise to praise,

The resurrection of Lazarus does .tell us what it is for His redeemed to die. It tells that it is but a sleep for the body, till He come to awaken it,-that those who thus sleep are not beyond His power, and that a glorious resurrection shall soon "add praise to praise " indeed.

But do not these blessed words give us a hint, at least, of the answer to that most perplexing of all questions, Why was evil ever permitted to disturb the harmony and mar the beauty of God's primeval creation, defile heaven itself, fill earth with corruption and violence, and still exist even in eternity ? Ah, we tread on ground here where we need to be completely self-distrustful, and to cleave with absolute confidence and dependence to the revelation of Himself !

The works of God must be manifested; and He is Light and Love, and nothing but Light and Love. Every work of His, then, must speak the source whence it conies, and be an expression of Light or Love ; and the end, when He shall again-finding everything very good-rest from His work to enjoy that eternal sabbath, never to be broken, shall shew forth absolutely in heaven, in earth, and in hell, that He is Light and Love, and nothing but that.

Light and Love!-blending, harmonizing, in perfect equal manifestation, in the cross of the Lord Jesus, and-Light now approving Love's activity- in the righteous eternal redemption of all who believe on Him; banishing from the new creation every trace of sin, and its companion, sorrow; whilst the Lake of Fire itself shall prove the necessity of its own existence to display that same nature of God, and naught else-Love then approving the activity of Light, as we may say.

As Isaiah shows, in the millennial earth, in those

" Scenes surpassing fable, and yet .true-
Scenes of accomplished bliss "-

there is still sorrowful necessity for an everlasting memorial of His righteousness in "the carcases of those men that have transgressed against me:for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and (mark well the sympathies of that scene) they shall be an abhorring to all flesh." Love rejected, mercy neglected, truth despised, or held in unrighteousness, grace slighted,-nothing is left whereby the finally impenitent can justify their creation except in being everlasting testimonies to that side of God's nature, "Light," whilst "Love," and all who are in harmony therewith, unfeignedly approve. All shall be right. None shall then be perplexed because "there be just men, unto whom it, happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous." All shall be absolutely right. No whisper shall be heard, even in hell itself, of the charges that men so boldly and blasphemously cast at His holy name now.

God is all in all. His works arc manifested; and whilst it is His strange work, yet Judgment is His work, as every age in Time has shown; as the Eternal age, too, shall show-in time, this judgment is necessarily temporal; in eternity, where character, as all else, is fixed, it must as necessarily be eternal!

Solemn, and perhaps unwelcome, but wholesome theme! We live in a time peculiarly characterized by a lack of reverence for all authority. It is the spirit of the times, and against that spirit the saint must ever watch and guard himself by meditation on these solemn truths. Fear is a godly sentiment," a just emotion, in view of the holy character of our God. "I will forewarn whom ye shall fear," said the Lord Jesus:"Fear him which, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him." The first Christians, walking in the fear of the Lord as well as the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied; and when Annanias and Sapphira fell under God's judgment, great fear came on all the church; whilst apostasy is marked by men feeding, themselves without fear.

All shall be "right." It is the wrong and disorder and unrighteous allotment prevailing here that caused the groans of our writer. Let us listen to them. Their doleful, despairing sound shall again add sweeter tone to the lovely music of God's revelation, speaking, as it does, of One who solves every mystery, answers every question, heals every hurt; yea, snatches His own from the very grasp of Death; for all is right, for all is light, where Jesus is, and He is coining. Patience! Wait! F. C. J.

(To be continued.)

Numbers is the book of the wilderness-the world as that for us. There are three books before this. We must come to Numbers-the fourth book-in God's way; that is, through these books; and His way is a perfect one.

Genesis-which means beginning-is the book that speaks of life-the book of the Father:the producer of everything.

Exodus speaks of redemption. It is the story of a people redeemed out of Egypt, whence we all come. It was the place of bondage, and we must all find it a place of bondage before we accept deliverance out of it.

Leviticus-the book of holiness. Salvation once known, He brings us to His sanctuary:we become worshipers. After all this, we come to Numbers, which gives us the journey through the wilderness. Of course, beloved, with God it is we journey. After the knowledge of God, we come to practice, and Numbers is the book of practice.

In the first three we have God's name in trinity. In the beginning of His book, Genesis, we have God as a Father. In Exodus it is the Son-a Saviour. In Leviticus-the sanctuary-the book of holiness- it is the Spirit. In the fourth book it is the creature. It speaks of the frail, the poor, weak creature. We need not fear to know ourselves when, along with this, we learn the grace of God.

Have we all here to-night got there ? Are we all born again ? Have we the knowledge of the Father? Have you all learned to cry, Father-Abba Father? Do you know what it is ? But you must also learn what salvation is. Are you able, or afraid, to say, "I am saved"? There is no presumption in it-not a bit. If you were drowning in the river, and if some one saved you, you would not think it presumption to say, "He saved me," would you ? We are saved by Christ's work alone.

The beginning of their pilgrimage was after the Passover. What does this mean ? It was the time when the judgment of God passed over Egypt, and God taught His people the way of escape. It was the last way man would take. How would the blood of an innocent lamb keep out the judgment of God?. We can read it simply. It spoke of another Lamb, and God said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." Are you, then, under the blood-mark? Have you, beloved friends, accepted the judgment of God against you, and looked up at the blood-marked lintel and door-post ? I deserved death; so death is my doom; but my doom is fulfilled in the death of Christ:now, therefore, death is my shelter; and so, blessed be God, that is the way of shelter still. Whatever the condition may be, we are saved by the virtue of the blood of the Lamb slain. Is this your trust now ? You ought to, you must, know that blood is the dividing line between saved and unsaved. If you trust in that, then "blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.''

But, another question. Do you know what it is to be holy? If you have known what it is to be justified, you must also learn what it is to be holy. We have it through Christ, not as righteousness which is imputed, yet Christ is the sanctification of His people -"who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." (i Cor. 1:30.) He is the sanctification of every one that believeth
But how ?

In dropping your own righteousness, you got the righteousness of God; now drop your own holiness and you'll get holiness. This Christ-if I have a heart for Him,-and all who are saved have this, haven't they ?-look at Him! This itself is the beginning of holiness. Be true to this, and you'll be holy. All through the world here, there is what the heart of man craves naturally. Now, because He has saved us, our hearts follow Him up there, new-naturally. It is not, We must do this or that, but " If ye love me, keep my commandments, and my words." This is the way to change you, says the apostle. How ? '' From glory to glory." You begin with this -glory! "We all, with open face, beholding the glory of the Lord, arc changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit." (2 Cor. 4:)

How do you get the sunshine in your face? Go and sit in it. That's all, isn't it ? Go, put your face in His sunshine, and you'll be changed from glory to glory. This is the third step-Leviticus-true holiness.

Now, until you have learned these three steps, you are disqualified to walk through the world. I am afraid this disqualifies a good many. If you have Christ for holiness, you are competent to walk with Him through the world.

Numbers is a book of warfare. You find here at the start a camp, a register, fighting men, etc. We haven't got to fight the flesh. Don't fight it! It is stronger than you, if you fight it. He says, turn
away from it; "abstain from fleshly lusts "; "reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin." That is faith. You can't get on one step without faith. " Reckon " (that's faith-faith is the reckoner) " yourselves dead indeed unto sin." Now how can I fight the flesh? Can a dead man fight ? You know it is an absolute impossibility. I am not talking" about the world, but about the flesh-myself. "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?" That's a plain argument-we died to it when Christ died (Rom. 6:). We are alive to God in Christ. Christ did it all. He died for sin-yours and mine. Now what is my relation to Him ? I am dead by His cross. This is not experience, but I see it by faith; so the apostle says "reckon." Turn your back upon sin, and your face toward Christ, and walk on. If you feel sin in you, don't think that it is you any more. Don't fight it; run away from it. This may not seem manly, but it is God's way. Israel, when they came to the Red Sea, with their enemies close upon and around them, could not fight. Instead of God putting arms into their hands and fighting Pharaoh, He opened the Sea, and said to them, "Just walk in here; walk this way." The cast wind opened the sea, during the night. This speaks of calamity; and beloved, this calamity is the cross-the dark night of calamity that fell upon Christ. The cross ends sin before God as well as sins. You cannot change sin in yourself; you are not called to make anything of yourself. What is the Christian called to, then ? He is called to make something-everything-of Christ. Israel is four camps-three tribes in each. What does this mean ? It is our spiritual history that is here. These tribes are our picture. Look at it, then.

Judah means praise ; and Judah goes forward first. On the east side, toward the sunrising:anything in this ? Oh yes; we associate something in our minds with the East. The cast wind was the wind of the desert, and it dried up and killed everything. It is what confronts you as an enemy, this east wind- always. Is the world an easy place, or a hard place, for yon ? They were going east, and had to face this east wind. JUDAH led, and faced it. These arc types, let us remember, and every word is the word of the living God-perfect.

But the East is also the sunrise, blessed be God. The sun rises beyond the wilderness. But who is the sun ? It is Christ. That's why you journey toward the East, toward the sunrising. Although, beloved, the east wind comes from there, beyond that the sun rises. When Jehoshaphat went to fight the Ammonites (east wind), he put the singers (Judah-praise) in the front, and God gave him the victory. Judah had the trumpet-the trumpet of praise. If you sound the trumpet as the trumpet of alarm-the spirit of prayer-there is always, thank God, the spirit of praise too-prayer and supplication with thanksgiving–Judah is in the front. Judah is the lion-the great lion; who shall stir him up? I tell you, beloved, the spirit of praise is the spirit of power.

Judah is, literally, confession. But of what ? Your sins? Oh no; but of Him-what He is, what He has done; and this is praise. The nearest place to God is filled by a Man who died for the children of God. Shout out what Christ has done, and what He is to you, in the hour of trouble, and the end of the conflict is sure before you begin. He is the Captain of our salvation. If the world is against you, you need a captain. You find the world a hard place because Christ found it a hard place. Carry Christ with you wherever you go, and you'll see if it is not a hard place. But "if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye." (i Pet. 3:)

On the other hand, if you want to know what joy is, link yourself with Christ. The story of the first Spanish martyr-I have often told it-shows us this. They made bonfires of God's people in those days ; they'd do it still, if they dared. He was being burned at the stake for Christ's sake. Thinking he might recant when partially burnt, they took him out of the fire, and took the gag out of his mouth. His reply to their inquiry was, "Did you envy me my joy?" And they thrust him in again, and quickly finished their work. Wasn't Judah-this son of Judah-sounding the trumpet ? Judah is a strong man, but he doesn't use carnal weapons-only a trumpet. His leading man was Nashon (the diviner), son of Amminadab (the people of the liberal giver).

Balaam divined in a superstitious way. The people of God do not divine naturally, but as the fruit of the liberal giver-God-who giveth to all liberally, with both hands, and with all His heart. So, if you are one of His people, you can divine; you can say to what confronts you even as an enemy, It is the messenger of God. Able to divine His ways with us by the abundance of the gifts of His grace to us, we can ever say, " My Father is above all; " " Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." If it is an enemy who. does everything against me, still I say, The Lord sends him. If you say, But there is a black heart back of the hand that smites me, I reply, There is a loving heart back of the black one, and "all things work together for good to them that love God." If you walk with God, you'll meet the bitter wind of the desert by the glorious sunshine of His coming. How cheerfully, beloved, how happily, how holily will you meet it all thus! To be holy, you must be happy; so walk with Him, beloved brethren. In every trouble run to Him. Not very like a warrior, that ; but you'll gain the victory through Him, and get the everlasting crown that He will give you at the end. F. W. G.

Question 9.-Please explain Heb. 2:2 :" The word spoken by angels." S. H.

Answer.-The phrase means the law, which was given through angelic instrumentality. (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19.)In Psalms 68:17, we are told they were present at Sinai. They were God's ministers to execute His judgments, and were therefore fittingly present at the giving of the law. In the first chapter of Hebrews we see the place occupied by them,- a place of exalted privilege, but infinitely below Him who is the object of their worship, 5:6. The "word spoken by angels" is contrasted with the "great salvation" spoken by the Lord and His apostles, and confirmed by the Holy Ghost. The thought is, If disobedience of the law was most surely punished, how much more will a neglect of salvation through grace result in destruction.

It was a solemn hour when "Jesus, having again cried with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit." The rent veil, the earthquake, the rent rocks, the opened tombs, were loud announcements from God that the mighty victory was won, that heaven was opened, the holiest entered, and the great sacrifice accepted!"And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts and returned."

The body must needs be removed from the cross. Where were His apostles? And His brethren, where were they ? Had all forsaken Him ? There were yet two disciples, who, though they had feared to confess Him while He lived, now come boldly forward to render the last sad tribute of affection to His lifeless body. Joseph of Arimathea asked leave of Pilate to take Him away. It was readily granted. He went, therefore, and bought fine linen. And Nicodemus, the same who came to Jesus by night, came, bringing a mixture of spices, about a hundred pounds weight. "They took therefore the body of Jesus and bound it up in linen cloths with the spices, as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial." Many women were there who had followed Him from Galilee, and who had viewed from afar the whole scene of the crucifixion, among whom was Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and Mary, the mother of James and Joses, and Mary Magdalene. The two latter drew near, and sitting opposite the sepulcher, saw how His body was laid. As the Sabbath drew on, a stone was hastily rolled to the door of the sepulcher; and they departed, and remained quiet on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.

Thus Joseph and Nicodemus divided between them the honor which ought to have been shared by others; but none lent a helping hand.

"Late on the Sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after the Sabbath" (our Saturday evening), "came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary" (of Cleophas) "to view the tomb" (Matt. 28:i). They returned home, and, joined by Salome, "bought aromatic spices, that they might come and anoint Him." (Mark 16:1:) In the dead of the night, or early morning, the Roman soldiers still keeping guard at the tomb, " there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descending out of heaven came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow; and for fear of him the guards trembled, and became as dead men." (Matt. 28:2-4.) Little sleep would Mary Magdalene have that night. Alarmed and solemnized, and probably impatient for daybreak, she at length wandered alone to the sepulcher. It was yet dark when she entered the lonely garden. All was still. The terrified guards had fled. Startled at finding the stone rolled away from the empty tomb, she ran to tell Peter and John. They hasted to the spot, and found it even so, as she had said. There lay the undisturbed linen cloths, just as they had been placed; the handkerchief that was about His head folded up separately. Peter went into the sepulcher; John followed. The Lord had more than once told His disciples that He must suffer, and on the third day be raised again. These words possibly might have been recalled to remembrance as John looked upon the empty grave-clothes. "He saw, and believed." Not from the holy writings had he learned that thus it must be:"He saw, and believed; for as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead." (Ps. 2:, 16:) The One who loved him was alive again, and by divine power had communicated the blessed truth to his soul. He left the abode of death, and returned home. He had the high pre-eminence of being the first of the apostles to believe in the resurrection from among the dead, and this before the Lord had showed Himself alive to Mary. Not having yet seen the risen Lord, of John it might be said, as of believers now, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Mary, seeking His dead body, lingered at the hallowed spot, and again looking into the sepulcher as she wept, saw two angels sitting there. They inquired the cause of her sorrow. It was soon told. So intently was she absorbed with the one Object of her affection, that she manifested no alarm at the appearance of the heavenly visitors. Turning back, the gardener, as she supposed Him to be, said to her, " Woman, why weepest thou ? Whom seekest thou ? " Tell me, she answered, where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away. "Jesus saith unto her, Mary." At the sound of that well-known voice, familiarly calling her by name, she recognized her Lord and Master:it was Himself. Her ready obedience was as beautiful as her affection. At His bidding, she hastens to carry the joyful message to His "brethren "; but, like her Lord, had to taste the sorrow of rejected testimony:"And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and been seen of her, believed not." (Mark 16:2:)

Up to the time of her first departure from the sepulcher, all must have taken place a little before sunrise. By this time another company of women were on their way to the sepulcher, bringing the aromatic spices and ointments, that they might come and anoint Him. It was very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun. (Mark 16:i, 2.) "There was Joanna," the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, "who had been healed of wicked spirits," (Luke 8:3; 24:10); Salome, the wife of Zebedee; and the other Mary, mother of James and Joses; and other women that were with them. "And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?" No men were with them. "And when they looked they saw that the stone was rolled away, for it was very great." (Mark 16:4.) But the angel who had rolled away that stone, whose look was as lightning, and before whom the guards trembled and became as dead men, was no longer sitting upon it. He was not seen thus by Mary Magdalene, when she entered the garden. "Entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment, and he said unto the women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus the crucified [One]. He is not here, for He is arisen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay; and go quickly and tell His disciples that He goeth before you into Galilee :there shall ye see him."

Matthew passes over without notice the visit of Mary to the garden. The break between verses 4 and 5; of chapter 28:is very perceptible. John supplies the parenthesis:the thread of the interrupted narrative is resumed at verse 5. With fear and great joy the women ran to bring the disciples word. As they went, the Lord met them:they held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. If the words of the women seemed to the apostles and others as idle tales, the Lord could speak to them in another and more striking way. A strange company of unearthly witnesses visited Jerusalem that day, in confirmation of the great truth of resurrection from among the dead:"Many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many:" Would the disciples still doubt ? Some did.

The Lord's heart yearned over Peter. His mission was still to bind up the broken-hearted, and to com-fort those that mourned. Peter was restored. The Lord walked miles with two sorrowing disciples, as they walked and were sad, on their way to Emmaus. He opened their eyes, and they knew Him. He showed Himself suddenly in the midst of the eleven, and those that were with them, as they sat at meat, Thomas was unhappily absent. They were troubled at His presence, but He soon dispelled their fears. He showed them His hands and His feet. Eight days elapsed, and again He showed Himself to the disciples, Thomas being; present. He was convinced and confessed Him as his Lord and his God.

They seemed to have forgotten His words, '' Tell my brethren that they go into Galilee :there shall they see Me." It might have been a fortnight or more after this message to the women, that some of His disciples had returned to their old occupations the sea of Tiberias. Why were they loitering thus on their way to the mountain where He had promised to meet them ? That meeting had not yet taken place, for "this was now the third time that He showed Himself alive to His disciples."

If it was in Galilee that He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, they must have arrived tardily at the appointed spot. Thomas:was not the only indifferent one. In patient grace He awaited the arrival of the last straggler before showing Himself in their midst. No wonder that when they saw Him "some doubted," others worshiped. How different will the next great gathering of His redeemed ones! "He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.

After this He was seen of James, and lastly of all the apostles. This last interview was possibly the
longest and most important of all. The apostles were at home and at ease in His presence. They received His commandments, and spake freely together of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. He led them out as far as to Bethany, and in parting-words of blessing was received up into glory.

Ten times had He showed Himself alive after His passion. In each case His appearing was sudden and unlocked for, without intimation or warning. He appointed, a meeting in Galilee, but neither the day nor the hour was named. We wait to see Him again, according to His promise. May we not infer that, without any premonition, He will at some unexpected moment call us up to meet Himself in the air ? We ask not for signs :enough that He who loves us has said, " Surely, I come quickly. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments." (From " Words in Season.") J. M.

We long, blessed Lord, Thy coming to see,-
To enter the mansions made ready by Thee,-
To gaze on Thy beauties in bliss without end,-
To dwell with Thee, spotless, dear Saviour and Friend.

This world is a vale of sin and of tears,
And tardily move its sorrowful years;
Creation is doomed to travail in pain
Till Thou shalt appear to bless her again.

The moments seem longer because of Thy love,
Known only by those who are born from above;
They can not refrain, but constantly cry
"Come, take us away to be with Thee on high."

Appear in Thy glory, Thy power display,
Oh, end this sad night, and bring in the glad day;
And reign on Thy throne, as by prophets foretold,
Thy kingly "beauty," yes, fully unfold.

R. H.

Nature gives no answer to this question. That is, it gives no samples of resurrection,- no samples of bringing that which was dead to life. Persons have advanced what they thought to be samples, and they have passed current, embellishing many a discourse; but, after all, they are no real samples of resurrection. Reference has been made to the vegetable kingdom. The things of that kingdom have been spoken of as springing into life when the icy hand of winter is removed. But that is no springing into life. It is only the manifestation of a life which existed while that icy hand was on it, and which simply prevents its springing forth. Reference has also been made to the animal kingdom to find something which amounts to resurrection. For instance, the butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, or golden-colored sheath, has been presented as a sample of coming from death to life. But it fails to help in this direction, for surely there is no coming from death to life, but only a coming from one condition of life into another. The insect is alive when in its external case, and is even so before as a caterpillar. It simply comes forth from its chrysalis as a butterfly, or perfect insect. That is all; but no passing out of death into life. In short, as the learned Christian author, Dr. Hugh MacMillan, says, '' There has never been, in all the physical world, a single example of life raised from actual death:all its revivifying processes attach only to things that are alive and representative of life."

But, thank God, we have revelation, which gives us the fullest authority for believing in the resurrection of the dead. The blessed son of God, who came from heaven to bear witness to the truth, gave, in the following solemn utterance, the substance of the teachings of the Old and New Testaments on this important doctrine:"The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth:they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation," or judgment, as the Revised Version renders the word. Revelation also informs us of the order which will be observed in the accomplishment of this great event. Believers who have fallen asleep, meaning the dead saints, will, we are taught, rise at the coming of the Lord; and, at the same instant, those of the saints who do not sleep, but "who are alive and remain," will be changed to immortality without passing through death, and the raised and the changed will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and so be forever with Him. But the rest of the dead, the Word tells us, live not again till after the thousand years' reign, when they will come forth from their graves, and be judged according to their works. And what God has thus said in word, surely He is able to carry out in power. Indeed, He has already furnished samples of resurrection,- samples, real samples, of raising the dead to life. The widow's son was brought to life in answer to the prayer of Elijah. The son of the Shunammite was raised from the dead in response to the entreaties of Elisha. The dead man who was cast into the sepulcher of Elisha, was brought to life as soon as he touched the bones of the prophet. Not that there was any power in the bones, but God, for some wise purpose, used the occasion to display His power in bringing the dead one to life. In the New Testament samples of resurrection are recorded. Jairus' daughter, who had just died, was raised at the Lord's word-"Tabitha Cumi." The son of the widow of Nain, who was being taken to the grave, was brought to life as soon as the compassionate Jesus touched the bier, and uttered the. words ".Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." Lazarus, who had been in the grave four days, came from the embrace of death at the bidding of the same blessed One, saying "Lazarus, come forth." After the Lord Jesus had gone to heaven, the same divine power accompanied the gospel testimony on earth. Two samples of restoration to life are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. When Tabitha, a devoted disciple, died, Peter, who was at another place, was sent for, who having come "kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body said, Tabitha, arise"; and she arose from the dead, and he "presented her alive." The young man who fell from the third loft, or story, while Paul was preaching at Troas, and who "was taken up dead," was brought to life.

The above samples, however, were simply cases of bringing from death to life,-to life such as they had before. They were still mortal. But they were real samples of bringing the dead to life, which could only be by supernatural power,- the direct power of God. But revelation warrants the hope of a resurrection of a higher order; for though it maybe from corruption, it is to incorruption. We have a unique sample in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. That blessed One knew no sin, and death could have no claim on Him. Bat when He in love put Himself in our place, He had to bear the judgment and death due. But having done that, righteousness being satisfied, death had no further claim on Him, and therefore "it was not possible He should be holden of it." Hence God could not suffer His Holy One to see corruption. "He whom God raised again saw no corruption." "Behold," He says, "I am alive for evermore." And though the dead saints rise from corruption, yet the risen and glorious body of Christ is the sample of theirs, for when He comes we are assured that He "shall change our vile body, that it maybe fashioned like unto His glorious body." This "change" will, of course, equally apply to the saints who are alive at His coming, who will not sleep, but be changed in a moment from mortality to immortality. And I may here say that we have two samples of this recorded in the sure word, namely, Enoch and Elijah, who were translated to heaven without seeing death, their bodies doubtless being changed.

A word may be said on those who rose from the dead closely after the Lord's resurrection. When that blessed One yielded up His life, '' the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." This, we may be sure, was a divinely given testimony to the efficacy of the wonderful death which had just taken place; the rending of the veil being a sign that the true veil was rent, and that the true holiest was "made manifest"; also that Judaism was at an end. The graves being opened, and many saints coming from them after the Lord's resurrection, told out the glad news that death and the grave, and him that had the power of death, were conquered through the Cross ; and that believers might henceforth exultingly exclaim "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory ?" We may feel sure that those who arose from the dead in that hour of joyous triumph, arose to incorruptibility, thus forming a suitable accompaniment of the resurrection of Him who had gone into death for them, and come out of it with the keys of hades and death at His girdle. Happy thought that power is thus in the hands of love ! .

It would seem that something slightly analogous to this occurs after the resurrection of those who are Christ's at His coming, – that is, in a martyred remnant being raised, who believes God's further testimony after the Church is gone, – including those mentioned under the Fifth Seal, and those subsequently killed under the beasts of Rev. 13:These, as well as the saints of the past and the present, will have part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4). Though they rise after those who rise when the Lord comes, yet they share in the same resurrection – "the resurrection of life"; for "they live and reign with Christ." To find this last point fully treated, consult a recent volume entitled "The Revelation of Christ," by F. W. Grant.

In closing, I may say that our blessed Lord, in reply to the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, and had asked Him a question simply to bring the doctrine into ridicule, – appealed to the word and power of God and not to Nature, saying, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." If they had known the Scriptures they would have known that they taught the resurrection ; and if they had known the power of God, or taken it truly into account, they would have had no difficulty with the doctrine, and their foolish question would never have been asked. It is for man to find out what God says, and bow to it. What He has said in word, He is able to make good in act. God has spoken, and faith desires no more. Every difficulty is thus gone. Even true reason is more than satisfied.

As believers, it is for us to know that we are already in a new life, being alive in Christ, and that we are to pass through this scene in the power of that life, waiting for God's Son from heaven, when the poor body will be redeemed, and we shall be like Him, and be ever with Him. A blessed hope, surely! To God and His Christ be all the glory! R. H.

CHAPTER VII. (Continued from page 173.)

But the Preacher's experiences of anomalies are by no means ended. These alternations of adversity and prosperity, he says, whilst there is no forecasting when they will come, so there seems to be no safeguard, even in righteousness and wisdom, against them. They are not meted out here at all on the lines of righteousness. The just man dies in his righteousness, whilst the wicked lives on in his wickedness:therefore be not righteous overmuch ; do not abstain, or withdraw thyself, from the natural blessings of life, making it joyless and desolate; but then err not on the other side, going into folly and licentiousness,- a course which naturally tends to cut off life itself. It is the narrow way of philosophy:as said the old Latins, " Medio tutissimus ibis," "midway is "safety"; but Solomon is here again, as we have seen before, on a far higher moral elevation than any of the heathen philosophers, for he has one sheet-anchor for his soul from the evils of either extreme, in the fear of God.

As for the despairing, hopeless groans of " vanity," we, with our God-given grace, learn to feel pity for our Author, so for his moral elevation do we admire him, whilst for his sincerity and love of truth we learn to respect and love him. See in the next few verses that clear, cold, true, reason of his, confessing the narrow limits of its powers, and yet the whole soul longs, as if it would burst all bars to attain to that which shall solve its perplexity. '' Thus far have I attained by wisdom," he says, "and yet still I cry for wisdom. I see far off the place where earth can reach and touch the heavens; but when, by weary toil and labor, I reach that spot, those heavens are as inimitably high above me as ever, and an equally long journey lies between me and the horizon where they meet. Oh, that I might be wise; but it was far from me."

Now, in our version, the next verse reads very tamely and flat, in view of the strong emotion under which it is so clear that the whole of the book was written. '' That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?" The Revised, both in text and margin, gives us a hint of another thought, "That which is, or hath been, is afar off," etc. But other scholars, in company with the Targum and many an old Jewish writer, lift the verse into harmony with the impassioned utterances of this noble man, as he expresses in broken ejaculatory phrase his longings and his powerlessness :

"Far off, the past,-what is it ?
Deep,- that deep! Ah, who can sound?
Then turned I, and my heart, to learn, explore.
To seek out wisdom, reason-sin to know-
Presumption-folly-vain impiety.

He must unravel the mystery, and turns thus, once more, with his sole companion, his own heart, to measure everything,-even sin, folly, impiety,- and more bitter even than that bitter death that has again and again darkened all his counsel and dashed his hopes, is one awful evil that he has found.

One was nearest Adam in the old creation. Taken from his side, a living one, she was placed at his side to share with him his wide dominion over that fair, unsullied scene. Strong where he was weak, and weak where he was strong, now evidently was she meant of an all-gracious and all-wise Creator as a true helpmeet for him:his complement-filling up his being. But that old creation is as a vessel reversed, so that the highest is now the lowest,- the best has become the worst,-the closest may be the most dangerous; and foes spring even from within households. Intensified disorder and confusion! When she who was so clearly intended by her strength of affection to call into rightful play the affections of man's heart, whose very weakness and dependence should call forth his strength, alas, our writer has found that heart is too often a snare and a net, and those hands drag down to ruin the one to whom they cling. It is the clearest sign of God's judgment to be taken by those nets and bands, as of his mercy, to escape them. Thus evil ever works, dual-as is good-in character. Opposed to the Light and Love of God we find a liar and murderer in Satan himself; corruption and violence in man, under Satan's power. The weaker vessel makes up for lack of strength by deception ; and whilst the man of the earth expresses the violence, so the woman of the earth has become, ever and always, the expression of corruption and deceit, as here spoken of by our preacher, "her heart snares and nets; her hands as bands."

But further in his search for wisdom, the Preacher has found but few indeed who would or could accompany him in his path. A man here and there, one in a thousand, would be his companion, but no single woman. This statement strongly evidences that the gospel is outside his sphere ; the new creation is beyond his ken. He takes into no account the sovereign grace of God, that in itself can again restore, and more than restore, all to their normal conditions, and make the weaker vessel fully as much a vessel unto honor as the stronger, giving her a wide and blessed sphere of activity; in which love-the divine nature within – may find its happy exercise and rest. Naturally, and apart from this grace, the woman does not give herself to the same exercise of mind as does the man.

But then, is it thus that man came from his Maker's hands? Has He, who stamped His own perfection on all His works, permitted an awful hideous exception in the moral nature of man ? Does human reason admit such a possible incongruity ?No, indeed. Folly may claim license for its lusts in the plea of a nature received from a Creator. Haughty pride, on the other hand, may deny that nature altogether. The clearer, nobler, truer philosophy of our writer justifies God, even in view of all the evil that makes him groan, and he says, " Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions."

Interesting as well as beautiful it is to hear this conclusion of man's reason, not at all in view of the exceeding riches of God's grace, but simply looking at facts, in the light that Nature gives. Man neither is, nor can be, an exception to the rule. God has made him upright. If not so now, it is because he has departed from this state, and his many inventions, or arts (as Luther translates the word significantly), his devices, his search after new things (but the word "inventions" expresses the thought of the original correctly), are so many proofs of dissatisfaction and unrest.

He may, in that pride, which turns everything to its own glory, point to these very inventions as evidences of his progress; and in a certain way they do unquestionably speak his intelligence and immense superiority over the lower creation. Yet the very invention bespeaks need; for most truthful is the proverb, "Necessity is the mother of invention"; and surely in the way of Nature necessity is not a glory, but a shame. Let him glory in his inventions, then; and his glory is in his shame. Adam in his Eden of delights:upright, content, thought never of invention. He took from God's hand what God gave, with no need to make calls upon his own ingenuity to supply his longings. The fall introduces the inventive faculty, and human ingenuity begins to work to overcome the need, of which now, for the first time, man becomes aware; but we hear no singing in connection with that first invention of the apron of fig-leaves. That faculty has marked his path throughout the centuries. Not always at one level, or ever "moving in one direction,- it has risen and fallen, with flow and ebb, as the tides; now surging upward with skillful "artifice in brass and iron," and to the music of "harp and organ," until it aims at heaven itself, and the Lord again and again interposes and abases by flood and scattering,- now ebbing, till apparently extinct in the low-sunken tribes of earth. Its activity is the accompaniment usually of the light that God gives, and which man takes, and turns to his own boasting, with no recognition of the Giver, calling it "civilization." The Lord's saints are not, for the most part, to be found amongst the line of inventors. The seed of Cain, and not the seed of Seth, produces them. The former make the earth their home, and naturally seek to beautify it, and make it comfortable. The latter, with deepest soul-thirst, quenched by rills of living water springing not here; with heart-longings satisfied by an infinite, tender, divine Love, pass through the earth strangers and pilgrims, to the Rest of God.

Let us glance forward a little. The Church is not found on earth; but the earth still is the scene of man's invention; and with that surpassing boast "opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God, or is worshiped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God showing himself that he is God," he heads up his wickedness and ingenuity together, in calling down fire from heaven and in making "the image of the beast to breathe." (Rev. 13:14, 15.) 'Tis his last crowning effort,- his day is over,- and the flood and the scattering of old shall have their awful antitype in an eternal judgment and everlasting abasing.

But the heavenly saints have been caught up to their home. Is there invention there ? Does human ingenuity still work ? How can it, if every heart is fully satisfied, and nothing can be improved ? But then is all at one dead level? No, surely; for "discovery" shall abide when "invention" has vanished away,- constant, never-ceasing "discovery." The unfoldings, hour by hour, and age by age, of a Beauty that is infinite and inexhaustible,- the tasting a new and entrancing perfection in a Love in which every moment shows some fresh attraction, some new sweet compulsion to praise!

Discovery is already "ours," my reader-not invention; and each day, each hour, each moment, may be fruitful in discovery. Every difficulty met in the day's walk may prove but its handmaid; every trial in the day's path serve but to bring out new and happy discoveries. Nay, even grief and sorrow shall have their sweet discoveries, and open up to sight fountains of water hitherto altogether unknown, as with the outcast Egyptian mother in the wilderness of Paran, till we learn to glory in what hitherto was our sorrow, and to welcome infirmities and ignorance, for they show us a spring of infinite Strength and a fountain of unfathomable Wisdom, that eternal Love puts at our service! Oh, to grow in Faith's Discoveries !

Philip had a grand opportunity for "discovery," in the sixth of John; but, poor man, he lost it; for he fell back on creature resources, or, in other words, "Invention." Brought face to face with difficulty, how good it would have been for him to have said, "Lord Jesus, I am empty of wisdom, nor have I any resources to meet this need; but my heart rests in Thee:I joy in this fresh opportunity for Thee to display Thy glory, for them knowest what Thou wilt do." . Oh, foolish Philip, to talk of every one having a little, in that Presence of infinite Love, infinite Power. Do I thus blame him ? Then let this day see me looking upward at every difficulty, and saying "Lord, Thou knowest what Thou wilt do."
The morning breaks, my heart awakes,
And many thoughts come crowding o'er me,-
What hopes or fears, what smiles or tears
Are waiting- in that path before me ?

Am I to roam afar from home,
By Babel's streams, in gloom despondent ?
On sorrow's tree must my harp be
To grief's sad gusts alone respondent ?

The mists hang dank, on front and flank,
My straining eye can naught discover;
But well I know that many a foe
Around that narrow path doth hover.

Nor this alone would make me groan,-
Alas, a traitor dwells within me;
With hollow smile and heart of guile
The world without, too, plots to win me.

Thus I'm beset with foes, and yet
I would not miss a single danger:
Each foe's a friend that makes me wend
My homeward way,- on earth a stranger.

For never haze dims upward gaze,-
Oh, glorious sight! for there above me
Upon God's throne there sitteth One
Who died to save-who lives to love me!

And like the dew each dayspring new
That tender love shall onward lead me:
My thirst shall slake, yet thirst awake
Till every breath shall pant:-" I need Thee."

No wisdom give; I'd rather live
In conscious lack dependent on Thee:
Each parting way I meet this day
Then proves my claim to call upon Thee.

I'd not ask strength, but learn at length
The calm that's found with perfect weakness:
Thy shoulder's mine where I'd recline,
And there my pride is shamed to meekness.

Then Lord, thy breast is, too, my rest;
And there, as in my home, I'm hidden,-
Where quiet peace makes groanings cease,
And Zion's songs gush forth unbidden.

Yes, e'en on earth may song have birth,
And music rise o'er Nature's groanings,-
Whilst Hope new born each springing morn
Dispel with joy my faithless meanings.

F. C. J.

(To be continued.)

THE CHURCH.– ITS WORSHIP. (Continued from page 187.)

The noblest occupation for any creature is to be engaged in the worship of God. It is thus the seraphim are occupied, crying "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts." The varied orders of heavenly beings esteem it their highest privilege to be thus engaged; and it was for this that man was created. We cannot, then, have our attention called to a more important subject.

Particularly is it necessary at this present time to be clear as to what worship really is. In the common . acceptance of the word, "public worship" includes prayer, praise, and preaching, for the edification of saints or the conversion of sinners. A moment's thought will suffice to show, however, how incorrect this is. Even prayer is not worship,- most blessed privilege, and necessary as it is for every believer; but the asking for things which we need must not be confounded with the offering up to God that praise which glorifieth Him. One is receiving, or rather asking, from God; the other is giving to Him. Alas, that we have grown so selfish! We make everything to center about ourselves,- our salvation, our joy, our life here, even our service, – everything, in fact, is valued in proportion as we imagine it ministers to our true welfare. God and His glory are left out. Little wonder, then, that thoughts are confused as to what worship really is, and that it has been relegated to a place of very minor importance.

And yet we shall spend eternity in worship:the song of praise here, feeble as it may be, is but the
prelude to that universal harmony of worship which will fill heave and earth, when all things shall have been made new, and all things are at last beneath the sway of Him who possesses all. Until the praise will be feeble. But shall we who are a kind of first fruits of His creature,-shall we wait for eternity?

Let us, then, take up this most important, and, we may add, edifying and refreshing subject, and endeavor to give it the attention it deserves.

A glance at the Old Testament will show that the whole religious service revealed to Israel was principally worship. There was a sanctuary,-a three-fold sanctuary, we might say,-court, holy, and most holy place; there was a priesthood, most carefully set apart to God; there were sacrifices, daily and special; there were special set times, or feasts, for the offering up of prescribed sacrifices. All this was to emphasize to the Israelite that he was a worshiper. The sacrifices which more particularly met his need, such as the sin- and trespass-offerings, were still presented to God in worship,- while a far more prominent place was given to the burnt-offerings, which were more directly acts of worship, of a sweet savor to God. A notable feature of the ritual was the repetition of this offering on certain occasions (Num. xxviii), while such was the multitude of beasts offered at the dedication of the temple that the altar of burnt-offering was not sufficiently large, and the court had to be used for a similar purpose (i Kings 8:64).

The establishment of Jerusalem as the center only brought this the more into prominence,-the courses of singing Levites and the various ordinances of David showing that "praise was comely."

Having seen that praise was the characteristic of Old Testament service, before passing to the New we will designate the points of contrast between worship in the two dispensations.

Between the worshiper and the immediate presence of God there always hung a veil, impassable to all save yearly to the high priest, on the day of atonement, when he entered in with the blood of the atonement sin-offering. All the blood of victims shed could not take away that veil because it could not take away sin. This veil, then, 'characterizes the worship of the Old Testament. God was merciful, but He would by no means clear the guilty. None dare, not even the most faithful, enter into His awful presence. The law, too, was in exercise,-"Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them." (Deut. 27:26.) To every exercised conscience this surely must have put a check upon any full confidence he might have had in approaching God. The law, while it imposed a curse on the one hand, brought into bondage on the other, for making its appeal to the flesh, man's nature, it could but stir up the enmity of the carnal mind. The sacrifices, while they might lull, could not banish, these fears; for if otherwise '' the worshiper once purged would have no more conscience of sins." True, faith could and did pierce through these "clouds and darkness" which were "round about Him," and catch glimpses of His glory, and say "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good"; but even these were but glimpses, accompanied by oft-repeated confession of sins and entreaties for mercy. Such was God to His people under law, and such was legal worship,-giving glory to God for His majesty, wisdom, and power, but holding man off as unfit to stand before Him.

Passing on to the present dispensation, how great, how wondrous, the contrast! The veil has been rent in twain from the top to the bottom. The veil between man and God characterized Old Testament worship; the veil done away is the distinguishing feature of the New. "Having therefore, brethren,' boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, . . . through the veil." What was a way of death to the Hebrew priest is a way of life to the Christian. There is no faltering, but boldness,-"boldness and access, with confidence." The right of entrance is the blood of Jesus instead of the blood of bulls and goats, which could never take away sin. The believer stands before God "clean, every whit," "once purged," with "no more conscience of sins." Well may he enter boldly into the very holiest ; well may he now pour forth his full soul in freest praise:-

"Within the holiest of all,
Cleansed by His precious blood,
Before the throne we prostrate fall,
And worship Thee, O God."

Instead of the law, condemning and bringing into bondage, the Christian is under grace, – "grace, reigns,"-the full unmerited love of God poured out upon us,-"no condemnation,"-"not under law, but under grace." Well may we dwell upon these precious themes. Would that all the Lord's people knew fully what they meant! Worship would be the result.

Growing out of this place of nearness, this freedom from the law, there is an apprehension of the nature of God never had before. Not a whit is the glory of His justice dimmed:nay, it shines with more dazzling brightness as its flames fell upon the Son of God, the true sacrifice who hung upon the cross,- "He that spared not. His own Son." But now we see not only justice, but love,- love in its fullness and in an intensity which none but God could have, and none but He can fully know,-
"God only knows the love of God."

We see not glimpses now, but the full, steadfast shining out of " the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." We know God as Father, we have the Spirit of adoption, we have the knowledge of eternal redemption. Precious truths, which were as buds hidden beneath their protecting sheath of types and shadows during the winter of law, have now burst forth into leaf, blossom, and fruit, to charm us with their beauty and delight us with their sweetness. We are in a new land,- resurrection land, risen with Christ, linked with Him who has said "I am alive forevermore." Now can there be no question as to acceptance,-that has been fully settled; no fear as to eternal security,-that is in His hands who has said " Because I live, ye shall live also." The grave-clothes of a carnal worship can but hamper now, and so must be laid aside.

In brief, we. might say that Christian worship has its grounds in an accomplished redemption; its object is God the Father and the Son; its place the holiest,- the immediate presence of God; its power the Holy Spirit; its material the truths fully revealed in the word of God; and its duration eternity.

There are several points just touched which must be enlarged upon. There can be no question that God the Father is the object of Christian worship:"I have declared unto them thy name." (John 17:
26.) "The Father seeketh such to worship Him." (John 4:23.) None would question this. Equally clear is it that the Son is the object of worship:"That all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him." (John 5:23.) Surely in the face of such a scripture we could scarcely conceive of any one teaching that the Lord Jesus Christ is not the object of worship, to be praised as equal with the Father. And yet such doctrine has been taught, – a direct insult to Him who in grace took a servant's form.

Many who heartily accept what has been said as to the worship of the Father and the Son, will hesitate to say that the Holy Spirit is not presented in the New Testament as the object, but as the power of worship. Let us be clear. We would not hint at the blasphemy of denying that the blessed third person of the trinity is divine. He is God just as absolutely as and equal with the Father and the Son; and as God surely is entitled to worship and adoration. But as the Holy Spirit, He is presented as the One who empowers for worship :"We worship by the Spirit of God." (Phil. 3:3, R. V. ) He does not present Himself, but takes, as it were, a subordinate place. Reverently speaking, as our Lord took the place of humiliation during His life upon earth, tabernacling in flesh (ever a Man in a body in glory), so, too, now the Holy Spirit has come to earth, and is content to dwell in our poor bodies, – temples of the Holy Ghost, – and in the Church of Christ. He is upon earth, as contrasted with Christ, who is in heaven with the Father, the object of worship. From this we trust it will be clear why we say the Holy Spirit is not presented in the New Testament as the object of worship. He is the power for it, however. Our praises must be in His energy, or they are not truly praise It is so with our prayers (Rom. viii). Equally so with praise. "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (i Cor. 12:3.)

One word as to who are worshipers, under the Christian dispensation. Under the law, the worshiper was. in one sense, any man who brought an offering; and in another, only the Priest:in the fullest sense only the high priest, and he only once a year. Under the first definition any were worshipers; under the second, scarcely one. The first was too wide; the second too narrow. In Christianity all believers are priests (i Pet. ii 5, 9), and only believers are. None can worship God but those who are washed by the blood of Christ, and all such have equal access to Him. The idea of classes here, some having greater privileges, closer access to God, is most abhorrent to one taught of God, and cannot be too strongly characterized as most deeply dishonoring to the person and work of Christ. Yet this is the very root of Romanism, and by no means so rare in Protestantism as might be imagined. Nay, we must, in faithfulness, say that the very '' notion of a clergyman " is potentially the germ of class Priesthood. We are all priests; we all have the same nearness to God through Christ, and can all sing "Unto Him that loveth us, and hath washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us a kingdom of priests (a royal priesthood, i Pet. 2:9), unto God and His Father:to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:5, 6.)

There is one high priest who ever liveth (Heb. 7:), through whom all our worship is presented in perfect acceptance, because linked with the sweet savor of His name, He stands forever alone as High Priest; but distinction among the priests of God – His worshipers – there is none. Of gifts of ministry we will speak later at length. We would at present only warn the reader never to confound priesthood and ministry:they are radically and entirely different.

We have thus far sought to present some of the leading characteristics of Christian worship. But what has been said can apply to individuals entirely; and it must now be made plain that there is church worship as well as individual,- corporate praise. Not that the ground, object, or materials of the praise are different, but God has provided that the Church shall praise as a whole. The truths we have been considering in previous papers thus far will serve to make this clear. The unity of the Church, the link of the Spirit to a glorified Christ and to one another, – these and kindred truths necessitate the conclusion that "we are "members one of another." When, therefore, we come together, if according to God's mind, we are not merely individuals, but form an assembly representing the whole Church. Our worship is now corporate. The praise and adoration are not merely of an individual, but of an assembly. Let us pause and admire the wisdom as well as the love of God in this provision. He knows we are social beings, that our joy as well as our sorrow needs to be shared, and that thus the one is increased and the other diminished. So in our highest service He has provided that we shall unitedly pour forth our tribute of prayer and thanksgiving.

(To be continued.)

Question 8.-Please explain Heb. 13:10:"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to cat which serve the tabernacle." Does it apply to those in system ? S. H.

Answer.-The Epistle to the Hebrews, as its name would suggest, shows the contrast between Judaism and Christianity. A glance at the various subjects will show this. Prophets, angels, Moses, Aaronic priesthood, carnal sacrifices, the law,- are all contrasted with, only to give way to, the Lord Jesus Christ, who through His death and ascension to the right hand of God has displaced the worldly sanctuary and a worldly religion, to introduce His people into the presence of God in the joy and liberty of a spiritual worship, and to make them strangers and pilgrims here. The whole epistle shows that Judaism and Christianity are mutually exclusive. This is what the verse in question teaches. The altar is put for the whole system of Christianity founded upon the sacrificial work of Christ. Those who are united with Judaism-an earthly anticipative thing – have no right to claim any link with the spiritual heavenly fulfillment. The principle may, of course, be applied to any worldly system of religion which is but a feeble copy of Judaism. Care must be taken, however, not to press this in a harsh way, and to remember that the Lord has many who while outwardly linked with such systems are in heart separated from them, but lack knowledge and faith to "go forth unto Him without the camp bearing His reproach."

Question 9.- Please explain John 3:3, 5. Is it true that it applies only to the Jews and to their entrance into the kingdom of our Lord upon the earth, as Son of David ? J. N. G. W.

Answer.-The passage is by no means to be confined to the Jews, though it includes them (Ezek. 11:19). The expressions "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" are similar, though not exactly synonymous. The latter is used in Matthew, the dispensational gospel, and applies to all forms of the kingdom, to the admixture of evil introduced by the enemy, etc. (Matt, 13:) The term "kingdom of God" is more general, and often used in a moral and special sense, excluding evil in a way that the other term does not (Rom. 14:17, etc.). It is in this sense that the passage in John is used. When our Lord sets up His kingdom in power, He will then purge it, leaving only those born again to enter into the millennial kingdom. Meanwhile it applies now spiritually.

Question 10.-What is the scriptural way to treat one who conies to the breaking of bread, an entire stranger to every one, and who desires to break bread with us?

Answer.- The breaking of bread is the expression of the fullest fellowship, and fellowship is always intelligence. We must know a person before we can know he is a child of God. If we received him otherwise, there would be no fellowship and no exercise of care or responsibility. Receiving means the fullest expression of confidence:how could we have that in one with whom all were unacquainted ? One in a right state of soul would readily recognize the propriety of this, and would not force himself upon the consciences of the Lord's people. In this connection it might be well to suggest greater care in the matter of giving letters of commendation to those going where they are not known. If we realize our responsibility in this we will be careful to see that the letter is never omitted.

Question 11.- What is the scriptural way to receive one we are well assured is a child of God, untainted with moral evil or false doctrine, but who is connected with some denomination ?

Answer.-Ecclesiastical knowledge is not a test of fellowship, but godliness in walk, doctrine, and association is. We could not refuse one connected with an evangelical denomination, simply for that reason. Our responsibility would then begin, and we should endeavor to enlighten him and lead him to separate in heart from that which is unscriptural. It must be added, however, that since the inroads of infidelity, under the guise of Higher Criticism, and of false doctrines of various kinds, especially denials of future punishment, much greater care must be exercised. We must guard, on the one hand, from a mere rigid exactness-"he followeth not with us" ;-and, on the other, from a looseness which would speedily quench the lamp of testimony, and reduce all to the level of that which surrounds us.

(Psalm 59:10.)

IN THE NIGHT HIS SONG SHALL BE WITH ME.

'Past, restless day,
Ne'er to return.
I would forget,
And e'en would spurn
To look upon the foolish things
Which pierced my troubled heart like stings
To-day. My Saviour, let me rest
In quietness upon Thy breast.

Come, quiet night,
And cradle me In thy soft arms;
I long to be
Alone, my blessed God, with Thee;
For then Thou seem'st so near to me.
Oh, kindly screen, that hides from me
All, all, my gracious God, but Thee!

Then may I ope
The fountain deep
Of my heart, Lord;
Nor would I keep
One word from Thee; Thy holy eye
Must search me; Thou couldst ne'er pass by
One thought unholy, act unkind;
I would unburden all my mind.

Self-judged, I'd lay
Me down, my God,
In arms of love,
Nor fear Thy rod.
Each day I'd pass unceasingly,
My Father, 'neath Thy watchful eye.
Thy love restrain my heart and feet
From thought and word and way unmeet!

O Thou, my God, my Saviour, be
My guide-star o'er life's dangerous sea!

H. McD.

The more we think of the cross (we have come as sinners needing it, but as Christians, reconciled to God, we can sit down and contemplate it), the more we see it stands totally alone in the history of eternity. Divine glory, man's sin, man's perfectness, Satan's evil, God's power and love and righteousness, all were brought out and met there. Accordingly it is the immutable foundation of man's blessing, and of everything that is good in heaven and earth. Then, when our souls are reconciled, we look at Him and learn of Him:" Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest." He sees that the world had given Him up :there was no rest upon the earth. He searched with wonderful patience for a place of rest, but there was no such thing to be found. He knew it, and had tried it; the Son of Man had not where to lay (not merely outwardly) His head, but to rest His heart; no more than Noah's dove found rest for the sole of her feet. " I looked for some man to take compassion, but there was none." Yet feeling this, it is just there He says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest:take my yoke," etc., "and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

The first of these texts has no bearing whatever on the question of perfection in the flesh. It is the revelation of the name of our Father which is in heaven, and the character practically which suits the kingdom of heaven. The mere Jew was responsible to render testimony to the righteousness of Jehovah ; the believer now is responsible to show forth the grace of "our Father." Vengeance on the Canaanites was then a righteous thing; now '' if, when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." The children are bound to sustain the family character, "that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. . . . Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Other scriptures prove, if proof were needed, that sin still abides in the saint here below, however bound he is to disallow and mortify it. This text simply exhorts us to imitate our Father's grace, even to those who deserve His judgment.

The other scripture (i John 3:p) regards the child of God in that point which distinguishes him from the world, in the possession of a life from God which is absolutely sinless. No intelligent Christian will therefore forget that the flesh is still in us, though we are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit.

There is nothing superficial or partial in the work of Christ on the Cross. It is not only the foundation of peace, establishing the ground upon which God can meet the sinner in grace, pardoning all his trespasses, but it effects a new relationship for the child of God.

1. It shows our relation to sin. "How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" "He that is dead is freed [justified] from sin." (Rom. 6:2, 7.) This is the fact:it is for faith to make it practical in our lives. '' Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:2:)

2. The Law is the strength of sin (i Cor. 15:56), not the power nor the rule of holiness. The motions of sin are by the law. Sin takes occasion by the commandment to work the desires of the flesh in us. If we are under the law as a rule of life there can be no holiness,- only bondage. "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Rom. vii, 5, 8, 24, etc.) But how clearly does the cross separate us from the law! '' Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (Rom. 7:4.) How carefully is the truth guarded here from the charge of antinomianism – of permitting sin! Nay, it is that we may be holy that we have become dead to the law.

3. But the cross not only shows our relation to sin and the law:it also marks our connection with the
world. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." (Gal. 6:14.) The world is under judgment:it is going on in utter carelessness of its doom. We have anticipated that judgment, and in the person of our substitute have passed through and beyond it. That cross was what the world gave the Lord:His relations with the world were marked by it, and for us as well. How many heart-aches, disappointments, failures, as of Lot, would the people of God be spared did we but realize this truth, and not merely submit, but glory in that wondrous cross.

" Forbid It, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ, my God.
All the vain things that charm me most,
I'd sacrifice them to His blood."

In Phil. 3:we see the Christian as a racer, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before" he presses toward the mark. All is motion; we are almost carried along in the current as we read the chapter. In the fourth chapter we see him standing fast. Here stability is. the thought, as opposed to the fickleness so common. Each of these characteristics should be found in God's people :ever pressing on, yet ever standing firm.

The altar of nature, like the altar on the other side of Jordan, is not meant for burnt-offerings or for sacrifices. No sacred fire burns upon it; no true sacrifice for sin can be offered upon it; no effectual atonement for the sinner is made there. It is to the great altar on Calvary, in a manner, what the manger of Christ was to the cross. The manger was the place at which the beasts of the stall ate to renew their strength – at which vegetable life was sacrificed to support animal life; and the fact of our Saviour being laid in that symbolical place might be regarded as significant of the analogies of nature being fulfilled in Him. But we are not allowed to linger at the manger, we must pass on to the cross, where we have on that accursed tree the sacrifice of Christ fulfilling all the analogies of nature and all the types of grace-the symbols of the curse and of the restoration-and disclosing its own unique peculiarity of a true propitiation for human sin. The manger has no saving power. The dim revelation which it gives of the eternal mystery of love, wherein life lives by life taken, may constrain us, in humble reverence, like the wise men of the East, to pour forth our gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

But the cross saves and sanctifies us, because it tells us that the work of redemption is finished, and that God is now just while the justifier of the ungodly who believe in Jesus; and the full and clear revelation which it gives of the way of salvation constrains us, like the apostle Paul, to offer at its foot the far costlier offering of a life devoted to the service of God. At the manger we worship the God who created and sustains us, and pour forth the gifts He has bestowed in thankful acknowledgment of His goodness; at the cross our worship is raised into devoted love to the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and our gifts lead to self-sacrifice, in imitation of His unspeakable gift. So should it be in regard to the altar of nature and the altar of Calvary. Let us not separate the one from the other. Let us not stop short, as many do, at the mere religion of nature, but press forward to the religion of the cross. While as intellectual beings needing instruction, we "consider the lilies how they grow," let us not at the same time neglect, as impure perishing creatures needing the great salvation, to "behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." And so associating the altar beyond Jordan with the altar at Shiloh, the one will be to us the pattern and the witness of the other. We shall find the same great truths stamped upon nature which shine forth in clearest light in redemption; and communion with the works of God will only deepen our faith in His word.

(MacMillan," The Sabbath of the Fields.")