"Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself:thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy
gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien:for thou art a holy people unto the
Lord thy God" (Deut. 14:21).

In this verse the marked distinction between the Israel of God and the stranger is strikingly
presented. The grand fact of Israel’s relationship to Jehovah marked them off from all the nations
under the sun. It was not that they were, in themselves, a whit better or holier than others; but
Jehovah was holy, and they were His people. "Be ye holy, for I am holy."

Worldly people often think that Christians are very pharisaic in separating themselves from other
people, and refusing to take part in the pleasures and amusements of the world; but they do not
really understand the question. The fact is, for a Christian to participate in the vanities and follies
of a sinful world would be, to use a typical phrase, like an Israelite eating that which had died of
itself. The Christian, thank God, has gotten something better to feed upon than the poor dead
things of this world. He has the Living Bread that came down from heaven_the true Manna; and
not only so, but he eats of "the old corn of the land of Canaan," type of the risen and glorified
Man in the heavens. Of these most precious things the poor unconverted worldling knows
absolutely nothing, and hence he must feed upon what the world has to offer him. It is not a
question of the right or the wrong of things looked at in themselves. No one could possibly have
known aught about the wrong of eating of any thing that had died of itself if God’s Word had not
settled it.

This is the all-important point for us. We cannot expect the world to see or feel with us as to
matters of right and wrong. It is our business to look at things from a divine standpoint. Many
things may be quite consistent for a worldly man to do which a Christian could not touch at all,
simply because he is a Christian. The question which the true believer has to ask as to everything
which comes before him is simply, Can I do this to the glory of God? Can I connect the name of
Christ with it? If not, he must not touch it.

In a word, the Christian’s standard and test for everything is Christ. This makes it all so simple.
Instead of asking whether such a thing is consistent with our profession, our principles, our
character, or our reputation, we have to ask if it is consistent with Christ. This makes all the
difference. Whatever is unworthy of Christ is unworthy of a Christian. If this be thoroughly
understood and laid hold of, it will furnish a great practical rule which may be applied to a
thousand details. If the heart is true to Christ, if we walk according to the instincts of the divine
nature as strengthened by the ministry of the Holy Spirit and guided by the authority of the
Scriptures, we shall not be much troubled with questions of right or wrong in our daily life.

(From Notes on Deuteronomy .)

There is perhaps no greater trial a man can be called upon to face than to take, through grace, a
position he has seen from the Word of God to be scriptural, and then to be rudely awakened to
the realization that the people who were in that position before him are not what he had hoped to
find them. It may even be that they are less spiritual, less devoted, less zealous for God, than
some he has left behind him in systems where quasi-darkness prevailed. In such circumstances,
one needs to be firmly held by the truth or he is likely to be altogether overcome and completely
disheartened. Many an unstable soul has, by such a test, been utterly swept away from his
moorings. Such often go back in despair to the unscriptural positions they had abandoned, and
give out a bad report of the land, thus hindering others from following the light vouchsafed to
them. Some, with too much conscience to build again the things they had destroyed, become what
one might call spiritual free lances. And some, sad to say, become spiritual Ishmaelites, their hand
against every man, and every man’s hand against them; criticizing, fault-finding, restless and
unhappy; occupied with evil; lamenting the conditions of the times; bewailing the unfaithfulness
of anybody and everybody but themselves; and so falling into a spirit of pharisaism that is helpful
to no one, and a hindrance to all they come in contact with.

Now all this results from occupation with persons instead of with Christ. It is supposed that
because people occupy a position of peculiar favor, and have been blessed with special light, they
must personally be more reliable than the generality of Christians, and the flesh is less likely to
act in them than in others. Often one hears of people "coming out to certain brethren," or
"joining" this or that company of saints. All this is bound to result in disaster.

It is to Christ alone we are called to go forth, without the camp, bearing His reproach. He, blessed
be God, never disappoints. If the eye be fixed on Him, if the heart be occupied with Him, if He
be recognized as the one only Center, then, let saints be what they may as to their spiritual state,
there can be no lasting disappointment, for Christ abides.

If I see it to be according to Scripture to gather with fellow-believers to the name of the Lord
Jesus, owning that "there is one body, and one Spirit," the behavior of those already so gathered
cannot alter the truth for one moment. Rather does it call for exercise of soul on my part that I
may be a help to them, stirring them up to fresh devotedness and renewed zeal in self-judgment.

It is far easier to stand aside and point out the low state of the rest_even to withdraw altogether
from their company _than to emulate Ezra who, by his personal faithfulness, lifted the whole
company to a higher plane. There will be less trouble, less perplexity, less concern, if one simply
turns away and leaves the rest to go on as they will; but God is not thereby glorified nor are
failing saints recovered.

The position of gathering to the name of the Lord in simplicity as members of the one body is not
one in which there is no trouble. Far from it. But it is a place where all trouble can be set right
and every difficulty met by the Word of God alone; and this is what cannot be said of any sect in
Christendom. There human ingenuity, man-made regulations, and carnal laws and ordinances are
relied on to keep things in order and to settle disputes. But those who turn, in faith, from all this

to Christ alone as Center and to the Word alone for guidance and disciplinary instruction, find that
Word all-sufficient if there be but obedience to its principles. Of all this the last two chapters of
Ezra furnish us with a most blessed illustration.

The first burst of praise and worship over, Ezra received this rude awakening to which I have
referred above. One can imagine the awful disappointment, the poignant grief that were his when
the sad state of affairs that had developed among the separated Jews was revealed to him. No
description can bring it before us more vividly than his own words.

"Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel and the
priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing
according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites,
the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken of their
daughters for themselves, and for their sons; so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with
the people of those lands:yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass:
and when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my
head and of my beard, and sat down astonied" (Ezra 9:1-3).

Devoted and faithful steward of God! How our hearts are moved by his bitter grief when he is thus
brought to realize the low condition of the people who are in the only right position. Could one
be surprised if he had turned heartsick away from them all, and in lofty seclusion of spirit
endeavored to go on alone with God, giving up all hope of corporate testimony? But this he does
not do. In faithfulness to God he cannot forego the position, and he loves the people of the Lord
too much to give them up.

Almost heartbroken, Ezra manifested all the signs of deepest distress of spirit, and sat down in
bitter astonishment. That such things prevailed in Babylon would not have amazed him. That they
could be tolerated among those gathered to the place of the Name, dumbfounded him.

But at once the news of his grief spread among the people with a blessed and soul-cheering result.
That all were not in sympathy with the looseness that had come in soon became evident. "Then
were assembled unto me," he tells us, "every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel,
because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the
evening sacrifice" (verse 4). God had said, long before, by Isaiah, "To this man will I look; even
to him that is poor [humble] and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word" (Isaiah 66:2).
Such there were still among the remnant, and upon them the Lord could look in blessing. These
men and Ezra, acting with God, would be a majority, however few in number. Such men are
likely to be regarded by the unspiritual as troublers and "old fogies"; but where there is real
exercise of soul, God can be depended on to show whom He recognizes, in due time.

(From Notes on the Book of Ezra.)

Since both Saul and Jeroboam bring to mind the dangers of worldly wisdom, we shall discuss them
together. At the time Saul became King, he is described as "a choice young man, and a goodly
[handsome]" (1 Samuel 9:2). He also seems to have been of a modest nature, for he "hid himself
among the stuff" when the time came for him to be presented to the people.

After he had been king about two years, however, he seems to have lost that modesty. He
presumes to disobey God because he thinks he knows what is best. In 1 Samuel 13 we read that
Saul offered a sacrifice before Samuel came to him. Evidently Samuel had told Saul to wait for
him to come. The reason Saul gave for his action was that the people were scattered from him and
he was afraid the Philistines would come upon him before he had made a proper sacrifice. As a
result of his disobedience God removed the kingdom from Saul’s descendants. The knowledge of
this loss drove Saul nearly mad in later years and was the motivation for his persecution of David.

Lack of faith caused Saul’s disobedience. The world would say that it was a military leader’s duty
to keep up the morale of his troops and to be ready to meet the enemy at any time. Saul saw the
people leaving him and the enemy preparing for an attack (1 Sam. 13:11) and so decided to act
on his own. But faith says, "God can take care of all these circumstances; my only duty is to obey
His command." Saul lost his kingdom by depending on worldly reasoning. What will we lose by
substituting such reasoning for faith?

Jeroboam’s case is a similar one. Before Solomon died, the Lord had promised to make Jeroboam
king over the ten tribes and to "build him a sure house" (1 Kings 11:38) if he would obey the
commandments of the Lord. One would think that when the prophet’s seemingly unlikely
prediction came true and Jeroboam was actually king, he would realize that God could overcome
all unfavorable circumstances and that his faith would be strengthened. But as soon as he became
king he began to use worldly wisdom and to forget God’s promise. God said that the kingdom
would be his if he obeyed God. Jeroboam decided he needed to establish a special religion in order
to keep his people loyal. The world would say that this was astute political thinking; after all, what
did Jeroboam have to offer in comparison with the glory and beauty of the temple and its
surroundings which the people would see if they went there to worship? But God is above all
secular reasoning and Jeroboam lost his kingdom also.

These two young men made similar mistakes for similar reasons with the same result. Let us not
follow in their footsteps. Remember, first, "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
Secondly, God can overcome all unfavorable circumstances no matter what the world may think.
Thirdly, if we disobey God, we lose. We may not have earthly kingdoms to lose, but we will lose
the blessings God has promised us if we substitute worldly wisdom for faith in Him. Listen to God
and ignore the world; the world has only bad advice, while God has only our blessing in mind.

"And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth
met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an
hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king
said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household
to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as
be faint in the wilderness may drink. And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba
said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem:for he said, Today shall the house of Israel
restore me the kingdom of my father. Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that
pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy
sight, my lord, O king" (2 Samuel 16:1-4).

"And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet,
nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he
came again in peace. And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that
the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? And he answered,
My lord, O long, my servant deceived me, . . . and he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord
the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God:do therefore what is good in thine eyes. For
all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king:yet didst thou set thy servant
among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto
the king? And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said,
Thou and Ziba divide the land. And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all,
forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house" (2 Samuel 19:24-30).

Was there ever so beautiful a picture of a heart true to an absent, rejected Lord, as that of
Mephibosheth in the 19th chapter of 2 Samuel! We have all enjoyed the story of the finding of this
poor remnant of the house of Saul and the kindness and favor conferred upon Mephibosheth by
King David. But it is not of this that I would now write, but of that other scene where David the
King is returning after the defeat of Absalom, and all are hastening to do him honor. Among the
multitude who flock to the Jordan, is he who with undressed feet, untrimmed beard, and unwashed
raiment shows where his affections have been during those weary days of his lord’s absence and
rejection.

Now I want to draw attention to one point that has appeared to me a strange blemish to the beauty
of the narrative. How is it that after Mephibosheth’s explanation of his absence from David’s side
in the days of his sorrow and shame, that the king should reply, "Why speakest thou any more of
thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land." Does not that look as if the king were
taking very low and unkingly ground with poor Mephibosheth? In Ziba we recognize the religious
man of the earth, with his pretended fidelity, his voluntary humility, his lying accusations against
the true saint, his quick grasp on the estate of his master, his voluntary association with Shimei,
the curser.

But this Ziba is now put on a level and equal footing with Mephibosheth, the loyal, true
Mephibosheth, the object of David’s pure grace and favor. Is that just? Is that right? For one or
the other of these two men is a liar to the heart’s core. If Ziba be true, then surely Mephibosheth
deserves rather to be slain for his base ingratitude in forsaking his benefactor, for his efforts to
have the kingdom restored to himself, for his present shameful duplicity in appearing to have
mourned during his absence. Death, or banishment at least, would be nearer justice than to "divide
the land" with the true and loyal Ziba. If, on the other hand, Mephibosheth be true, then surely
half his master’s land is a great premium on the wicked falsehood and cruel deceit of the servant
Ziba. Does it not look like a blemish in the narrative?

But let us carefully consider the scene. All Judah had come in a crowd to welcome back the king.
Who could tell the true attitude of heart of each individual that comprised this vast multitude. It
seems to have been typical of that coming scene of the triumphant return of our rejected Lord
when all shall yield Him obedience; but that obedience will in many cases be feigned, as Psalm
18 leads us to expect. Do we not see how naturally King David might doubt as to Mephibosheth?
He had heard, and evidently believed up to this time, Ziba’s story accounting for his master’s
absence in the day of trial, so now he asks Mephibosheth to give his explanation. "Wherefore
wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth?" The answer is not only a straight denial of all that Ziba
had said, but a direct charge of slander against the servant. Who can possibly decide between the
two? It is simply a question of veracity. Who can detect the false and justify the true before all?
Both men lie under the suspicion of the gravest charges. Who shall clear the innocent that his
righteousness may shine as the light?

God’s wisdom is surely needful here. The matter is quite similar to that later scene before King
Solomon_David’s son _when each woman claimed the living child as hers, and there appeared
no way of discovering the true from the false. Yes, it is a similar difficulty, and a similar test shall
solve it. The affections must be touched and allowed to speak out; the true state of heart must be
revealed. "Divide the child," says Solomon. "Divide the land," says David. It does its work. It
has its effect in both cases. If Mephibosheth were false and disloyal, what an escape for him! He
must, in that case, have come trembling down to Jordan; his conscience thundering its accusations
of his ingratitude and disloyalty, and his heart cold with apprehension for his life, and lo! he hears
that he is to have half the land instead of death. "Yes, yes, it is a wise and just settlement," a false
Mephibosheth surely would have cried, seeking to confirm David’s mind before it changed. In just
such a way did the false mother answer Solomon, "Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it."
But listen to the true heart in both cases. Out it comes, with its simple natural cry of inherent
affection. "O my Lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it." "Yea, let him take all;
forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace into his own house." How beautiful! What
need of another word of comment! The Spirit of God leaves it there in its beauty for you and me
to look at, admire, and worship. The scene is perfect. Mephibosheth is fully justified, and by
consequence Ziba is condemned. But the King has just said that no man must "be put to death this
day in Israel." Then no more need be said, or can be said, of Ziba, for that is his desert; so there
is silence, a silence as beautiful as all else:it is perfect.

But now is there in this merely a beauty that we may admire? Is there no practical searching word
for our consciences in this testing of Mephibosheth, to which he answered so happily? There

seems to be here what in the divine wisdom tests every heart. Do we not see in it one of God’s
own ways of trying and bringing out just where the affections of our hearts really are? I believe
that this is a day in which we need to apply very faithfully to ourselves just such touchstones as
these that God’s Word gives us. You and I would not, of course, look upon this world as all our
own; not at all. We would not forfeit the approval of our Lord Jesus by having our portion
altogether here and now. But are we equally careful that our affections are not somewhat divided?
Do we feel content to "divide the land" with Ziba? Ah, that, if I understand the epistles to the
seven churches at all, is exactly the characteristic of the present times. Laodicea is not cold; she
lays claim to the precious things of Christ; she is not utterly indifferent to divine things, not at all.
But neither is she hot. What an immensely solemn word is spoken to Laodicea:"I would thou wert
cold or hot." She will not sacrifice all for Him; Christ Jesus is not all to her. She approves the
sentence, "Thou and Ziba divide the land."

Let us search our hearts, my brethren; let us raise the cry of Psalm 139:23,24. No bird needs all
the forest for its nest_one twig suffices; and our hearts can find nesting place, often
unconsciously, on a very small portion of the world..

Do you want to see a true Mephibosheth of this day of Christ’s rejection? Then look at that man
running his race with these words on his lips, "One thing I do" (Phil. 3:13). Hearken to the voice
of his affections, listen to his heart speaking out, "What things were gain to me, those I counted
loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things." All things loss! Dear
reader, is this your case? Is this thy case, O my soul? Do we admit any thing in this death-doomed
scene to share, in however small a degree, our affections with Him who has shown us poor, vile,
impure guilty sinners the grace and kindness of God? Let our hearts answer. Let our affections
speak.

FRAGMENT.
Is there a thing beneath the sun
That strives with Thee my heart to share?
O tear it thence, and reign alone,
The Spring of every motion there!

"He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. He shall purify himself
with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean:but if he purify not himself the
third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any
man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall
be cut off from Israel:because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be
unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him" (Numbers 19:11-13).

It is a solemn thing to have to do with God_to walk with Him from day to day in the midst of a
defiled and defiling scene. He cannot tolerate any uncleanness upon those with whom He deigns
to walk and in whom He dwells. He can pardon and blot out; He can heal, cleanse, and restore;
but He cannot sanction unjudged evil, or suffer it upon His people. It would be a denial of His
very name and nature were He to do so. This, while deeply solemn, is truly blessed., It is our joy
to have to do with One whose presence demands and secures holiness. We are passing through
a world in which we are surrounded with defiling influences. True, defilement is not now
contracted by touching "a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave." These things were, as we
know, types of things moral and spiritual, with which we are in danger of coming in contact every
day and every hour. We doubt not but those who have much to do with the things of this world
are most painfully aware of the immense difficulty of escaping with unsoiled hands. Hence the
need of holy diligence in all our habits and associations, lest we contract defilement, and interrupt
our communion with God. He must have us in a condition worthy of Himself. "Be ye holy, for
I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

But the anxious reader whose whole soul breathes after holiness may eagerly inquire, "What are
we to do if we are surrounded with defiling influences and are thus prone to contract that
defilement? Furthermore, if it is impossible to have fellowship with God with unclean hands and
a condemning conscience, what are we to do?" First of all we would say to be watchful; wait
much and earnestly on God. He is faithful and gracious, a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering
God, a liberal and an unupbraiding Giver. "He giveth more grace." This is positively a blank
check which faith can fill up to any amount. Is it the real purpose of your soul to get on,, to
advance in the divine life, to grow in personal holiness? Then beware how you continue, for a
single hour, in contact with what soils your hands and wounds your conscience, grieves the Holy
Spirit and mars your communion. Be decided:be whole-hearted. Give up at once the unclean
thing, whatever it be_habit, or association, or anything else. Cost what it may, give it up. No
worldly gain, no earthly advantage, could compensate for the loss of a pure conscience, an
uncondemning heart, and the light of your Father’s countenance. Are you not convinced of this?
If so, seek grace to carry out your conviction.

But, it may be further asked, what is to be done when defilement is actually contracted? How is
the defilement to be removed? Hear the reply in the figurative language of Numbers 19:17-19:
"And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin,
and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel. And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip
it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that
were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:And the

clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day:and on the
seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall
be clean at even."

The reader will notice that in the twelfth and eighteenth verses there is a double action set forth.
There is the action of the third day and the action of the seventh day. Both were essentially
necessary to remove the ceremonial defilement caused by contact with the varied forms of death
above specified. Now what does this double action typify? What in our spiritual lives answers to
this? We believe it to be this:When we, through lack of watchfulness and spiritual energy, touch
the unclean thing and get defiled, we may be ignorant of it, but God knows all about it. He cares
for us, and is looking after us; not, blessed be His name, as an angry judge, or stern censor, but
as a loving Father who will never impute anything to us because it was all, long ago, imputed to
the One who died in our stead. But though He will never impute it to us, He will make us feel it
deeply and keenly. He will be a faithful reprover of the unclean thing; and He can reprove all the
more powerfully simply because He will never reckon it against us. The Holy Spirit brings our
sin to remembrance, and this causes unutterable anguish of heart. This anguish may continue for
some time; it may be moments, days, months, or years. We once met with a young Christian who
was rendered miserable for three years by having gone with some worldly friends on an
excursion. This convicting operation of the Holy Spirit we believe to be shadowed forth by the
action of the third day. He first brings our sin to remembrance; and then He graciously brings to
our remembrance, and applies to our souls through the written Word, the value of the death of
Christ as that which has already met the defilement which we so easily contract. This answers to
the action of the seventh day_removes the defilement and restores our communion.

Let us remember that we can never get rid of defilement in any other way. We may seek to forget,
to slur over, to heal the wound slightly, to make little of the matter, to let time obliterate it from
the tablet of memory. It will never do; it is most dangerous work. There are few things more
disastrous than trifling with conscience or the claims of holiness. And it is as foolish as it is
dangerous; for God has, in His grace, made full provision for the removal of the uncleanness
which His holiness detects and condemns. But the uncleanness must be removed, else communion
is impossible. "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." The suspension of a believer’s
communion is what answers to the cutting off of a member from the congregation of Israel. The
Christian can never be cut off from Christ;; but his communion can be interrupted by a single
sinful thought, and that sinful thought must be judged and confessed, and the soil of it removed,
before the communion can be restored. It is well to remember this. It is a serious thing to trifle
with sin. We may rest assured we cannot possibly have fellowship with God and walk in
defilement. To think so is to blaspheme the very name, the very nature, the very throne and
majesty of God. No, dear reader; we must keep a clean conscience, and maintain the holiness of
God, or else we shall very soon make shipwreck of faith and break down altogether. May the
Lord keep us walking softly and tenderly, watchfully and prayerfully, until we have laid aside our
bodies of sin and death, and entered upon that bright and blessed world above, where sin, death,
and defilement are unknown.

(From Notes on the Book of Numbers.)

These six points I wish to notice:Why we should pray, when we should pray, how we should pray,
who should pray, to whom we should pray, and for whom we should pray.

I. Why should we pray? Can we make God change His mind or purpose by our prayers? I answer,
yes! Does this startle any? It need not, for I have three scriptures to show how, in the past, prayer
has caused God to change His mind or repent. I allude to the prayers of Moses, Hezekiah, and
the captive Jews at Babylon. Moses first. Turn to Exodus 32. The people have turned aside to
worship a golden calf, and Jehovah is about to destroy them. He says to Moses, "Let Me alone,
that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them …. And Moses besought
the Lord his God." His prayer prevails; and in verse 14 we read the wonderful statement, "And
the Lord repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people." Is it not marvelous! The
prayer of a man moves the almighty God of heaven and earth to change His mind. God is, of
course, unchangeable in an absolute sense. "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son
of man, that He should repent" (Num. 23:19). He is not like fickle man; and His eternal counsels
will and must forever stand. Yet in a certain sense He does repent; and prayer is the mighty
"power that moves the throne."

The second scripture is Jeremiah 26:18, 19. Micah the Morasthite prophesied against Jerusalem
in the days of King Hezekiah. But the king "besought the Lord, and the Lord repented Him of the
evil which He had pronounced against them."

Finally, look at Psalm 106:44, 45. When the people were "brought low for their iniquity," and
delivered into the hands of their enemies by Jehovah, they resorted to prayer. And "He heard their
cry, and He remembered for them His covenant, and repented according to the multitude of His
mercies." The prayers of God’s people cause Him to repent. This gives the deathblow to fatalism,
and furnishes the saints of God with a most powerful incentive to prayer.

II. When should we pray? Unceasingly, according to the fourfold testimony of the Word.
"Continuing instant in prayer" (Rom. 12:12). "Praying always" (Eph. 6:18). "Continue in prayer"
(Col. 4:2). "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). We cannot be always on our knees, I know.
Prayer is to be our habit of life. A spirit of prayer should characterize us. We are only safe as we
are dependent; and dependence expresses itself in prayer. Who is so strong, or so secure in
circumstances as to have no need of continual prayer?

III. How shall we pray? The answer is sevenfold.

1. Boldly. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16). God invites us
to make known our requests, and we should pray fearlessly.

2. Believingly. "Let him ask in faith" (James 1:6). The prayer of unbelief is never answered. "Let
not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord."

3. Intelligently. "If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us" (1 John 5:14). "His

will" must qualify our every request. Will you give your child your razor when he asks, or even
cries for it? God is too wise and good to answer many of His children’s prayers. How many ask
for earthly prosperity or easier circumstances. These would often be their ruin, spiritually, and
a Father’s love withholds them from His children.

4. Holily. "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and
do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22). The Psalmist says, "If I regard
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18). The apostle wills that "men pray
everywhere, lifting up holy hands" (1 Tim. 2:8).

5. Persistently. The parable of the unjust judge should encourage us to persevere in prayer (Luke
18:1-8). We need more "stick-to-it-iveness" in prayer.

6. Thankfully. "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God" (Phil. 4:6). Remembrance of past mercies and answers to prayer will
encourage us to expect further blessing. And God loves a thankful spirit.

7. Briefly. "Lord, save me" (Matt. 14:30), was the three-worded prayer of Peter. Long prayers
will kill a prayer meeting quicker than almost anything else I know of. They were not the most
spiritual men in the world who made "long prayers" (Matt. 23:14). Pray in your closet all night,
if you wish, but prayers in public edify most when brief.

IV. Who are to pray? All believers, young and old, male and female. None are excluded from this
happy privilege. Every child of God will pray almost involuntarily. "Behold he prayeth," it was
said of the newly converted Saul of Tarsus.

At the prayer meeting, of course, the sisters are to "keep silence." But no brother should think he
cannot pray in public. Some say they have "no gift" for prayer. But I do not need a gift to beg if
I am starving. Bestir yourselves, my silent brethren, and do not sit like dumb images on the
benches from one year’s end to another. It is only the sisters who are to "keep silence in the
churches."

V. To whom should we pray? Paul bows his knees "to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ" (Eph. 3:14). Stephen prays, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59). We have no
example or precept for prayer to the Holy Spirit in Scripture. We read of praying in the Holy
Spirit, but nothing of prayer to the Holy Spirit.

VI. For whom should we pray? "All men" (1 Tim. 2:1).

1. Sinners. "[God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth"
(1 Tim. 2:4).

2. Saints. "Supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6:18). "Pray one for another" (James 5:16).

3. Servants of Christ_Evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They need our prayers. Let us not forget

them in our closets or in the prayer meetings. Paul repeatedly asks for the prayers of the saints.

4. Backsliders. We have no direct scripture for praying for wandering saints. But we have our
Lord’s example. He says of poor backsliding Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not"
(Luke 22:32).

5. Enemies. "Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).

6. Rulers. "For kings, and for all that are in authority" (1 Tim 2:2).

In conclusion, our subject is a large one, and I have left many things unsaid. Such a study can
only be suggestive, never exhaustive. Study the subject for yourselves.

In considering the deeply important subject of prayer, two things claim our attention:first, the
moral basis of prayer; secondly, its moral conditions.

From passages such as John 15:7, 1 John 3:21, 22, and Heb. 13:18 we learn that the basis of
effectual prayer is an obedient heart, an upright mind, and a good conscience. If we are not in
communion with God, we cannot expect answers to our prayers; for we shall be "asking amiss."
There is a terrible amount of unreality in our prayers, a sad lack of the moral basis, a vast amount
of "asking amiss." Our God will have reality; He desires truth in the inward parts. He, blessed
be His name, is real with us and He will have us real with Him. He will have us coming before
Him as we really are, and with what we really want.

How often it is otherwise both in private and in public! How often are our prayers more like
orations than utterances of need! It seems, at times, as though we meant to explain principles to
God and give Him a large amount of information. These types of "prayers" cast a withering
influence over our prayer meetings, robbing them of their freshness, their interest, and their value.
We deeply feel the want of reality, sincerity, and truth in our prayers and prayer meetings. Not
infrequently it happens that what we call prayer is not prayer at all, but the utterance of certain
known and acknowledged truths and principles, to which one has listened so often that the
reiteration becomes tiresome in the extreme. What can be more painful than to hear a man who
is supposedly praying explaining principles and unfolding doctrines? The question forces itself
upon us, "Is the man speaking to God, or to us?" If to God, surely nothing can be more irreverent
than to attempt to explain things to Him; but if to us, then it is not prayer at all, and the man
would do better to give a lecture.

What are the moral conditions or attributes of prayer? In Matt. 18:19 we read, "Again I say unto
you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be
done for them of My Father which is in heaven." Thus, one necessary condition of our prayers
is unanimity. If we come together to pray for something, we must be of one mind in the matter,
we must make one common sound before God. It is very questionable indeed whether any of us
have given sufficient attention to this point. Have we not to deplore the objectless character of our
prayer meetings? Ought we not to come together more with some definite object on our hearts,
as to which we are going to wait together upon God?

Matthew 18:19 is our warrant for coming together to pray for anything that may be laid on our
hearts. Whatever may be the spiritual need in us or around us, if at least two of us feel that need
let us come together "with one accord in one place" and pour out our hearts to God as the heart
of one man. Let us wait on God, in holy concord, and the blessing is sure to come.

In Matthew 21:22 we find another essential condition of effectual prayer. "And all things
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." If our prayers are to have an
answer, they must be prayers of faith. It is one thing to utter words in the form of prayer and
another thing altogether to pray in simple faith, in the full, clear, and settled assurance that we
shall have what we are asking for.

It is greatly to be feared that many of our so-called prayers never go beyond the ceiling of the
room. In order to reach the throne of God, they must be borne on the wings of faith and proceed
from hearts united and minds agreed in holy purpose to wait on our God for the things which we
really require.

Now, the question is, are not our prayers and prayer meetings sadly deficient on this point? Is not
this deficiency manifest from the fact that we see so little result from our prayers? Ought we not
to examine ourselves as to how far we really understand these two conditions of prayer, namely,
unanimity and confidence? If it be true that two persons agreed to ask in faith can have whatever
they ask, why do we not see more abundant answers to our prayers? Must not the fault be in us?
Are we not deficient in concord and confidence?

How vastly different it would be if our prayer meetings were the result of a cordial agreement on
the part of two or more believing souls to come together and wait upon God for a certain thing
and to persevere in prayer until they receive an answer! How little we see of this!

Instead of merely attending the prayer meeting from week to week, ought we not to be exercised
before God as to how far we are agreed in reference to the object or objects which are to be laid
before the throne? The answer to this question brings us to another of the moral conditions of
prayer.

In Luke 11:5-10 we read of the importunate man who at midnight asked his friend for three
loaves. These words are part of the Lord’s answer to His disciples’ request, "Teach us to pray."
What do we learn from Luke 11? First it teaches us to be definite in our prayers. The man
confines himself to one request, "Lend me three loaves." Must we not admit that our reunions for
prayer suffer sadly from long, rambling, desultory prayers? Do we not frequently give utterance
to a whole host of things of which we do not really feel the need and which we have no notion of
waiting for at all? We believe it would impart great earnestness, freshness, reality and power to
our prayer meetings were we to attend with something definite on our hearts, to which we could
invite the fellowship of our brethren. Some of us seem to think it necessary to make one long
prayer about all sorts of things; many of the things may be very right and good, no doubt, but the
mind gets bewildered by the multiplicity of subjects. How much better to bring some one object
before the throne, earnestly urge it, and pause, so that the Holy Spirit may lead out others in like
manner, either for the same thing or something else equally definite.

There is another important moral condition set forth in Luke 11 and that is "importunity." The
man succeeded in gaining his object simply by his importunate earnestness. Importunity prevails
even where the claims of friendship prove inoperative. The man is bent on his object; he has no
alternative. In short, he will not take a refusal. How far do we understand this great lesson? It is
not that God will ever answer us "from within." He will never say to us, "Trouble me not." He
is ever ready to give. Still, He encourages importunity, and we need to ponder His teaching.
There is a sad lack of importunity in our prayer meetings. Indeed, it will be found that in
proportion to the lack of definiteness is the lack of importunity. Where the thing sought is as
definite as the "three loaves," there will generally be the importunate asking for it and the firm
purpose to get it. The fact is, we are too vague and too indifferent in our prayers and prayer

meetings. We do not seem like people asking for what they want and waiting for what they ask.
This is what destroys our prayer meetings and renders them powerless.

Another moral condition is found in Luke 18:1, "And He spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." The condition found here is perseverance. This
is closely connected with the definiteness and importunity to which we have already referred. We
want a certain thing; we cannot do without it. We importunately, unitedly, believingly, and
perseveringly wait on our God until He graciously sends an answer, as He most assuredly will if
the moral basis and the moral conditions be duly maintained. But we must persevere. We must not
faint and give up though the answer does not come as speedily as we might expect. It may please
God to exercise our souls by keeping us waiting on Him for days, months, or perhaps years.
Daniel waited for an answer to prayer for "three full weeks" (Dan. 10:2) during which time
Daniel continued to pray.

We, too, may have to wait long in the holy attitude of expectancy and in the spirit of prayer, but
we shall find the time of waiting most profitable for our souls. Very often God, in His wise and
faithful dealing with us, sees fit to withhold the answer, simply to prove us as to the reality of our
prayers. The grand point for us is to have an object laid upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit_an
object which corresponds with some distinct promise in the Word_and to persevere in prayer until
we get what we want. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6:18).

Let us all unite in earnest prayer and supplication. Let us seek to get together according to God;
to come as one man and prostrate ourselves before the mercy seat and perseveringly wait upon
our God for the revival of His work, the progress of His gospel, and the upbuilding of His people.
Let our prayer meetings be really prayer meetings. The prayer meeting ought to be the place of
expressed need and expected blessing, of expressed weakness and expected power. It ought to be
the place where God’s people assemble with one accord to take hold of the very throne of God,
to get into the very treasury of heaven and draw thence all we want for ourselves, our households,
the whole Church of God, and for the vineyard of Christ.

Such is the true idea of a prayer meeting if we are to be taught by Scripture. May the Holy Spirit
stir us all up and press upon our souls the necessity of unanimity, confidence, definiteness,
importunity, and perseverance in all our prayers and prayer meetings.

(Condensed from "Prayer and the Prayer Meeting," Miscellaneous Writings, Volume 3.)

There are several Greek words which are translated "ask" in the New Testament. The two most
prominent of these are aiteo and erotao. Aiteo means to ask, beg, crave, or demand something.
Erotao often means to interrogate, to ask a question, but is also used in the context of making a
petition or a request. In Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words the following
distinction is made:"Aiteo more frequently suggests the attitude of a suppliant, the petition of one
who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made; e.g., in the case of men in asking
something from God. . . . Erotao more frequently suggests that the petitioner is on a footing of
equality or familiarity with the person whom he requests."

Aiteo is found in the following passages:"Ask, and it shall be given you. . . . For every one that
asketh receiveth. … Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a
stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good
things to them that ask Him?" (Matthew 7:7-11). "Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that
would borrow of thee turn not thou away" (Matt. 5:42). "But the chief priests and elders
persuaded the multitude that they should ask [for] Barabbas, and destroy Jesus" (Matthew 27:20).
"He [Joseph of Arimathea] went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus" (Matthew 27:58). "If
any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God" (James 1:5).

In Matthew 16:13 we find erotao in the context of asking a question:"When Jesus came into the
coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of
man am?" In several places, this word is translated "beseech":"Furthermore then we beseech you,
brethren . . . that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would
abound more and more" (1 Thess. 4:1). "So when the Samaritans were come unto Him, they
besought Him that He would tarry with them" (John 4:40). "And His disciples came and besought
Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us" (Matt. 15:23).

It is noteworthy that the Lord Jesus never used aiteo when making request to the Father. It was
always erotao, that is, making a request in the consciousness of His equal dignity with the Father.
Thus, for example, "And I will pray [erotao] the Father, and He shall give you another
Comforter" (John 14:16; see also John 16:26 and 17:9,15,20). Martha, on the other hand,
betrayed her poor understanding of the person of Christ when she said to Him, "But I know, that
even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask [aiteo] of God, God will give it Thee" (John 11:22). Her
thoughts did not rise above Christ begging of the Father, as one of lower position than the Father.

Let us now consider some passages in which both aiteo and erotao are found. First, in John 16:23
we read:"And in that day ye shall ask [erotao] Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall ask [aiteo] the Father in My Name, He will give it you." The first part of this
verse refers back to verse 19:"Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask [erotao] Him, and
said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see
Me:and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me?" In "that day," that is, after Jesus left them to
return to the Father, the disciples would no longer be asking Him questions. However, they were
not to be left destitute with their Lord, teacher, provider, healer, and Saviour gone. Whatsoever

they asked or begged of the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus, He would give it to them.

Three verses later we find both words again:"At that day ye shall ask [aiteo] in My Name, and
I say not unto you, that I will pray [erotao] the Father for you" (John 16:26). Here we see the
difference in words used because of the difference in relative position of the petitioner and the one
petitioned. The statement, "I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you," may seem
rather strange at first, but the verse following helps to explain it:"For the Father Himself loveth
you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God." Thus, Jesus was
saying that there was no need for Him to make request to the Father for the disciples, as if the
Father did not know them or love them; for indeed the Father Himself did love them dearly, just
as they dearly loved Jesus.

The final example is found in 1 John 5:16:"If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto
death, he shall ask [aiteo], and He shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is
a sin unto death:I do not say that he shall pray [erotao] for it." In this verse it might seem as if
aiteo should have been used in the last clause instead of erotao. But on careful consideration we
can see a solemn rebuke connected with the use of the word erotao in this passage. The purpose
of that last clause is to put a guard on what has gone before. The subject of verses 14 to 16 is
petitioning God and interceding for our brethren. But if a brother has committed a sin unto death,
then it would betray a lack of communion with God to pray that such a soul should live. If we
discern it to be a sin unto death, then we must bow to God instead of interceding for the brother.
The use of the word erotao suggests that when we pray for that which is contrary to God’s will,
we are, in a sense, putting ourselves on the same level as or above God; that is, we are implying
that His will is not the best.

How needful it is for us to pray, not haphazardly, but intelligently, according to the mind of God.
This can only be accomplished through continual communion with the Father. P. L. Canner

The inventor of the telegraph, Professor Samuel F. B. Morse, was asked, "When you were
making your experiments, did you ever come to a standstill, not knowing what to do next?"

"Oh yes, more than once," he replied.

"And at such times what did you do next?"

"Whenever I could not see my way clearly, I prayed for more light."

"And the light generally came?"

"Yes," answered Morse. "And when flattering honors came, I never felt I deserved them. I have
made a valuable application of electricity, solely because God who meant it for mankind must
reveal it to someone, and was pleased to reveal it to me."

The first message sent by the inventor in Morse code was, "What hath God wrought!" (Numbers
23:23).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it
you" (John 16:23).

What liberty is given here! However, an unqualified "whatsoever" would leave us unrestricted,
and the Lord would thus have opened the door to all the desires of unbroken, self-serving wills
among His people. But He adds, "In My Name." This is His limit_that which He sets up.

If we apply to God for anything in the Name of Christ, it must needs be in keeping with what
Christ is. It is as if Christ Himself were asking it of His Father. He does not want us to make Him
the messenger, as if we had not the liberty to approach. We have the same blessed liberty which
He has, for grace has made us sons, and we are loved of the Father with the same love wherewith
He is loved (John 17:23). He wants us to realize that holy liberty, and to go ourselves with our
requests straight to the Father in His Name, as if it were Christ Himself presenting it_He who is
always heard, because He always does what is pleasing to the Father.

But how could Christ present any request to His Father inconsistent with His own character and
ways? He acted always within the circle of the Father’s will.

To pray in His Name, then, involves our presenting to God only that which Christ could and
would present. It calls for a real setting aside of our own wills and for moving only within the
circle of God’s will, where Christ always was and is. Setting up our own plans, then making use
of Christ’s Name with God, as if He were pledged by it to obey us, is an awful mistake, which
He will rebuke to our shame.

Oh, to have more of that lowly, broken spirit which finds its home in the Father’s will, its delight
in Christ’s interests here, and which, burdened with that, knows how to plead with God, and never
give up! And though the answer may be long in coming, victory is as sure as His throne.
"Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35), and He has promised. "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you" (John 16:23).

Sad to say, however, we are apt to be much more earnest when our will is at work than when it
has been surrendered. How much more earnestly men will work in a business of their own than
in the employ and interests of others! It but reveals that in us (that is, in our flesh) dwells no good
thing (Rom. 7:18). Let us then take courage. Let us lay hold of His business, carry it in our
hearts, make it our own, plead with God about it according to the measure He has given. If Christ
be our Object, let us ask of God_ask much_and we will receive much, and our joy will be full
here and our reward great there.

FRAGMENT. "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Tim. 2:1).

The reader will notice the abundance and variety in expression of the saints’ prayers.

"Supplication" implies earnestness in pressing the suit of need; "prayer" is more general and puts
forward wants and wishes; "intercession" means the exercise of free and confiding intercourse,
whether for ourselves or for others; and "thanksgiving" tells out the heart’s sense of favor
bestowed or counted on.

Daniel and his companions (known best as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) probably were
taken to Babylon in their early teens. (They are called "children" but they were old enough to
know God’s law and to decide to obey it. See Daniel 1.) Daniel lived many years in Babylon-years
full of service to God and man. The most famous incident in Daniel’s life, his sojourn in the lions’
den because of his determination to continue praying only to God, occurred when he was an old
man. I would like to point out in this article that Daniel and his companions were men of prayer
while still young.

In Daniel 2 we read that the king had a dream which he not only could not understand, but neither
could he recall it. None of his wise men could tell Nebuchadnezzar the content of his dream, so
he ordered them all to be killed. This edict evidently included Daniel and his companions, even
though the king had not asked them to help him (Daniel 2:13-16). What was Daniel’s first step in
finding the answer to the problem? He and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prayed. They were
not only praying for the knowledge of the king’s dream; they were praying for their lives. What
was Daniel’s first step after receiving the interpretation of the dream? He prayed again! Only then
did he go to tell the king what he had learned. Daniel was a man of prayer all through his Me.
God rewarded him:"As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning
and wisdom:and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams" (Daniel 1:17).

Would you like to have knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom? Do you have any
problems with school or college studies or with your job? Daniel’s secret of success can be
yours_he prayed and so should you. The author knows from personal experience that God
understands not only dreams and visions and the arts and sciences of ancient Egypt and Babylon,
but also physics, organic chemistry, calculus, and economics. Prayer can provide very practical
help in our work and our studies. Ask God to show you just what to study and what parts of the
material to spend the most time on. If you get bogged down in the middle of an exam, take a
moment out for prayer; ask God to clear your mind and help you recall the material relevant to
the problem. (It is not recommended that one substitute prayer for study. The Book of Proverbs
definitely states that God does not reward laziness in any form. Prayer and study must be used
together.)

After one has finished school and is established in a job, prayer is a great aid in one’s work. God
can not only help us get along with our fellow workers, but can also provide help with very
technical problems. God is the Creator of the material universe and will help us deal with this
creation if we act in subjection to and dependence on Him.

FRAGMENT. Oh, to be men of earnest prayer and simple faith! If there be earnestness with God
in the closet, depend upon it, there will be no lack of fervor in preaching. If our Father sees us
dealing with Him in secret, be certain that He will reward us openly.

Call Thy people back, O Lord,
As in the early days,
When love was warm, and fresh, and bright,
When first we knew Thy grace;
When first Thy light broke through our night,
And set our hearts ablaze.
Lord, call us back!

Call Thy people back, O Lord,
To that simplicity
Which marked Thy servants long ago;
Our yearning hearts would be
Full satisfied with Thee, although
The world against us be.
Lord, call us back!

From the many paths unmeet
Our wayward feet have trod,
From foolish words, and willful ways,
Yea, turn us back, O God,
Afresh to taste Thy love and grace,
Else Thou must use Thy rod.
Lord, turn us back!

Call Thy loved ones back, O Lord,
From toilsome paths and steep;
From bearing burdens, all Thine own,
Which only makes us weep,
The while we moan, and toil alone,
And only sorrow reap.
Lord, call us back!

Call us back from hearts cast down,
And, oh, afresh inspire
Our souls to seek Thee more and more;
To burn with deep desire,
Till hearts o’erflow, and faces glow
With holy, ardent fire.
Lord, call us back!

Call us back to those sweet days
When hearts were knit as one,
When prayer was as the breath of life;
Ere we were so undone,
Ere souls were rife with endless strife;
For Jesus’ sake, Thy Son,
Lord, call us back!

Broken is the remnant, Lord,
And difficult the day;
What shame and sorrow cover us,
Our tears oft dim the way;
The tide runs high, Thy coming’s nigh,
Our hearts are loath to stay;
Lord, take us home!

It has often been noticed that the First Epistle to Timothy instructs the man of God as to
the conduct that becomes him as belonging to the house of God; the second epistle, on
the other hand, is instruction that is to govern him in respect to the confusion and
disorder in the house of God that have resulted from not heeding the apostle’s
exhortation. This Second Epistle to Timothy has special importance in connection with
the times in which we live. Let us consider a few thoughts as to this epistle.

First, I think we need to get a clearer understanding of what the apostle means when he
says, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder,
I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon" (1 Cor. 3:10). Was his
thought that he, in the first century of the Christian era, had laid the foundation; that
the second-century builders would add a story to it; and that in each succeeding century
another story would be built, until now we are building the twentieth-century story? If
such has been our conception, we have wholly missed his idea, or rather, the idea of
the Spirit in him. What the apostle really expressed is this:"I have given form to the
Church fundamentally. I have, by the truth given me to administer, formed the Church
in its internal character and its external order. I have ordained its government and
discipline; I have appointed its internal arrangements. The form and character which I
have given to it by the entire range of the truth, of which I have been made minister,
abides. No man can lay a different foundation. Others are to carry it on in the form I
have given it. They are not to modify either its internal character or external order.
They are not to make any change in any of its arrangements. To do this is to add
excrescences* to it. I have formed it to be ‘the epistle of Christ’ (2 Cor. 3:3). Any
addition to my foundation_to that character and form I have given to the Church_will
be a display of man, not of Christ. It will be work that will be in vain, for only what is
of Christ will abide. Let those, then, who are charged with the responsibility of
carrying on my foundation take heed how they build in connection with it." This is
plainly the apostle’s meaning.

(*This graphic word_rarely used today_means, "an abnormal or disfiguring
outgrowth or addition.” Ed.)

In this understanding of the statement, "I have laid the foundation," I affirm that the
truth of God with respect to the Church abides; and when we speak of "ruins," we are
not to be understood as meaning that the Church, either in its internal character or
external order, has passed away. What we mean is this:the not minding the exhortation
to take heed to build in connection with the apostle’s foundation has brought in results
which make it difficult to recognize the Church amid all the excrescences that have
been built onto it. Paul’s ecclesiastical system abides; it has not broken down.
Additions have been built onto it. These additions have made confusion. They are
disorder. This disorder is what we mean when we speak of "ruins."

We hear it said sometimes that the one body of Christ is a fact subsisting all the time,

no matter what human confusion there may be as to it. So, too, it is said that the house
of God as built by the Spirit is ever a subsisting fact, in spite of the human confusion.
Both statements are true, but it is not all the truth. It is equally true, and necessary to
affirm, that the Church’s external order_that order given to it by the apostle under
divine guidance and sanction_is ever a subsisting fact. Its divine government and
discipline are ever a subsisting fact. This is true even though it is not always
recognized.

Let us now turn to 2 Timothy 2:19-22. In this epistle we find the wisdom of the Spirit
for our guidance in circumstances which are the result of failure in building in
connection with Paul’s foundation. Innumerable excrescences have been built onto it.
There is difficulty in recognizing the original pattern and form; yet we are told that the
foundation of God is "firm," and "stands." The house of God abides, is a subsisting
fact. It exists, and can have no other internal character and external form than God
gave to it at the beginning. Its government_its discipline_abides. All the human
additions to it have not altered this, although the difficulty of recognizing it is great.

What a comfort to be assured that the foundation of God is firm, and that the Lord
knows His own, and sees them not only as in Christ, but in the collective relationship
He has given to them as His Church. Now we must ask, does that fact make any
demands upon us? If it does, what are they? The apostle must tell us. He says, "Let
every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." If the foundation of
God remains, its claim on us is that we should be still carrying it on. But to do this we
must depart from iniquity. We must turn away from all the human excrescences that
have been added to the original foundation. We must "cease to do evil" and "learn to
do well." Let us seek to realize what is here pressed upon us. If apostolic truth assures
us of the faithfulness of the Lord, it demands faithfulness from us. Are we, then,
prepared to be faithful to the truth God gave at the beginning? Are we ready to carry
out that truth practically? Let us own it as our responsibility. May God give us the
purpose of heart to honestly respond to the claims the truth has upon us.

But suppose now we start to put into practice the truth of God as it was revealed at the
first. We are resolved to own the Church in its internal character and external order as
this was delivered to the saints by the apostle. We have formed the purpose to maintain
the government and discipline the apostle ordained for the Church. Well, will we find
any peculiar difficulties_difficulties special to the circumstances in which we are? We
surely will. Alas, how much has come in since apostolic times! Not only have
unregenerate men been recognized as belonging to Paul’s foundation, not only has
worldliness been allowed, but clerisy, legality, formalism, ecclesiasticism,
individualism, sectarianism, and a host of similar things. In the great house_the house
as man has built it_there is a great mixture:the saved and the unsaved are associated
together; scripture doctrines and the doctrines of men commingle. There are in it, both
in persons and things, vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor. "Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" demands of me to separate myself
from things as well as persons. It is not alone from unsaved persons I must separate,

but also from sectarianism, formalism, ecclesiasticism, individualism, and the like, that
are not of the Spirit of God, are not a part of Paul’s foundation.

Suppose, then, I start in to separate myself from clerisy; shall I find any beside
unregenerate persons identified with it? Are there any real saints connected with it?
Alas, how many! But must I separate myself from them? Here is a difficulty peculiar to
the circumstances in which we are. Here is an excrescence that has been added onto
Paul’s foundation, and there are not only unsaved persons but real saints involved in it.
It has been asked, Where is there any scripture for separation from saints? There is no
scripture for separation from saints simply as saints; but if saints are involved in evils,
separation from these evils involves separation from them. If this is not so, then one’s
hands are hopelessly tied to what is evil, to iniquity; and here is a scripture, which the
Spirit of God has given us for our guidance, that is impossible for us to obey. If then
there are iniquities that saints are linked with, I must separate from them if I obey, "Let
every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

But we are told that the word "purge" in the expression, "If a man therefore purge
himself from these," and in the one other case of its use elsewhere in this form (1 Cor.
5:7), is a divine call to self-judgment, not to judge others. An assertion is not proof. All
the facts are against this assertion. In 1 Cor. 5:7 the word is in the plural, not singular.
Then too, the apostle is not addressing saints as individuals, but he is writing to a
company. He is addressing them in then-collective capacity. Again, the word "lump"
refers to the company, not the individual. The leaven is to be purged out of the
company. The lump, looked at according to what it has been divinely constituted, is
holy; therefore it is responsible to see to it that its practical fellowship be holy. The
company, divinely constituted holy, in order to preserve itself in its holy character,
must not allow unholy ways in those who form the company. Hence they are told to
purge out the leaven, to put away the wicked person from among themselves. However
necessary self-judgment is, that is not putting away from among ourselves the wicked
person.

Let us look now at the use of the term "purge" in 2 Tim. 2:19-22. It is clear that the
thought of association is in the apostle’s mind. Vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor
are associated together in the great house; and this is true whether we speak of persons
or things, as we have already seen. Now he says, "Let every one that nameth the name
of Christ depart from iniquity." We are gravely told that we must not make iniquity
mean the children of God. Who does? Who ever did? Is it denied that any children of
God are involved in iniquity? If they are, how can I depart from iniquity in such cases
unless I purge myself from them? Are they then vessels to dishonor? According to what
they have been divinely constituted, they are vessels to honor, but according to their
practice they are vessels to dishonor. Their participation in iniquity makes them
practically vessels to dishonor. Obedience to "Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity" requires that we should purge ourselves from them. And
only so is it possible to preserve the foundation, laid by the apostle, from human
excrescences.

If now I have submitted to "depart from iniquity," if I have purged myself from the
vessels to dishonor, have I met my full responsibility? Is my path now to be an
individual one? No. Individualism is a vessel to dishonor. If I am to be a vessel
serviceable to the Master, I must separate from this also, I must look for and find those
who "call on the Lord out of a pure heart." I must return to apostolic associations. I
must assemble with those who hold to and practice apostolic truth.

But two questions are asked us. First, Are only separated brethren used in ministry?
The question is thought to be unanswerable, but the answer to it is simple. Those
brethren who have separated themselves from all false systems of teaching on
justification, and who teach only the doctrine of Scripture on that subject, are
serviceable to the Master in ministry as regards that doctrine; but if they have not
separated themselves from all false systems of teaching on church government and
discipline, they cannot be serviceable to the Master in ministry on this subject. Do we
not want to be serviceable to the Master in ministry on every truth? Ought we not to be
ready to minister the whole truth _all that God has revealed? To be at the Master’s
disposal in this way, we need to get back to the foundation laid in apostolic times. We
need to free ourselves from all the human excrescences that have been added to it.

Again, it has been asked, "Do not all saints equally call on the name of the Lord out of
a pure heart?" As is well known, the word is "unmixed," or, "unadulterated." We
should read then, "unmixed," or, "undivided" heart. How many hearts are divided
between Christianity and some ecclesiastical system! how many between Scripture and
theology! No, it is not true that all saints equally call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
The human additions to the apostle’s foundation have a large place in the hearts of
many. It is this that constitutes them in practice "vessels to dishonor." It is this that
makes it necessary to separate from them, if we desire to own and practice only
apostolic truth.

May God teach us to value His truth. May He work in our hearts the sense of the
claims which the truth He has given us has upon our obedience. May it displace in our
hearts every other object, every other interest, so that we shall indeed call upon the
Lord with single, undivided hearts!

There are few terms in such common use and so little understood as "fellowship." In
numberless cases, it merely indicates the fact of a nominal membership in some
religious denomination_a fact which furnishes no guarantee of living communion with
Christ, or personal devotedness to His cause. If all who are nominally "in fellowship"
were acquitting themselves thoroughly as men of God, what a very different condition
of things we should be privileged to witness!

But what is fellowship? It is, in its very highest expression, having one common object
with God, and taking part in the same portion; and that object, that portion, is Christ
_Christ known and enjoyed through the Holy Spirit. This is fellowship with God.
What a privilege! To be allowed to have a common object and portion with God
Himself! To delight in the One in whom He delights! There can be nothing more
precious than this. Not even in heaven itself shall we reach a higher level than this.

It is only as we walk in the light, that we can have fellowship one with another. We
read, "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
We can only have fellowship one with another as we walk in the immediate presence of
God. There may be a vast amount of mere sociability without one particle of divine
fellowship. A great deal of what passes for Christian fellowship is nothing more than
the merest religious gossip. True Christian fellowship can only be enjoyed in the light.
It is when we are individually walking with God, in the power of personal communion,
that we really have fellowship one with another; and this fellowship consists in real
heart enjoyment of Christ as our one object, our common portion. It is not heartless
traffic in certain favorite doctrines which we receive to hold in common. It is not
merely sympathy with those who feel as we do about some favorite theory or dogma. It
is something quite different from all this. It is delighting in Christ, in common with all
those who are walking in the light. It is attachment to Him, to His Person, His Name,
His Word, His cause, His people. It is joint consecration of heart and soul to that
blessed One who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and brought
us into the light of God’s presence, there to walk with Him and with one another. This,
and nothing less, is Christian fellowship; and where this is really understood, it will
lead us to pause and consider what we say when we declare, in any given case, "such
an one is in fellowship."

(From "The Man of God" in Miscellaneous Writings, Volume 3.)

"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the
saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Eph.
1:15,16). This is a very important word in judging of our love. We are all apt to form a
circle even among the saints of God_to have those whom we prefer, those who suit us
best, whose thoughts, feelings, habits, are more or less the same as our own, or, at
least, are no great trial to us. But, then, this is not love to the saints. There is more love
to ourselves in it than love to them. The flesh likes what is agreeable to us_what does
not cause us pain, what is, perhaps, a gratification to the amiabilities of nature. All that
may exist where there is really no exercise of the new nature, no mighty power of the
Spirit of God working in our hearts. We have always to test our souls and ask how we
stand in this. Is the prominent motive and object of our hearts the Lord Jesus? Is it with
Him and for Him that we think of and feel toward all the saints?

I fully admit that love toward the saints cannot, and ought not, to take the same shape
toward all. It must be in the energy and intelligence of the Spirit, varied according to
the call upon love. While one ought to love even a person who is under discipline, it
would be a very great mistake to suppose that your love must be shown in the same
way as if he were not. You do not cease to love him; indeed you never are in a position
and spirit to exercise discipline with the Lord where there is not love. There may be
righteous hatred of the sin, but real love to the person. It would be better to wait upon
God if it be not so in our hearts, till we can take it up in the spirit of divine grace.
There must be, of course, a dealing in righteousness; but even in dealing with one’s
child there ought not to be such a thing as chastening it in a passion. Anything that
merely arises out of a sudden impulse is not a feeling that glorifies God about evil.
Therefore, in cases of discipline there ought to be self-judgment, and great patience
too, unless it be something so flagrant that to hesitate about it would be culpable
weakness, or want of decision and jealousy for God; for there are some sins so
offensive to God and to man that they ought, if we are sensitive to His holiness, to be
met with grave energy on the very spot. God would have the arena of the sin to be the
scene of its judgment according to His will.

Suppose something is done in the public assembly, say, flagrantly false doctrine
propounded in the midst of God’s people. If there were the power of God, and a heart
for His rights, it might be due to His majesty to deal with it without delay. This is
sufficiently plain from the Word of God. In Acts 5, where we read of a case of direct
hypocrisy and lying against God, we find the promptness of the Holy Spirit, through
the apostle, in the very presence of the Church, in judging those who attempted to
practice fraud. I deny there was want of love in this; rather it was the necessary
accompaniment of divine love acting through the might of the Holy Spirit in the
assembly, or at least by Peter as the special instrument of His power in the assembly. It
was a stern judgment, doubtless; but it was the fruit of intense desire for the saints of
God, and of horror that such a sin should get a footing and shelter among them, and the
Holy Spirit be thus grossly dishonored and grieved.

But in ordinary cases the same love would wait, and let time be given for the fault to be
owned and repented of. In nine cases out of ten, mistakes arise from precipitancy,
because we are apt to be jealous for our own reputation. O how little have we realized
that we are crucified and dead with Christ! We feel the scandal, or something that
affects the public mind:this is not the power of the Holy Spirit, but the selfish egoism
that is at work in our hearts. We do not like to lose our character, or to share the
sorrow and shame of Christ in those who bear His name. Not, of course, that one
would make light of what is wrong:that never could be right about anything either
great or small. We ought never to justify the least wrong, whether in ourselves or in
others, but accustom our souls to the habitual clearing of the name of the Lord, even if
it be about a hasty word. If we begin to be careless about little offences, there is
nothing to preserve us from great sins but the mere mercy of God. If love unto all the
saints were working in our hearts, there would be less haste.

We easily perceive different measures of attainment, both in knowledge and grace, in
the churches of old. For example, the elevation of the church at Ephesus was much
above that at Corinth. At Corinth the apostle Paul had to occupy himself with the
corruption of various errors and abuses, and was thus hindered from bringing out to the
disciples the strong and rich meat of the Word. He kept from them that "hidden
wisdom" which he had in store for the "perfect," because they were "carnal . . . babes
in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1). But at Ephesus his course was free. He had not to stop in order
to correct abuses and errors, but could go on to feed the church with wisdom and
knowledge, and reveal to them "the mystery" or "hidden wisdom" which he had to
keep back from the saints at Corinth (Eph. 3). At Corinth, the Holy Spirit, by the
apostle, had to take care of their own things, and show them to them for correction; but
at Ephesus He could do His more blessed work of taking of the things of Christ and
showing them to them for edification and comfort.

Thus, in distinguishing the condition of these two churches, I might say that the priest
was trimming the lamp at Corinth, using the golden snuffers there for correction of
evil; while at Ephesus he was feeding the lamp, pouring in fresh oil for the filling and
brightening of it with increase of light and grace.

The other churches under the care of Paul occupied, I judge, certain standings between
Corinth and Ephesus; that is, they did not call for the same measure of rebuke as
Corinth, nor did they stand so much beyond the necessity of all personal notice as
Ephesus. In the epistles to the other churches we discern a mixed action of feeding and
trimming the lamps. Indeed, I might class the churches in Galatia with that at Corinth,
for there such error had entered that the apostle had little to do but to correct and
rebuke it. But in the epistles to Rome, Philippi, Colosse, and Thessalonica, we see the
apostle applying himself both to the evil and the good that was among the saints there.

Thus we clearly discern different conditions in the grace and knowledge of the different
churches. And all these things happened unto them for examples, and are written for
our admonition and our learning (1 Cor. 10:11, Rom. 15:4). We may thank God that
we have His own inspired answer to so many anxieties and questions that might arise in
our hearts while walking one with another.

We have already noticed that the apostle withheld from the Corinthians the revelation
of the mystery which he so fully makes known to the Ephesians. This shows how
unwarranted the requirement is that the minds of all the disciples should be found
exactly according to one measure and standing before the fellowship of the church can
be allowed or administered. I can imagine that if a member of the church at Ephesus
had visited Corinth, he would have found them so concerned with questions and strifes
which had never troubled him or his brethren at home as might have left him in doubt
respecting them. And one going from Corinth to Ephesus would have found them so
occupied with such truth which he had never heard of at home that he might have

suspected, in modern language, that they were all in the clouds at Ephesus. I can thus
suppose, from measures of light and attainment in Christ, that they well might have not
known what to do.

I believe we see among the saints at present what we thus might have seen among the
churches of old. We have our Ephesian and Corinthian difficulties still. The truths
received by some disciples are treated as mere speculation by others, and the condition
of some is low and doubtful. The large and blessed mind of God, which filled the
apostle, could of old survey them all and provide for them all; could feed them at
Ephesus and trim them at Corinth. But we are weak and narrow hearted; and the only
result commonly is to walk in mutual distance and suspicion. Thus we do not
understand one another’s speech and we are scattered. On the other hand, it is better to
be scattered than to be brought together on the terms of any bond short of God’s own
bond in the Holy Spirit. Whereto we have already attained, in that let us walk by the
same rule, hoping for more. But let us not force beyond that by any fleshly compacts.
The fear of God must not be taught by the commandment of men.

In connection with this, I would notice the state of Job and his three friends, for I
believe that it illustrates the same thing which this state of the churches does. Job could
not understand the truth which was in their thoughts, nor could they allow that which
he had of God’s mind in his. They were all but partially in the light, and, through the
remainder of darkness that was in them, they mistook the way and jostled each other.
The correction lay only in God, and in the end He applied it. They were all
accepted_God proved Himself the adequate Healer of all their divisions, as He will,
by-and-by, join the whole of the heavenly family in one body in the mansions on high,
and unite the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah in the earth below.

The largeness of the mind of God contains the remedy, but nothing else does. That
mind may express itself forth from the whirlwind, or by the ministry of an apostle; but
however that be, it bears the remedy with it. The Lord who can with one hand separate
the chaff from the wheat, with the other can gather up all the scattered grains that are
now strewing His field in shameful disorder, and find room in His garner for them all.

And this comforts while it admonishes. It is not that we are to confound the chaff with
the wheat. It is as much of the Spirit of God to say, "If any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ, let him be anathema," as to say, "Grace be with all them that love our
Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." It is as much of the testimony of God to say, "He that
hath not the Son of God hath not life," as to say, "He that hath the Son hath Me"_"If
any man preach any other gospel . . . let him be accursed."

But still let us know there have been different measures of attainment among the saints,
and let our personal and individual care be so to walk in light and grace ourselves as
not to give occasion either to the enemy to speak reproachfully or to our brethren to
speak doubtfully of us. Let us have our hearts and consciences in lively exercise before
God with a purpose to follow our light, lead us where it may, in the grace and fear of

the Lord. When these are the springs of the personal movement and course of each of
us, we have, though in many things differently minded, the materials of both safe and
blessed communion.

Jonathan is usually thought of in connection with his friendship with David; in fact, the
names David and Jona-used together have become synonymous with close friends.

David may have been still a teenager when he killed Goliath, since he was not a part of
Saul’s army. (An Israelite man was considered eligible for military service at age
twenty, Num. 1:3.) Jonathan was older than David since he had been active in the
service of his father for some time.

Jonathan initiated the friendship with David. It would not have been in order for David,
a young shepherd, to make overtures to the king’s eldest son. What characteristics in id
attracted Jonathan and caused his soul to be "knit the soul of David"? (1 Sam. 18:1).
He saw a hand-e, strong, courageous young man. These attributes made David popular
with the people; but Jonathan saw more than that in David. He saw a young man who
trusted Jehovah completely and who was willing to put his life in His hands. Jonathan
also had this kind of faith, which he had displayed when he went up to the camp of the
Philistines (1 Sam. 14). It was this shared trust in God and willingness to accept His
will which bound Jonathan and David so closely together.

True friendship can occur only between people who share the same basic philosophy of
life and the same moral convictions. For the Christian this means that he can only have
true friendship with other Christians. If a person desires to commit every aspect of his
life to the Lord, then he will find true friendship only with other people whose
desires are the same. “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and
what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?
what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 6:14, 15). Many a Christian has
suffered spiritual loss and sometimes spiritual disaster because of a poor choice of
friends.

I am not saying that we should refuse all social contact with the unsaved. But to spend a
great deal of time in company with the unsaved is profitless unless much of that time
can be spent in presenting Christ to them; and to enter into worldly amusements and
activities with the unsaved is dangerous for both the Christian and the non-Christian.
Such activities tend to divert the Christian’s mind and affections from Christ and they
divert the non-Christian’s mind from his need of salvation. Besides this, when a
Christian joins with an unsaved person in worldly activities, this gives the latter a false
sense of security.

The devoted Christian will value friendship and communion with others of like mind,
but he will never let these relationships overshadow his friendship with the Lord Jesus.
He is the only perfect Friend. He is always interested in us. He is never "too busy" to
listen to us. He wants us to tell Him our joys and sorrows, our victories and defeats.
We can tell Him things we would not want any of our earthly friends to know. (We
cannot hide anything from Him anyway.)

He wants only our blessing and He alone has the wisdom and power to arrange every
detail of our lives in order to give us blessing. May each of us accept His will for us in
order to partake of that blessing.

All the types and shadows of the past were only figures of the true, but the Holy Ghost
signified "that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the
first tabernacle was yet standing" (Heb. 9:8,9). Every claim of truth and justice having,
however, been fully satisfied, there remains no more offering for sin; the veil is rent, a
risen Christ sits at God’s right hand, and an indwelling Spirit is the abiding power for
the purged worshiped to draw near and worship the Father in spirit and in truth, "for
the Father seeketh such to worship Him." The new and living way is open into heaven
itself, and the worshiped is now privileged to enter with a true heart and in full
assurance of faith into the very presence of God. Apart from all the rites and
ordinances of a bygone dispensation, and standing in the unsullied light of the glory of
God that shines from the face of a risen and glorified Saviour, the purged worshiped’s
heart is free to delight itself in all the peerless worth of Him at whose blessed feet all
the heavenly hosts prostrate themselves in ceaseless praise and adoration.

As the countless glories of Him who sits upon the throne pass in spirit before the happy
worshiped, the Spirit strikes the chord of praise to God’s beloved Son, and the
heavenly anthem rings out through heaven’s courts from the whole of the redeemed
family. "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and
hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion
for ever and ever. Amen" (Rev. 1:5,6). Worship ‘must needs flow without an effort
from the heart that is really satisfied with Jesus, and that has found its true rest in sweet
communion with the Father and the Son, by the power of the indwelling Spirit. Just in
proportion as self is forgotten, and the never-ending glories of Christ ravish and
captivate the heart, so is God magnified in His saints, and His heart refreshed and
gladdened. The fragrance of that precious Name that is above all others is as ointment
poured forth, and its sweet savor ever abides before God in the heavenly sanctuary.

(From The Bible Treasury, Vol. 9, New Series, pages 111-112.)

In 1 Peter 2:1-9 we are given the characteristics and duties of the Christian priesthood.
There are three words in this passage which tell us that Christianity is a riving reality.
It is not a set of doctrines, a system of ordinances, or a number of rules and
regulations. It is a heavenly power to be used and felt in every hour and circumstance
of our daily lives. Christianity is the life of Christ communicated to the believer_
dwelling in him and flowing out from him.

The first word is "living" (verses 4 and 5). This is the foundation of Christian
priesthood. Peter was probably referring to Matthew 16:13-20. He had confessed Jesus
to be "the Christ, the Son of the living God." Christ was the Rock on whom the Church
was to be built. God Himself has laid the foundation (verse 6), and that foundation is
Christ; and all who simply believe in Christ, all who give Him the confidence of their
hearts, all who rest satisfied with Him, are made partakers of His resurrection-life and
thus made living stones.

The second word is "holy" (verse 5). All true believers are holy priests. We do not
become priests by offering priestly sacrifices. But being, through grace, made priests,
we are called upon to present the sacrifice. What is the nature of the sacrifice we are
privileged to offer? We are "to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ." We also read in Heb. 13:15, "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of
praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name."

The true nature of our sacrifice then is praise_"praise to God continually." It is not to
be an occasional thing. It is not merely at some special moment when all looks bright
and happy around us. It is not to be merely amidst the fervor of some specially
powerful public meeting when there is a strong current of worship all around us. The
word is, "praise . . . continually." There is no room for complaining, discontent,
impatience, or irritability, lamenting about our surroundings, complaining about the
weather, or finding fault with those with whom we are associated in the assembly, the
family, or in the business.

Holy priests should have no time for any of these things. They are brought nigh to
God, in holy liberty, peace, and blessing. They breathe the atmosphere and walk in the
sunlight of the divine presence, in the new creation, where there are no materials for a
sour and discontented mind to feed upon. A holy priest should "rejoice in the Lord
always" _ever ready to praise God. True, he may be tried in a thousand ways; but he
brings his trials to God in communion, not to his fellow-man in complaining.

The third and last word in our study is "royal" (verse 9). As holy priests, we draw nigh
to God and present the sacrifice of praise. As royal priests we go forth among our
fellow men, in all the details of daily life, to show forth the virtues of Christ. Every
movement of a royal priest should emit the fragrance of the grace of Christ. To be
occupied with myself, to be taking counsel for my own ease, my own interest, my own

enjoyment, to be seeking my own ends is not the action of a royal priest at all. Christ
never did so; and I am told to show forth His virtues.

The work of a royal priest includes, but is not limited to, giving money. But one need
not be rich to act as a royal priest. What riches are required to speak a kindly word, to
extend true sympathy, to give a friendly smile? Only the unsearchable riches of Christ
which are open to the most obscure member of the Christian priesthood.

Let us look at the example of Paul and Silas to see how these two aspects_holy and
royal_of the Christian priesthood are carried out in real life situations. In Acts 16 we
read that Paul and Silas were thrust into the darkest part of the prison and fastened in
the stocks with their backs sore and bleeding from the beatings they had received. What
were Paul and Silas doing? They "prayed and sang praises to God." Talk of
circumstances! It is little any of us know of trying circumstances. Poor things that we
are, the petty annoyances of daily Hie are often more than enough to cause us to lose
our mental balance. Paul and Silas were really in trying circumstances, but they were
there as living stones and holy priests.

How did they function as royal priests? They showed forth the virtues of Christ in their
words, "Do thyself no harm." They had no thought of retribution or anger for the man
who had contributed to their sufferings. The voices of the holy priests went directly up
to the throne of God and did their work there; and the words of the royal priests went
directly to the jailer’s hard heart and did their work there. God was glorified and the
jailer saved by two men rightly discharging the functions of the Christian priesthood.

(From "The Christian Priesthood" in Miscellaneous Writings, Vol. 3.)

It is the practical experience of the apostle Paul’s heart in connection with Christ that is
so marked in verse 20. The heart of a believer attentive to the Spirit’s teaching must
feel that one cannot read this verse without seeing that Paul had a practical connection
with the Nazarene in heaven, that he believed in a Christ who was not in heaven only,
but in his own soul, so that he could think of nothing but only of this Christ. That
which would not be joy to the heart of Christ, he as a believer in Christ could not joy
in; yet whatever had Christ for its object could not do otherwise than turn to his
salvation, through prayer and the supply of the Spirit. His only thought in everything
was that Christ should be magnified in his body, whether by life or death (verse 20).
This occupied his whole heart; and you and I may realize it as much as he did.

Can you and I say that we have only one simple desire, that is, that through us Christ
should be magnified? To magnify anything is to make it appear larger than it is; that
could not be so in connection with Christ. But Paul wanted all to shine out in him, so
that Christ should be magnified through him; so shine out that all should be able to say,
"What a marvelous thing! there is a man so spending his life for Christ that he does not
care to live if he can but magnify Christ by his death! What a marvelous Person that
Christ must be!"

Paul had the expectation that through him Christ should be glorified now in the
wilderness, that now Christ should be magnified. The love of Christ constrained him,
drew him along in the path after Christ. Oh, what manifestation of Christ it is when the
display of His handiwork is seen in a Saul of Tarsus; the oil of anointing so flowing
down to the servant that it could be said of that servant, "Like Master, like servant!"
What a blessed servant this servant of Christ is in a dungeon, not knowing whether he
was to live or die, occupied only with the one thought of glorifying Christ there, of
being a fellow-helper with Him down here! Whether his feet are in fetters or not, he
could say, "It is Christ I .have for my portion in this dungeon; and whether I am here
for life or death, it is my earnest expectation and hope that Christ shall be magnified in
my body, whether by life or by death."

To what extent have we become fellow-workers with Paul? To what degree are we
maintaining our Nazariteship and living out Christ so that, whatever our circumstances,
the power of the life of Christ in us may be seen as in Paul? How far is seen in us,
from day to day, the mind of Christ? The same mind that led Him down, even to the
death of the cross, is the mind that we ought to have. We are to let the power of the
grace that found us, and gave us life, tell its own tale by the manifestation of that life in
all our circumstances in our wilderness path.

O ever homeless Stranger,
Thou dearest Friend to me;
An outcast in a manger,
That Thou might’st with us be!

We cling to Thee in weakness_
The manger and the cross;
We gaze upon Thy meekness,
Through suffering, pain, and loss.

There see the Godhead glory
Shine through that human veil;
And, willing, hear the story
Of Love that’s come to heal!

Midst sin, and all corruption,
Where hatred did abound,
Thy path of true perfection
Was light on all around.

In scorn, neglect, reviling,
Thy patient grace stood fast;
Man’s malice unavailing
To move Thy heart to haste.

O’er all, Thy perfect goodness
Rose blessedly divine;
Poor hearts oppressed with sadness,
Found ever rest in Thine!

I pause_for in Thy vision
The day is hastening now,
When for our lost condition,
Thy holy head shall bow.

O day of mightiest sorrow,
Day of unfathomed grief;
When Thou should’st taste the horror
Of wrath, without relief.

Then, finished all, in meekness
Thou to Thy Father’s hand
(Perfect Thy strength in weakness)

Thy spirit dost commend.

O Lord! Thy wondrous story
My inmost soul doth move;
I ponder o’er Thy glory_
Thy lonely path of love!

It is necessary to distinguish Christ’s sufferings from man from His sufferings from
God. Christ did, we know, suffer from men. He was despised and rejected of men; a
Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. The world hated Him because He bore
witness of it that its works were evil. Christ suffered for righteousness’ sake. The love
which caused the Lord to minister to men in the world and to testify of their evil
brought only more sorrow upon Him. For His love He received hatred in return.

He suffered also from the hand of God upon the cross. "It pleased the Lord to bruise
Him; He hath put Him to grief." He was made sin for us who knew no sin, and then
He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. There He
suffered, the Just for the unjust; that is, He suffered not because He was righteous, but
because we were sinners, and He was bearing our sins in His own body on the tree. As
regards God’s forsaking Him, He could say, "Why hast Thou forsaken Me?" for in
Him there was no cause. We can give the solemn answer. In grace He suffered, the
Just for the unjust; He had been made sin for us. Thus, He suffered for righteousness,
as a living Man, from men; as a dying Saviour, He suffered from the hand of God for
sin.

Let us consider other types of suffering experienced by our blessed Lord. In the first
place, His heart of love must have suffered greatly from the unbelief of unhappy man,
and from His rejection by the people. He often sighed and groaned in spirit when He
came in contact with the people. He wept and groaned within Himself at the tomb of
Lazarus at seeing the power of death over the spirits of men and their incapacity to
deliver themselves. And He wept also over Jerusalem when He saw the beloved city
about to reject Him in the day of its visitation. All this was the suffering of perfect
love, moving through a scene of ruin, in which self-will and heartlessness shut every
avenue against this love which was so earnestly working in its midst.

A weight of another kind pressed upon the Lord often, I doubt not, through His life.
This was the anticipation of His sufferings on the cross and their true and pressing
character. On His path of life lay death. And for Him death was death_man’s utter
weakness, Satan’s extreme power, and God’s just vengeance. In this death He would be
alone, without one sympathy, forsaken of those whom He had cherished, and the object
of enmity of the rest of the people. The Messiah was to be delivered to the Gentiles and
cast down, the judge washing his hands of condemning innocence, the priests
interceding against the guiltless instead of for the guilty. All was dark, without one ray
of light even from God. Here perfect obedience was needed and (blessed be God!) was
found. What sorrow this must have been for a soul who anticipated these things with
the feelings of a Man made perfect in thought and apprehension by the divine light
which was in Him. He could not fail to fear the forsaking of God and the cup of death
He had to drink.

In Gethsemane, when the cross was yet nearer, and the prince of this world was come,

and His soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, this character of sorrow and trial, or
temptation, reached its fullness. In Gethsemane all was closing in. The deep agony of
the Lord told itself out in few (yet how mighty!) words and in sweat as it were drops of
blood. Yet when the soldiers came to apprehend Him, He freely offered Himself to
drink that cup which the Father had given Him to drink. Wondrous scene of love and
obedience! Whatever the suffering may have been, it was the free moving of a Man in
grace, but of a Man perfect in obedience to God.

Sin itself must have been a continual source of sorrow to the Lord’s mind. If Lot vexed
his righteous soul with seeing and hearing the evil of Sodom when he was himself so
far from God in his practical Me, what must the Lord have suffered in passing through
the world! He was distressed by sin. He looked on the Pharisees with anger, being
grieved at the hardness of their hearts. He was in a dry and thirsty land where no water
was, and He felt it, even if His soul was filled with marrow and fatness. The holier and
more loving He was, the more dreadful was the sin to Him.

The sorrows, too, of men were in His heart. He bore their sicknesses and carried their
infirmities. Not a sorrow nor an affliction He met that He did not bear on His heart as
His own. "In all their afflictions He was afflicted." Our sins He bore too, and was
made sin for us, but that, as we have seen, was on the cross_obedience, not sympathy.
God made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us. All the rest was the sympathy of
love, though it was sorrow. This is a blessed character of the Lord’s sorrow. Love
brought Him to the cross, we well know; but His sorrow there had not the present joy
of a ministration of love. He was not dealing with man, but suffering in his place, in
obedience, from God and for man. Hence, it was unmingled, unmitigated
suffering_the scene, not of active goodness, but of God forsaking. But all His sorrow
in His ways with men was the direct fruit of love, sensibly acting on Him:He felt for
others, about others. That feeling was (oh! how constantly) sorrow in a world of sin;
but that feeling was love. This is sweet to our thought. For His love He might have
hatred, but the present exercise of love has a sweetness and character of its own which
no form of sorrow it may impart ever takes away; and in Him it was perfect.

Another source of sorrow was the violation of every delicacy which a perfectly attuned
mind could feel. They stood staring and looking upon Him. Insult, scorn, deceit, efforts
to catch Him in His words, brutality, and cruel mocking fell upon a not insensible,
though divinely patient, spirit. Reproach broke His heart. He was the song of the
drunkards. No divine perfection saved Him from sorrow. He passed through it with
divine perfection, and by means of it. But I do not believe there was a single human
feeling (and every most delicate feeling of a perfect soul was there) that was not
violated and trodden on in Christ. Doubtless, it was nothing compared with divine
wrath. Men and their ways were forgotten when He was on the cross; but the suffering
was not the less real when it was there. All was sorrow, but the exercise of love, and
that must, at last, make way for obedience in death where the wrath of God closed over
and obliterated the hatred and wickedness of men. Such was Christ. All sorrow
concentrated in His death where the comfort of active love and the communion with

His Father could put no alleviating sweetness with that dreadful cup of wrath. He gave
up everything on the cross, but afterward He received glory anew from His Father’s
hand_glory which He had ever had, but now would enter into as Man.

There is a point of deepest interest presented in verse 11 of Deuteronomy 16 in
connection with the feast of weeks:"And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God."
We have no such word in the passover feast, or in the feast of unleavened bread. It
would not be in moral keeping with either of these solemnities. True it is, the passover
lies at the very foundation of all the joy we can or ever shall realize here or hereafter;
but we must ever think of the death of Christ, His sufferings, His sorrows _ all that He
passed through when the waves and billows of God’s righteous wrath passed over His
soul. It is upon these profound mysteries that our hearts are, or ought to be, mainly
fixed when we surround the Lord’s table and keep that feast by which we show the
Lord’s death until He come.

Now it is plain to the spiritual and thoughtful reader that the feelings proper to such a
holy and solemn institution are not of a jubilant character. We certainly can and do
rejoice that the sorrows and sufferings of our blessed Lord are over, and over
forever_that those terrible hours are passed, never to return; but what we recall in the
feast is not simply their being over, but their being gone through, and that for us. "Ye
do show the Lord’s death." We know that many blessings accrue to us from that
precious death. Yet when we are called to meditate upon it, our joy is chastened by
those profound exercises of soul which the Holy Spirit produces by unfolding to us the
sorrows, the sufferings, the cross, the passion of our blessed Saviour. Our Lord’s
words are, "This do in remembrance of Me," But what we especially remember in the
supper is Christ suffering and dying for us; what we show is His death. And with these
solemn realities before our souls, in the power of the Holy Ghost, there will, there
must be, holy subduedness and seriousness.

We speak, of course, of what becomes the immediate occasion of the celebration of the
supper_the suited feelings and affections of such a moment. But these must be
produced by the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit. It can be of no possible use to
seek, by any pious efforts of our own, to work ourselves up to a suitable state of mind.
This would be ascending by steps to the altar, a thing most offensive to God. It is only
by the Holy Spirit’s ministry that we can worthily celebrate the holy supper of the
Lord. He alone can enable us to put away all levity, all formality, all mere routine, all
wandering thoughts, and to discern the body and blood of the Lord in those memorials
which, by His Own appointment, are laid on His table.

(From Notes on Deuteronomy, Vol. 2.)