It is the beauty of the gospel that it does not consist of a great mass of doctrines which have to be understood and assimilated before a soul passes from death unto life. If it were so, salvation would be only for the wise and learned. Christianity is centered in a Person, and receiving Him, the believing sinner receives all that pertains to life and godliness. The thought of "appropriation " maybe misleading. The moment a sinner believes upon Him who died for our sins and who is now in the heavens, the exalted Saviour, all things are appropriated to him. "I know the thoughts that I think toward you." "It is God that justifieth." "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence."

Such scriptures as these show that we are blessed, not according to our apprehension of all that is in Christ, but that God appropriates to us all things according to His knowledge of Christ and the results of His redeeming work.

If it were not so, who could have peace ? Where could the line be drawn which assures one that he is really in the full possession of everything that he will need through all eternity? The effect would be to turn one within, upon himself, instead of engaging every faculty of his being with the fulness of Christ for him as revealed in the precious word of God.

" If Christ is mine, then all is mine,
And grace and glory too."

We do not possess because we know ; we know because we possess. It is a wonderful relief to see this, and leads to thanksgiving instead of uncertainty.

Having said this much, we shall not be misunderstood when we say that the great and characteristic lack at the present time among the people of God is the failure to apprehend the fulness of our blessings in Christ and to enter into the enjoyment of them in a practical way. "When thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein" (Deut. 26:i). It would have been meaningless for Joshua to have exhorted the children of Israel at Gilgal to come into the land, for the simple reason that they were there already. It was quite proper, however, and necessary for him after the preliminary conquests, to say to the seven tribes who had failed to take possession of their inheritance, " How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?" (Josh. 18:3).

If an apostle could say:'' Not as though I had already attained," shall we say less ? What a perfect standard and goal for faith is set before us:"Holding the truth in love, that ye may grow up unto Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ." There is no room for self-complacent ease which leaves the soul unexercised, and therefore stunted. Never, so long as we are in this world, can it be said that we have reached our goal. Each day sees the earnest soul gird itself afresh for the race. " Forgetting these things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, let us press on."

We do not ask, "Have you attained?" We know you have not; but we may well ask ourselves, "Are we seeking to make progress?" Even here, "Not he that commendeth himself is approved." We should not care to hear a Christian say he was growing; but others can see, and we at least should have the consciousness of genuine purpose of heart.

Have we a hunger for the word of God, and are we feeding upon it daily ? Have we a clearer view and a firmer grasp of all the great truths of the word of God, particularly those which relate to our own blessings ? Are we more persistent in prayer, more simple in faith, more diligent in the service of our Lord ? These are the things which mark a growing up unto Christ. Let us never be satisfied unless they can be truly said to mark us. The family of God is made up of children, young men, and fathers. What kind of a father would he be whose grey hair was a badge of a feebler apprehension of Christ than he had when younger ? What sort of young man is he who, instead of conflict with the world and victory over it, has succumbed to its attractions, and is less devoted than he was formerly ? And even in the babe, how pitiful it would be if the knowledge and enjoyment of the Father grew feebler! May the Lord awaken His beloved people! Declension is all about us. It presses upon us. While avoiding all pretension, let us be exercised as to our growth unto Christ. S. R.