QUES. 9.-1 Sam. 16:14-23, speaks to us of an evil spirit from God. 1st. In what way was this evil spirit from God? 2nd. Today, if we disobey Him in our weakness, does His guiding Holy Spirit leave us? 3rd. How are we to know what is His holy will concerning us?

ANS.-An evil spirit from God is a judgment upon a man for a course which dishonors the favors and responsibilities God has put upon him. It is not that an evil spirit has its existence from God, but it is used of God for discipline. In this case it seems to be more a result of Saul's evil and jealous temper which is allowed to torment him, than a separate spirit, or demon,

2nd. All believers in this dispensation are sealed with the Holy Spirit "unto the day of redemption " (Eph. 4:30); that is, unto that day when the Lord shall return to claim them and take them to heaven. The Spirit therefore never leaves them. They are warned in that same scripture, however, not to grieve Him by whom they are thus sealed. If they do, how can they look for His guidance? He is there, dwelling in them, but He is grieved; and until they have repented of what gives Him grief, they cannot look for the comfort and guidance He loves to give.

3rd. There is no way to know that but by acquaintance with God through His Word, and communion with Him. The state of our souls lies at the root of it, and apart from that there is no knowing the will of God.

"How to know the will of the Father" is an excellent little paper on the subject, which may be had of Loizeaux Brothers, (3 cents postpaid).

A Reply to the Doctrine of A. G.'s Paper,

"THE GROUNDS OF THE MONTREAL DIVISION RECONSIDERED."

(Continued from page 216.)

I turn now to another doctrine. On page 21, he writes:

"In this chapter (John 6:) the Lord publishes the Father's will ' that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have eternal life.' Almighty power undertakes to overcome the inveterate opposition of man's will in connection with new birth; for 'they shall be all taught of God'-an expression of which the significance may be seen from Isa. 54:13 and Jer. 31:33; with which Ezek. 36:25-27 may be compared. For 'except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' The natural man is incapable of receiving such divine instruction; as is indicated in 'It is written in the Prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto Me.' John 1:13 shows, in a historical way, that only born-again ones so come to the Saviour."

There is just enough truth about this to make it dangerous. I want to connect with this another paragraph which begins on page 26.

"It is as essential to the maintenance of the divine holiness and majesty, as it is to the purifying of the sinner's conscience, that confession should precede forgiveness and justification. This divine order is shown in the assurance that ' if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' But where, in Mr. Grant's doctrine, is there room for such confession, preceding forgiveness? Before ' the first moment of quickening' ? Then is it the dead work of one without faith, who, strange to say, nevertheless, pleases God; for surely, 'I have sinned' is grateful to the inclined ear of the Saviour-God!

After ' the first moment of quickening ' ? Then, according to Mr. Grant, we have the strange spectacle of one who is already in Christ, forgiven and justified, now, for the first time, confessing his sins and sinnership ! One horn of the dilemma affords no more relief to Mr. Grant than the other."

But Scripture does not require us to take either horn. The error underlying all this reasoning is, alas, too common. There are certain minds who make Scripture responsible for their own misapprehension of it. They triumphantly quote, "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." They say, to repent, to believe, to come to Jesus and much more is to please God, therefore a sinner must be born again before he can repent, or believe, or come to Jesus. When they have accepted this teaching, then they begin to quarrel over which comes first, faith or repentance; some giving faith the first place, others repentance. Then new birth is made to be a sudden infusion of life by the power of God apart from the gospel or the word of God, and thus we have all the elements of the doctrine of A. G. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:for they are foolishness unto him:neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," is quoted as being supposed to teach the above dogmas. But it is a perversion of these scriptures.

Men, natural men, are commanded to repent (Acts 17:30). Why tell them they cannot repent until God gives them life, and thus hinder their repentance ? Sinners are told to believe. Why tell them it is an impossibility until God effects the new birth in them-and thus set them to wondering why God does not give them new birth? It is to sinners Jesus says, "Come to Me." Why hinder their hearing His voice by telling them they cannot come to Him until He quickens them? These views distort the gospel. Scripture teaches that life is by believing (John 20:30, 31). Does not the Lord complain of the Jews because they will not come to Him ? Does He not imply that if they only would come they would get life? Peter assures us that new birth is by the word of God through the gospel preached (i Pet. 1:33-25). Nowhere in Scripture is new birth spoken of as by the power of God apart from the word of God in the gospel. Nowhere are we taught that faith is a distinct and subsequent event to new birth. Life, faith and repentance are each the fruit of the word of God in the gospel impregnating the soul. These puzzles are never found in the word of God. They are the results of the reasoning of the human mind apart from Scripture. Scripture never occupies us with such questions; and if we would let our minds run in the channel of Scripture we would not be standing in the way of the blessing of souls, and of our own light.

People who hold these harmful views are great adepts at reading them into the Scriptures. A. G. says, "John 1:13 shows, in a historical way, that only born-again ones so come to the Saviour:" 1:e., first, there was new birth, and then came being taught of the Father, resulting in the reception of Christ. But the passage itself very carefully avoids saying, "Which were born before," or, "Which were already born." It was in receiving Him that they believed on His name and were born anew. These were not three distinct events; but one event is spoken of in three different ways. They received the testimony concerning Him; it impregnated their souls; faith was there, life was there, but neither the one nor the other apart from the reception of the testimony.

Three other scriptures are thought to support this theory. On pages 22 and 23, the reader will find this:

" In 1 Peter 1:2, we have brought before us:

1. Sanctification of the Spirit, unto
2. Obedience, and
3. Sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Similarly, in the commission given by the Lord Jesus to His servant, the apostle Paul, be was sent (Acts 26:18),

1. To open their eyes, that
2. They may turn to God, that
3. They may receive remission of sins, by faith in Christ Jesus.
Taking the two together we have brought before us in the
foregoing portions of the word of God:

1. The initial act of the Spirit, new birth.
2. The resulting changed attitude towards God.
3. The receiving of part with Christ Jesus, by faith in Him.

But is it the purpose of the Spirit in these scriptures to tell us what is the chronological order of the work of God in the soul-to develop for us the subjective stages of that work? Is it not rather that the family of God is comprised of those whom the word of God has laid hold of by the power of the Spirit, so that now, whatever they have been before, there is a real, vital, internal connection with Christ, stamping thus His own character upon them and marking them as those to whom the sprinkling of His blood applies. Is not this the force of "through sanctification of the Spirit"? that is, by the power of the Spirit the word of God had impregnated their souls, and as thus impregnated they had been put into a new position before the eye of God, where He saw them in a vital, spiritual link with Christ, sharing in His own perfect character and partaking of the full value of His sprinkled blood. Is not this true equally of all whose souls the gospel has reached by the power of the Spirit of God ?

As to the second passage, turning to God and receiving the forgiveness of sins are the necessary accompaniment of having the eyes opened. It was through faith in the message Paul brought that they were turned to light from darkness, without any transitional stages. It was by the power of the gospel he preached that they were turned from Satan to God; and being thus turned to God, by the light he brought them, at once forgiveness of sins was theirs and they had a title to inherit with the sanctified. There is nothing here on the subject of the "historical order" in which souls come to the Saviour. The question is not at all one concerning the progress of the subjective work in the soul.

Again, he says:

"In Rom. 8:30, we have mention of successive links in a golden chain of divine blessing:for 'whom He did predestinate,

1. Them He also called; and whom He called,
2. Them He also justified; and whom He justified,
3. Them He also glorified.' "

He comments thus:

"The call is beyond question the effectual, life-giving call of the Spirit, which involves new birth. It is, as a separate and subsequent divine act, marked off from predestination which preceded (before time began) by the phrase ' them He also,' in the same way that being glorified (in the eternity to come) is separated and marked off from being justified. Exactly the same divisive and distinguishing phrase comes between the call of the Spirit (involving new birth), and the succeeding divine act of justification. "Whom He called, them He also justified.' "

This is a new interpretation indeed! The chronological order of the work of God in the soul! The apostle is speaking of the purpose of God. The purpose of God embraces our calling, our justification and our glorification. It is God's side altogether the apostle is occupied with here, and the subjective work in us is not in question. It is not the work of the Spirit in the soul,-the stages of that work, the order in which the soul progresses,-but the purpose of God which cannot be thwarted, whatever befalls us. All things but further the blessing of those who are embraced in this purpose. A. G. 's use of this passage illustrates the result of the effort to make everything subjective.

The paragraph on the parable of the prodigal son, on pages 24, 25, and 26, is too long to quote. When A. G. says, "The exercise so touchingly depicted in the case of the prodigal is distinctly an individual thing. Why, then, cannot the precious activities of the happy God (i Tim. 1:ii), indicated in the father's running to meet, embracing and robing the repentant one, be accepted as having their delightful exercise towards each individual believer." I answer, I agree; but for this very reason I cannot agree when he says, "In this lovely parable the Lord Jesus is generally understood to have portrayed a progressive, divine activity in grace towards the individual soul." Or again, "In the father's running to meet the prodigal, embracing him and bestowing the best robe, the Lord Jesus seems unquestionably to present to our adoring gaze corresponding precious, delightful, divine activities towards the repentant one; which actually occur in the very sequence and order shown." (italics in the last two quotations are mine.) I make one more quotation from this paragraph:'' But we have here, have we not? present divine activities meeting at the suited moment, and thus responding to progressive exercise in one quickened some time before." Against all this one must protest. A. G. spoils the parable. He says, " It was not the commencement, but the conclusion of the long, toilsome journey which furnished the occasion for the father's gracious reception, which doubtless encouraged the repentant one to proceed to his confession." Now there are two errors in this statement. We read, " But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." There is no room here for a "long, toilsome journey " before the occasion arises for the father to show the gracious activities of his heart towards him. This condemns A. G. "s conception of the parable. But again, we read that his confession was in connection with his coming to himself. He did not need to be encouraged to confess to his father. It is true when his father met him he said, "Father I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son;" but I ask, when we shall find ourselves in our eternal home enjoying its blessedness, will we not still say, Father we are not worthy of it? Will not "worthy is the Lamb" in our lips mean that then? Will we need encouragement to say it ? No more did the prodigal need the father's gracious activity to encourage him to confess what he had already confessed when he came to himself. What he found was that he had not fully measured his father's gracious activity. What repenting sinner does? The parable, then, does not support the doctrine that there may be to-day some in whom there is faith towards God, but lack faith in Christ-some who have only believed the testimony of God concerning Himself and need to go on to believe the testimony of God concerning His Son -having "pre-natal life" and new birth, but not "life in its recognized status." How manifest this last expression is a purely human invention-a term not born of the truth of God, but specially devised to further the interests of a theory. What a convenient term it is! How well it serves the purpose for which it is invented! But, alas, how it shows an animus in opposition to the simple truth of Scripture!

On page 27 the case of Cornelius is referred to, and on page 22 allusion is made to the disciples at Ephesus, mentioned in Acts 19:These cases are supposed to present "insurmountable difficulties." If the difficulties supposed are imaginary, there will be no need of surmounting them. The remedy is, not to let the imagination work where it ought not to work. The difficulties imported into these cases all arise from inattention to the facts. It is forgotten that these cases all occurred during a transitional period between two dispensations. When the dispensation of the Spirit was being introduced, there were Jewish believers, Samaritan believers, Gentile believers, and believers on the ground of John the Baptist-distinct and separate companies. Now it was necessary that the unity of believers under the dispensation of the Spirit should be clearly demonstrated. The book of Acts does this, and thus we have these various companies successively brought on to the new ground, and in a suited manner in each case. Now, neither the Epistle to the Galatians nor that to the Romans was written in this transitional period. When the dispensation of the Spirit has been introduced and established, the believers of these various companies brought together, and all believers, are thus on common ground; there no more existed such companies of believers – none could be found in these various conditions. The Epistles to the Galatians and Romans fully establish this. In Gal. 4:1-5, we learn that under law God treated His children there as infants or minors, but under the dispensation of the Spirit He puts them in the dignity and place of sons. In ver. 6, the apostle turns to the Gentiles. In the Acts, as we have seen, God has put the Gentile believers there too, and to this fact the apostle appeals to assure them that they have the Spirit. Romans is usually thought to have been written still later than the Galatians. In the eighth chapter, ver. 9, we read, " Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His." The gospel preached by the Spirit sent down from heaven does not form different companies of believers. All who now are born of God by the gospel are participators in the place of sons, which is the characteristic blessing under the dispensation of the Spirit. Where, then, are the insurmountable difficulties? Every expression used in the Acts of these various companies of believers is perfectly intelligible when looked at in the light of the truth. They are difficult and unexplainable only when the light, by which it is sought to explain them, is darkness. C. Crain.

(To be continued.)

Substance of a letter from Jonathan Edwards to the wife of Sir "William Pepperrel, Governor of Massachusetts, on the occasion of the death of her son; written in the year 1751.

Dear Madam :

When you spoke of my writing to you I soon determined what should be the subject of my letter. It was that which appeared to me to be the most proper subject of contemplation for one in your circumstances.

. . . . And this was the Lord Jesus Christ;- particularly the amiableness of His character, which renders Him worthy that we should love Him and take Him for our only portion, our rest, hope and joy; and His great and unparalleled love towards us. ….

Let us, then, contemplate the loveliness of our Blessed Redeemer, which entitles Him to our highest love; and, when clearly seen, leads us to find a sweet complacency and satisfaction of soul in Him, of whatever else we are deprived. The Scriptures assure us that He who came into this world in our nature, and freely laid down His life for us, was truly possessed of all the fullness of the Godhead; of His infinite greatness, majesty and glory; His infinite wisdom, purity and holiness; His infinite
righteousness and goodness. He is called the " Brightness of God's glory and the Express Image of His Person." He is the Image, the Expression of infinite beauty, in contemplation of which the Father had all His unspeakable happiness from eternity. That eternal and unspeakable happiness of the Godhead is represented as a kind of social happiness in the society of the Persons of the Trinity. Prov. 8:30:"Then was I by Him as one brought up with Him, I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." This glorious Person came down from heaven to be the Light of the World, that by Him the beauty of the Godhead might shine forth in the brightest and fullest manner to the children of men.

Infinite wisdom has also contrived that we should behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to the greatest advantage; in such a manner as is best fitted to engage our attention and win our hearts, as well as inspire us with the most perfect complacency and delight. For Christ having, by becoming man, come down from His infinite exaltation above us, has made Himself our Kinsman. And His glory shining upon us through His human nature, the manifestation is wonderfully adapted to the strength of the human vision; so that, though it appears in all its effulgence, it is yet attempered to our sight. He is indeed possessed of infinite majesty to inspire us with reverence and adoration:yet that majesty need not terrify us, for we behold it blended with humility, meekness and sweet condescension. We may feel the most profound reverence and self-abasement, and yet our hearts be drawn forth sweetly and powerfully into an intimacy the most free, confidential and delightful. The dread naturally inspired by His greatness is dispelled by the contemplation of His gentleness and humility:while the familiarity which might otherwise arise from the view of the loveliness of His character merely, is ever prevented by the consciousness of His infinite majesty and glory; and the sight of all His perfections united fills us with sweet surprise and humble confidence; with reverence, love and delightful adoration.

This glory of Christ is properly and in the highest sense divine. He shines in all the brightness of glory that is inherent in the Godhead. Such is the exceeding brightness of this Sun of Righteousness that, in comparison with it, the light of the natural sun is as darkness; and hence when He shall appear in His glory the brightness of the natural sun shall disappear as the little stars do when the sun arises. So says the prophet Isaiah:"The moon shall be confounded and the sun shall be ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and before his ancients gloriously." But although His light is thus bright, and His beams go forth with infinite strength, yet, as they proceed from the Lamb of God and shine through His meek and lowly human nature, they are supremely soft and mild, and, instead of dazzling and overpowering our feeble sight, like a smooth ointment or a gentle eye-salve, they are vivifying and healing. Thus on them who fear God's name "the Sun of Righteousness arises with healing in His beams."-Mal. 4:2. It is like the light of the morning, a morning without clouds, as the dew on the grass, under whose in-fluence the souls of His people are as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Thus are the beams of His beauty and brightness fitted for the support and reviving of the afflicted. He heals the broken in spirit and bindeth up their wounds. When the spirits of His people are cut down by the scythe, he comes down upon them in a sweet and heavenly influence like rain upon the mown grass and like showers that water the earth.-Ps. 72:6.

But especially are the beams of Christ's glory infinitely softened by His love to men, the love that passeth knowledge. The glory of His person consists pre-eminently in that infinite goodness and grace of which He made so wonderful a manifestation in His love to us. The apostle John tells us that God is light, and again that God is love; and the light of His glory is an infinitely sweet light, because it is the light of love. But especially does it appear so in the Person of our Redeemer, who was infinitely the most wonderful example of love that was ever witnessed. All the perfections of God have their highest manifestation in the work of redemption vastly more than in the work of creation. In other works we see Him indirectly; but here we see the immediate glory of His face.-2 Cor. 3:18. In His other works we see Him at a distance; but in this we come near and behold the infinite treasures of His heart.-Eph. 3:8-10. It is a work of love to us and a work of which Christ is the author.

His loveliness and His love have both their greatest and most affecting manifestation in those sufferings which He endured for us at His death. Therein, above all, appeared His holiness, His love to God, and His hatred of sin, in that, when He desired to save sinners, rather than that a sensible testimony should not be seen against sin and the justice of God be vindicated, He chose to become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Thus in the same act He manifested in the highest conceivable degree His infinite hatred of sin and His infinite love to sinners. His holiness appeared like a fire burning with infinite vehemence against sin, at the same time that His love to sinners appeared like a sweet flame burning with an infinite fervency of benevolence. It is the beauty and glory of His love to us polluted sinners that it is an infinitely pure love, and it is the peculiar sweetness and endearment of His holiness that it has its most glorious manifestation in such an act of love to us.* *Writing to a lady in affliction, Edwards dwells more on what Christ is personally to us. It is, nevertheless, of the highest importance to see that what makes Him an all-sufficient source of consolation to me, in any and every circumstance, is that His death on the cross perfectly glorified God, in respect of my sin. Hence, in beholding the cross, the thought of His love to God, is above that of His love to me. It is what he undertook, and accomplished, on behalf of God, that gives all its value to His work for me. It is also important to see that the cross was more than a sensible testimony against sin. The awful cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" implies something deeper than that; something indicated-not explained, it could not be explained-by, "He hath made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us," 2 Cor. 5:21, and His presence in the glory at God's right hand assures me of what the other half of that verse states, " We are become the righteousness of God in Him." Moreover, His death was my death-the end not only of my sin, but of me. " I have been crucified with Christ. "* All the perfections of Christ both divine and human have their highest manifestation in this wonderful act of His love to men-His offering up Himself a sacrifice for us, under these extreme sufferings. Herein have abounded towards us the riches of His grace in all wisdom and prudence.-Eph. 1:8.

Herein appears His perfect righteousness; herein, too, was the great display of His humility, in being willing to descend so low for us,-His obedience to God, His submission, patience and meekness, when He went as a lamb to the slaughter, praying God to forgive His crucifiers. And how affecting this manifestation of His excellency and amiableness to our minds when it chiefly shines forth in such an act of love to us.

We see, then, how rich and how adequate is God's provision for our consolation, giving us a Redeemer of such glory and such love, especially when we consider the ends of this great manifestation of beauty and love in His death. He suffered that we might be delivered. His soul was exceeding sorrowful to take away sorrow and impart everlasting consolation. He was oppressed that we might be supported-overwhelmed in the darkness of death that we might have the light of life. He was cast into the furnace of God's wrath that we might drink the river of His pleasures. His soul was overwhelmed with a flood of sorrow that our hearts might be overwhelmed with a flood of eternal joy.

We may also well remember in what circumstances our Redeemer now is. He was dead, but He is alive and He lives for evermore. We have Him to go to in all our afflictions. He is not one who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses, but was tried in all points like as we are, apart from sin. He is a hiding place from the storm and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Having found Him who is as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, we may sit under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit will be sweet to our taste. He said to his disciples " In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace." He will be our light in the darkness. Our morning star, in a little while He will arise upon our souls, the sure harbinger of approaching day; and our sun shall no more go down. We shall see His face; there will be no interposing cloud, no veil; the Lord shall be our everlasting light and our Redeemer our glory.

(An Extract.)

Now what is the cause of most backslidings? I believe, as a general rule, one of the chief causes is neglect of private prayer. Of course, the secret, full history of falls will not be known till the last day. I can only give my opinion as a minister of Christ, and a student of the heart. That opinion is, I repeat distinctly, that backsliding generally first begins with neglect of private prayer.

Bibles read without prayer, sermons heard without prayer, marriages contracted without prayer, residences chosen without prayer, friendships formed without prayer, the daily act of private prayer itself hurried over, or gone through without heart,-these are the kind of downward steps by which many a Christian descends to a condition of spiritual palsy, or reaches the point where God allows him to have a tremendous fall. This is the process which forms the lingering Lots, the unstable Samson’s, the wife-idolizing Solomon’s, the inconsistent Asas, the pliable Jehoshaphat’s, the over-careful Martha’s,-of whom so many are to be found in the Church of Christ. Often the simple history of such cases is this,-they became careless about private prayer.

Reader, you may be very sure men fall in private, long before they fall in public. They are backsliders on their knees long before they backslide openly in the eyes of the world. Like Peter, they first disregard the Lord's warning to watch and pray; and then, like Peter, their strength is gone, and in the hour of temptation they deny their Lord.

The world takes notice of their fall, and scoffs loudly. But the world knows nothing of the real reason. The heathen succeeded in making the old Christian Father, Origen, offer incense to an idol, by threatening him with a punishment worse than death. They then triumphed greatly at the sight of his cowardice and apostasy. But the heathen did not know the fact, which Origen himself tells us, that on that very morning he had left his bed-chamber hastily, and without finishing his usual prayers.

Reader, if you are a Christian indeed, I trust you will never be a backslider. But if you do not wish
to be a backsliding Christian, remember the question I ask you,-Do you pray ?

Moreover we live in a world where sorrow abounds. This has always been its state since sin came in. There cannot be sin without sorrow. And till sin is driven out from the world, it is vain for any one to suppose he can escape sorrow.

Some without doubt have a larger cup of sorrow to drink than others. But few are to be found who live long without sorrows or care of some sort or another. Our bodies, our property, our families, our children, our relatives, . . . our friends, our neighbors, our worldly callings,-each and all of these are fountains of care., Sickness, deaths, losses, disappointments, partings, separations, ingratitude, slander-all these are common things. We cannot get through life without them. Some day or other they find us out. The greater our affections, the deeper our afflictions; and the more we love, the more we have to weep.

And what is the best receipt for cheerfulness in such a world as this? How shall we get through this valley of tears with least pain? I know no better receipt than the habit of taking everything to God in prayer.

This is the plain advice that the Bible gives, both in the Old Testament and in the New. What says the psalmist? " Call upon Me in the day of trouble:I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me " (Psa. 1. 15). "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee:He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved "(Psa. 55:22). What says the apostle Paul? "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6, 7). What says the apostle James? "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray " (James 5:13).

The only way to be really happy in such a world as this, is to be ever casting all our cares on God. It is the trying to carry their own burdens which so often makes believers sad. If they will only tell their troubles to God, He will enable them to bear them as easily as Samson did the gates of Gaza. If they are resolved to keep them to themselves, they will find one day that the very grasshopper is a burden.

Matthew 5:-7:(From the French.)

Without doubt, the Lord speaks here in His character as Messiah, the Prophet-King of the Jews. And you will find that from end to end His speech supposes the rejection of the King. This is not yet formally announced, but it is understood. It is why the Lord's words reflect a gentle tinge of sadness. The King has premonitions of the state of the people, who were without heart for Him. That tinge of sadness invariably characterizes true piety, seeing the world as it is:it was a strange thing for Israel; more strange still when it reflected itself in the words of the King, and that one King possessed of such power, that His own resources, if it were only a question of resources, enabled Him to change all in a moment. The miracles which accompanied His words proved conclusively that nothing was beyond His power, if only Himself were concerned.

We shall see, however, that in all the ways of God, whilst He assures always the execution of His counsels (for it is not possible that He should renounce one single thought which proceeds from His heart) when He undertakes, for example, to establish a kingdom, He first presents His thought to man, to Israel, because Israel is the chosen race among men for that purpose. Man thus becomes responsible to receive or to reject what is the thought of God, before, through grace, by His power He executes the thought. As a matter of fact, man invariably shows himself in fault, whatever be the purpose which God announces. The purpose is good, holy, and true; it exalts God; but because it abases the sinner, it is enough for the sinner to refuse it. He cannot brook humiliation, and consequently he rejects all that fails to flatter his vanity-hence his constant opposition to the thoughts of God, to God Himself, as also the labor and affliction which fill the world.

Now, one of the most marvelous things which the history of this world presents is that God bears to be rejected and insulted; God permitting that man, who is weakness itself, a worm, should repulse His advances, despise His goodness, and make to contribute to his own glory and pride, as well as to the lowering of God's character, all that God gives and promises. This being true of man, you will find that in every part of His precious discourse the Lord has it in mind. And now that He brings out (for this is His object in the first part of the chapter) the features of those qualified for the kingdom of heaven, He shows that the character of those persons was to be formed by His own. If men showed aversion and scorn for all that was of God, those who belonged to Jesus were to walk in a spirit and in ways which would flow from the knowledge they had of Him, by which there would be sympathy between them and Him. I say sympathy only, because you will notice that, in this discourse, the communication of divine life is never spoken of. The subject of redemption is not touched. If therefore any one asks how to be saved, it is not here the answer is to be found. It could not be found here for the simple reason that the Lord is describing the kingdom of heaven, and those who are the subjects of that kingdom.

It is evident that the Lord is speaking of those who are already His own, and, because of that very thing, does not speak of the means by which they who are strangers to Him may be delivered out of that condition. He speaks of those who are saints, not of those who are still in their sins. He shows what is according to His own heart, not what a soul, conscious of being away from God, needs to be brought to Him. The Sermon on the Mount treats, not of the question of salvation, but of the character and conduct of those who belong to Christ, the true, though rejected, King. But as we go on examining these beatitudes, we shall find in them an astonishing depth, as well as an order full of beauty.

The first is fundamental, inseparable from any soul that has been brought to God, and that knows God:"Blessed are the poor in spirit." The strong in spirit is a man after the character of Cain; one whose mind is made up not to be imposed upon; a man ready to wrestle, even with God. He is inflexible, proud; he stands in contrast with "the poor in spirit." The man who is "poor in spirit" is he who, recognizing his littleness, his nothingness, comes forth with a broken heart. And every soul who knows God has gone through this in a greater or less measure. We are not always there, though it is our true place before God. It is only too easy, alas, to lift up the head again; and especially in danger of not remaining humble are they who have been brought into "the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." As long as there is exercise of soul we are inclined to keep low, especially if all is not absolutely clear between the soul and God. But once the soul is at large, is conscious of the fulness and certainty of the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, may turn the eye from Jesus, and seek to figure among men; it is the old spirit that is waking up- the spirit of man in the worst of its forms:it is not with impunity that we lose contact with God to mingle with men.

We have said that the first of the beatitudes is a sort of foundation, and that it is inseparable from any soul that has been brought to God; for in such a soul, even if not yet free, the Holy Spirit works and identifies it with"the poor in spirit."That character may be altered, it may be by the influence of false doctrine, or by worldly thoughts and practices; but it will be found, spite of all, underneath the rubbish; and if the believer leaves the place which belongs to him, God will know how to bring him back in abasing him. " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."The Lord speaks of the kingdom, then at once He says, These are the ones to whom it belongs. By "the kingdom of heaven"one must not think that it means heaven. The expression never means heaven. Many confound these things. They imagine that when it said,'' For theirs is the kingdom of heaven " it means,'' For theirs is heaven." Now the Lord does not speak here of heaven itself, but of the rule which governs heaven, applied to an earthly scene. It is an allusion to the scene in which the Messiah will exercise the government, and the poor in spirit belong to the system at the head of which the Messiah will be placed. The Lord does not speak here of the Church. The kingdom of heaven could be established apart from all question of the Church. It is only in chap. 16:of this Gospel that the Church is mentioned, and even then only a thing promised and expressly distinct from the kingdom of heaven. There is not, in the whole Scripture, one single passage where the kingdom of heaven is confounded with the Church, or vice versa. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." This is the primordial foundation, the grand characteristic trait of all them who belong to Jesus. P. C.

(To be continued.)

" In the flesh," it seems to me, is the state of every unconverted person. It is simply, man's state by nature. It does not mean his physical state as in the body, but his moral state of alienation and opposition to God, and can only be true of the unconverted (Rom. 7:5; 8:8).

" In the Spirit," is the state of every soul indwelt by the Holy Ghost (Rom. 8:9), and is in contrast to being "in the flesh."

"Fleshly" or "carnal" (see i Cor. 3:i, 3, New Trans) is, when a Christian (who is " not in the flesh but in the Spirit," Rom. 8:9) is walking according to the flesh, instead of according to the Spirit.

" Spiritual," is the manifestation of being "in the Spirit," and is in contrast to "fleshly."

The Corinthians were "in the Spirit," and not "in the flesh," for they were indwelt by the Holy Ghost
(chap. 6:19) but Paul could not speak to them "as unto spiritual," but "as unto fleshly " (chap. 3:i, 3). This shows clearly that "in the Spirit" and " spiritual" cannot be the same thing, nor can "in the flesh "and "fleshly" be the same; and, to me at least this is a great help.

Then "in Adam" and "in Christ" are contrasts, and, I judge, have nothing to do with the reception of the Spirit as an indwelling Person, though if one is in Christ he must necessarily be also "in the Spirit." But we do not come to be "in Christ" by the reception of the Spirit, but by life. A family oneness, or a race, is constituted by the reception of the same life by all the members from him who is its head.

A man is "in Adam" by the fact that he is a human being, born into this world, and partaker of the same life and nature in its fallen state as Adam, and so likewise he is "in the flesh." And does not the correlative truth hold good? I am "in Christ" by a new birth which identifies me with the new family -God's family-children of God:and which likewise associates me with the Head of a new race as being- part of that race. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Man and Last Adam, is the Head of the new race, and as quickened by Him, and possessing life in Him, I am part of the new race and thus "in Christ."

The question then arises, do we receive the Spirit at new birth? or is there something more to be believed and to take place before that blessing can be ours ?* Let us look at it thus. *The operation of the Spirit in producing the new life is not in question just now; all agree as to that.* Do we get eternal life at new birth? Surely we do! There are not three kinds of life and each obtained in different ways, (1) natural life, (2) new birth life (of some undefined kind or character), and (3) eternal life as a further thing. With the Gospel and Epistles of John in our hands we cannot believe such foolish assertions. We therefore believe that we receive at new birth a new life, and that life is eternal life. Are we forgiven at new birth ?We should again say, Yes, surely! We cannot conceive of an unforgiven child of God! Then can we have life and forgiveness without the Spirit? We are compelled to say, No! Then that settles the question. All else is merely a matter of knowledge or experience. Difficulties may crowd in, but they belong to knowledge or experience and not to the fact as to what God has given, and given as the fruit of the sacrifice of His beloved Son on the cross, and which is the portion of all the family of God in this day of grace irrespective of their intelligence.

We may be reminded of people who evidence new birth and yet cannot say they are forgiven or saved. Well, the question would be, Have we any right to acknowledge such as born again while in that state? If we have, then we have an equal right to believe that all Christian blessings belong to them – that they are theirs, though they have not as yet learnt it so as to rejoice in the fact of possession of them. On the other hand, is it not just possible that these cases may be mere religiousness, or cases of conviction which have not as yet reached to conversion ?

I know suppositions are dangerous, but let us take one for a moment. Suppose a man in that state, that is, born again but not yet indwelt by the Spirit, and dying suddenly; would he go to heaven ? I shall be told that God would give him the Spirit ere He took him because the Body of Christ is being formed and every one born again in this dispensation must be in it. But how could God give him the Spirit if the possession of that gift depends on his having believed in the forgiveness of his sins and the man had not believed that?

It seems to me that Scripture joins faith and new birth and every other Christian blessing, now that we are in the full light of Christianity, and does not suppose a new birth apart from faith and the possession of all else that goes with it. " Of His own will begat He us by the word of truth" (James 1:18). '' Born again . . by the word . . which by the gospel is preached unto you" (i Peter 1:23, 25). "Born of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5). If then there is faith to produce new birth, or if you like to reverse it and say, new birth to produce faith, then surely there must be forgiveness along with it, if Scripture is to be our guide, seeing Col. 2:13 connects quickening with forgiveness. And if so, then the indwelling of the Spirit likewise goes with it, for this last blessing is given " to all them that obey God " (Acts 5:32).

The knowledge of, and enjoyment of these things, of course, is another thing. We learn them gradually as they are ministered to us by the Spirit through the Word; but not, surely, that we only get them separately in that way. That would be to make the reception of them depend on our intelligence, and not on the value of Christ's sacrifice which has procured them for us. '' All things are yours, for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's," but I have to learn what I have got in and with Him. I got the casket containing all the jewels when I got Christ; I have to find out what is in it, but they are mine to start with. It is said by some that we are "in Christ" by the indwelling Spirit. But what then becomes of all the saints before the cross and after the Church is gone? The reply given is,'' Scripture is silent as to how they will come to be 'in Christ.'"But is this so? Scripture does not, that I am aware of, speak of two ways in which that blessing can be effected, and if that view be correct, then all saints must receive the Spirit as an indwelling Person the same as we do, and consequently they must likewise be in the body! This, we know cannot! be.

Now there can be no question that all saints from Adam to the end of time are and will be "in Christ," for there will only be one new race with its Head "the second Man" and "last Adam."To be part of that new race then is effected, not by the indwelling Spirit, but by having the life of Him who is its Head. All saints have and will have that, and so will be equally part of the new race. Saints in this dispensation alone have the indwelling Spirit and form the body, and are distinct from all others in that respect.
Saints before the cross had life and were therefore in the Son, the source, or if I might use the word, the reservoir of it-life was ever in the Son. '' In Him was life." It is not a question of how much they knew or understood about it, it is the fact. Life in Him must have put them in Him, so that when the Son came into the world, and died, and went on high, and was "made Lord and Christ," they were then necessarily in Him who was now Christ, and are thus "in Christ," just as we are, and as all saints in a future day will be. That none in the past dispensation had the indwelling Spirit, John 7:39 makes evident, and none will in the future. It is peculiar to the Church as the body of Christ and to Christianity. But all saints have the same life-His life, and therefore can and will be "in Christ" and form the one new race of which He is the Head and which abides forever, in contrast to the fallen race which passes away. Wm. Easton