,the ,assembly of ,god ,miscellaneous ,writings of ,c4 ,h4 ,,mackintosh ,volume ,,iii ,,loizeaux ,,brothers ,new ,york ,,first ,,edition #ahih ,,tenth ,,printing #aifj ,,loizeaux ,,brothers1 ,,inc41 ,,publishers ,a ,nonprofit ,organization1 ,devoted to the ,lord's ,work and to the ,spread of ,his ,truth #ai ,,west #ba,,st ,,street1 ,,new ,,york #aj1 ,n4 ,y4 ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america ,,contents ,pages ,,the ,,man ,,of ,,god #c-ci ,,decision ,,for ,,christ #a-bh ,,prayer ,,in ,,its ,,proper ,,place #a-h ,,gilgal #a-dh ,,thoughts ,,on ,,confirmation ,,vows #a-af ,,thoughts ,,on ,,the ,,lord',s ,,supper #a-df ,,the ,,assembly ,,of ,,god #a-dg ,,the ,,christian3 ,,his ,,position ,,and ,,his ,,work #a-cb ,,the ,,christian ,,priesthood #a-ac ,,father6 ,,thy ,,sovereign ,,love--,poem ,,papers ,,on ,,evangelization #a-hf ,,the ,,living ,,god ,,and ,a ,,living ,,faith #a-bh ,a ,,scriptural ,,inquiry ,,as ,,to ,,the ,,sabbath1 ,,the ,,law1 ,,and ,,christian ,,ministry #b-bh ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,christ2 ,,past1 ,,present1 ,,and ,,future #c-cj ,,prayer ,,and ,,the ,,prayer ,,meeting #c-bc ,the original numbering of these writings has been retained1 ,many of the above may be had separately in pamphlet form4 ,,the ,,man ,,of ,,god ,the sentence which we have just penned occurs in ,paul's second ,epistle to his beloved son ,timothy--an epistle marked1 as we know1 by intense individuality4 ,all thoughtful students of ,scripture have noticed the striking contrast between the two ,epistles of ,paul to ,timothy4 ,in the first1 the ,church is presented in its order1 and ,timothy is instructed as to how he is to behave himself therein4 ,in the second1 on the contrary1 the ,church is presented in its ruin4 ,the house of ,god has become the great house1 in the which there are vessels to dishonor as well as vessels to honor2 and where1 moreover1 errors and evils abound--heretical teachers and false professors1 on every hand4 ,it is in this epistle of individuality1 then1 that the expression1 ,the man of ,god is used with such obvious force and meaning4 ,it is in times of general declension1 of ruin and confusion that the faithfulness1 devotedness1 and decision of the individual man of ,god are specially called for4 ,and it is a signal mercy for such an one to know that1 spite of the hopeless failure of the ,church as a responsible witness for ,christ1 it is the privilege of the individual to tread as holy a path1 to taste as deep communion1 and to enjoy as rich blessings1 as could be known in the ,church's brightest days4 ,this is a most encouraging and consolatory fact--a fact established by many infallible proofs1 and set forth in the very passage from which our heading is taken4 ,we shall here quote at length this passage of singular weight and power3 ,but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of1 knowing of whom thou hast learned them2 and that from a child thou hast known the ,holy ,scriptures1 which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in ,christ ,jesus4 ,all ,scripture is given by inspiration of ,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness1 that the man of ,god may be perfect1 throughly furnished unto all good works,i4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #ad-ag74 ,here we have the man of ,god1 in the midst of all the ruin and confusion1 the heresies and moral pravities of the last days1 standing forth in his own distinct individuality1 perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works4 ,and1 may we not ask1 what more could be said in the ,church's brightest days8 ,if we go back to the day of ,pentecost itself1 with all its display of power and glory1 have we anything higher1 or better1 or more solid than that which is set forth in the words perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works8 ,and is it not a signal mercy for anyone who desires to stand for ,god1 in a dark and evil day1 to be told that1 spite of all the darkness1 the evil1 the error and confusion1 he possesses that which can make a child wise unto salvation1 and make a man perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works8 ,assuredly it is2 and we have to praise our ,god for it1 with full and overflowing hearts4 ,to have access1 in days like these1 to the eternal fountain of inspiration1 where the child and the man can meet and drink and be satisfied--that fountain so clear that the honest1 simple soul can understand2 and so deep that you cannot reach the bottom--that peerless1 priceless volume which meets the child at his mother's knee1 and makes him wise unto salvation2 and meets the man in the most advanced stage of his practical career and makes him perfect and fully furnished for the exigence of every hour4 ,however1 we shall have occasion1 ere we close this paper1 to look more particularly at the man of ,god1 and to consider what is the special force and meaning of this term4 ,that there is very much more involved in it than is ordinarily understood1 we are most fully persuaded4 ,there are three aspects in which man is presented in ,scripture3 in the first place1 we have man in nature2 secondly1 a man in ,christ2 and1 thirdly1 we have1 the man of ,god4 ,it might perhaps be thought that the second and third are synonymous2 but we shall find a very material difference between them4 ,true1 ,i must be a man in ,christ before ,i can be a man of ,god2 but they are by no means interchangeable terms4 ,let us then1 in the first place1 consider ,,man ,,in ,,nature4 ,this is a very comprehensive term indeed4 ,under this title1 we shall find every possible shade of character1 temperament1 and disposition4 ,man1 on the platform of nature1 graduates between two extremes4 ,you may view him at the very highest point of cultivation1 or at the very lowest point of degradation4 ,you may see him surrounded with all the advantages1 the refinements and the so-called dignities of civilized life2 or you may find him sunk in all the shameless and barbarous customs of savage existence4 ,you may view him in the almost numberless grades1 ranks1 classes1 and castes into which the human family has distributed itself4 ,then again1 in the self-same class1 or caste1 you will find the most vivid contrasts1 in the way of character1 temper1 and disposition4 ,there1 for example1 is a man of such an atrocious temper that he is the very horror of every one who knows him4 ,he is the plague of his family circle1 and a perfect nuisance to society4 ,he can be compared to a porcupine with all his quills perpetually up2 and if you meet him once you will not wish to meet him again4 ,there1 on the other hand1 is a man of the sweetest disposition and most amiable temper4 ,he is just as attractive as the other is repulsive4 ,he is a tender1 loving1 faithful husband2 a kind1 affectionate1 considerate father2 a thoughtful1 liberal master2 a kindly1 genial neighbor2 a generous friend1 beloved by all1 and justly so3 the more you know him the more you must like him1 and if you meet him once you are sure to wish to meet him again4 ,further1 you may meet on the platform of nature1 a man who is false and deceitful to the very heart's core4 ,he delights in lying1 cheating1 and deception4 ,he is mean and contemptible in his thoughts1 words and ways2 a man to whom all who know him would like to give as wide a berth as possible4 ,and1 on the other hand1 you may meet a man of high principle1 frank1 honorable1 generous1 upright2 one who would scorn to tell a lie1 or do a mean act2 whose reputation is unblemished1 his character unexceptionable4 ,his word would be taken for any amount2 he is one with whom all who know him would be glad to have dealings2 an almost perfect natural character2 a man of whom it might be said1 he lacks but one thing4 ,finally1 as you pass to and fro on nature's platform1 you may meet the atheist who affects to deny the existence of ,god2 the infidel who denies ,god's revelation2 the skeptic and the rationalist who disbelieves everything4 ,and1 on the other hand1 you will meet the superstitious devotee who spends his time in prayers and fastings1 ordinances1 and ceremonies2 and who feels sure he is earning a place in heaven by a wearisome round of religious observances that actually unfit him for the proper functions and responsibilities of domestic and social life4 ,you may meet men of every imaginable shade of religious opinion1 high church1 low church1 broad church1 and no church2 men who1 without a spark of divine life in their souls1 are contending for the powerless forms of a traditionary religion4 ,now1 there is one grand and awfully solemn fact common to all these various classes1 castes1 grades1 shades1 and conditions of men who occupy the platform of nature1 and that is there is not so much as a single link between them and heaven--there is no link with the ,man who sits at the right hand of ,god--no link with the new creation4 ,they are unconverted1 and without ,christ4 ,as regards ,god1 and ,christ1 and eternal life1 and heaven1 they all--however they may differ morally1 socially1 and religiously--stand on one common ground2 they are far from ,god--they are out of ,christ--they are in their sins--they are in the flesh--they are of the world--they are on their way to hell4 ,there is really no getting over this1 if we are to listen to the voice of ,holy ,scripture4 ,false teachers may deny it4 ,infidels may pretend to smile contemptuously at the idea2 but ,scripture is plain as can be4 ,it speaks in manifold places of a fire that ,,never shall be quenched1 and of a worm that shall never die4 ,it is the very height of folly for anyone to seek to set aside the plain testimony of the word of ,god on this most solemn and weighty subject4 ,better far to let that testimony fall1 with all its weight and authority1 upon the heart and conscience--infinitely better to flee from the wrath to come than to attempt to deny that it is coming1 and that1 when it does come1 it will abide forever--yes1 forever1 and forever1 and forever6 ,tremendous thought6--over-whelming consideration6 ,may it speak with living power to the soul of the unconverted reader1 leading him to cry out in all sincerity1 ,what is to be done8 ,yes1 here is the question1 ,what must ,i do to be saved8 ,the divine answer is wrapped up in the following words which dropped from the lips of two of ,christ's very highest and most gifted ambassadors4 ,repent and be converted1 said ,peter to the ,jew4 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved and thy house1 said ,paul to the ,gentile4 ,and again1 the latter of these two blessed messengers1 in summing up his own ministry1 thus defines the whole matter1 ,testifying both to the ,jews1 and also to the ,greeks1 repentance toward ,god1 and faith toward our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,how simple6 ,but how real6 ,how deep6 ,how thoroughly practical6 ,it is not a nominal1 national head belief4 ,it is not saying1 in mere flippant profession1 ,i believe4 ,ah6 no2 it is something far deeper and more serious than this4 ,it is much to be feared that a large amount of the professed faith of this our day is deplorably superficial1 and that many who throng our preaching rooms and lecture halls are1 after all1 but wayside and stony ground hearers4 ,the plough of conviction and repentance has not passed over them4 ,the fallow ground has never been broken up4 ,the arrow of conviction has never pierced them through and through4 ,they have never been broken down1 turned inside out--thoroughly revolutionized4 ,the preaching of the gospel to all such is just like scattering precious seed on the hard pavement or the beaten highway4 ,it does not penetrate4 ,it does not enter into the depths of the soul2 the conscience is not reached2 the heart is not affected4 ,the seed lies on the surface1 it has not taken root1 and is soon carried away4 ,nor is this all4 ,it is also much to be feared that many of the preachers of the present day1 in their efforts to make the gospel simple1 lose sight of the abiding necessity of repentance1 and the essential necessity of the action of the ,holy ,ghost1 without which so-called faith is a mere human exercise and passes away like the vapors of the morning1 leaving the soul still in the region of nature1 satisfied with itself1 daubed with the untempered mortar of a merely human gospel that cries peace1 peace1 where there is no peace1 but the most imminent danger4 ,all this is very serious1 and should lead the soul into profound exercise4 ,we want the reader to give it his grave and immediate consideration4 ,we would put this pointed question to him1 which we entreat him to answer1 now1 ,have you got eternal life8 ,say1 dear friend1 have you8 ,he that believeth on the ,son of ,god hath eternal life4 ,grand reality6 ,if you have not got this1 you have nothing4 ,you are still on that platform of nature of which we have spoken so much4 ,yes1 you are still there2 no matter though you were the very fairest specimen to be found there--amiable1 polished1 affable1 frank1 generous1 truthful1 upright1 honorable1 attractive1 beloved1 learned1 cultivated1 and even pious after a merely human fashion4 ,you may be all this1 and yet not have a single pulsation of eternal life in your soul4 ,this may sound harsh and severe4 ,but it is true2 and you will find out its truth sooner or later4 ,we want you to find it out now4 ,we want you to see that you are a thorough bankrupt1 in the fullest sense of that word4 ,a deed of bankruptcy has been filed against you in the high court of heaven4 ,here are its terms1 ,they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,have you ever pondered these words8 ,have you ever seen their application to yourself8 ,so long as you are unrepentant1 unconverted1 unbelieving1 you cannot do a single thing to please ,god--not one4 ,in the flesh and on the platform of nature mean one and the same thing2 and so long as you are there1 you cannot please ,god4 ,you must be born again--must be renewed in the very deepest springs of your being3 unrenewed nature is wholly unable to see1 and unfit to enter1 the kingdom of ,god4 ,you must be born of water and of the ,spirit--that is by the living word of ,god1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,there is no other way by which to enter the kingdom4 ,it is not by self-improvement1 but by new birth we reach the blessed kingdom of ,god4 ,that which is born of the flesh is flesh2 and the flesh profiteth nothing1 for they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,how distinct is all this6 ,how pointed6 ,how personal6 ,how earnestly we desire that the unawakened or undecided reader should1 just now1 take it home to himself1 as though he were the only individual upon the face of the earth4 ,it will not do to generalize--to rest satisfied with saying1 ,we are all sinners4 ,no2 it is an intensely individual matter4 ,you must be born again4 ,if you again ask1 ,how8 hear the divine response from the lips of the ,master ,himself1 ,as ,moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness1 even so must the ,son of man be lifted up2 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have eternal life4 ,here is the sovereign remedy1 for every poor broken-hearted1 conscience-smitten1 hell-deserving sinner--for every one who owns himself lost--who confesses his sins1 and judges himself--for every weary1 heavy-laden1 sin-burdened soul--here is ,god's own blessed promise3 ,jesus died1 that you might live4 ,he was condemned1 that you might be justified4 ,he drank the cup of wrath1 that you might drink the cup of salvation4 ,behold ,him hanging on yonder cross for thee4 ,see what ,he did for thee4 ,believe that ,he satisfied1 on your behalf1 all the claims of justice before the throne of ,god4 ,see all your sins laid on ,him--your guilt imputed to ,him--your entire condition represented and disposed of by ,him4 ,see ,his atoning death answering perfectly for all that was or ever could be brought against you4 ,see ,him rising from the dead1 having accomplished all4 ,see ,him ascending into the heavens1 bearing in ,his divine ,person the marks of ,his finished atonement4 ,see ,him seated on the throne of ,god1 in the very highest place of power4 ,see ,him crowned with glory and honor4 ,believe in ,him1 and you will receive remission of sins1 the gift of eternal life1 the seal of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,you will pass off the platform of nature--you will be ,a man in ,christ4 ,,footnote3 ,i4 ,the reader should be informed that the word which is rendered perfect1 in the above passage1 occurs but this once in the entire ,new ,testament4 ,it is ,greek3 artios 7artios7 and signifies1 ready1 complete1 well fitted2 as an instrument with all its strings1 a machine with all its parts1 a body with all its limbs1 joints1 muscles1 and sinews4 ,the usual word for perfect is ,greek3 teleios 7teleios7 which signifies the reaching of the moral end1 in any particular thing4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,to all whose eyes have been opened to see their true condition by nature1 who have been brought under the convicting power of the ,holy ,ghost1 who know something of the real meaning of a broken heart and a contrite spirit--to all such it must be of the deepest possible interest to know the divine secret of rest and peace4 ,if it be true--and it is true1 because ,god says it--that they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god1 then how is any one to get out of the flesh8 ,how can he pass off the platform of nature8 ,how can he reach the blessed position of those to whom the ,holy ,ghost declares1 ,ye are not in the flesh but in the ,spirit8 ,these are momentous questions1 surely4 ,for1 be it thoroughly known and ever remembered1 that no improvement of our old nature is of any value whatsoever as to our standing before ,god4 ,it may be all very well1 so far as this life is concerned1 for a man to improve himself by every means within his reach1 to cultivate his mind1 furnish his memory1 elevate his moral tone1 advance his social position4 ,all this is quite true1 so true as not to need a moment's argument4 ,but1 admitting in the fullest manner the truth of all this1 it leaves wholly untouched the solemn and sweeping statement of the inspired apostle that1 they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,there must be a new standing altogether1 and this new standing cannot be reached by any change in the old nature--by any doings or formalities1 feelings1 ordinances of religion1 prayers1 alms or sacraments4 ,do what you will with nature and it is nature still4 ,that which is born of the flesh is flesh2 and do what you will with flesh you cannot make it spirit4 ,there must be a new life--a life flowing from the new man1 the last ,adam1 who has become1 in resurrection1 the ,head of a new race4 ,how is this most precious life to be had8 ,hear the memorable answer--hear it1 anxious reader1 hear it and live4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that heareth ,my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent ,me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into judgment2 but is passed from death unto life 7,john v4 #bd74 ,here we have a total change of standing2 a passing from death to life2 from a position in which there is not so much as a single link with heaven1 with the new creation1 with the risen ,man in glory1 into a position in which there is not a single link with the first man1 with the old creation1 and this present evil world4 ,and all this is through believing on the ,son of ,god--not saying we believe1 but really1 truly1 heartily1 believing on the ,son of ,god2 not by a mere intellectual faith1 but believing with the heart4 ,thus only does any one become ,a ,,man ,,in ,,christ4 ,every true believer is a man in ,christ4 ,whether it be the convert of yesterday or the hoary headed saint of fifty or sixty years' standing as a ,christian1 each stands in precisely the same blessed position--he is in ,christ4 ,there can be no difference here4 ,the practical state may differ immensely2 but the positive standing is one and the same4 ,as on the platform of nature1 you may meet with every imaginable shade1 class1 grade1 and condition 7though all having one common standing7 so on the new1 the divine1 the heavenly platform1 you may meet with every possible variety of practical condition3 the greatest possible difference in intelligence1 experience1 and spiritual power1 while all possessing the same standing before ,god1 all being in ,christ4 ,there can be no degrees as to standing1 whatever there may be as to state4 ,the convert of yesterday1 and the hoary headed father in ,christ are both alike as to standing4 ,each is a man in ,christ1 and there can be no advance upon this4 ,we sometimes hear of1 ,the higher ,christian life3 but1 strictly speaking1 there is no such thing as a higher or a lower ,christian life1 inasmuch as ,christ is the life of every believer4 ,it may be that those who use the term mean a right thing4 ,they probably refer to the higher stages of the ,christian life--greater nearness to ,god1 greater likeness to ,christ1 greater power in the ,spirit1 more devotedness1 more separation from the world1 more entire consecration of heart to ,christ4 ,but all these things belong to the question of our state1 not to our standing4 ,this latter is absolute1 settled1 unchangeable4 ,it is in ,christ--nothing less1 nothing more1 nothing different4 ,if we are not in ,christ1 we are in our sins2 but if we are in ,christ1 we cannot possibly be higher1 as to standing4 ,if the reader will turn with us1 for a few moments1 to ,i ,cor4 xv4 #de-dh1 he will find some powerful teaching on this great foundation truth4 ,the apostle speaks here of two men1 ,the first and the second4 ,and let it be carefully noted that the ,second ,man is by no means federally connected with the first1 but stands in contrast with him--a new1 independent1 divine1 heavenly source of life in ,himself4 ,the first man has been entirely set aside1 as a ruined1 guilty1 outcast creature4 ,we speak of ,adam federally1 as the head of a race4 ,personally1 ,adam was saved by grace2 but if we look at him from a federal standpoint1 we see him a hopeless wreck4 ,the first man is an irremediable ruin4 ,this is proved by the fact of a second ,man2 for truly we may say of the men as of the covenants1 ,if the first had been found faultless1 then should no place have been sought for the ,second4 ,but the very fact of a second ,man being introduced demonstrates the hopeless ruin of the first4 ,why a second1 if aught could be made of the first8 ,if our old ,adam nature was1 in any wise1 capable of being improved1 there was no need of something new4 ,but they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,for in ,christ ,jesus neither circumcision availeth anything1 nor uncircumcision1 but a new creation 7,rom4 viii43 ,gal4 vi474 ,there is immense moral power in all this line of teaching4 ,it sets forth ,christianity in vivid and striking contrast with every form of religiousness under the sun4 ,take ,judaism or any other ism that ever was known or that now exists in this world1 and what do you find it to be8 ,is it not invariably something designed for the testing1 or experimenting for the improvement1 or advancement of the first man8 ,unquestionably4 ,but what is ,christianity8 ,it is something entirely new--heavenly1 spiritual1 divine4 ,it is based upon the cross of ,christ1 in the which the first man came to his end1 where sin was put away1 judgment borne1 the old man crucified and put out of ,god's sight forever1 so far as all believers are concerned4 ,the cross closes1 for faith1 the history of the first man4 ,i am crucified with ,christ1 says the apostle4 ,and again1 ,they that are ,christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts4 ,are these mere figures of speech1 or do they set forth1 in the mighty words of the ,holy ,ghost1 the grand fact of the entire setting aside of the first man1 as utterly worthless and condemned8 ,the latter1 most assuredly4 ,christianity starts1 as it were1 from the open grave of the ,second ,man1 to pursue its bright career onward to eternal glory4 ,it is1 emphatically1 a new creation in which there is not so much as a single shred of the old thing--for in this all things are of ,god4 ,and if all things are of ,god1 there can be nothing of man4 ,what rest6 ,what comfort6 ,what strength6 ,what moral elevation6 ,what sweet relief for the poor burdened soul that has been vainly seeking1 for years perhaps1 to find peace in self-improvement6 ,what deliverance from the wretched thralldom of legality1 in all its phases1 to find out the precious secret that my guilty1 ruined1 bankrupt self--the very thing that ,i have been trying by every means in my power to improve1 has been completely and forever set aside--that ,god is not looking for any amendment in it--that ,he has condemned it and put it to death in the cross of ,his ,son6 ,what an answer is here to the monk1 the ascetic1 and the ritualist6 ,oh1 that it were understood in all its emancipating power6 ,this heavenly1 this divine1 this spiritual ,christianity4 ,surely were it only known in its living power and reality1 it would deliver the soul from the thousand and one forms of corrupt religion whereby the arch-enemy and deceiver is ruining the souls of untold millions4 ,we may truly say that ,satan's most successful effort against the truth of the gospel1 against the ,christianity of the ,new ,testament1 is seen in the fact of his leading unconverted people to take and apply to themselves ordinances of the ,christian religion1 and to profess many of its doctrines4 ,in this way he blinds their eyes to their own true condition1 as utterly ruined1 guilty1 and undone2 and strikes a deadly blow at the pure gospel of ,christ4 ,the best piece that was ever put upon the old garment of man's ruined nature is the profession of ,christianity2 and1 the better the piece1 the worse the rent4 ,see ,mark ii4 #ba4 ,let us bend an attentive ear to the following weighty words of the greatest teacher and best exponent of true ,christianity the world ever saw4 ,for ,i through the law am dead to the law1 that ,i might live to ,god4 ,i am crucified with ,christ2 nevertheless ,i live2 yet not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me4 ,mark this1 ,i--not ,i--but ,christ4 ,the old ,i--crucified4 ,the new ,i--,christ4 ,and the life which ,i now live in the flesh1 ,i live by the faith of the ,son of ,god1 who loved me and gave ,himself for me 7,gal4 ii4 #ai1 #bj74;,,ii4 ,this1 and nothing else1 is ,christianity4 ,it is not the old man1 the first man1 becoming religious1 even though the religion be the profession of the doctrines1 and the adopting of the ordinances of ,christianity4 ,no2 it is the death and burial of the old man--the old ,i--and becoming a new man in ,christ4 ,every true believer is a new man in ,christ4 ,he has passed clean out of the old creation-standing--the old estate of sin and death1 guilt and condemnation2 and he has passed into a new creation-standing--a new estate of life and righteousness in a risen and glorified ,christ1 the ,head of the new creation1 the last ,adam4 ,such is the position and unalterable standing of the feeblest believer in ,christ4 ,there is absolutely no other standing for any ,christian4 ,i must either be in the first man or in the ,second4 ,there is no third man1 for the ,second ,man is the last ,adam4 ,there is no middle ground4 ,i am either in ,christ1 or ,i am in my sins4 ,but if ,i am in ,christ1 ,i am as ,he is before ,god4 ,as ,he is so are we1 in this world4 ,he does not say1 ,as ,he was but as ,he is4 ,that is1 the ,christian is viewed by ,god as one with ,christ--the ,second ,man1 in whom ,he delights4 ,we do not speak of ,his ,deity1 of course1 which is incommunicable4 ,that blessed ,one stood in the believer's stead--bore his sins1 died his death1 paid his penalty1 represented him in every respect2 took all his guilt1 all his liabilities1 all that pertained to him as a man in nature1 stood as his substitute1 in all the verity and reality of that word1 and having divinely met his case1 and borne his judgment1 ,he rose from the dead1 and is now the ,head1 the ,representative1 and the only true definition of the believer before ,god4 ,to this most glorious and enfranchising truth1 ,scripture bears the amplest testimony4 ,the passage which we have just quoted from ,galatians is a most vivid1 powerful1 and condensed statement of it4 ,and if the reader will turn to ,rom4 vi4 he will find further evidence4 ,we shall quote some of the weighty sentences4 ,what shall we say then8 ,shall we continue in sin1 that grace may abound8 ,far be the thought4 ,how shall we that are dead to sin1 live any longer therein8 ,know ye not1 that so many of us as were baptized to ,jesus ,christ were baptized to ,his death8 ,therefore we are buried with ,him by baptism unto death2 that like as ,christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 even so we also should walk in newness of life4 ,for if we have been planted together in the likeness of ,his death1 we shall be also of resurrection4 ,knowing this that our old man is crucified with ,him1 that the body of sin might be destroyed1 that henceforth we should not serve sin4 ,for he that is dead is freed from sin4 ,now if we be dead with ,christ1 we believe that we shall also live with ,him4 ,knowing that ,christ being raised from the dead1 dieth no more2 death hath no more dominion over ,him4 ,for in that ,he died1 ,he died unto sin once2 but in that ,he liveth ,he liveth unto ,god4 ,likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin1 but alive unto ,god1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord 7,rom4 vi4 ,i-#aa74 ,reader1 mark especially these words in the foregoing quotation--,we that are dead--,we are buried with ,him--,like as ,christ was raised 444 even so we also--,our old man is crucified with ,him--,dead with ,christ--,dead indeed unto sin4 ,do we really understand such utterances8 ,have we entered into their real force and meaning8 ,do we1 in very deed1 perceive their application to ourselves8 ,these are searching questions for the heart1 and needful4 ,the real doctrine of ,rom4 vi4 is but little apprehended4 ,there are thousands who profess to believe in the atoning virtue of the death of ,christ1 but who do not see aught therein beyond the forgiveness of their sins4 ,they do not see the crucifixion1 death1 and burial of the old man--the destruction of the body of sin--the condemnation of sin--the entire setting aside of the old system of things belonging to their first ,adam condition--in a word their perfect identification with a dead and risen ,christ4 ,hence it is that we press this grand and all-important line of truth upon the attention of the reader4 ,it lies at the very base of all true ,christianity1 and forms an integral part of the truth of the gospel4 ,let us hearken to further evidence on the point4 ,hear what the apostle said to the ,colossians3 ,wherefore1 if ye be dead with ,christ from the rudiments of the world1 why1 as though living in the world1 are ye subject to ordinances1 after the commandments and doctrines of men1 such as touch not1 taste not1 handle not8--thus it is that human ordinances speak to us1 telling us not to touch this1 not to taste that1 not to handle the other1 as if there could possibly be any divine principle involved in such things--which all are to perish with the using2 and which1 have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship1 and humility1 and neglecting of the body--not in any honor--to the satisfying of the flesh4 ,if ye then be risen with ,christ1 seek those things which are above1 where ,christ sitteth on the right hand of ,god4 ,set your mind on things that are above1 not on things on the earth4 ,for ye have died and your life is hid with ,christ in ,god 7,col4 ii41 iii4 #b74 ,here1 again1 let us inquire how far we enter into the true force1 meaning1 and application of such words as these--,why as though living in the world1 etc48 ,are we living in the world or living in heaven--which8 ,the true ,christian is one who has died out of this present evil world4 ,he has no more to do with it than ,christ4 ,like as ,christ 444 even so we4 ,he is dead to the law--dead to sin3 alive in ,christ--alive to ,god--alive in the new creation4 ,he belongs to heaven4 ,he is enrolled as a citizen of heaven4 ,his religion1 his politics1 his morals are all heavenly4 ,he is a heavenly man walking on the earth1 and fulfilling all the duties which belong to the varied relationships in which the hand of ,god has placed him1 and in which the word of ,god most fully recognizes him1 and amply guides him1 such as husband1 father1 master1 child1 servant1 and such like4 ,the ,christian is not a monk1 an ascetic1 or a hermit4 ,he is1 we repeat1 a heavenly1 spiritual man1 in the world1 but not of it4 ,he is like a foreigner1 so far as his residence here is concerned4 ,he is in the body1 as to the fact of his condition2 but not in the flesh as to the principle of his standing4 ,he is a man in ,christ4 ,ere closing this article1 we should like to call the reader's attention to #b ,cor4 xii4 ,in it he will find1 at once1 the positive standing and the possible state of the believer4 ,the standing is fixed and unalterable1 as set forth in that one comprehensive sentence--,a man in ,christ4 ,the state may graduate between the two extremes presented in the opening and closing verses of this chapter4 ,a ,christian may be in the third heaven1 amid the seraphic visions of that blessed and holy place2 or he may1 if not watchful1 sink down into all the gross and evil things named in vers4 #bj1 #ba4 ,it may be asked1 ,is it possible that a true child of ,god could ever be found in such a low moral condition8 ,alas6 alas6 reader1 it is indeed possible4 ,there is no depth of sin and folly into which a ,christian is not capable of plunging1 if not kept by the grace of ,god4 ,even the blessed apostle himself1 when he came down from the third heaven1 needed a thorn in the flesh to keep him from being exalted above measure4 ,we might suppose that a man who had been up in that bright and blessed region could never again feel the stirrings of pride4 ,but the plain fact is that even the third heavens cannot cure the flesh4 ,it is utterly incorrigible and must be judged and kept under1 day by day1 hour by hour1 moment by moment1 else it will cut out plenty of sorrowful work for us4 ,still1 the believer's standing is in ,christ1 forever justified1 accepted1 perfect in ,him4 ,and1 moreover1 he must ever judge his state by his standing1 never his standing by his state4 ,to attempt to reach the standing by my state is legalism2 to refuse to judge my state by the standing is antinomianism4 ,both--though so diverse one from the other--are alike false1 alike opposed to the truth of ,god1 alike offensive to the ,holy ,ghost1 alike removed from the divine idea of ,a man in ,christ4 ,,footnote3 ,,ii4 ,the reader will distinguish between the expression in the flesh as used in ,gal4 ii4 #bj1 and in ,rom4 viii4 #h1 #i4 ,in the former1 it simply refers to our condition as in the body4 ,in the latter1 it sets forth the principle or ground of our standing4 ,the believer is in the body1 as to the fact of his condition2 but he is not in the flesh as to the principle of his standing4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,having considered the deeply interesting questions of a man in nature and a man in ,christ1 it remains for us now to consider1 in this third and last ,part1 the deeply practical subject of the title of this paper1 namely1 ,,the ,,man ,,of ,,god4 ,it would be a great mistake to suppose that every ,christian is a man of ,god4 ,even in ,paul's day--in the days of ,timothy1 there were many who bore the ,christian name who were very far indeed from acquitting themselves as men of ,god1 that is1 as those who were really ,god's men1 in the midst of the failure and error which1 even then1 had begun to creep in4 ,it is the perception of this fact that renders the second ,epistle to ,timothy so profoundly interesting4 ,in it we have what we may call ample provision for the man of ,god1 in the day in which he is called to live--a dark1 evil1 and perilous day1 most surely1 in which all who will live godly must keep the eye steadily fixed on ,christ ,himself--,his name--,his person--,his ,word1 if they would make any headway against the tide4 ,it is hardly possible to read second ,timothy without being struck with its intensely individual character4 ,the very opening address is strikingly characteristic4 ,i thank ,god1 whom ,i serve from my forefathers with pure conscience1 that without ceasing ,i have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day4 ,what glowing words are these6 ,how affecting to harken thus to one man of ,god pouring the deep and tender feelings of his great1 large1 loving heart into the heart of another man of ,god6 ,the dear apostle was beginning to feel the chilling influence that was fast creeping over the professing ,church4 ,he was tasting the bitterness of disappointed hopes4 ,he found himself deserted by many who had once professed to be his friends and associates in that glorious work to which he had consecrated all the energies of his great soul4 ,many were becoming ashamed of the testimony of our ,lord1 and of ,his prisoner4 ,it was not that they altogether ceased to be ,christians1 or abandoned the ,christian profession2 but they turned their backs upon ,paul1 and left him alone in the day of trial4 ,now1 it is under such circumstances that the heart turns1 with peculiar tenderness1 to individual faithfulness and affection4 ,if one is surrounded1 on all hands1 by true-hearted confessors--by a great cloud of witnesses--a large army of good soldiers of ,jesus ,christ--if the tide of devotedness is flowing around one and bearing him on its bosom1 he is not so dependent upon individual sympathy and fellowship4 ,but1 on the other hand1 when the general condition of things is low1 when the majority prove faithless1 when old associates are dropping off1 it is then that personal grace and true affection are specially valued4 ,the dark background of general declension throws individual devotedness into beauteous relief4 ,thus it is in this exquisite ,epistle which now lies open before us4 ,it does the heart good to harken to the breathings of the aged prisoner of ,jesus ,christ1 who can speak of serving ,god from his forefathers with pure conscience1 and of unceasing remembrance of his beloved son and true yoke-fellow4 ,it is specially interesting to notice that1 both in reference to his own history and that of his beloved friend1 ,paul goes back to facts of very early date--facts in their own individual paths1 facts prior to their meeting one another1 and prior to what we may call their church associations--important and interesting as these things surely are in their place4 ,paul had served ,god1 from his forefathers1 with pure conscience1 before he had known a fellow-,christian4 ,this he could continue to do though deserted by all his ,christian companions4 ,so also1 in the case of his faithful friend1 he says1 ,i call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee1 which dwelt in thy grandmother ,lois1 and thy mother ,eunice3 and ,i am persuaded that is in thee also4 ,this is very touching and very beautiful4 ,we cannot but be struck with such references to the previous history of those beloved men of ,god4 ,the pure conscience of the one1 and the unfeigned faith of the other1 indicate two grand moral qualities which all must possess if they would prove true men of ,god in a dark and evil day4 ,the former has its immediate reference1 in all things1 to the one living and true ,god2 the latter draws all its springs from ,him4 ,that1 leads us to walk before ,god2 this1 enables us to walk with ,him4 ,both together are indispensable in forming the character of the true man of ,god4 ,it is utterly impossible to over-estimate the importance of keeping a pure conscience before ,god1 in all our ways4 ,it is positively invaluable4 ,it leads us to refer everything to ,god4 ,it keeps us from being tossed hither and thither by every wave and current of human opinion4 ,it imparts stability and consistency to the entire course and character4 ,we are all in imminent danger of falling under human influence--of shaping our way according to the thoughts of our fellow-man1 adopting his cue1 or mounting his hobby4 ,all this is destructive of the character of the man of ,god4 ,if you take your tone from your fellow1 if you suffer yourself to be formed in a merely human mould1 if your faith stands in the wisdom of man1 if your object is to please men1 then instead of being a man of ,god1 you will become a member of a party or clique4 ,you will lose that lovely freshness and originality so essential to the individual servant of ,christ1 and become marked by the peculiar and dominant features of a sect4 ,let us carefully guard against this4 ,it has ruined many a valuable servant4 ,many who might have proved really useful workmen in the vineyard1 have failed completely through not maintaining the integrity of their individual character and path4 ,they began with ,god4 ,they started on their course in the exercise of a pure conscience1 and in the pursuit of that path which a divine hand had marked out for them4 ,there was a bloom1 a freshness1 and a verdure about them1 most refreshing to all who came in contact with them4 ,they were taught of ,god4 ,they drew near to the eternal fountain of ,holy ,scripture and drank for themselves4 ,perhaps they did not know much2 but what they did know was real because they received it from ,god1 and it turned to good account for there is much food in the tillage of the poor4 ,but1 instead of going on with ,god1 they allowed themselves to get under human influence2 they got truth secondhand1 and became the vendors of other men's thoughts2 instead of drinking at the fountain head1 they drank at the streams of human opinion2 they lost originality1 simplicity1 freshness1 and power1 and became mere copyists1 if not miserable caricatures4 ,instead of giving forth those rivers of living water which flow from the true believer in ,jesus1 they dropped into the barren technicalities and cut and dry common-places of mere systematized religion4 ,beloved ,christian reader1 all this must be sedulously guarded against4 ,we must watch against it1 pray against it1 believe against it1 and live against it4 ,let us seek to serve ,god1 with a pure conscience4 ,let us live in ,his own immediate presence1 in the light of ,his blessed countenance1 in the holy intimacy of personal communion with ,him1 through the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this1 we may rest assured1 is the true secret of power for the man of ,god1 at all times1 and under all circumstances4 ,we must walk with ,god1 in the deep and cherished sense of our own personal responsibility to ,him4 ,this is what we understand by a pure conscience4 ,but will this tend1 in the smallest degree1 to lessen our sense of the value of true fellowship1 of holy communion with all those who are true to ,christ8 ,by no means2 indeed it is the very thing which will impart power1 energy1 and depth of tone to the fellowship4 ,if every man in ,christ were only acquitting himself thoroughly as a man of ,god1 what blessed fellowship there would be6 what heart work6 what glow and unmistakable power6 ,how different from the dull formalism of a merely nominal assent to certain accredited dogmas of a party1 on the one hand1 and from the mere esprit de corps of cliquism1 on the other4 ,there are few terms in such common use and so little understood as fellowship4 ,in numberless cases1 it merely indicates the fact of a nominal membership in some religious denomination--a fact which furnishes no guarantee whatsoever of living communion with ,christ1 or personal devotedness to ,his cause4 ,if all who are nominally in fellow ship were acquitting themselves thoroughly as men of ,god1 what a very different condition of things we should be privileged to witness6 ,but what is fellowship8 ,it is1 in its very highest expression1 having one common object with ,god1 and taking part in the same portion2 and that object1 that portion1 is ,christ--,christ known and enjoyed through the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is fellowship with ,god4 ,what a privilege6 ,what a dignity6 ,what unspeakable blessedness6 ,to be allowed to have a common object and a common portion with ,god ,himself6 ,to delight in the ,one in whom ,he delights6 ,there can be nothing higher1 nothing better1 nothing more precious than this4 ,not even in heaven itself shall we know aught beyond this4 ,our own condition will1 thank ,god1 be vastly different4 ,we shall be done with a body of sin and death1 and be clothed with a body of glory4 ,we shall be done with a sinful1 sorrowful1 distracting world1 where all is directly opposed to ,god and to us1 and we shall breathe the pure1 invigorating atmosphere of that bright and blessed world above4 ,for1 in so far as our fellowship is real1 it is now as it shall be then1 with the ,father and with ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ--in the light1 and by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,thus much as to our fellowship with ,god4 ,and1 as regards our fellowship one with another1 it is simply as we walk in the light2 as we read1 ,if we walk in the light1 as ,he is in the light1 we have fellowship one with another1 and the blood of ,jesus ,christ ,his ,son cleanseth us from all sin 7,i ,john i4 #g74 ,we can only have fellowship one with another as we walk in the immediate presence of ,god4 ,there may be a vast amount of mere intercourse without one particle of divine fellowship4 ,alas6 alas6 a great deal of what passes for ,christian fellowship is nothing more than the merest religious gossip--the vapid1 worthless1 soul-withering chit-chat of the religious world1 than which nothing can be more miserably unprofitable4 ,true ,christian fellowship can only be enjoyed in the light4 ,it is when we are individually walking with ,god1 in the power of personal communion1 that we really have fellowship one with another1 and this fellowship consists in real heart enjoyment of ,christ as our one object1 our common portion4 ,it is not heartless traffic in certain favorite doctrines which we receive to hold in common4 ,it is not morbid sympathy with those who think1 and see1 and feel with us in some favorite theory or dogma4 ,it is something quite different from all this4 ,it is delighting in ,christ1 in common with all those who are walking in the light4 ,it is attachment to ,him1 to ,his person1 ,his name1 ,his ,word1 ,his cause1 ,his people4 ,it is joint consecration of heart and soul to that blessed ,one who loved us and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood1 and brought us into the light of ,god's presence1 there to walk with ,him and with one another4 ,this1 and nothing less1 is ,christian fellowship2 and where this is really understood it will lead us to pause and consider what we say when we declare1 in any given case1 such an one is in fellowship4 ,but we must proceed with our ,epistle1 and there see what full provision there is for the man of ,god1 however dark the day may be in which his lot is cast4 ,we have seen something of the importance--yea1 rather1 we should say the indispensable necessity of a pure conscience1 and unfeigned faith1 in the moral equipment of ,god's man4 ,these qualities lie at the very base of the entire edifice of practical godliness which must ever characterize the genuine man of ,god4 ,but there is more than this4 ,the edifice must be erected as well as the foundation laid4 ,the man of ,god has to work on amid all sorts of difficulties1 trials1 sorrows1 disappointments1 obstacles1 questions and controversies4 ,he has his niche to fill1 his path to tread1 his work to do4 ,come what may1 he must serve4 ,the enemy may oppose2 the world may frown2 the ,church may be in ruins around him2 false brethren may thwart1 hinder1 and desert2 strife1 controversy1 and division may arise and darken the atmosphere2 still the man of ,god must move on1 regardless of all these things1 working1 serving1 testifying1 according to the sphere in which the hand of ,god has placed him1 and according to the gift bestowed upon him4 ,how is this to be done8 ,not only by keeping a pure conscience and the exercise of an unfeigned faith--priceless1 indispensable qualities6 but1 further1 he has to harken to the following weighty word of exhortation--,wherefore ,i put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of ,god1 which is in thee by the putting on of my hands4 ,the gift must be stirred up1 else it may become useless if allowed to lie dormant4 ,there is great danger of letting the gift drop into disuse through the discouraging influence of surrounding circumstances4 ,a gift unused will soon become useless2 whereas1 a gift stirred up and diligently used grows and expands4 ,it is not enough to possess a gift1 we must wait upon the gift1 cultivate it1 and exercise it4 ,this is the way to improve it4 ,and observe the special force of the expression1 the gift of ,god4 ,in ,eph4 iv4 we read of the gift of ,christ1 and there1 too1 we find all the gifts1 from the highest to the lowest range1 flowing down from ,christ the risen and glorified ,head of ,his body1 the ,church4 ,but in second ,timothy1 we have it defined as the gift of ,god4 ,true it is--blessed be ,his holy name6--our ,lord ,christ is ,god over all1 blessed forever1 so that the gift of ,christ is the gift of ,god4 ,but we may rest assured there is never any distinction in ,scripture without a difference2 and hence there is some good reason for the expression gift of ,god4 ,we doubt not it is in full harmony with the nature and object of the ,epistle in which it occurs4 ,it is the gift of ,god communicated to the man of ,god to be used by him notwithstanding the hopeless ruin of the professing ,church1 and spite of all the difficulty1 darkness1 and discouragement of the day in which his lot is cast4 ,the man of ,god must not allow himself to be hindered in the diligent cultivation and exercise of his gift1 though everything seems to look dark and forbidding1 for ,god hath not given us the spirit of fear2 but of power and of love1 and of a sound mind4 ,here we have ,god again introduced to our thoughts1 and that1 too1 in a most gracious manner1 as furnishing ,his man with the very thing he needs to meet the special exigence of his day--,the spirit of power1 and of love1 and of a sound mind4 ,marvelous combination6 ,truly1 an exquisite compound after the art of the apothecary6 ,power1 love1 and wisdom6 ,how perfect6 ,not a single ingredient too much4 ,not one too little4 ,if it were merely a spirit of power1 it might lead one to carry things with a high hand4 ,were it merely a spirit of love1 it might lead one to sacrifice truth for peace' sake2 or indolently to tolerate error and evil rather than give offence4 ,but the power is softened by the love2 and the love is strengthened by the power2 and1 moreover1 the spirit of wisdom comes in to adjust both the power and the love4 ,in a word1 it is a divinely perfect and beautiful provision for the man of ,god--the very thing he needs for the last days so perilous1 so difficult1 so full of all sorts of perplexing questions and apparent contradictions4 ,if one were to be asked what he would consider most necessary for such days as these8 surely he should1 at once1 say1 power1 love1 and soundness of mind4 ,well1 blessed be ,god1 these are the very things which ,he has graciously given to form the character1 shape the way1 and govern the conduct of the man of ,god1 right on to the end4 ,but there is further provision and further exhortation for the man of ,god4 ,be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our ,lord1 nor of me ,his prisoner2 but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of ,god4 ,in pentecostal days1 when the rich and mighty tide of divine grace was flowing in1 and bearing thousands of ransomed souls upon its bosom2 when all were of one heart and one mind2 when those outside were overawed by the extraordinary manifestations of divine power1 it was rather a question of partaking of the triumphs of the gospel1 than its afflictions4 ,but in the days contemplated in second ,timothy1 all is changed4 ,the beloved apostle is a lonely prisoner at ,rome2 all in ,asia had forsaken him2 ,hymeneus and ,philetus are denying the resurrection2 all sorts of heresies1 errors1 and evils are creeping in2 the landmarks are in danger of being swept away by the tide of apostasy and corruption4 ,in the face of all this1 the man of ,god has to brace himself up for the occasion4 ,he has to endure hardness2 to hold fast the form of sound words2 he has to keep the good thing committed to him2 to be strong in the grace that is in ,christ ,jesus2 to keep himself disentangled --however he may be engaged2 he must keep himself free as a soldier2 he must cling to ,god's sure foundation2 he must purge himself from the dishonorable vessels in the great house2 he must flee youthful lusts1 and follow righteousness1 faith1 love1 peace1 with them that call on the ,lord out of a pure heart4 ,he must avoid foolish and unlearned questions4 ,he must turn away from formal and heartless professors4 ,he must be thoroughly furnished for all good works1 perfectly equipped through a knowledge of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,he must preach the ,word2 be instant in season and out of season4 ,he must watch in all things2 endure afflictions2 and do the work of an evangelist4 ,what a category for the man of ,god6 ,who is sufficient for these things8 ,where is the spiritual power to be had for such works8 ,it is to be had at the mercy-seat4 ,it is to be found in earnest1 patient1 believing1 waiting upon the living ,god1 and in no other way4 ,all our springs are in ,him4 ,we have only to draw upon ,him4 ,he is sufficient for the darkest day4 ,difficulties are nothing to ,him1 and they are bread for faith4 ,yes1 beloved reader1 difficulties of the most formidable nature are simply bread for faith1 and the man of faith will develop and grow strong thereby4 ,unbelief says1 ,there is a lion in the way2 but faith slays the lion that roars along the path of the nazarite of ,god4 ,it is the privilege of the true believer to rise above all the hostile influences which surround him1 no matter what they are1 or from whence they spring2 and1 in the calmness and brightness of the divine presence1 enjoy as high communion1 and taste as rich and rare privileges as ever were known in the ,church's brightest days4 ,let us remember this--every man of ,god needs to remember it3 there is no comfort1 no peace1 no strength1 no moral power1 no true elevation to be derived from looking at the ruins4 ,we must look up out of the ruins to the place where our ,lord ,christ has taken ,his seat1 at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,or rather1 to speak more according to our true position1 we should look down from our place in the heavens upon all the ruins of earth4 ,to realize our place in ,christ1 and to be occupied in heart and soul with ,him1 is the true secret of power to carry ourselves as men of ,god4 ,to have ,christ ever before us--,his work for the conscience1 ,his person for the heart1 ,his ,word for the path1 is the one grand1 sovereign1 divine remedy for a ruined self1 a ruined world1 a ruined ,church4 ,but we close4 ,very gladly would we linger1 in company with the reader1 over the contents of this most precious second ,timothy4 ,truly refreshing would it be to dwell upon all its touching allusions1 its earnest appeals1 its weighty exhortations4 ,but this would demand a volume1 and hence we must leave the ,christian reader to study the ,epistle for himself1 praying that the eternal ,spirit who indited it may unfold and apply it in living power to his soul1 so that he may be enabled to acquit himself as an earnest1 faithful1 whole-hearted man of ,god and servant of ,christ1 in the midst of a scene of hollow profession1 and heartless worldly religiousness4 ,may the good ,lord stir us all up to a more thorough consecration of ourselves1 in spirit1 soul1 and body--all we are and all we have--to ,his service6 ,we think we can really say we long for this--long for it1 in the deep sense of our lack of it--long for it1 more intensely1 as we grow increasingly sick of the unreal condition of things within and around us4 ,o beloved ,christian1 let us earnestly1 believingly1 and perseveringly cry to our own ever gracious ,god to make us more real1 more whole-hearted1 more thoroughly devoted to our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in all things4 ,,in ,,the ,,father',s ,,house ,the wanderer no more will roam1 ,the lost one to the fold hath come1 ,the prodigal is welcomed home1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 through ,thee6 ,though clothed in rags1 by sin defiled1 ,the ,father did embrace ,his child2 ,and ,i am pardoned1 reconciled1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 through ,thee6 ,it is the ,father's joy to bless2 ,his love has found for me a dress1 ,a robe of spotless righteousness1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 in ,thee6 ,and now my famished soul is fed1 ,a feast of love for me is spread1 ,i feed upon the children's bread1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 in ,thee6 ,yea1 in the fulness of ,his grace1 ,god put me in the children's place1 ,where ,i may gaze upon ,his face1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 in ,thee6 ,not half ,his ,love can ,i express1 ,yet1 ,lord1 with joy my lips confess1 ,this blessed portion ,i possess1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 in ,thee6 ,thy precious name it is ,i bear1 ,in ,thee ,i am to ,god brought near1 ,and all the ,father's love ,i share1 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 in ,thee6 ,,decision ,,for ,,christ ,in approaching the subject of ,decision for ,christ1 there are two or three obstacles which lie in our way--two or three difficulties which hang around the question1 which we would fain remove1 if possible1 in order that the reader may be able to view the matter on its own proper ground1 and in its own proper bearings4 ,in the first place1 we encounter a serious difficulty in the fact that very few of us1 comparatively1 are in a condition of soul to appreciate the subject1 or to suffer a word of exhortation thereon4 ,we are1 for the most part1 so occupied with the question of our soul's salvation1--so taken up with matters affecting ourselves1 our peace1 our liberty1 our comfort1 our deliverance from the wrath to come1 our interest in ,christ1--that we have but little heart for aught that purely concerns ,christ ,himself--,his name1 ,his person1 ,his cause1 ,his glory4 ,there are1 we may say1 two things which lie at the foundation of all true decision for ,christ1 namely1 a conscience purged by the blood of ,jesus1 and a heart that bows with reverent submission to the authority of ,his ,word in all things4 ,now we do not mean to dwell upon these things in this paper2 first1 because we are anxious to get at once to our immediate theme2 and secondly1 because we have so often dwelt on the subject of establishing the conscience in the peace of the gospel1 and on setting before the heart the paramount claims of the word of ,god4 ,we merely refer to them here for the purpose of reminding the reader that they are absolutely essential materials in forming the basis of decision for ,christ4 ,if my conscience is ill at ease1 if ,i am in doubt as to my salvation1 if ,i am filled with anxious thought as to whether ,i am a child of ,god or not1 decision for ,christ is out of the question4 ,i must know that ,christ died for me before ,i can intelligently and happily live for ,him4 ,so1 also1 if there be any reserve in the heart as to my entire subjection to the authority of ,christ as my ,lord and ,master2 if ,i am keeping some chamber of my heart1 be it ever so remote1 ever so small1 closed against the light of ,his ,word1 it must of necessity hinder my whole-hearted decision for ,him in this world4 ,in a word1 ,i must know that ,christ is mine and ,i am ,his ere my course down here can be one of unswerving1 uncompromising decision for ,him4 ,if the reader hesitates as to this1 if he is still in doubt and darkness1 let him pause and turn directly to the cross of the ,son of ,god and hearken to what the ,holy ,spirit declares as to all those who simply put their trust therein4 ,let him drink into his inmost soul these words3 ,be it known unto you1 therefore1 that through this ,man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins2 and by ,him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of ,moses4 ,yes1 reader1 these are the glad tidings for you4 ,all1 from all1 by faith in a crucified and risen ,lord4 ,but we see another difficulty in the way of our subject4 ,we greatly fear that while we speak of decision for ,christ1 some of our readers may suppose that we are contending for some notion or set of notions of our own2 that we are pressing some peculiar views or principles to which we vainly and foolishly venture to apply the imposing title of ,decision for ,christ4 ,all this we do most solemnly disclaim4 ,the words which stand at the head of this paper are the simple expression of our thesis4 ,we do not contend for attachment to sect1 party1 or denomination2 for adherence to the doctrines or commandments of men4 ,we write in the immediate presence of ,him who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men1 and we distinctly avow that our one object is to urge upon the ,christian reader the necessity of decision for ,christ4 ,we would not1 if we know ourselves1 pen a single line to swell the ranks of a party1 or draw over adherents to any particular doctrinal creed or any special form of church polity4 ,we are impressed with the conviction that where ,christ has ,his right place in the heart1 all will be right2 and that where ,he has not1 there will be nothing right4 ,and further1 we believe that nothing but plain decision for ,christ can effectually preserve the soul from the fatal influences that are at work around us in the professing ,church4 ,mere orthodoxy cannot preserve us4 ,attachment to religious forms will not avail in the present fearful struggle4 ,it is1 we feel persuaded1 a simple question of ,christ as our life1 and ,christ as our object4 ,may the ,spirit of ,god now enable us to ponder aright the subject of ,decision for ,christ6 ,it is well to bear in mind that there are certain great truths--certain immutable principles--which underlie all the dispensations of ,god from age to age and which remain untouched by all the failure1 the folly and the sin of man4 ,it is on these great moral truths1 these foundation principles1 that faith lays hold1 and in them finds its strength and sustenance4 ,dispensations change and pass away1 men prove unfaithful in their varied positions of stewardship and responsibility1 but the word of the ,lord endureth forever4 ,it never fails4 ,forever1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy word is settled in heaven4 ,and again1 ,thou hast magnified ,thy word above all ,thy name4,,iii4 ,nothing can touch the eternal truth of ,god1 and therefore what we want at all times is to give that truth its proper place in our hearts2 to let it act on our conscience1 form our character1 and shape our way4 ,thy word have ,i hid in my heart1 that ,i might not sin against ,thee4 ,man shall not live by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord4 ,this is true security4 ,here lies the real secret of decision for ,christ4 ,what ,god has spoken must govern us in the most absolute manner ere our path can be said to be one of plain decision4 ,there may be tenacious adherence to our own notions1 obstinate attachment to the prejudices of the age1 a blind devotion to certain doctrines and practices resting on a traditionary foundation1 certain opinions which we have received to hold without ever inquiring as to whether or not there be any authority whatever for such opinions in ,holy ,scripture4 ,there may be all this and much more1 and yet not one atom of genuine decision for ,christ4 ,now we feel we cannot do better than furnish our readers with an example or two drawn from the page of inspired history1 which will do more to illustrate and enforce our theme than aught that we could possibly advance4 ,and first1 then1 let us turn to the book of ,esther1 and there contemplate for a few moments the instructive history of ,,mordecai ,,the ,,jew4 ,this very remarkable man lived at a time in which the ,jewish economy had failed through the unfaithfulness and disobedience of the ,jewish people4 ,the ,gentile was in power4 ,the relationship between ,jehovah and ,israel could no longer be publicly acknowledged4 ,the faithful ,jew had but to hang his harp on the willows and sigh over the faded light of other days4 ,the chosen seed was in exile2 the city and temple where their fathers worshiped were in ruins1 and the vessels of the ,lord's house were in a strange land4 ,such was the outward condition of things in the day in which ,mordecai's lot was cast4 ,but in addition to this there was a man very near the throne occupying only the second place in the empire1 sitting beside the very fountain-head of authority1 possessing princely wealth1 and wielding almost boundless influence4 ,to this great man1 strange to say1 the poor exiled ,jew sternly refuses to bow4 ,nothing will induce him to yield a single mark of respect to the second man in the kingdom4 ,he will save the life of ,ahasuerus1 but he will not bow to ,haman4 ,reader1 why was this8 ,was this blind obstinacy1 or bold decision--which8 ,in order to determine this we must inquire as to the real root or principle of ,mordecai's acting4 ,if1 indeed1 there was no authority for his conduct in the law of ,god1 then must we at once pronounce it to have been blind obstinacy1 foolish pride1 or1 it may have been1 envy of a man in power4 ,but if1 on the other hand1 there be within the covers of the five inspired books of ,moses a plain authority for ,mordecai's deportment in this matter1 then must we1 without hesitation1 pronounce his conduct to have been the rare and exquisite fruit of attachment to the law of his ,god1 and uncompromising decision for ,him and ,his holy authority4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,if it be merely a matter of private opinion1--a question concerning which each one may lawfully adopt his own view1--then1 verily1 might such a line of conduct be justly termed the most narrow-minded bigotry4 ,we hear a great deal now-a-days about narrow-mindedness on the one hand1 and large-heartedness on the other4 ,but as a ,roman orator1 over two thousand years ago1 exclaimed in the senate-house of ,rome1 ,conscript fathers3 long since1 indeed1 we have lost the true names of things1 so may we1 in the bosom of the professing ,church1 at the close of the nineteenth century1 repeat1 with far greater force1 ,long since we have lost the true names of things4 ,for what do men now call bigotry and narrow-mindedness8 ,a faithful clinging to and carrying out of ,thus saith the ,lord4 ,and what do they designate large-heartedness8 ,a readiness to sacrifice truth on the altar of politeness and civility4 ,reader1 be thou fully assured that thus it is at this solemn moment4 ,we do not want to be sour or cynical1 morose or gloomy2 but we must speak the truth if we are to speak at all4 ,we desire that the tongue may be hushed in silence1 and the pen may drop from the hand1 if we could basely cushion the plain1 bold1 unvarnished truth through fear of scattering our readers1 or to avoid the sneer of the infidel4 ,we cannot shut our eyes to the solemn fact that ,god's truth is being trampled in the dust--that the name of ,jesus is despised and rejected4 ,we have only to pass from city to city1 and from town to town1 of highly-favored ,england1 and read upon the walls the melancholy proofs of the truth of our assertions4 ,truth is flung aside1 in cold contempt4 ,the name of ,jesus is little set by4 ,on the other hand1 man is exalted1 his reason deified1 his will indulged4 ,where must all this end8 ,in the blackness of darkness forever4 ,how refreshing1 in the face of all this1 to ponder the history of ,mordecai the ,jew6 ,it is very plain that he knew little and cared less about the thoughts of men on the question of narrow-mindedness4 ,he obeyed the word of the ,lord2 and this we must be allowed to call real breadth of mind1 true largeness of heart4 ,for what1 after all1 is a narrow mind8 ,a narrow mind we hold to be a mind which refuses to open itself to admit the truth of ,god4 ,and what1 on the contrary1 is a large and liberal heart8 ,a heart expanded by the truth and grace of ,god4 ,let us not be scared away from decision in the path of obedience by the scornful epithets which men have bestowed upon that path4 ,it is a path of peace and purity1 a path where the light of an approving conscience is enjoyed1 and upon which the beams of divine favor ever pour themselves in undimmed lustre4 ,but why did ,mordecai refuse to bow to ,haman8 ,was there any great principle at stake8 ,was it merely a whim of his own8 ,had he a ,thus saith the ,lord for his warrant in refusing a single nod of the head to the proud ,amalekite8 ,yes4 ,let us turn to the seventeenth chapter of the book of ,exodus1 and there we read1 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ,write this for a memorial in a book1 and rehearse it in the ears of ,joshua3 for ,i will utterly put out the remembrance of ,amalek from under heaven4 ,and ,moses built an altar1 and called the name of it ,jehovah-nissi2 for he said1 ,because the ,lord hath sworn that the ,lord will have war with ,amalek from generation to generation4,,iv4 ,here1 then1 was ,mordecai's authority for not bowing to ,haman the ,agagite4 ,a faithful ,jew could not do reverence to one with whom ,jehovah was at war4 ,the heart might plead a thousand excuses and urge a thousand reasons4 ,it might seek an easy path for itself on the plea that the ,jewish system was in ruins and the ,amalekite in power1 and that therefore it was worse than useless1 yea1 it was positively absurd1 to maintain such lofty ground when the glory of ,israel was gone and the ,amalekite was in the place of authority4 ,of what use1 it might be argued1 can it be to uphold the standard when all is gone to pieces8 ,you are only making your degradation more remarkable by the pertinacious refusal to bow your head4 ,would it not be better to give just one nod8 ,that will settle the matter4 ,haman will be satisfied1 and you and your people will be safe4 ,do not be obstinate4 ,show a tendency to be courteous4 ,do not stand up in that dogged way for a thing so manifestly non-essential4 ,besides1 you should remember that the command in ,exodus xvii4 was only to be rehearsed in the ears of ,joshua1 and only had its true application in his bright and palmy days4 ,it was never meant for the ears of an exile1 never intended to apply in the days of ,israel's desolation4 ,all this1 and much beside1 might have been urged on ,mordecai2 but ah1 the answer was simple3 ,god hath spoken4 ,this is enough for me4 ,true1 we are a scattered people2 but the word of the ,lord is not scattered4 ,he has not reversed ,his word about ,amalek1 nor entered into a treaty of peace with him4 ,jehovah and ,amalek are still at war1 and ,amalek stands before me in the person of this haughty ,agagite4 ,how can ,i bow to one with whom ,jehovah is at war8 ,how can ,i do homage to a man whom the faithful ,samuel would hew in pieces before the ,lord8 ,well1 then1 it might be further urged upon this devoted ,jew1 you will all be destroyed4 ,you must either bow or perish4 ,the answer is still most simple3 ,i have nothing to do with consequences4 ,they are in the hand of ,god4 ,obedience is my path1 the results are with ,him4 ,it is better to die with a good conscience than live with a bad one4 ,it is better to go to heaven with an uncondemning heart than remain upon earth with a heart that would make me a coward4 ,god has spoken4 ,i can do no otherwise4 ,may the ,lord help me6 ,amen4 ,oh1 how well we can understand the mode in which this faithful ,jew would be assaulted by the enemy4 ,nothing but the grace of ,god can ever enable any one to maintain a deportment of unflinching decision at a moment in which everything within and around is against us4 ,true it is1 we know that it is better to suffer anything than deny our ,lord or fly in the face of ,his commandments2 but yet how little are some of us prepared to endure a single sneer1 a single scornful look1 a single contemptuous expression1 for ,christ's sake4 ,and perhaps there are few things harder1 for some of us at least1 to bear than to be reproached on the ground of narrow-mindedness and bigotry4 ,we naturally like to be thought large-hearted and liberal4 ,we like to be accounted men of enlightened mind1 sound judgment1 and comprehensive grasp4 ,but we must remember that we have no right to be liberal at our ,master's expense4 ,we have simply to obey4 ,thus it was with ,mordecai4 ,he stood like a rock1 and allowed the whole tide of difficulty and opposition to roll over him4 ,he would not bow to the ,amalekite1 let the consequence be what it might4 ,obedience was his path4 ,the results were with ,god4 ,and look at the result6 ,in one moment the tide was turned4 ,the proud ,amalekite fell from his lofty eminence1 and the exiled ,jew was lifted from his sackcloth and ashes and placed next the throne4 ,haman exchanged his wealth and dignities for a gallows2 ,mordecai exchanged his sackcloth for a royal robe4 ,now it may not always happen that the reward of simple obedience will be as speedy and as signal as in ,mordecai's case4 ,and moreover1 we may say that we are not ,mordecais1 nor are we placed in his position4 ,but the principle holds good1 whoever and wherever we are4 ,there is not one of us1 however obscure or insignificant1 that has not a sphere within which our influence is felt for good or for evil4 ,and besides1 independent altogether of our circumstances and the apparent results of our conduct1 we are called upon to obey implicitly the word of the ,lord--to have ,his word hidden in our hearts--to refuse with unswerving decision1 to do or say aught that the word of the living ,god condemns4 ,how can ,i do this great wickedness1 and sin against ,god8 ,this should be the language1 whether it be the question of a child tempted to steal a lump of sugar1 or the most momentous step in evil that one can be tempted to take4 ,the strength and moral security of ,mordecai's position lay in this fact1 that he had the word of ,god for his authority4 ,had it not been so1 his conduct would have been senseless in the extreme4 ,to have refused the usual expression of respect to one in high authority1 without some weighty reason1 could only be regarded as the most unmeaning obstinacy4 ,but the moment you introduce a ,thus saith the ,lord1 the matter is entirely changed4 ,the word of the ,lord endureth forever4 ,the divine testimonies do not fade away or change with the times and seasons4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but one jot or tittle of what our ,god hath spoken shall never pass away4 ,hence1 what had been rehearsed in the ears of ,joshua1 as he rested in triumph under the banner of ,jehovah1 was designed to govern the conduct of ,mordecai1 though clothed in sackcloth as an exile1 in the city of ,shushan4 ,ages and generations had passed away2 the days of the ,judges and the days of the ,kings had run their course2 but the commandment of the ,lord with respect to ,amalek had lost--could lose--none of its force4 ,the ,lord hath sworn that the ,lord will have war with ,amalek1 not merely in the days of ,joshua1 nor in the days of the ,judges1 nor in the days of the ,kings1 but from generation to generation4 ,such was the record--the imperishable and immutable record of ,god2 and such was the plain1 solid and unquestionable foundation of ,mordecai's conduct4 ,and here let us say a few words as to the immense importance of entire submission to the word of ,god4 ,we live in a day which is plainly marked by strong self-will4 ,man's reason1 man's will and man's interest are working together1 with appalling success1 to ignore the authority of ,holy ,scripture4 ,so long as the statements of the word of ,god chime in with man's reason1 so long as they do not run counter to his will1 and are not subversive of his interests1 so long will he tolerate them2 or1 it may be1 he will quote them with a measure of respect1 or at least with self-complacency2 but the moment it becomes a question of ,scripture versus reason1 will or interest1 the former is either silently ignored or contemptuously rejected4 ,this is a very marked and solemn feature of the days that are now passing over our heads4 ,it behooves ,christians to be aware of it1 and to be on their watch-tower4 ,we fear that very few1 comparatively1 are truly alive to the real state of the moral atmosphere which enwraps the religious world4 ,we do not refer here so much to the bold attacks of infidel writers4 ,to these we have alluded elsewhere4 ,what we have now before us is rather the cool indifference on the part of professing ,christians as to ,scripture2 the little power which pure truth wields over the conscience2 the way in which the edge of ,scripture is blunted or turned aside4 ,you quote passage after passage from the inspired volume1 but it seems like the pattering of rain upon the window3 the reason is at work1 the will is dominant1 interest is at stake1 human opinions bear sway1 ,god's truth is practically1 if not in so many words1 set aside4 ,all this is deeply solemn4 ,we know of few things more dangerous than intellectual familiarity with the letter of ,scripture where the spirit of it does not govern the conscience1 form the character1 and shape the way4 ,we want to tremble at the word of ,god1 to bow down in reverential submission to its holy authority in all things4 ,a single line of ,scripture ought to be sufficient for our souls on any point1 even though1 in carrying it out1 we should have to move athwart the opinions of the highest and best of men4 ,may the ,lord raise up many faithful and true-hearted witnesses in these last days1--men like the faithful ,mordecai1--who would rather ascend a gallows than bow to an ,amalekite6 ,for the further illustration of our theme1 we shall ask the reader to turn to the sixth chapter of the book of ,daniel4 ,there is a special charm and interest in the history of these living examples presented to us in the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,they tell us how the truth of ,god was acted upon1 in other days1 by men of like passions with ourselves2 they prove to us that in every age there have been men who so prized the truth1 so reverenced the word of the living ,god1 that they would rather face death1 in its most appalling forms1 than to depart one hair's breadth from the narrow line laid down by the authoritative voice of their ,lord and ,master4 ,it is healthful to be brought into contact with such men--healthful at all times1 but peculiarly so in days like the present1 when there is so much laxity and easy-going profession--so much of mere theory--when every one is allowed to go his own way1 and hold his own opinion1 provided always that he does not interfere with the opinions of his neighbor--when the commandments of ,god seem to have so little weight1 so little power over the heart and conscience4 ,tradition will get a hearing2 public opinion will be respected2 anything and everything1 in short1 but the plain and positive statements of the word of ,god1 will get a place in the thoughts and opinions of men4 ,at such a time1 it is1 we repeat1 at once healthful and edifying to muse over the history of men like ,mordecai the ,jew1 and ,daniel the prophet1 and scores of others1 in whose estimation a single line of ,holy ,scripture rose far above all the thoughts of men1 the decrees of governors1 and the statutes of kings1 and who declared plainly that they had nothing whatever to do with consequences where the word of the ,lord was concerned4 ,absolute submission to the divine command is that which alone becomes the creature4 ,it is not1 be it observed and well remembered1 that any man or any number of men have any right to demand subjection to their decisions or decrees4 ,no man has any right to enforce his opinions upon his fellow4 ,this is plain enough1 and we have to bless ,god for the inestimable privilege of civil and religious liberty1 as enjoyed under this government4 ,but what we urge upon our readers1 just now1 is plain decision for ,christ1 and implicit subjection to ,his authority1 irrespective of everything1 and regardless of consequences4 ,this is what we do most earnestly desire for ourselves and for all the people of ,god in these last days4 ,we long for that condition of soul1 that attitude of heart1 that quality of conscience1 which shall lead us to bow down in implicit subjection to the commandments of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,no doubt there are difficulties1 stumbling blocks1 and hostile influences to be encountered4 ,it may be said1 for instance1 that ,it is very difficult for one1 now-a-days1 to know what is really true and right4 ,there are so many opinions and so many ways1 and good men differ so in judgment about the simplest and plainest matters1 and yet they all profess to own the ,bible as the only standard of appeal2 and1 moreover1 they all declare that their one desire is to do what is right1 and to serve the ,lord1 in their day and generation4 ,how1 then1 is one to know what is true or what is false1 seeing that you will find the very best of men ranged on opposite sides of the same question8 ,the answer to all this is very simple4 ,if thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light4 ,but1 most assuredly1 my eye is not single if ,i am looking at men1 and reasoning on what ,i see in them4 ,a single eye rests simply on the ,lord and ,his ,word4 ,men differ1 no doubt--they have differed1 and they ever will differ1 but ,i am to harken to the voice of my ,lord and do ,his will4 ,his ,word is to be my light and my authority1 the girdle of my loins in action1 the strength of my heart in service1 my only warrant for moving hither and thither1 the stable foundation of all my ways4 ,if ,i were to attempt to shape my way according to the thoughts of men1 where should ,i be8 ,how uncertain and unsatisfactory would my course be6 ,if ,i really want to be guided aright1 my ,god will surely guide me2 but if ,i am looking to men1 if ,i am governed by mixed motives1 if ,i am seeking my own ends and interests1 if ,i am seeking to please my fellows1 then1 undoubtedly1 my body shall be full of darkness1 heavy clouds shall settle down upon my pathway1 and uncertainty mark all my goings4 ,christian reader1 think of these things4 ,think deeply of them4 ,depend upon it they have a just claim upon your attention4 ,do you earnestly desire to follow your ,lord8 ,do you really aim at something beyond mere empty profession1 cold orthodoxy1 or mechanical religiousness8 ,do you sigh for reality1 depth1 energy1 fervor1 and whole-heartedness8 ,then make ,christ your one object1 ,his ,word your rule1 ,his glory your aim4 ,may the blessed ,spirit be pleased to use for the furtherance of these ends our meditation on the interesting narrative of ,,daniel ,,the ,,prophet4 ,it pleased ,darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes1 which should be over the whole kingdom2 and over these1 three presidents1 of whom ,daniel was first2 that the princes might give accounts unto them1 and the king should have no damage4 ,then this ,daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes1 because an excellent spirit was in him2 and the king thought to set him over the whole realm4 ,then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against ,daniel concerning the kingdom2 but they could find none occasion or fault2 forasmuch as he was faithful1 neither was there any error or fault found in him 7,dan4 vi4 ,i-#d74 ,what a testimony6 ,how truly refreshing to the heart6 ,no error or fault6 ,even his most bitter enemies could not put their finger upon a single blemish in his character1 or a flaw in his practical career4 ,truly this was a rare and admirable character--a bright witness for the ,god of ,israel1 even in the dark days of the ,babylonish captivity--an unanswerable proof of the fact that no matter where we are situated1 or how we are circumstanced1 no matter how unfavorable our position1 or how dark the day in which our lot is cast1 it is our happy privilege so to carry ourselves1 in all the details of daily life1 as to give no occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully4 ,how sad when it is otherwise6 ,how humiliating when those who make a high profession are found constantly breaking down in the most commonplace affairs of domestic and commercial life6 ,there are few things which more tend to discourage the heart than that4 ,no doubt worldly people are only too ready to find occasion against those who profess the name of ,jesus2 and1 further1 we have to remember that there are two sides to every question1 and that1 very frequently1 a broad margin must be left for exaggeration1 high coloring1 and false impressions4 ,but still1 it is the ,christian's plain duty so to walk in every position and relationship of life1 as that no error or fault may be found in him4 ,we should not make any excuses for ourselves4 ,the duties of our situation1 whatever it may happen to be1 should be scrupulously performed4 ,a careless manner1 a slovenly habit1 an unprincipled mode of acting1 on the part of the ,christian1 is a serious damage to the cause of ,christ1 and a dishonor to ,his holy name4 ,and1 on the other hand1 diligence1 earnestness1 punctuality1 and fidelity1 bring glory to that name4 ,and this should ever be the ,christian's object4 ,he should not aim at his own interest1 his own reputation1 or his own advancement1 in seeking to carry himself aright in his family and in his calling in life4 ,true1 it will promote his interest1 establish his reputation1 and further his progress1 to be upright and diligent in all his ways2 but none of these things should ever be his motive4 ,he is to be ever and only governed by the one thing1 namely1 to please and honor his ,lord and ,master4 ,the standard which the ,holy ,ghost has set before us1 as to all these things1 is furnished in the words of the apostle to the ,philippians1 ,that ye may be blameless and harmless1 the sons of ,god without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation1 among whom ye shine as lights in the world4 ,we should not be satisfied with anything less than this4 ,they could find none occasion nor fault1 forasmuch as he was faithful1 neither was there any error or fault found in him4 ,noble testimony6 ,would that it were more called forth1 in this our day1 by the deportment1 the habits1 the temper1 and ways of all those who call themselves ,christians4 ,but there was one point in which ,daniel's enemies felt they could lay hold of him4 ,then said these men1 ,we shall not find any occasion against this ,daniel1 except we find it against him concerning the law of his ,god4 ,here was a something in the which occasion might be found to ruin this beloved and honored servant of ,god4 ,it appears that ,daniel had been in the habit of praying three times a day with his windows open toward ,jerusalem4 ,this fact was well known1 and was speedily laid hold of1 and turned to account4 ,then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king1 and said thus unto him1 ,king ,darius1 live for ever4 ,all the presidents of the kingdom1 the governors1 and the princes1 the counsellors1 and the captains1 have consulted together to establish a royal statute1 and to make a firm decree1 that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days1 save of thee1 ,o king1 he shall be cast into the den of lions4 ,now1 ,o king1 establish the decree1 and sign the writing1 that it be not changed1 according to the law of the ,medes and ,persians1 which altereth not4 ,wherefore king ,darius signed the writing and the decree4 ,here1 then1 was a deep plot1 a subtle snare1 laid for the blameless and harmless ,daniel4 ,how would he act in the face of all this8 ,would he not feel it right to lower the standard8 ,well1 if the standard was something of his own1 he might surely lower it1 and perhaps he ought4 ,but if it were something divine--if his conduct was based upon the truth of ,god1 then clearly it was his place to hold it up as high as ever1 regardless of statutes1 decrees1 and writings established1 signed1 and countersigned4 ,the whole question hinged upon this4 ,just as in the case of ,mordecai the ,jew1 the question hinged upon the one point of whether he had any divine warrant for refusing to bow to ,haman2 so1 in the case of ,daniel the prophet1 the question was1 had he any divine authority for praying toward ,jerusalem4 ,it certainly seemed strange and odd4 ,many might have felt disposed to say to him1 ,why persist in this practice8 ,what need is there for opening your windows and praying toward ,jerusalem1 in such a public manner8 ,can you not wait until night has drawn her sable curtain around you1 and your closet door has shut you in1 and then pour out your heart to your ,god8 ,this would be prudent1 judicious1 and expedient4 ,and1 surely1 your ,god does not exact this of you4 ,he does not regard time1 place1 or attitude4 ,all times and places are alike to ,him4 ,are you wise--are you right1 in persisting in such a line of action under such circumstances8 ,it was all well enough before this decree was signed1 when you could pray when and as you thought right2 but now it does seem like the most culpable fatuity and blind obstinacy to persevere2 it is as though you really courted martyrdom4 ,all this1 and much more1 we may easily conceive1 might be suggested to the mind of the faithful ,jew2 but still the grand question remained1 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,was there any divine reason for ,daniel's praying toward ,jerusalem8 ,assuredly there was6 ,in the first place1 ,jehovah had said to ,solomon1 in reference to the temple at ,jerusalem1 ,mine eyes and ,my heart shall be there perpetually4 ,jerusalem was ,god's earthly centre4 ,it was1 it is1 and ever shall be4 ,true1 it was in ruins--the temple was in ruins2 but ,god's word was not in ruins2 and here is faith's simple but solid warrant4 ,king ,solomon had said1 at the dedication of the temple1 hundreds of years before ,daniel's time1 ,if ,thy people sin against ,thee1 7for there is no man that sinneth not17 and ,thou be angry with them1 and deliver them over before their enemies1 and they carry them away captive unto a land far off or near4 ,yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive1 and turn and pray unto ,thee1 in the land of their captivity1 saying1 ,we have sinned1 we have done amiss1 and have dealt wickedly2 if they return to ,thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity1 whither they have carried them captive1 and pray toward their land1 which ,thou gavest unto their fathers1 and toward the city which ,thou hast chosen1 and toward the house which ,i have built for ,thy name3 then hear ,thou from the heavens1 even from ,thy dwelling-place1 their prayer and their supplications1 and maintain their cause1 and forgive ,thy people which have sinned against ,thee 7#b ,chron4 vi4 #cf-ci74 ,now this was precisely what ,daniel was doing--this was the ground he took4 ,he was a captive exile1 but his heart was at ,jerusalem1 and his eyes followed his heart4 ,if he could not sing the songs of ,zion1 he could at least breathe his prayers toward ,zion's hill4 ,if his harp was on the willows at ,babylon1 his fond affections turned toward the city of ,god1 now a heap of ruins1 but ere long to be an eternal excellency1 the joy of the whole earth4 ,it mattered not to him that a decree had been signed by earth's greatest monarch1 forbidding him to pray toward the city of his fathers and to his father's ,god4 ,it mattered not to him that the lion's den was yawning to receive him1 and the lion's jaws ready to devour him4 ,like his brother ,mordecai1 he had nothing to do with consequences4 ,mordecai would rather mount the gallows than bow to ,haman1 and ,daniel would rather descend to the lion's den than cease to pray to ,jehovah4 ,these1 surely1 were the worthies4 ,they were men whose hearts and consciences were governed absolutely by the word of ,god4 ,the world may dub them bigots and fools2 but1 oh6 how the heart does long for such bigots and fools1 in these days of false liberality and wisdom6 ,it might have been said to ,mordecai and ,daniel that they were contending for mere trifles--for things wholly indifferent and non-essential4 ,this is an argument often used2 but1 oh6 it has no weight with an honest and devoted heart4 ,indeed1 there is nothing more contemptible1 in the judgment of every true lover of ,jesus1 than the principle that regulates the standard as to essentials and non-essentials4 ,for1 what is it8 ,simply this1 ,all that concerns my salvation is essential2 all that merely affects the glory of ,christ is non-essential4 ,how terrible is this6 ,reader1 dost thou not utterly abhor it8 ,what6 shall we accept salvation as the fruit of our ,lord's death1 and deem aught that concerns ,him non-essential8 ,god forbid4 ,yea2 rather let us entirely reverse the matter1 and regard all that concerns the honor and glory of the name of ,jesus1 the truth of ,his ,word1 and the integrity of ,his cause1 as vital1 essential1 and fundamental2 and all that merely concerns ourselves as non-essential and indifferent4 ,may ,god grant us this mind6 ,may nothing be deemed trivial by us which has for its foundation the word of the living ,god6 ,thus it was with those devoted men whose history we have been glancing at4 ,mordecai would not bow his head1 and ,daniel would not close his window4 ,blessed men6 ,the ,lord be praised for such1 and for the inspired record of their actings4 ,mordecai would rather surrender life than diverge from the truth of ,god1 and ,daniel would rather do the same than turn away from ,god's centre4 ,jehovah had said that ,he would have war with ,amalek from generation to generation1 and therefore ,mordecai would not bow4 ,jehovah had said of ,jerusalem1 ,mine eyes and ,my heart shall be there perpetually2 therefore ,daniel would not cease to pray toward that blessed centre4 ,the word of the ,lord endureth forever1 and faith takes its stand on that imperishable foundation4 ,there is an eternal freshness about every word that has come forth from the ,lord4 ,his truth holds good throughout all generations2 its bloom can never be brushed away1 its light can never fade1 its edge can never be blunted4 ,all praise be to ,his holy name6 ,but let us look for a moment at the result of ,daniel's faithfulness4 ,the king was plunged into the deepest grief when he discovered his mistake4 ,he was sore displeased with himself4 ,so well he might4 ,he had fallen into a snare2 but ,daniel was in good keeping4 ,it was all right with him4 ,the name of the ,lord is a strong tower1 the righteous runneth into it1 and is safe4 ,it matters not whether it be a lion's den at ,babylon or a prison at ,philippi2 faith and a good conscience can make a man happy in either4 ,we question if ,daniel ever spent a happier night on this earth1 than the night he spent in the lion's den4 ,he was there for ,god1 and ,god was there with him4 ,he was there with an approving conscience and an uncondemning heart4 ,he could look up from the very bottom of that den straight into heaven3 yea1 that den was heaven upon earth to his happy spirit4 ,who would not rather be ,daniel in the den than ,darius in the palace8 ,the one happy in ,god2 the other sore displeased with himself4 ,darius would have every one pray to him2 ,daniel would pray to none but ,god4 ,darius was bound by his own rash decree2 ,daniel was bound only by the word of the living ,god4 ,what a contrast6 ,and then see in the end what signal honor was put upon ,daniel4 ,he stood publicly identified with the one living and true ,god4 ,o ,daniel1 cried the king1 servant of the living ,god4 ,truly he had earned this title for himself4 ,he was1 unquestionably1 a faithful servant of ,god4 ,he had seen his three brethren cast into a furnace because they would worship only the true ,god1 and he had been cast into the lion's den because he would pray only to ,him2 but the ,lord had appeared for them and him1 and given them a glorious triumph4 ,he had allowed them to realize that precious promise made of old to their fathers1 that they should be the head and their enemies the tail2 that they should be above and their enemies below4 ,nothing could be more marked--nothing could more forcibly illustrate the value which ,god puts upon plain decision and true-hearted devotedness1 no matter where1 when1 or by whom exhibited4 ,oh6 for an earnest heart in this day of lukewarmness6 ,o ,lord1 revive ,thy work6 ,how gentle ,god's commands6 ,how kind ,his precepts are6 ,we'll cast our burdens on the ,lord1 ,and trust ,his constant care4 ,beneath ,his watchful eye ,his saints securely dwell3 ,the hand that bears all nature up1 ,will guard ,his children well4 ,why should an anxious load ,press down our weary mind8 ,we haste1 ,o ,father1 to ,thy throne1 ,and sweet refreshment find4 ,thy goodness stands approved-- ,unchanged from day to day3 ,we drop our burdens at ,thy feet1 ,to bear a song away6 ---,philip ,doddrige4 ,,footnotes3 ,,iii4 ,thou hast magnified ,thy word 7or saying7 according to all ,thy ,name1 seems more exactly to give the meaning of the passage4 ,,ed4 ,,iv4 ,it is deeply interesting to note that neither the ,jews' best ,friend nor their worst enemy is once formally named in the book of ,esther2 but faith could recognize both the one and the other4 ,,prayer1 ,,in ,,its ,,proper ,,place ,there is a strong tendency in the human mind to take a one-sided view of things4 ,this should be carefully guarded against4 ,it would ever be our wisdom to view things as ,god presents them to us1 in ,his holy ,word4 ,we should put things where ,he puts them1 and leave them there4 ,were this more faithfully attended to1 the truth would be much more clearly understood1 and souls much better instructed4 ,there is a divinely appointed place for everything1 and we should avoid putting right things in wrong places1 just as carefully as we would avoid setting them aside altogether4 ,the one may do as much damage as the other4 ,let any divine institution be taken out of its divinely-appointed place1 and it must necessarily fail of its divinely-appointed end4 ,this1 ,i imagine1 will hardly be questioned by any enlightened or well-regulated mind4 ,it will be admitted1 on all hands1 to be wrong to put things in any place but just where ,god intended them to be4 ,and in proportion to the importance of a right thing is the importance of having it in its right place4 ,this remark holds good1 in a special manner1 with respect to the hallowed and most precious exercise of prayer4 ,it is hard to imagine how any one1 with the word of ,god in his hand1 could presume to detract from the value of prayer4 ,it is one of the very highest functions1 and most important privileges of the ,christian life4 ,no sooner has the new nature been communicated by the ,holy ,ghost1 through faith in ,christ1 than it expresses itself in the sweet accents of prayer4 ,prayer is the earnest breathing of the new man1 drawn forth by the operation of the ,holy ,ghost1 who dwells in all true believers4 ,hence1 to find any one praying is to find him manifesting divine life in one of its most touching and beauteous characteristics1 namely1 dependence4 ,there may be a vast amount of ignorance displayed in the prayer1 both in its character and object2 but the spirit of prayer is1 unquestionably1 divine4 ,a child may ask for a great many foolish things2 but1 clearly1 he could not ask for any thing if he had not life4 ,the ability and desire to ask are the infallible proofs of life4 ,no sooner had ,saul of ,tarsus passed from death unto life1 than the ,lord says of him1 ,behold he prayeth6 7,acts ix47 ,doubtless he had1 as a ,pharisee of the ,pharisees1 said many long prayers2 but not until he saw that ,just ,one1 and heard the voice of ,his mouth1 could it be said of him1 behold1 he prayeth4 ,saying prayers and praying1 are two totally different things4 ,a self-righteous ,pharisee may excel in the former2 none but a converted soul can enjoy the latter4 ,the spirit of prayer is the spirit of the new man2 the language of prayer is the distinct utterance of the new life4 ,the moment a spiritual babe is born into the new creation1 it sends up its cry of dependence and of trust toward the ,source of its birth4 ,who would dare to hush or hinder that cry8 ,let the babe be gently satisfied and encouraged1 not ignorantly hindered or rudely silenced4 ,the very cry which ignorance would seek to stifle1 falls like sweetest music on the parent's ear4 ,it is the proof of life4 ,it evidences the existence of a new object around which the affections of a parent's heart may entwine themselves4 ,all this is plain enough4 ,it commends itself to every renewed mind4 ,the man who could think of hushing the accents of prayer must be wholly ignorant of the precious and beautiful mysteries of the new creation4 ,the understanding of the praying one may need to be instructed2 but oh6 let not the spirit of prayer be quenched4 ,let the beams of divine revelation1 in all their emancipating power1 shine in upon the struggling conscience1 but let not the breathings of the new life be interrupted4 ,the newly-converted soul may be in great darkness4 ,the chilling mists of legalism may enwrap his spirit4 ,he may not1 as yet1 be able to rest fully in ,christ and ,his accomplished work4 ,his awakened conscience may not1 as yet1 have found its peace-giving answer in the precious blood of ,jesus4 ,doubts and fears may sorely beset him4 ,he may not know about the important doctrine of the two natures1 and the continual conflict between them4 ,he is bowed down beneath the humiliating sense of indwelling sin1 and sees not1 as yet1 the ample provision which redeeming love has made for that very thing1 in the sacrifice and priesthood--the blood and advocacy of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the joyous emotions which attended upon the first moments of his conversion may have passed away4 ,the beams of the ,sun of ,righteousness may be hidden by the heavy clouds which arise from within and around him4 ,it is not with him as in days past4 ,he marvels at the sad change which has come over him1 and well nigh doubts if he were ever converted at all4 ,need we wonder that such an one should cry mightily to ,god8 ,yea1 the wonder would be if he could do aught else4 ,how1 then1 should we treat him8 ,should we teach him not to pray8 ,god forbid4 ,this would be to do the work of ,satan1 who1 assuredly1 hates prayer most cordially4 ,to drop a syllable which could even be understood as making little of an exercise so entirely divine1 would be to fly in the face of the entire book of ,god1 to deny the very example of ,christ1 and hinder the utterance of the ,holy ,ghost in the new-born soul4 ,the ,old and ,new ,testament ,scriptures literally teem with exhortations and encouragements to pray4 ,to quote the passages would fill a volume4 ,the blessed ,master ,himself has left ,his people an example as to the unceasing exercise of a spirit of prayer4 ,he both prayed ,himself and taught ,his disciples to pray4 ,the same is true of the ,holy ,ghost in the apostles4 7,see the following passages2 ,luke iii4 #ba2 vi4 #ab2 ix4 #bh1 #bi2 xi4 ,i-#ac2 xviii4 ,i-#h2 ,acts i4 #ad2 iv4 #ca2 ,rom4 xii4 #ab2 xv4 #cj2 ,eph4 vi4 #ah2 ,phil4 iv4 #f2 ,col4 iv4 #b-d2 ,i ,thess4 v4 #ag2 #b ,thess4 iii4 ,i1 #b2 ,i ,tim4 ii4 ,i-#c2 ,heb4 xiii4 #ah2 ,james v4 #ad1 #ae47 ,if my reader will look out and ponder the foregoing passages1 he will have a just view of the place which prayer occupies in the ,christian economy4 ,he will see that disciples are exhorted to pray2 and that it is only disciples who are so exhorted4 ,he will see that prayer is a grand prominent exercise of the household of ,god1 and that he must be of that household to engage in it4 ,he will see that prayer is the undoubted utterance of the new life2 and that the life therefore must be there to utter itself4 ,he will see that prayer is an important part of the ,christian's privilege2 and that it enters in no wise in the foundation of the ,christian's peace4 ,thus1 he will be able to put prayer in its proper place2 and how important it is that it should be so put6 ,how important it is that the anxious inquirer should see that the deep and solid foundations of his present and everlasting peace were laid in the work of the ,cross1 nineteen centuries ago6 ,how important that the blood of ,jesus should stand out before the soul in clear and bold relief1 in its solitary grandeur1 as the alone foundation of the sinner's rest6 ,a soul may be earnestly seeking and crying for salvation1 and all the while be ignorant of the great fact that it is ready to his hand--that he is actually commanded to accept a free1 full1 present1 personal1 and eternal salvation--that ,christ has done all--that a brimming cup of salvation is set before him1 which faith has only to take and drink for its everlasting satisfaction4 ,the gospel of ,god's free grace points to the rent vail--the empty tomb--the occupied throne above4 7,matt4 xxviii2 ,heb4 i4 and x47 ,what do these things declare8 ,what do they utter in the anxious sinner's ear8 ,salvation6 salvation6 ,the rent vail1 the empty tomb1 the occupied throne1 all cry out1 salvation6 ,reader1 do you really want salvation8 ,then why not take it1 as ,god's free gift8 ,are you looking to your own heart or to ,christ's finished work for salvation8 ,is it needful1 think you1 to wait that ,god should do something more for your salvation8 ,if so1 then ,christ's work were not finished2 the ransom were not paid4 ,but ,christ said ,it is finished1 and ,god says1 ,i have found a ransom 7,job xxxiii4 ,john xix474 ,and if you have to do1 say1 or think aught1 to complete the work of salvation1 then ,christ would not be a whole1 a perfect ,saviour4 ,and1 further1 it would be a plain denial of ,rom4 iv4 #e1 which says1 ,to him that worketh not1 but believeth on ,him that justifieth the ungodly1 his faith is counted for righteousness4 ,take heed that you are not mixing up your poor prayers with the glorious work of redemption1 completed by the ,lamb of ,god on the cross4 ,prayer is most precious2 but1 remember1 without faith it is impossible to please ,god 7,heb4 xi4 #f72 and if you have faith1 you have ,christ2 and having ,christ1 you have ,,all4 ,if you say you are crying for mercy1 the word of ,god points you to mercy's copious stream flowing from the finished sacrifice4 ,you have all your anxious heart can want in ,jesus1 and ,he is ,god's free gift to you just as you are1 where you are1 now4 ,if you had to be aught else but what you are1 or to go anywhere else from where you are1 then salvation would not be by grace1 through faith 7,eph4 ii4 #h74 ,if you are anxious to get salvation1 and ,god desires you should have it1 why need you be another moment without it8 ,it is all ready4 ,christ died and rose again4 ,the ,holy ,ghost testifies4 ,the word is plain4 ,only believe4 ,oh1 may the ,spirit of ,god lead any anxious soul to find settled repose in ,jesus4 ,may ,he lead you to look away from all besides1 straight to an all-sufficient atonement4 ,may ,he give clearness of apprehension1 and simplicity of faith to all2 and may ,he especially endow all who stand up to teach and preach with the ability rightly to divide the word of truth1 so that they may not apply to the unregenerate sinner1 or the anxious inquirer1 such passages of ,scripture as refer only to the established believer4 ,very serious damage is done both to the truth of ,god1 and to the souls of men1 by an unskilful division and application of the ,word4 ,there must be spiritual life1 before there can be spiritual action2 and the only way to get spiritual life is by believing on the name of the ,son of ,god,v4 7,john i4 #ab1 #ac2 iii4 #ad-af1 #cf2 v4 #bd2 xx4 #ca74 ,if1 therefore1 the precepts of ,god's word be applied to persons who have not the spiritual life to act in them1 confusion must be the result4 ,the precious privileges of the ,christian are turned into a heavy yoke for the unconverted4 ,a strange system of half-law half-gospel is propounded1 whereby true ,christianity is robbed of its characteristic glory1 and the souls of men are plunged in mist and perplexity4 ,there is urgent need for clearness in setting forth the true ground of a sinner's peace4 ,when souls are convicted of sin1 and have life1 but not liberty1 they want a full1 clear1 unclouded gospel4 ,the claims of a divinely-awakened conscience can only be answered by the blood of the ,cross4 ,if anything1 no matter what1 be added to the finished work of ,christ1 the soul must be filled with doubt and darkness4 ,may ,god grant us to know more fully the true place and value of simple faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and of earnest prayer in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,footnote3 ,v4 ,when the jailer at ,philippi inquired of ,paul and ,silas1 ,what must ,i do to be saved8 they simply replied1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and thou shalt be saved1 and thy house 7,acts xvi4 #cj1 #ca74 ,it would1 surely1 be well if this method of dealing with an anxious inquirer were more faithfully adopted4 ,,gilgal ,,joshua ,v4 ,whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning1 that we through patience and comfort of the ,scriptures might have hope 7,rom4 xv4 #d74 ,these few words furnish a title1 distinct and unquestionable1 for the ,christian to range through the wide and magnificent field of ,old ,testament ,scripture1 and gather therein instruction and comfort1 according to the measure of his capacity and the character or depth of his spiritual need4 ,and were any further warrant needed1 we have it with equal clearness in the words of another inspired epistle3 ,now all these things happened unto them 7,israel7 for ensamples2 and they are written for our admonition1 upon whom the ends of the world are come 7,i ,cor4 x4 #aa74 ,no doubt1 in reading the ,old ,testament1 as in reading the ,new1 there is constant need of watchfulness--need of self-emptiness1 of dependence upon the direct teaching of the ,holy ,spirit1 by whom all ,scripture has been indited4 ,the imagination must be checked1 lest it lead us into crude notions and fanciful interpretations1 which tend to no profit1 but rather to the weakening of the power of ,scripture over the soul1 and hindering our growth in the divine life4 ,still1 we must never lose sight of the divine charter made out for us in ,rom4 xv4 #d--never forget for a single moment that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning4 ,it is in the strength of these words that we invite the reader to accompany us back to the opening of the book of ,joshua1 that we may together contemplate the striking and instructive scenes presented there1 and seek to gather up some of the precious learning there unfolded4 ,if we mistake not1 we shall learn some fine lessons on the banks of the ,jordan1 and find the air of ,gilgal most healthful and bracing for the spiritual constitution4 ,we have all been accustomed to look at ,jordan as the figure of death--the death of the believer--his leaving this world and going to heaven4 ,doubtless the believer has often read and heard these lines3 ,could we but stand where ,moses stood1 ,and view the landscape o'er1 ,not ,jordan's stream nor death's cold flood ,could fright us from the shore4 ,but all this line of thought1 feeling and experience is very far below the mark of true ,christianity4 ,a moment's reflection in the true light which ,scripture pours upon our souls would be sufficient to show how utterly deficient is the popular religious thought as to ,jordan4 ,for instance1 when a believer dies and goes to heaven1 is he called to fight8 ,surely not4 ,all is rest and peace up yonder--ineffable1 eternal peace4 ,not a ripple on that ocean4 ,no sound of alarm throughout that pure and holy region4 ,no conflict there4 ,no need of armor4 ,we shall want no girdle1 because our garments may flow loosely around us4 ,we shall not need a breast-plate of righteousness1 for divine righteousness has there its eternal abode4 ,we shall have no need of sandals1 for there will be no rough or thorny places in that fair and blissful region4 ,no shield called for there1 inasmuch as there will be no fiery darts flying4 ,no helmet of salvation1 for the divine and eternal results of ,god's salvation shall then be reached4 ,no sword1 inasmuch as there will be neither enemy nor evil occurrent throughout all that blissful1 sunny region4 ,hence1 therefore1 ,jordan cannot mean the death of the believer and his going to heaven1 for the simplest of all reasons1 that it was when ,israel crossed the ,jordan that their fighting1 properly speaking1 began4 ,true they had fought with ,amalek in the wilderness2 but it was in ,canaan that their real war commenced4 ,the careful reader of the ,scriptures will readily see this4 ,but does not ,jordan represent death8 ,most surely it does4 ,and must not the believer cross it8 ,yes2 but he finds it dry1 because the ,prince of ,life has gone down into its deepest depths1 and opened up a pathway for ,his people1 by the which they pass over into their heavenly inheritance4 ,moses1 from ,pisgah's top1 gazed upon the promised land4 ,personally1 under the governmental dealings of ,god1 he was prevented from going over ,jordan4 ,but looking at him officially1 we know that the law could not possibly bring the people into ,canaan2 so ,moses' course must end there1 for he represents the law4 ,but ,christ1 the true ,joshua1 has crossed the ,jordan1 and not only crossed it1 but turned it into a pathway by which the ransomed host can pass over dry-shod into the heavenly ,canaan4 ,the ,christian is not called to stand shivering on the brink of the river of death1 as one in doubt as to how it may go with him4 ,that river is dried up for faith4 ,its power is gone4 ,our adorable ,lord has abolished death1 and brought life and incorruptibility to light by the gospel4 ,faith can now1 therefore1 sing triumphantly1 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 ,the sting of death is sin2 and the strength of sin is the law2 but thanks be to ,god1 which giveth us the victory through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ 7,i ,cor4 xv4 #ee-eg74 ,glorious1 enfranchising fact6 ,let us praise ,him for it4 ,let all our ransomed powers adore ,him4 ,let our whole moral being be stirred up to chant the praises of ,him who has taken the sting from death1 and destroyed him who had the power of death1 that is1 the devil1 and conducted us into a sphere which is pervaded throughout with life1 light1 incorruptibility1 and glory4 ,may our entire practical career be to ,his glory6 ,we shall now proceed to examine more particularly the teaching of ,scripture on this great subject1 and may the ,holy ,spirit ,himself be our immediate instructor6 ,and ,joshua rose early in the morning2 and they removed from ,shittim1 and came to ,jordan1 he and all the children of ,israel1 and lodged there before they passed over4 ,and it came to pass after three days1 that the officers went through the host2 and they commanded the people1 saying1 ,when ye see the ark of the covenant of the ,lord your ,god1 and the priests1 the ,levites1 bearing it1 then ye shall remove from your place1 and go after it4 ,yet there shall be a space between you and it1 about two thousand cubits by measure3 come not near unto it1 that ye may know the way by which ye must go3 for ye have not passed this way heretofore 7,josh4 iii4 ,i-#d74 ,there are three deeply important points in ,israel's history which the reader would do well to ponder4 ,there is1 first1 the blood-stained lintel1 in the land of ,egypt2 secondly1 the ,red ,sea2 thirdly1 the river ,jordan4 ,now in each of these we have a type of the death of ,christ1 in some one or other of its grand aspects--for1 as we know1 that precious death has many and various aspects1 and nothing can be more profitable for the ,christian1 and nothing1 surely1 ought to be more attractive1 than the study of the profound mystery of the death of ,christ4 ,there are depths and heights in that mystery which eternity alone will unfold2 and it should be our delight now1 under the powerful ministry of the ,holy ,ghost1 through the perfect light of ,holy ,scripture1 to search into these things for the strength1 comfort and refreshment of the inward man4 ,looking1 then1 at the death of ,christ1 as typified by the blood of the paschal lamb1 we see in it that which screens us from the judgment of ,god4 ,i will pass through the land of ,egypt this night1 and will smite all the firstborn in the land of ,egypt1 both man and beast2 and against all the gods of ,egypt ,i will execute judgment2 ,i am the ,lord4 ,and the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are2 and when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you1 and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you1 when ,i smite the land of ,egypt 7,ex4 xii474 ,now1 we need hardly say1 it is of the deepest moment for the exercised1 consciously guilty soul1 to know that ,god has provided a shelter from wrath and judgment to come4 ,no right-minded person would think for a moment of undervaluing this aspect of the death of ,christ4 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 ,israel's safety rested upon ,god's estimate of the blood4 ,he does not say1 ,when you see the blood4 ,the ,judge saw the blood1 knew its value1 and passed over the house4 ,israel was screened by the blood of the lamb--by ,god's estimate of that blood1 not by their own4 ,precious fact6 ,how prone we are to be occupied with our thoughts about the blood of ,christ1 instead of with ,god's thoughts6 ,we feel we do not value that precious blood as we ought--who ever did1 or ever could8 and then we begin to question if we are safe1 seeing we so sadly fail in our estimate of ,christ's work and in our love to ,his person4 ,now if our safety depends in the smallest degree upon our estimate of ,christ's work1 or our love to ,his person1 we are in more imminent danger than if it depended upon our keeping the law4 ,true it is1--most true--who could think of denying it8--we ought to value ,christ's work1 and we ought to love ,himself4 ,but if all this be put upon the footing of a righteous claim1 and if our safety rests upon our answering to that claim1 then are we in greater danger and more justly condemned than if we stood on the ground of a broken law4 ,for just in proportion as the claims of ,christ are higher than the claims of ,moses1 and in proportion as ,christianity is higher than the legal system1 so are we worse off1 in greater danger1 farther from peace1 if our safety depends upon our response to those higher claims4 ,mark1 it is not that we ought not to answer to such claims2 we most certainly ought4 ,but who among us does8 and hence1 so far as we are concerned1 our ruin and guilt are only made more manifest1 and our condemnation more righteous1 if we stand upon the claims of ,christ1 because we have not answered to them4 ,if we are to be saved by our estimate of ,christ1 by our response to ,his claims1 by our appreciation of ,his love1 we are worse off by far than if we were placed under the claims of the law of ,moses4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 it is not so4 ,we are saved by grace1--free1 sovereign1 divine and eternal grace1--not by our sense of grace4 ,we are sheltered by the blood1 not by our estimate of the blood4 ,jehovah did not say1 on that awful night1 ,when you see the blood1 and estimate it as you ought1 ,i will pass over you4 ,nothing of the kind4 ,this is not the way of our ,god4 ,he wanted to shelter ,his people1 and to let them know that they were sheltered1--perfectly1 because divinely sheltered1--and therefore ,he places the matter wholly upon a divine basis2 ,he takes it entirely out of their hands1 by assuring them that their safety rested simply and entirely upon the blood1 and upon ,his estimate thereof4 ,he gives them to understand that they had nothing whatever to do with providing the shelter4 ,it was ,his to provide4 ,it was theirs to enjoy4 ,thus it stood between ,jehovah and ,his ,israel in that memorable night2 and thus it stands between ,him and the soul that simply trusts in ,jesus now4 ,we are not saved by our love1 or our estimate1 or our anything4 ,we are saved by the blood behind which faith has fled for refuge1 and by ,god's estimate of it1 which faith apprehends4 ,and just as ,israel1 within that blood-stained lintel screened from judgment1--safe from the sword of the destroyer1--could feed upon the roasted lamb1 so may the believer1 perfectly sheltered from the wrath to come1--sweetly secure from all danger1 screened from judgment1--feed upon ,christ in all the preciousness of what ,he is4 ,but more of this by and by4 ,we are specially anxious that the reader should weigh the point on which we have been dwelling1 if he be one who has not yet found peace1 even as to the question of safety from judgment to come1 which1 as we shall see 7if ,god permit7 ere we close this paper1 is but a part1 though an ineffably precious part1 of what the death of ,christ has procured for us4 ,we have very little idea indeed of how much of the leaven of self-righteousness cleaves to us1 even after our conversion1 and how immensely it interferes with our peace1 our enjoyment of grace1 and our consequent progress in the divine life4 ,it may be we fancy we have done with self-righteousness when we have given up all thought of being saved by our works2 but alas1 it is not so1 for the evil takes new forms2 and of all these1 none is more subtle than the feeling that we do not value the blood as we ought1 and the doubting our safety on that ground4 ,all this is the fruit of self-righteousness4 ,we have not done with self4 ,true1 we are not1 it may be1 making a saviour of our doings1 but we are of our feelings4 ,we are seeking1 unknown to ourselves perhaps1 to find some sort of title in our love to ,god or our appreciation of ,christ4 ,now all this must be given up4 ,we must rest simply on the blood of ,christ1 and upon ,god's testimony to that blood4 ,he sees the blood4 ,he values it as it deserves4 ,he is satisfied4 ,this ought to satisfy us4 ,he did not say to ,israel1 ,when ,i see how you behave yourselves2 when ,i see the unleavened bread1 the bitter herbs1 the girded loins1 the shod feet1 ,i will pass over you4 ,no doubt all these things had their proper place2 but that proper place was not as the ground of safety1 but as the secret of communion4 ,they were called to behave themselves--called to keep the feast2 but it was as being1 not in order to be1 a sheltered people4 ,this made all the difference4 ,it was because they were divinely screened from judgment that they could keep the feast4 ,they had the authority of the word of ,god to assure them that there was no judgment for them2 and if they believed that word1 they could celebrate the feast in peace and safety4 ,through faith he kept the passover1 and the sprinkling of blood1 lest ,he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them 7,heb4 xi4 #bh74 ,here lies the deep and precious secret of the whole matter4 ,it was by faith he kept the passover4 ,god had said1 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you1 and ,he could not deny ,himself4 ,it would have been a denial of ,his very nature and character1 and an ignoring of ,his own blessed remedy1 had a single hair of an ,israelite's head been touched on that deeply solemn night4 ,it was not1 we repeat1 in anywise a question of ,israel's state or ,israel's deservings4 ,it was simply and entirely a question of the value of the blood in ,god's sight1 and of the truth and authority of ,his own word4 ,what stability is here6--what peace and rest6 ,what a solid ground of confidence6 ,the blood of ,christ6 the word of ,god6 ,true1 divinely true--let it never be forgotten or lost sight of--it is only by the grace of the ,holy ,spirit that the word of ,god can be received1 or the blood of ,christ relied upon4 ,still1 it is the word of ,god and the blood of ,christ1 and nothing else1 which give peace to the heart as regards all question of coming judgment4 ,there can be no judgment for the believer4 ,and why8 ,because the blood is on the mercy-seat1 as the perfect proof that judgment has been already executed4 ,he bore on the tree the sentence for me1 ,and now both the ,surety and sinner are free4 ,yet1 all praise to ,his name1 thus it stands as to every soul that simply takes ,god at ,his word1 and rests in the precious blood of ,christ4 ,it is as impossible that such an one can come into judgment1 as that ,christ ,himself can4 ,all who are sheltered by the blood are as safe as the word of ,god is sure--as safe as ,christ ,himself4 ,it seems perfectly wonderful for any poor sinful mortal to be able to pen such words2 but the blessed fact is1 it is either this or nothing4 ,if there is any question as to the believer's safety1 then the blood of ,christ is not on the mercy-seat1 or it is of no account in the judgment of ,god4 ,if it be a question of the believer's state1 of his worthiness1 of his feelings1 of his experience1 of his walk1 of his love1 of his devotedness1 of his appreciation of ,christ1 then would there be no force1 no value1 no truth in that glorious sentence1 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over2 for in that case the form of speech should be entirely changed1 and a dark and chilling shade be cast over its heavenly lustre4 ,it should then be1 ,when ,i see the blood1 and---- ,but no1 beloved1 anxious reader1 it is not1 and it never can be1 thus4 ,nothing must ever be added--not the weight of a feather1 to that precious blood which has perfectly satisfied ,god as a ,judge1 and which perfectly shelters every soul that has fled for safety behind it4 ,if the righteous ,judge has declared ,himself satisfied1 surely the guilty culprit may well be satisfied also4 ,god is satisfied with the blood of ,jesus2 and when the soul is satisfied likewise1 all is settled1 and there is peace as regards the question of judgment4 ,there is no condemnation to them that are in ,christ ,jesus4 ,how can there be1 seeing ,he has borne the condemnation in their stead8 ,to doubt the believer's exemption from judgment is to make ,god a liar1 and to make the blood of ,christ of none effect4 ,the reader will note that thus far we have been occupied only with the question of deliverance from judgment--a most weighty question surely4 ,but1 as we shall see in the course of this series of papers1 there is far more secured for us by the death of ,christ than freedom from judgment and wrath1 blessed as that is4 ,that peerless sacrifice does a great deal more for us than keep ,god out as a ,judge4 ,but for the present we pause1 and shall close this paper with a solemn and earnest question to the reader1 ,art thou sheltered by the blood of ,jesus8 ,do not rest1 beloved1 until you can answer with a clear and unhesitating ,yes4 ,remember1 you are either sheltered by the blood1 or exposed to the horrors of eternal judgment4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,in our last paper we had before us ,israel under the shelter of the blood4 ,a grand reality1 most surely3 who could duly estimate it8 ,what human language could suitably unfold the deep blessedness of being screened from the judgment of ,god by the blood of the ,lamb--of being within that hallowed circle where wrath and judgment can never come8 ,who can speak aright of the privilege of feeding in perfect safety on the ,lamb whose precious blood has forever averted from us the wrath of a sin-hating ,god8 ,but blessed as all this is1 there is much more than this4 ,there is far more comprehended in the salvation of ,god than deliverance from judgment and wrath4 ,we may have the fullest assurance that our sins are forgiven1 that ,god will never enter into judgment with us on account of our sins1 and yet be very far indeed from the enjoyment of the true ,christian position4 ,we may be filled with all manner of fears about ourselves--fears occasioned by the consciousness of indwelling sin1 the power of ,satan1 the influence of the world4 ,all these things may crop up before us1 and fill us with the gravest apprehensions4 ,thus1 for example1 when we turn to ,ex4 xiv41 we find ,israel in the deepest distress1 and almost overwhelmed with fear4 ,it would seem as if they had for the moment lost sight of the fact that they had been under the cover of the blood4 ,let us look at the passage4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ,speak unto the children of ,israel1 that they turn and encamp before ,pi-hahiroth1 between ,migdol and the sea1 over against ,baal-zephon3 before it shall ye encamp by the sea4 ,for ,pharaoh will say of the children of ,israel1 ,they are entangled in the land1 the wilderness hath shut them in4 ,and ,i will harden ,pharaoh's heart1 that he shall follow after them3 and ,i will be honored upon ,pharaoh1 and upon all his host2 that the ,egyptians may know that ,i am the ,lord4 ,and they did so4 ,and it was told the king of ,egypt that the people fled3 and the heart of ,pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people1 and they said1 ,why have we done this1 that we have let ,israel go from serving us8--mark these words3--,and he made ready his chariot1 and took his people with him4 ,and he took six hundred chosen chariots1 and all the chariots of ,egypt1 and captains over every one of them4 ,and the ,lord hardened the heart of ,pharaoh king of ,egypt1 and he pursued after the children of ,israel3 and the children of ,israel went out with a high hand4 ,but the ,egyptians pursued after them1 all the horses and chariots of ,pharaoh1 and his horsemen1 and his army1 and overtook them1 encamping by the sea1 beside ,pi-hahiroth1 before ,baal-zephon4 ,and when ,pharaoh drew nigh1 the children of ,israel lifted up their eyes1 and1 behold1 the ,egyptians marched after them2 and they were sore afraid3 and the children of ,israel cried out unto the ,lord4 ,now1 we may feel disposed to ask1 ,are these the people whom we have seen so recently feeding1 in perfect safety1 under the cover of the blood8 ,the very same4 ,whence1 then1 these fears1 this intense alarm1 this agonizing cry8 ,did they really think that ,jehovah was going to judge and destroy them1 after all8 ,not exactly4 ,of what1 then1 were they afraid8 ,of perishing in the wilderness after all4 ,and they said unto ,moses1 ,because there were no graves in ,egypt1 hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness8 ,wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us1 to carry us forth out of ,egypt8 ,is not this the word that we did tell thee in ,egypt1 saying1 ,let us alone1 that we may serve the ,egyptians6 ,for it had been better for us to serve the ,egyptians1 than that we should die in the wilderness4 ,all this was most gloomy and depressing4 ,their poor hearts seem to fluctuate between graves in ,egypt and death in the wilderness4 ,there is no sense of deliverance2 no adequate knowledge either of ,god's purposes or of ,god's salvation4 ,all seems utter darkness1 almost bordering upon hopeless despair4 ,they are thoroughly hemmed in and shut up4 ,they seem in a worse plight than ever4 ,they heartily wish themselves back again amid the brick-kilns and stubble fields of ,egypt4 ,deserts sands on either side of them2 the sea in front2 ,pharaoh and all his terrific hosts behind6 ,the case seemed perfectly hopeless2 and hopeless it was1 so far as they were concerned4 ,they were utterly powerless1 and they were being made to realize it1 and this is a very painful process to go through2 but very wholesome and valuable1 yea1 most necessary for all4 ,we must all1 in one way or another1 learn the force1 meaning1 and depth of that phrase1 without strength4 ,it is exactly in proportion as we find out what it is to be without strength1 that we are prepared to appreciate ,god's due time4 ,but1 we may here inquire1 ,is there aught in the history of ,god's people now answering to ,israel's experience at the ,red ,sea8 ,doubtless there is2 for we are told that the things which happened unto ,israel are our ensamples1 or types4 ,and1 most surely1 the scene at the ,red ,sea is full of instruction for us4 ,how often do we find the children of ,god plunged in the very depths of distress and darkness as to their state and prospects6 ,it is not that they question the love of ,god1 or the efficacy of the blood of ,jesus1 nor yet that ,god will reckon their sins to them1 or enter into judgment with them4 ,but still1 they have no sense of full deliverance4 ,they do not see the application of the death of ,christ to their evil nature4 ,they do not realize the glorious truth that by that death they are completely delivered from this present evil world1 from the dominion of sin1 and from the power of ,satan4 ,they see that the blood of ,jesus screens them from the judgment of ,god2 but they do not see that they are dead to sin2 that their old man is crucified with ,christ2 that not only have their sins been put upon ,christ at the cross1 but they themselves1 as sinful children of ,adam1 have been1 by the act of ,god1 identified with ,christ in ,his death2 that ,god pronounces them dead and risen with ,christ4 7,see ,col4 iii4 ,i-#d and the sixth chapter of ,romans47 ,but if this precious truth is not apprehended1 by faith1 there is no bright1 happy1 emancipating sense of full and everlasting salvation4 ,they are1 to speak according to our type1 at ,egypt's side of the ,red ,sea1 and in danger of falling into the hands of the prince of this world4 ,they do not see all their enemies dead on the sea-shore4 ,they cannot sing the song of redemption4 ,no one can sing it1 until he stands by faith on the wilderness side of the ,red ,sea1 or1 in other words1 until he sees his complete deliverance from sin1 the world1 and ,satan--the great foes of every child of ,god4 ,thus1 in contemplating the facts of ,israel's history1 as recorded in the first fifteen chapters of ,exodus1 we observe that they did not raise a single note of praise until they had passed through the ,red ,sea4 ,we hear the cry of sore distress under the cruel lash of ,pharaoh's task-masters1 and amid the grievous toil of ,egypt's brick-kilns4 ,and we hear the cry of terror when they stood between ,migdol and the sea4 ,all this we hear2 but not one note of praise1 not a single accent of triumph1 until the waters of the ,red ,sea rolled between them and the land of bondage and of death1 and they saw all the power of the enemy broken and gone4 ,thus the ,lord saved ,israel that day out of the hand of the ,egyptians2 and ,israel saw the ,egyptians dead upon the sea-shore4 ,and ,israel saw that great work which the ,lord did upon the ,egyptians3 and the people feared the ,lord and ,his servant ,moses4 ,then sang ,moses and the children of ,israel4 ,now1 what is the simple application of all this to us as ,christians8 ,what grand lesson are we to learn from the scenes on the shores of the ,red ,sea8 ,in a word1 of what is the ,red ,sea a type8 ,and what is the difference between the blood-stained lintel and the divided sea8 ,the ,red ,sea is the type of the death of ,christ1 in its application to all our spiritual enemies1 sin1 the world1 and ,satan4 ,by the death of ,christ the believer is completely and forever delivered from the power of sin4 ,he is1 alas6 conscious of the presence of sin2 but its power is gone4 ,he has died to sin1 in the death of ,christ2 and what power has sin over a dead man8 ,it is the privilege of the ,christian to reckon himself as much delivered from the dominion of sin as a man lying dead on the floor4 ,what power has sin over such an one8 ,none whatever4 ,no more has it over the ,christian4 ,sin dwells in the believer1 and will do so to the end of the chapter2 but its rule is gone4 ,christ has wrested the sceptre from the grasp of our old master1 and shivered it to atoms4 ,it is not merely that ,his blood has purged our sins2 but ,his death has broken the power of sin4 ,it is one thing to know that our sins are forgiven1 and another thing altogether to know that the body of sin is destroyed--its rule ended--its dominion gone4 ,many will tell you that they do not question the forgiveness of their past sins1 but they do not know what to say as to indwelling sin4 ,they fear lest1 after all1 that may come against them1 and bring them into judgment4 ,such persons are1 to use the figure1 between ,migdol and the sea4 ,they have not learnt the doctrine of ,rom4 vi4 ,they have not as yet1 in their spiritual intelligence and apprehension1 reached the resurrection side of the ,red ,sea4 ,they do not know what it is to be dead unto sin1 and alive unto ,god through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,and let the reader particularly note the force of the apostle's word1 reckon4 ,how very different it is1 in every way1 from our word1 realize6 ,this latter word may do very well where natural or human things are concerned4 ,we can realize physical or material facts2 but where a spiritual truth is involved1 it is not a question of realizing1 but of reckoning4 ,how can ,i realize that ,i am dead to sin8 ,all my own experience1 my own feelings1 my inward self-consciousness seems to offer a flat contradiction to the truth4 ,i cannot realize that ,i am dead2 but ,god tells me ,i am4 ,he assures me that ,he counts me to have died to sin when ,christ died4 ,i believe it2 not because ,i feel it1 but because ,god says it4 ,i reckon myself to be what ,god tells me ,i am4 ,if ,i were sinless1 if ,i had no sin in me1 ,i should never be told to reckon myself dead to sin2 neither should ,i ever be called to listen to such words as1 ,let not sin1 therefore1 reign in your mortal body4 ,but it is just because ,i have sin dwelling in me1 and in order to give me full practical deliverance from its reigning power1 that ,i am taught the grand enfranchising truth1 that the dominion of sin is broken by the death of ,christ in which ,i also died4 ,how do ,i know this8 ,is it because ,i feel it8 ,certainly not4 ,how could ,i feel it8 ,how could ,i realize it8 ,how could ,i ever have the self-consciousness of it1 while in the body8 ,impossible4 ,but ,god tells me ,i have died in the death of ,christ4 ,i believe it4 ,i do not reason about it4 ,i do not stagger at it because ,i cannot find any evidence of its truth in myself4 ,i take ,god at ,his word4 ,i reckon myself to be what ,he tells me ,i am4 ,i do not endeavor to struggle1 and strive1 and work myself into a sinless state which is impossible4 ,neither do ,i imagine myself to be in it1 which were a deceit and a delusion2 but by a simple1 childlike faith1 ,i take the blessed ground which faith assigns me1 in association with a dead ,christ4 ,i look at ,christ there1 and see in ,him1 according to ,god's word1 the true expression of where ,i am1 in the ,divine ,presence4 ,i do not reason from myself upwards1 but ,i reason from ,god downwards4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,it is just the difference between unbelief and faith1--between law and grace--between human religion and divine ,christianity4 ,if ,i reason from self1 how can ,i have any right thought of what is in the heart of ,god8--all my conclusions must be utterly false4 ,but if1 on the other hand1 ,i listen to ,god and believe ,his ,word1 my conclusions are divinely sound4 ,abraham did not look at himself and the improbability1 nay1 the impossibility of having a son in his old age2 but he believed ,god and gave glory to ,him4 ,and it was counted to ,him for righteousness4 ,it is an unspeakable mercy to get done with self1 in all its phases and in all its workings1 and to be brought to rest1 in all simplicity1 on the written ,word1 and on the ,christ which that written ,word presents to our souls4 ,self-occupation is a deathblow to fellowship1 and a great barrier to the soul's rest and progress4 ,it is impossible for any one to enjoy settled peace so long as he is occupied with himself4 ,he must cease from self1 and harken to ,god's ,word1 and rest1 without a single question1 on its pure1 precious1 and everlasting record4 ,god's ,word never changes4 ,i change2 my frames1 my feelings1 my experience1 my circumstances1 change continually2 but ,god's ,word is the same yesterday1 and to-day1 and forever4 ,furthermore1 it is a grand and essential point for the soul to apprehend that ,christ is the only definition of the believer's place before ,god4 ,this gives immense power1 liberty1 and blessing4 ,as ,he is1 so are we1 in this world 7,i ,john iv4 #ag74 ,this is something perfectly wonderful6 ,let us ponder it3 let us think of a poor1 wretched1 guilty slave of sin1 a bondslave of ,satan1 a votary of the world1 exposed to an eternal hell--such an one taken up by sovereign grace1 delivered completely from the grasp of ,satan1 the dominion of sin1 the power of this present evil world--pardoned1 washed1 justified1 brought nigh to ,god1 accepted in ,christ1 and perfectly and forever identified with ,him1 so that the ,holy ,ghost can say1 as ,christ is1 so is he in this world6 ,all this seems too good to be true2 and1 most assuredly1 it is too good for us to get2 but1 blessed be the ,god of all grace1 and blessed be the ,christ of ,god6 it is not too good for ,him to give4 ,god gives like ,himself4 ,he will be ,god1 spite of our unworthiness and ,satan's opposition4 ,he will act in a way worthy of ,himself1 and worthy of the ,son of ,his love4 ,were it a question of our deservings1 we could only think of the deepest and darkest pit of hell4 ,but seeing it is a question of what is worthy of ,god to give1 and that ,he gives according to ,his estimate of the worthiness of ,christ1 then1 verily1 we can think of the very highest place in heaven4 ,the glory of ,god1 and the worthiness of ,his ,son1 are involved in ,his dealings with us2 and hence everything that could possibly stand in the way of our eternal blessedness1 has been disposed of in such a manner as to secure the divine glory1 and furnish a triumphant answer to every plea of the enemy4 ,is it a question of trespass8 ,he has forgiven us all trespasses4 ,is it a question of sin8 ,he has condemned sin at the cross1 and thus put it away4 ,is it a question of guilt8 ,it is canceled by the blood of the cross4 ,is it a question of death8 ,he has taken away its sting1 and actually made it part of our property4 ,is it a question of ,satan8 ,he has destroyed him1 by annulling all his power4 ,is it a question of the world8 ,he has delivered us from it1 and snapped every link which connected us with it4 ,thus1 beloved ,christian reader1 it stands with us if we are to be taught by ,scripture1 if we are to take ,god at ,his word1 if we are to believe what ,he says4 ,and we may add1 if it be not thus1 we are in our sins2 under the power of sin2 in the grasp of ,satan2 obnoxious to death2 part and parcel of an evil1 ,christless1 ,godless world1 and exposed to the unmitigated wrath of ,god--the vengeance of eternal fire4 ,oh that the blessed ,spirit may open the eyes of ,god's people1 and give them to see their proper place1 their full and eternal deliverance in association with ,christ who died for them1 and in whom they have died1 and thus passed out of the power of all their enemies6 ,,part ,,iii4 ,having glanced at two of the leading points in our subject1 namely1 ,israel freed from guilt under the shelter of the blood1 and ,israel freed from all their enemies in the passage of the ,red ,sea1 we have now to contemplate for a few moments ,israel crossing the ,jordan1 and celebrating the paschal feast at ,gilgal1 in which they represent the risen position of ,christians now4 ,the ,christian is one who is not only sheltered from judgment by the blood of the ,lamb1 not only delivered from the power of all his enemies by the death of ,christ1 but is also associated with ,him where ,he now is1 at the right hand of ,god2 he is1 with ,christ1 passed out of death1 in resurrection1 and is blessed with all spiritual blessings1 in the heavenlies1 in ,christ4 ,he is thus a heavenly man1 and1 as such1 is called to walk in this world in all the varied relationships and responsibilities in which the good hand of ,god has placed him4 ,he is not a monk1 or an ascetic1 or a man living in the clouds1 fit neither for earth or heaven4 ,he is not one who lives in a dreamy1 misty1 unpractical region2 but1 on the contrary1 one whose happy privilege it is1 from day to day1 to reflect1 amid the scenes and circumstances of earth1 the graces and virtues of ,christ1 with whom1 through infinite grace1 and on the solid ground of accomplished redemption1 he is linked in the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,such is the ,christian1 according to the teaching of the ,new ,testament4 ,let the reader see that he understands it4 ,it is very real1 very definite1 very positive1 very practical4 ,a child may know it1 and realize it1 and exhibit it4 ,a ,christian is one whose sins are forgiven1 who possesses eternal life1 and knows it2 in whom the ,holy ,ghost dwells2 he is accepted in and associated with a risen and glorified ,christ2 he has broken with the world1 is dead to sin and the law1 and finds his object and his delight1 and his spiritual sustenance1 in the ,christ who loved him and gave ,himself for him1 and for whose coming he waits every day of his life4 ,this1 we repeat1 is the ,new ,testament description of a ,christian4 ,how immensely it differs from the ordinary type of ,christian profession around us we need not say4 ,but let the reader measure himself by the divine standard1 and see wherein he comes short2 for of this he may rest assured1 that there is no reason whatsoever1 so far as the love of ,god1 or the work of ,christ1 or the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost1 is concerned1 why he should not be in the full enjoyment of all the rich and rare spiritual blessings which appertain to the true ,christian position4 ,dark unbelief1 fed by legality1 bad teaching1 and spurious religiousness1 rob many of ,god's dear children of their proper place and portion4 ,and not only so1 but1 from want of a thorough break with the world1 many are sadly hindered from the clear perception and full realization of their position and privileges as heavenly men4 ,but we are rather anticipating the instruction unfolded to us in the typical history of ,israel1 in ,josh4 iii4-v41 to which we shall now turn4 ,and ,joshua rose early in the morning2 and they removed from ,shittim1 and came to ,jordan1 he and all the children of ,israel1 and lodged there before they passed over4 ,and it came to pass1 after three days1 that the officers went through the host4 ,and they commanded the people1 saying1 ,when ye see the ark of the covenant of the ,lord your ,god1 and the priests the ,levites bearing it1 then ye shall remove from your place1 and go after it4 ,yet there shall be a space between you and it1 about two thousand cubits by measure3 come not near unto it1 that ye may know the way by which ye must go2 for ye have not passed this way heretofore 7,josh4 iii4 ,i-#d74 ,it is most desirable that the reader should1 with all simplicity and clearness1 seize the true spiritual import of the river ,jordan4 ,it typifies the death of ,christ in one of its grand aspects1 just as the ,red ,sea typifies it in another4 ,when the children of ,israel stood on the wilderness side of the ,red ,sea1 they sang the song of redemption4 ,they were a delivered people--delivered from ,egypt and the power of ,pharaoh4 ,they saw all their enemies dead on the sea-shore4 ,they could even anticipate1 in glowing accents1 their triumphal entrance into the promised land4 ,thou in ,thy mercy hast led forth the people which ,thou hast redeemed2 ,thou hast guided them in ,thy strength unto ,thy holy habitation4 ,the people shall hear1 and be afraid3 sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of ,palestina4 ,then the dukes of ,edom shall be amazed2 the mighty men of ,moab1 trembling shall take hold upon them3 all the inhabitants of ,canaan shall melt away4 ,fear and dread shall fall upon them3 by the greatness of ,thine arm they shall be still as a stone2 till ,thy people pass over1 ,o ,lord1 till the people pass over which ,thou hast purchased4 ,thou shalt bring them in1 and plant them in the mountain of ,thine inheritance1 in the place1 ,o ,lord1 which ,thou hast made for ,thee to dwell in2 in the sanctuary1 ,o ,lord1 which ,thy hands have established4 ,the ,lord shall reign for ever and ever4 ,all this was perfectly magnificent1 and divinely true4 ,but they were not yet in ,canaan4 ,jordan--of which1 most surely1 there is no mention in their glorious song of victory--lay between them and the promised land4 ,true1 in the purpose of ,god and in the judgment of faith1 the land was theirs2 but they had to traverse the wilderness1 cross the ,jordan1 and take possession4 ,how constantly we see all this exemplified in the history of souls6 ,when first converted1 there is nothing but joy and victory and praise4 ,they know their sins forgiven2 they are filled with wonder1 love1 and praise4 ,being justified by faith1 they have peace with ,god1 and they can rejoice in hope of ,his glory1 yea1 and joy in ,himself through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,they are in ,rom4 v4 ,i-#aa2 and1 in one sense1 there can be nothing higher4 ,even in heaven itself we shall have nothing higher or better than joy in ,god4 ,persons sometimes speak of ,rom4 viii4 being higher than ,rom4 v43 but what can be higher than joy in ,god8 ,if we are brought to ,god1 we have reached the most exalted point to which any soul can come4 ,to know ,him as our portion1 our rest1 our stay1 our object1 our all2 to have all our springs in ,him1 and know ,him as a perfect covering for our eyes1 at all times1 and in all places1 and under all circumstances--this is heaven itself to the believer4 ,but there is this difference between ,rom4 v4 and viii41 that vi4 and vii4 lie between2 and when the soul has traveled practically through these latter1 and learns how to apply their profound and precious teaching to the great questions of indwelling sin and the law1 then it is in a better state1 though1 most assuredly1 not in a higher standing4 ,we repeat1 and with emphasis1 the words traveled practically4 ,for it must be even so1 if we would really enter into these holy mysteries according to ,god4 ,it is easy to talk about being dead to sin and dead to the law--easy to see these things written in ,rom4 vi4 and vii4--easy to grasp1 in the intellect1 the mere theory of these things4 ,but the question is1 have we made them our own--have they been applied practically to our souls by the power of the ,holy ,ghost8 ,are they livingly exhibited in our ways to the glory of ,him who1 at such a cost to ,himself1 has brought us into such a marvelous place of blessing and privilege8 ,it is much to be feared that there is a vast amount of merely intellectual traffic in these deep and precious mysteries of our most holy faith1 which1 if only laid hold of in spiritual power1 would produce wonderful results in practice4 ,but we must return to our theme2 and in doing so1 we would ask the reader if he really understands the true spiritual import of the river ,jordan8 ,what does it really mean8 ,we have said that it typifies the death of ,christ4 ,but in what aspect8 for that precious death1 as we are now considering1 has many and various aspects4 ,we believe the ,jordan sets forth the death of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ as that by which we are introduced into the inheritance ,he has obtained for us4 ,the ,red ,sea delivered ,israel from ,egypt and the power of ,pharaoh4 ,jordan brought them into the land of ,canaan4 ,we find both in the death of ,christ4 ,he1 blessed be ,his name1 has1 by ,his death on the cross--,his death for us--delivered us from our sins1 from their guilt and condemnation1 from ,satan's power1 and from this present evil world4 ,but more than this3 ,he has1 by the same infinitely precious work1 brought us now into an entirely new position1 in resurrection and in living union and association with ,himself1 where ,he is at ,god's right hand4 ,such is the distinct teaching of ,eph4 ii4 ,but ,god1 who is rich in mercy1 for ,his great love wherewith ,he loved us1 even when we were dead in sins1 hath quickened us together with ,christ1 7by grace ye are saved27 and hath raised us up together1 and made us sit together in the heavenlies in ,christ ,jesus 7vers4 #d-f74 ,note the little word hath4 ,he is not speaking of what ,god will do1 but of what ,he hath done--done for us1 and with us1 in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the believer has not to wait till he passes out of this life to enjoy his inheritance in heaven4 ,in the person of his living and glorified ,head1 through faith1 by the ,spirit1 he belongs there now1 and is free to all that ,god has given to all ,his own4,,vi4 ,is all this real and true8 ,yes6 ,as real and true as that ,christ hung on the cross and lay in the grave2 as real and true as that we were dead in trespasses and sins2 as real and true as the truth of ,god can make it2 as real and true as the indwelling of the ,holy ,spirit in the body of every true believer4 ,mark1 reader1 we are not now speaking of the practical working-out of all this glorious truth in the life of ,christians from day to day4 ,this is another thing altogether4 ,alas1 alas6 if our only idea of true ,christian position were to be drawn from the practical career of professing ,christians1 we might give up ,christianity as a myth or a sham4 ,but1 thank ,god1 it is not so4 ,we must learn what true ,christianity is from the pages of the ,new ,testament1 and1 having learnt it there1 judge ourselves1 our ways1 our surroundings1 by its heavenly light4 ,in this way1 while we shall ever have to confess and mourn our shortcomings1 our hearts shall ever1 more and more1 be filled with praise to ,him whose infinite grace has brought us into such a glorious position1 in union and fellowship with ,his own ,son--a position1 blessed be ,god1 in nowise dependent upon our personal state1 but which1 if really apprehended1 must exert a powerful influence upon our entire course1 conduct1 and character4 ,,footnote3 ,,vi4 ,there are three very distinct aspects of the death of ,christ which1 to apprehend clearly1 is of unspeakable value to the soul4 #ast4 ,that which is typified in the blood of the paschal lamb on ,israel's doors in ,egypt4 ,this is the judgment of ,god against the sinner in the person of the ,substitute provided for him4 ,rom4 iii4 #bc-bg applies to this4 ,it brings peace to the soul who believes1 for his judgment is passed4 ,christ has borne it in our stead4 #bnd4 ,as revealed at the passage of the ,red ,sea4 ,there it is fully manifested that ,god is for ,his people2 ,he has completely overcome their enemy and freed them from his power forever4 ,the prince and his hosts1 who ruled over them unto death1 are drowned in the sea4 ,god's people have passed out of his dominions1 and can now go on with ,god in perfect freedom4 ,no condemnation remains4 ,henceforth1 to faith1 ,satan is a vanquished foe4 ,god's people are delivered2 they can now1 in settled peace1 worship1 praise1 and serve their ,god4 ,blessed1 holy deliverance and service6 ,rom4 vi4-vii4 gives the full teaching of this aspect of the death of ,christ4 #crd4 ,as seen in the passage of ,jordan4 ,there is no judgment to escape there2 no foe pressing behind4 ,it is a question of entering the good land which is just across4 ,it is the death of ,christ here as the ending of ,his people's history as children of ,adam2 that1 by resurrection1 ,he may now introduce them1 as having died and risen with ,him1 into the place of glory where ,he has gone4 ,by this it can be said1 ,as ,he is1 so are we in this world 7,i ,john iv4 #ag7 ,col4 ii4 #aj-;iii4 #d1 is the ,new ,testament doctrine of this precious truth4 ,,ed4 ,,part ,,iv4 ,the more deeply we ponder the typical instruction presented in the river ,jordan1 the more clearly we must see that the whole ,christian position is involved in the standpoint from which we view it4 ,jordan means death1 but1 for the believer1 a death that is past--the death we have gone through as identified with ,christ1 and which1 through resurrection1 has brought us on the other side--the ,canaan side--where ,he is now4 ,he1 typified by the ark1 has passed over before us into ,jordan1 to stem its torrent for us1 and make it a dry path for our feet1 so that we might pass clean over into our heavenly inheritance4 ,the ,prince of life has destroyed1 on our behalf1 him that had the power of death4 ,he has taken the sting from death2 yea1 ,he has made death itself the very means by which we reach1 even now1 in spirit and by faith1 the true heavenly ,canaan4 ,let us see how all this is unfolded in our type4 ,mark particularly the commandment given by the officers of the host4 ,when ye see the ark of the covenant of the ,lord your ,god1 and the priests the ,levites bearing it1 then ye shall remove from your place1 and go after it4 ,the ark must go first4 ,they dared not to move one inch along that mysterious way1 until the symbol of the divine ,presence had gone before4 ,yet there shall be a space between you and it1 about two thousand cubits by measure3 come not near unto it that ye may know the way by which ye must go2 for ye have not passed this way heretofore4 ,it was an awful flood ahead of them4 ,no mortal could tread it with impunity4 ,death and destruction are linked together4 ,it is appointed unto men once to die2 but after this the judgment 7,heb4 ix47 ,who can stand before the king of terrors8 ,who can face that grim and terrible foe8 ,who can encounter the swellings of ,jordan8 ,who1 except the ,ark go first1 can face death and judgment8 ,poor ,peter thought he could2 but he was sadly mistaken4 ,he said unto ,jesus1 ,lord1 whither goest thou8 ,jesus answered him1 ,whither ,i go1 thou canst not follow ,me now2 but thou shalt follow ,me afterwards4 ,how fully these words explain the import of that mystic space between ,israel and the ark4 ,peter did not understand that space4 ,he had not studied aright ,josh4 iii4 #d4 ,he knew nothing of that terrible pathway which his blessed ,master was about to enter upon4 ,peter said unto ,him1 ,lord1 why cannot ,i follow ,thee now8 ,i will lay down my life for ,thy sake4 ,poor dear ,peter6 ,how little he knew of himself1 or of that which he was--sincerely1 no doubt1 though ignorantly--undertaking to do6 ,how little did he imagine that the very sound of death's dark river1 heard even in the distance1 would be sufficient so to terrify him1 as to make him curse and swear that he did not know his ,master6 ,jesus answered him1 ,wilt thou lay down thy life for ,my sake8 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied ,me thrice4 ,yet there shall be a space between you and it4 ,how needful6 ,how absolutely essential6 ,truly there was a space between ,peter and his ,lord4 ,jesus had to go before4 ,he had to meet death in its most terrific form4 ,he had to tread that rough path in profound solitude--for who could accompany ,him8 ,there shall be a space between you and it3 come not near to it1 that ye may know the way by which ye must go2 for ye have not passed this way heretofore4 ,thou canst not follow ,me now3 but thou shalt follow me afterwards4 ,blessed ,master6 ,he would not suffer ,his poor feeble servant to enter upon that terrible path1 until ,he ,himself had gone before1 and so entirely changed its character1 that the pathway of death should be lighted up with the beams of life and the light of ,god's face4 ,our ,jesus has abolished death1 and brought life and incorruptibility to light by the gospel4 ,thus death is no longer death to the believer4 ,it was death to ,jesus1 in all its intensity1 in all its horrors1 in all its reality4 ,he met it as the power which ,satan wields over the soul of man4 ,he met it as the penalty due to sin4 ,he met it as the just judgment of ,god against sin--against us4 ,there was not a single feature1 not a single ingredient1 not a single circumstance1 which could possibly render death formidable which did not enter into the death of ,christ4 ,he met all2 and1 blessed be ,god1 we are accounted as having gone through all in and by ,him4 ,we died in ,him1 so that death has no further claim upon us1 or power over us4 ,its claims are disposed of1 its power broken and gone for all believers4 ,the whole scene is cleared completely of death1 and filled with life and incorruptibility4 ,and hence1 in ,peter's case1 we find our ,lord1 in the last chapter of ,john1 most graciously meeting the desire of ,his servant's heart--a desire in which he was perfectly sincere--the desire to follow his beloved ,lord4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 ,when thou wast young1 thou girdest thyself1 and walkedst whither thou wouldest2 but when thou shalt be old1 thou shalt stretch forth thy hands1 and another shall gird thee1 and carry thee whither thou wouldest not4 ,this spake ,he signifying by what death he should glorify ,god4 ,thus death1 instead of being the judgment of ,god to overwhelm ,peter1 was turned into a means by which ,peter could glorify ,god4 ,what a glorious change6 ,what a stupendous mystery6 ,how it magnifies the cross1 or rather the ,one who hung thereon6 ,what a mighty revolution1 when a poor sinful man can1 by death1 glorify ,god6 ,so completely has death been robbed of its sting1 so thoroughly has its character been changed that1 instead of shrinking from it with terror1 we can meet it1 if it does come1 and go through it with song of victory2 and instead of its being to us the wages of sin1 it is a means by which we can glorify ,god4 ,all praise to ,him who has so wrought for us6 to ,him who has gone down into ,jordan's deepest depths for us1 and made there a highway by which ,his ransomed people can pass over into their heavenly inheritance6 ,may our hearts adore ,him6 ,may all our powers be stirred up to magnify ,his holy name6 ,may our whole life be devoted to ,his praise6 ,may we appreciate the grace and lay hold of the inheritance4 ,but we must proceed with our type4 ,and ,joshua spake unto the priests1 saying1 ,take up the ark of the covenant1 and pass over before the people4 ,and they took up the ark of the covenant1 and went before the people4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,joshua1 ,this day will ,i begin to magnify thee in the sight of all ,israel1 that they may know that as ,i was with ,moses1 so ,i will be with thee4 ,joshua stands before us as a type of the risen ,christ1 leading ,his people1 in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 into their heavenly inheritance4 ,the priests bearing the ark into the midst of ,jordan typify ,christ going down into death for us1 and destroying completely its power4 ,he passed through death's dark raging flood1 to make our rest secure2 and not only to make it secure1 but to lead us into it1 in association with ,himself1 now1 in spirit and by faith2 by-and-by1 in actual fact4 ,and ,joshua said unto the children of ,israel1 ,come hither1 and hear the words of the ,lord your ,god4 ,and ,joshua said1 ,hereby ye shall know that the living ,god is among you1 and that ,he will without fail drive out from before you the ,canaanites4444 ,behold1 the ark of the covenant of the ,lord of all the earth passeth over before you into ,jordan4 ,the passage of the ark into ,jordan proved two things1 namely1 the presence of the living ,god in the midst of ,his people2 and that ,he would most surely drive out all their enemies from before them4 ,the death of ,christ is the basis and the guarantee of everything to faith4 ,grant us but this1 that ,christ has gone down into death for us1 and we argue1 with all possible confidence1 that1 in this one great fact1 all is secured4 ,god is with us1 and ,god is for us4 ,he that spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all1 how shall ,he not with ,him also freely give us all things8 ,the difficulty of unbelief is1 ,how shall ,he8 ,the difficulty of faith is1 ,how shall ,he not8 ,israel might wonder how all the hosts of ,canaan could ever be expelled from before them3 let them gaze on the ark in the midst of ,jordan1 and cease to wonder1 cease to doubt4 ,the less is included in the greater4 ,and hence we can say1 ,what may we not expect1 seeing that ,christ has died for us8 ,there is nothing too good1 nothing too great1 nothing too glorious1 for ,god to do for us1 and in us1 and with us1 seeing ,he has not spared ,his only-begotten ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all4 ,everything is secured for us by the precious death of ,christ4 ,it has opened up the everlasting flood-gates of the love of ,god1 so that the rich streams thereof might flow down into the very depths of our souls4 ,it fills us with the sweetest assurance that the ,one who could bruise ,his only-begotten ,son1 on the cursed tree1 for us1 will meet our every need1 carry us through all our difficulties1 and lead us into the full possession and enjoyment of all that ,his eternal purpose of grace has in store for us4 ,having given us such a proof of ,his love1 even when we were yet sinners1 what may we not expect at ,his hands now that ,he views us in association with that blessed ,one who glorified ,him in death--the death that ,he died for us8 ,when ,israel saw the ark in the midst of ,jordan1 they were entitled to consider that all was secured4 ,as our ,lord also said to ,his disciples before leaving them1 ,be of good cheer1 ,i have overcome the world2 and1 in view of ,his cross1 ,he could say1 ,now is the prince of this world cast out4 ,true1 ,israel had1 as we know1 to take possession3 they had to plant their feet upon the inheritance2 but the power that could stem death's dark waters1 could also drive out every foe from before them1 and put them in peaceful possession of all that ,god had promised4 ,,part ,v4 ,in closing this series of brief papers on ,gilgal1 we must turn our thoughts to the practical application of that which has been engaging our attention4 ,if it be true--and it is true--that ,jesus died for us1 it is equally true that we have died in ,him2 as one of our own poets has sweetly put it3 ,for me1 ,lord ,jesus1 ,thou hast died ,and ,i have died in ,thee3 ,thou'rt risen--my bands are all untied1 ,and now ,thou livest in me4 ,the ,father's face of radiant grace ,shines now in light on me4 ,now this is a great practical truth--none more so4 ,it lies at the very foundation of all true ,christianity4 ,if ,christ has died for us1 then1 in very deed1 ,he has taken us completely out of our old condition1 with all that appertained to it1 and placed us upon an entirely new footing4 ,we can look back from resurrection-ground on which we now stand1 into the dark river of death1 and see there1 in its deepest depths1 the memorial of the victory gained for us by the ,prince of ,life4 ,we do not look forward to death2 we look back at it4 ,we can truly say1 ,the bitterness of death is past4 ,jesus met death for us in its most terrible form4 ,just as the river of ,jordan was divided when it presented its most formidable appearance--for ,jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest--so our ,jesus encountered our last great enemy1 vanquished him in his most fearful form1 and left behind1 in the very centre of death's dark domain1 the imperishable record of ,his glorious victory4 ,all praise1 homage1 and adoration to ,his peerless name6 ,it is our privilege1 by faith and in spirit1 to stand on ,canaan's side of ,jordan1 and erect our memorial of what the ,saviour1 the true ,joshua1 has done for us4 ,and it came to pass1 when all the people were clean passed over ,jordan1 that the ,lord spake unto ,joshua1 saying1 ,take you twelve men out of the people1 out of every tribe a man4 ,and command ye them1 saying1 ,take you hence out of the midst of ,jordan1 out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm1 twelve stones2 and ye shall carry them over with you1 and leave them in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge this night4 ,then ,joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of ,israel1 out of every tribe a man4 ,and ,joshua said unto them1 ,pass over before the ark of the ,lord your ,god1 into the midst of ,jordan1 and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder1 according unto the number of the tribes of the children of ,israel3 that this may be a sign among you1 that when your children ask their fathers in time to come1 saying1 ,what mean ye by these stones8 then ye shall answer them1 ,that the waters of ,jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the ,lord2 when it passed over ,jordan1 the waters of ,jordan were cut off3 and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of ,israel for ever 7,josh4 iv3 ,i-#g74 ,the great fact was to be seized1 and practically carried out by the whole assembly1 of every tribe a man--every man of you a stone upon his shoulder1 a stone taken from the very spot where the priests' feet stood firm4 ,all were to be brought into living personal contact with the great mysterious fact that the waters of ,jordan were cut off4 ,all were to engage in erecting such a memorial of this fact as should elicit inquiry from their children as to what it meant4 ,it was never to be forgotten4 ,what a lesson is here for us6 ,are we erecting our memorial8 ,are we giving evidence--such evidence as may strike even the mind of a child--of the fact that our ,jesus has vanquished the power of death for us8 ,are we affording any practical proof in daily life that ,christ has died for us1 and that we have died in ,him8 ,is there aught in our actual history1 from day to day1 answering to the figure set forth in the passage just quoted--every man of you a stone upon his shoulder8 ,are we declaring plainly that we have passed clean over ,jordan--that we belong to heaven--that we are not in the flesh1 but in the ,spirit8 ,do our children see aught in our habits and ways1 in our spirit and deportment1 in our whole character and manner of life1 leading them to inquire1 ,what mean ye by these things8 ,are we living as those who are dead with ,christ--dead to sin--dead to the world8 ,are we practically freed from the world--letting go our hold of present things1 in the power of communion with a risen ,christ8 ,these are searching questions for the soul1 beloved ,christian reader4 ,let us seek to meet them honestly1 as in the divine presence4 ,we profess these things1 we hold them in theory4 ,we say we believe that ,jesus died for us1 and that we died in ,him4 ,where is the proof--where the abiding memorial--where the stone on the shoulder8 ,let us judge ourselves honestly before ,god4 ,let us no longer rest satisfied with anything short of the thorough1 practical1 habitual carrying out of the great truth that we are dead1 and our life is hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,mere profession is worthless4 ,we want the living power--the true result--the proper fruit4 ,and the people came up out of ,jordan on the tenth day of the first month1 and encamped in ,gilgal1 in the east border of ,jericho4 ,and those twelve stones which they took out of ,jordan--stones of peculiar import--no other stones could tell such a tale1 teach such a lesson1 or symbolize such a stupendous fact--no other stones like them--those twelve stones did ,joshua pitch in ,gilgal4 ,and he spake unto the children of ,israel1 saying1 ,when your children shall ask their fathers in time to come1 saying1 ,what mean these stones8 then ye shall let your children know1 saying1 ,israel came over this ,jordan on dry land4 ,for the ,lord your ,god dried up the waters of ,jordan from before you1 until ye were passed over1 as the ,lord your ,god did to the ,red ,sea1 which ,he dried up from before us1 until we were gone over3 that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the ,lord1 that it is mighty3 that ye might fear the ,lord your ,god forever4 ,here1 then1 we see ,israel at ,gilgal4 ,everything was finished that the ,lord commanded ,joshua to speak unto the people1 according to all that ,moses commanded ,joshua4 ,every member of the host had passed clean over ,jordan--not one had been suffered to feel the slightest touch of the river of death4 ,grace had brought them all safely over into the inheritance promised to their fathers4 ,they were not only separated from ,egypt by the ,red ,sea1 but actually brought into ,canaan across the dry bed of the ,jordan1 and encamped in ,gilgal1 in the plains of ,jericho4 ,and now mark what follows4 ,and it came to pass1 when all the kings of the ,amorites which were on the side of ,jordan westward1 and all the kings of the ,canaanites which were by the sea1 heard that the ,lord had dried up the waters of ,jordan from before the children of ,israel1 until we were passed over1 that their heart melted1 neither was there spirit in them any more1 because of the children of ,israel4 ,at that time--note the words6--when all the nations were paralyzed with terror at the very thought of this people--at that time the ,lord said unto ,joshua1 ,make thee sharp knives1 and circumcise again the children of ,israel the second time4 ,how deeply significant is this3 ,how suggestive are these sharp knives6 ,how needful6 ,if ,israel are about to bring the sword upon the ,canaanites1 ,israel must have the sharp knife applied to themselves4 ,they had never been circumcised in the wilderness4 ,the reproach of ,egypt had never been rolled away from them4 ,and ere they could celebrate the passover1 and eat of the old corn of the land of ,canaan1 they must have the sentence of death written upon them4 ,no doubt this was aught but agreeable to nature2 but it must be done4 ,how could they take possession of ,canaan with the reproach of ,egypt resting upon them8 ,how could uncircumcised people dispossess the ,canaanites8 ,impossible6 ,the sharp knives had to do their work throughout the camp of ,israel ere they could eat of ,canaan's food or prosecute the warfare which of necessity belongs to it4 ,and ,joshua made him sharp knives1 and circumcised the children of ,israel at the hill of the foreskins4 ,and this is the cause why ,joshua did circumcise4 ,all the people that came out of ,egypt that were males1 even all the men of war1 died in the wilderness by the way1 after they came out of ,egypt4444 ,and their children1 whom he raised up in their stead1 them ,joshua circumcised3 for they were uncircumcised1 because they had not circumcised them by the way4444 ,and the ,lord said unto ,joshua1 ,this day have ,i rolled away the reproach of ,egypt from off you4 ,wherefore the name of the place is called ,gilgal 7rolling7 unto this day4 ,and the children of ,israel encamped in ,gilgal1 and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month1 at even1 in the plains of ,jericho4 ,and they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover1 unleavened cakes and parched corn1 in the self-same day4 ,and the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land2 neither had the children of ,israel manna any more2 but they did eat of the fruit of the land of ,canaan that year4 ,here1 then1 we have a type of the full ,christian position4 ,the ,christian is a heavenly man1 dead to the world1 crucified with ,christ1 associated with ,him where ,he now is1 and1 while waiting for ,his appearing1 occupied in heart with ,him1 feeding by faith upon ,him as the proper nourishment of the new man4 ,such is the ,christian's position--such his portion4 ,but in order to enter fully into the enjoyment thereof1 there must be the application of the sharp knife to all that belongs to mere nature4 ,there must be the sentence of death written upon that which ,scripture designates as the old man4 ,all this must be really and practically entered into if we would maintain our position or enjoy our proper portion as heavenly men4 ,if we are indulging nature2 if we are living in a low1 worldly atmosphere2 if we are going in for this world's pursuits1 its pleasures1 its politics1 its riches1 its honors1 its fashions1 and its distinctions--then1 verily1 it is impossible that we can be enjoying fellowship with our risen ,head and ,lord4,,vii4 ,christ is in heaven1 and to enjoy ,him we must be living1 in spirit and by faith1 where ,he is4 ,he is not of this world2 and if we are of it1 we cannot be enjoying fellowship with ,him4 ,if we say that we have fellowship with ,him1 and walk in darkness1 we lie1 and do not the truth 7,i ,john i4 #f74 ,this is most solemn4 ,if ,i am living in and of the world1 ,i am walking in darkness1 and ,i can have no fellowship with a heavenly ,christ4 ,wherefore1 says the blessed apostle1 if ye be dead with ,christ from the rudiments of the world1 why1 as though living in the world1 are ye subject to ordinances8 ,do we really understand these words8 ,have we weighed the full force of the expression1 living in the world8 ,is the ,christian not to be as one living in the world8 ,clearly not4 ,he is to live1 in spirit1 where ,christ is4 ,as to fact1 he is obviously on this earth1 moving up and down1 and in and out1 in the varied relations of life1 and in the varied spheres of action in which the hand of ,god has set him4 ,but his home is in heaven4 ,his life is there4 ,his object1 his rest1 his proper all1 is in heaven4 ,he does not belong to earth4 ,his citizenship is in heaven2 and in order to make this good in practice from day to day1 there must be the denial of self1 the mortification of our members4 ,all this comes vividly out in ,col4 iii4 ,indeed1 it would be impossible to give a more striking exposition of the entire subject of ,gilgal than that presented in the following lines3 ,if ye then be risen with ,christ1 seek those things which are above1 where ,christ sitteth on the right hand of ,god4 ,set your affections on things above1 not on things on the earth4 ,for ye have died1 and your life is hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,when ,christ our life shall appear1 then shall ye also appear with ,him in glory4 ,and now comes the true spiritual import and application of ,gilgal and its sharp knives--,mortify1 therefore1 your members which are upon the earth4 ,may the ,holy ,spirit lead us into a deeper and fuller understanding of our place1 portion and practice as ,christians4 ,would to ,god that we better knew what it is to feed upon the old corn of the land1 at the true spiritual ,gilgal1 that thus we might be better fitted for the conflict and service to which we are called6 ,,footnote3 ,,vii4 ,the reader may here remark that the old corn of the land of ,canaan is a type of ,christ risen and glorified4 ,the manna is a type of ,christ in ,his humiliation4 ,the remembrance of ,him in the latter is ineffably precious to the soul4 ,it is sweet to look back and trace ,his way as the lowly1 humble1 self-emptied man4 ,this is to feed upon the hidden manna--,christ1 once humbled here4 ,nevertheless1 a risen1 ascended and glorified ,christ is the true object for the heart of the ,christian2 but to enjoy ,him there1 the reproach of this present evil world--all conformity to it--must be rolled away from us by the spiritual application of the circumcision of ,christ4 ,he was not conformed to this world1 and we must be prepared to identify ourselves with ,him in this4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,the ,,confirmation ,,vows ,all that the ,lord hath spoken we will do4 ,such were the memorable words with which the people of ,israel virtually abandoned the ground on which the blessed ,god had just been setting them1 and on which1 too1 ,he had dealt with them in bringing them up out of the land of ,egypt4 ,ye have seen1 said ,he1 what ,i did unto the ,egyptians1 and how ,i bare you on eagles' wings1 and brought you unto ,myself4 ,all this was grace--pure1 perfect1 divine grace4 ,he heard the groans and beheld the sorrows of the people amid the darkness and degradation of ,egyptian bondage1 and in ,his unmingled mercy ,he came down to deliver them4 ,he sought not their aid1 ,he looked not for aught from them4 ,his own arm brought salvation4 ,he acted for them1 with them1 and in them2 and that1 too1 in the solitariness and sovereignty of ,his own unfailing grace4 ,he said to ,moses at the opening of the book of ,exodus1 ,i am come down to deliver them4 ,this was absolute and unqualified grace4 ,there was no if1 no but1 no condition1 no vow1 no resolve4 ,it was ,,free ,,grace1 founded upon ,god's eternal counsels1 and righteously displayed in immediate connection with the blood of the ,lamb4 ,hence1 from first to last1 the word to ,israel was1 stand still1 and see the salvation of ,jehovah4 ,they were not called to resolve1 or to vow1 or to do4 ,god was acting for them--,he was doing ,,all3 ,he placed ,himself between them and every enemy1 and every evil4 ,he spread forth the shield of ,his salvation that they might hide themselves behind its impenetrable defences1 and abide there in peace4 ,but1 alas1 ,israel made a vow--a strange1 a singular vow indeed4 ,not satisfied with ,god's doings1 they would fain talk of their own4 ,they would be doing1 as if ,god's salvation were incomplete2 and in lamentable ignorance of their own weakness and nothingness1 they said1 ,all that the ,lord hath spoken we will do4 ,this was taking a bold stand1 a high ground4 ,for a poor worm to make such a vow proved how little grace was really understood1 or nature's true condition apprehended4 ,however1 ,israel having undertaken to do1 they were put to the test1 and the most cursory view of ,ex4 xix4 will be sufficient to show what a marked change took place the moment they had uttered the words we will do4 ,the ,lord had just reminded them of how ,he bare them on eagles' wings1 and brought them unto ,himself2 but now ,he says1 ,set bounds unto the people round about1 saying1 ,take heed to yourselves1 that ye go not up into the mount1 or touch the border of it3 whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death4 ,this was a very different aspect of things4 ,and let my reader remember1 it was the simple result of man's having said1 ,i will do4 ,there is far more involved in those words than many might imagine4 ,if we take our eyes off from ,god's actings1 and fix them on our own1 the consequences must be disastrous in the extreme4 ,but we shall see this more fully ere we close this paper4 ,let us now inquire how the house of ,israel fulfilled their singular vow4 ,we shall see that it ended like human vows in every age4,,viii4 ,did they do all that the ,lord commanded8 ,did they continue in all things which are written in the book of the law1 to do them8 ,alas1 no4 ,on the contrary1 we find that ere the tables of testimony were given1 they had broken the very first commandment in the ,decalogue1 by making a golden calf1 and bowing down thereto4 ,this was the earliest fruit of their broken vow2 and then1 onward they went1 from stage to stage1 dishonoring the name of the ,lord--breaking ,his laws1 despising ,his judgments1 trampling under foot ,his sacred institutions4 ,then followed the stoning of ,his messengers whom1 in patient grace and long-suffering1 ,he sent unto them4 ,finally1 when the only-begotten ,son came forth from the bosom of the ,father1 they with wicked hearts rejected and with wicked hands crucified ,him4 ,thus we pass from ,sinai to ,calvary3 at the former we hear man undertaking to do all the ,lord's commandments1 and at the latter see him crucifying the ,lord ,himself4 ,so much for man's vows1 so much for man's ,i will do4 ,the fragments of the tables of testimony scattered beneath the fiery mount told the first melancholy tale of the failure of man's audacious resolution3 nor was there any real break in the narrative1 which has its closing scene around the cross of ,calvary4 ,all was failure--gross1 unmitigated failure4 ,thus it must ever be when man presumes to vow or resolve in the presence of ,god4 ,now there is a very striking resemblance between ,israel's vow at the foot of mount ,sinai and the ,confirmation ,vow of the ,establishment4 ,we have rapidly glanced at the former2 let us now refer to the latter4 ,in the ministration of public baptism of infants1 after various prayers and the reading of the ,gospel1 the minister addresses the godfathers and godmothers on this wise3 ,dearly beloved1 ye have brought this child here to be baptized2 ye have prayed that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ would vouchsafe to receive him1 to release him of his sins1 to sanctify him with the ,holy ,ghost1 to give him the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life4 ,ye have heard also that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ hath promised in ,his gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed for3 which promise ,he1 for ,his part1 will most surely keep and perform4 ,wherefore1 after this promise made by ,christ1 this infant must also faithfully1 for his part1 promise by you that are his sureties 7until he come of age to take it upon himself71 that he will renounce the devil and all his works1 and constantly believe ,god's holy word and obediently keep ,his commandments4 ,i demand1 therefore1 ,dost thou1 in the name of this child1 renounce the devil and all his works1 the vain pomp and glory of the world1 with all covetous desires of the same1 and the carnal desires of the flesh1 so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them8 ,answer3 ,i ,,renounce ,,them ,,all4 ,again3 ,wilt thou obediently keep ,god's holy will and commandments1 and walk in the same all the days of thy life8 ,answer3 ,i ,,will4 ,both the above vows the children1 when come to years of discretion1 deliberately and solemnly take upon themselves1 as may be seen by reference to ,the ,order of ,confirmation4 ,thus we have1 in the first place1 people vowing and resolving1 on behalf of unconscious infants1 to renounce the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 and to keep all ,god's commandments1 all the days of their life2 and1 in the second place1 we find those children1 in due time1 placing themselves under the weight of those awful vows2 and all this1 moreover1 as a necessary condition to the fulfilment of ,christ's promise4 ,that is to say1 if they allow aught of the world1 the flesh or the devil to adhere to them2 or if they fail in the faithful keeping of all ,god's commandments1 then they cannot be saved1 but must1 so far as they are concerned1 inevitably be condemned4 ,in short1 salvation is here made to depend on a covenant to which man makes himself a party4 ,christ is represented as willing to do ,his part1 provided always that man accomplishes his2 but not otherwise4 ,in other words1 there is an if in the matter1 and1 as a consequence1 there never is1 and never can be1 the certainty of salvation2 yea1 there can only be the constant terror of eternal condemnation hanging over the soul2 that is1 if there is any thought about the matter at all4 ,if the heart is not perfectly assured of the fact that ,christ has in very deed done all2 that ,he has put away our sin2 that ,he has forever canceled our debt2 that ,he has settled1 by ,his perfect sacrifice1 every question that could possibly arise1 whether it be the charges of conscience1 the accusings of ,satan1 or the claims of divine justice2 that ,he has not left a cloud on the prospect2 that all is perfectly done--in a word1 that we stand before ,god in the power of divine righteousness1 and in the same favor with ,his own ,son2 if1 ,i say1 there be any doubt in the soul as to the eternal truth of all these things--then there cannot be settled peace4 ,and that there is not this settled peace in the case of those who have taken on themselves the above tremendous vows is but too evident from the clouds and darkness which hang around their spirits as they tread the next stage of their ecclesiastical journey4 ,we could hardly expect that persons who boldly vow to renounce all evil1 and perfectly to fulfil all good1 could approach the ,lord's table with any other acknowledgment than the following1 namely3 ,the burden of our sins is intolerable4 ,it would need an obtuse conscience to be able to shake off the conviction that those vows have been unfulfilled2 and then1 assuredly1 the burden must be intolerable4 ,if ,i have taken vows upon me1 they will1 without doubt1 prove in the sequel to be dishonored vows2 and thus the whole matter of my salvation comes to the ground1 and ,i find myself1 according to the terms of my own self-chosen covenant1 righteously exposed to the curses of a broken law4 ,i have undertaken to do everything2 and yet ,i have in reality done nothing4 ,hence ,i am cursed2 for the word is1 ,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law1 to do them4 ,nor will it at all alter the matter to say that those extraordinary vows are entered into in dependence upon divine grace2 for there cannot be such a thing as dependence upon grace when people are placing themselves directly under the law4 ,no two things can be more opposite than law and grace4 ,they are put in direct contrast in ,paul's epistles to the ,romans and ,galatians4 ,whosoever of you are justified by the law 7,greek3 en nomo71,,ix4 ye are fallen from grace 7,gal4 v4 #d74 ,hence1 to think of depending upon grace when putting myself under law is precisely the same as if ,i were to look to ,god for grace to enable me to subvert the entire gospel of ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,as many as are of works of law 7,greek3 ergon nomou7,,ix4 are under the curse4 ,could ,i depend upon ,god's grace to enable me to abide under the curse8 ,the thought is preposterous in the extreme4 ,and be it observed that the apostle1 in the last-quoted passage1 does not merely say1 ,as many as fail to keep the law are under the curse4 ,this he distinctly teaches1 no doubt2 but the special point is1 that as many as attempt to stand before ,god on the ground of works of law1 are of necessity under the curse1 for the simplest of all reasons1 that they are not able to satisfy ,his claims4 ,in order for man to satisfy ,god's claims1 he must bewhat in himself he cannot be2 that is1 without sin4 ,the law demands1 as its right1 perfect obedience2 and those who take upon them the ,confirmation ,vows promise perfect obedience4 ,they promise to renounce all evil1 and to fulfil all good1 in the most absolute manner2 and moreover1 they make their salvation to depend upon their fulfilment of those vows2 else why make them at all8 ,this1 when looked at in the light of the apostolic teaching in ,romans and ,galatians1 is the most complete denial of all the fundamental truths of the gospel4 ,in the first place1 it is a denial of man's total ruin1 of his condition as one dead in trespasses and sins1 alienated from the life of ,god1 without strength1 ungodly1 enmity against ,god4 ,if ,i can undertake to renounce all evil1 and to do all ,god's commandments1 then1 assuredly1 ,i do not know myself to be a lost1 ruined1 helpless creature2 and1 as a consequence1 ,i do not need a ,saviour4 ,if ,i can boldly undertake to renounce and to do1 to keep and to walk1 ,i am manifestly not lost1 and hence ,i do not want salvation2 ,i am not dead1 and hence ,i do not want life2 ,i am not without strength1 and hence ,i do not want the energy of that new1 that divine life which is imparted by the ,holy ,ghost to all who1 by ,his grace1 believe in the ,son of ,god4 ,if ,i am capable of doing for myself1 ,i do not want another1 even the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to do all for me4 ,again1 as flowing out of what has already been stated1 those vows do entirely set aside the essential glories1 divine dignities and sacred virtues of the cross of ,christ4 ,if ,i can get a godfather and godmother to take vows on them on my behalf until ,i am capable of taking them on myself1 then it is evident ,i cannot possibly know the deep blessedness of having all my vows1 all my responsibilities and liabilities as a lost sinner1 all my sins and shortcomings1--everything1 in short1--fully and eternally answered in the ,cross4 ,if there is anything in my case which has not been perfectly settled in the ,cross1 then ,i must inevitably perish4 ,i may make vows and resolutions1 but they are as the morning cloud that passeth away4 ,i may get a sponsor to renounce the devil on my behalf1 and ,i may in due time talk of renouncing him for myself2 but what if the devil all the while has fast hold of both my sponsor and myself8 ,he will not renounce me1 unless the chain by which he binds me has been snapped asunder by the ,cross4 ,again1 ,i may get a sponsor to undertake to keep all ,god's commandments for me1 and1 in due time1 ,i may undertake to keep them for myself2 but what if neither my sponsor nor ,i really understand the true nature or spirituality1 the majesty or stringency1 of that law8 ,yea1 more4 ,what if both he and ,i are1 by our very vows1 made debtors to do the whole law1 and thus shut up under its terrible curse8 ,what then becomes of all our vows and resolutions8 ,is it not plain that ,i am throwing overboard the cross8 ,truly so4 ,that cross must either be everything or nothing to me4 ,if it is anything it must be everything2 and if it is not everything it is nothing4 ,thus it stands1 my beloved reader4 ,the gospel of the grace of ,god sets forth ,christ as the great ,sponsor and ,surety of ,his people4 ,the ,confirmation ,service sets one sinner to stand sponsor for another1 or for himself4 ,the gospel sets forth ,one1 who is possessed of unsearchable riches1 as the security for ,his people2 the ,confirmation ,service sets one bankrupt to stand security for another or for himself4 ,what avails such security8 ,who would accept of it8 ,it is perfectly valueless to ,god and man4 ,if ,i am a bankrupt1 ,i cannot promise to pay anything1 and if ,i could promise1 no one would accept of it--yea1 it would be justly regarded in the light of an empty formality4 ,the promissory note of a bankrupt is little worth2 and truly the vows and resolutions of a poor ruined sinner are not merely an empty formality1 but a solemn mockery1 in the presence of ,almighty ,god4 ,no one who knows himself would presume to vow1 or resolve1 to keep all ,god's commandments--such an one would have the full conviction that he could never do anything of the kind4 ,but1 as a further reply to the statement that those ,confirmation ,vows are made in entire dependence upon the grace of ,god1 ,i would observe that grace can only be known or trusted by those who are ,his4 ,they that know ,thy name will put their trust in ,thee1 and none else4 ,now1 the word of ,god connects eternal life with the knowledge of ,him4 ,this is life eternal1 that they might know ,thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom ,thou hast sent 7,john xvii4 #c74 ,if1 therefore1 ,i have eternal life1 ,i need not make vows to get it4 ,if ,i am eternally saved1 ,i need not make vows to get salvation4 ,if my sins are all canceled by the precious blood of the ,lamb1 ,i need not make vows to get them canceled4 ,neither baptismal vows1 confirmation vows1 sacramental vows1 nor any other vows are necessary for one who has found life1 righteousness1 wisdom1 sanctification1 redemption--yea1 all things in ,christ4 ,the comfort and peace of the feeblest believer are based upon the fact that ,christ took all his vows1 all his liabilities1 all his sins1 all his iniquities entirely upon ,himself1 and1 by ,his death upon the cross1 gloriously discharged them all4 ,this sets him entirely free4 ,hence1 it follows that if ,i am not a child of ,god1 ,i cannot keep vows2 and if ,i am1 ,i need not make them4 ,in either case1 ,i deny man's fallen condition1 and set aside the true glories of the ,cross4 ,it may be in ignorance--it may be with the most sincere intention--no doubt2 but the most profound ignorance and the purest sincerity cannot alter the real principle which lies at the root of all manner of vows1 promises1 and resolutions4 ,there is1 beyond all question1 involved therein a plain denial of the great foundation-truths of the ,christian religion4 ,a vow assumes the competency to fulfil4 ,well1 then1 if ,i vow to keep all ,god's commandments perfectly1 all the days of my life1 ,i am not lost or without strength4 ,i must have strength1 else ,i could not undertake such a ponderous responsibility4 ,and1 my reader1 remark further the strange anomaly involved in this system of vows2 that while it denies my lost estate1 it robs me of everything approaching to a certainty of ever being saved4 ,if ,i resolve to keep ,god's commandments as a necessary condition of my salvation1 ,i never can be sure of being saved until ,i have fulfilled the condition2 but inasmuch as ,i never can fulfil it1 ,i1 therefore1 never can be sure of my salvation2 and thus ,i travel on1 from stage to stage1 from baptism to confirmation1 from confirmation to communion1 and from communion to the death-bed1 in a state of miserable doubt and torturing uncertainty4 ,this is not the gospel4 ,it is a different gospel which is not another4 ,the immediate effect of the work of ,christ1 when laid hold of by faith1 is to give settled peace to the conscience2 the effect of the system of vows1 is to keep the heart in constant doubt and heaviness4 ,how many have approached the ordinance of confirmation with trembling hearts1 at the thought of having to take upon their own shoulders the solemn vows which1 from the period of their baptism1 had rested on their godfathers and godmothers4 ,how could it be otherwise with an honest mind8 ,if ,i am really sincere1 the thought of having to take on myself those solemn baptismal vows1 must fill me with horror4 ,some1 alas6 go through these things with thoughtless hearts and frivolous minds2 but it is evident the confirmation service was never framed for such4 ,it was designed for thoughtful1 serious1 earnest spirits2 and all such must1 assuredly1 retire from the ceremony1 with troubled hearts and burdened consciences4 ,with what different feelings we gaze upon the cross of the ,son of ,god6 ,there1 in good truth1 ,satan was renounced1 and his works destroyed4 ,there the law of ,god was magnified and made honorable1 vindicated1 and established4 ,there the justice of ,god was fully answered4 ,there ,satan was vanquished2 there conscience gets its full answer2 there the cup of ,god's unmingled wrath against sin was drained to the dregs by ,his blessed ,son4 ,where is the proof of all this8 ,not in the unaccomplished1 dishonored vows of poor frail mortals2 but in a risen1 ascended1 glorified ,christ1 seated at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,who that knows aught of the pure and most excellent grace of ,god1 or that has tasted aught of the true blessedness of divinely-accomplished redemption1 could tolerate such language as1 ,,christ ,,for ,,his ,,part and ,,this ,,infant ,,for ,,his ,,part8 ,who that has listened1 by faith1 to those words1 ,it is finished1 issuing1 as they do1 from amid the solemn scenes of ,calvary1 could endure a sinful mortal's ,i do1 or ,i will8 ,what a total setting aside of grace6 ,what a tarnishing of the brightness of ,god's salvation6 ,what an insult to the righteousness of ,god1 which is by faith1 and without works6 ,what a manifest return to a religion of ordinances and the poor works of man6 ,christ and an infant1 or the infant's sureties1 are placed on the same platform to work out salvation4 ,is it not so8 ,if not1 what mean the words1 ,christ for ,his part1 and this infant for his part8 ,is it not plain that salvation is made to depend upon something or some one besides ,christ8 ,unquestionably4 ,the vows must be fulfilled1 or there is no salvation6 ,miserable condition6 ,christ's accomplished work abandoned for a sinner's unaccomplishable vows and resolutions6 ,man's ,i do substituted for ,christ's ,i have finished6 ,my reader1 can you own such a fearful surrender of the truth of ,god8 ,are you content with such a sandy foundation8 ,whither1 think you1 will such a system lead you8 ,to heaven1 or to ,rome8 ,which8 ,be honest4 ,take the ,new ,testament1 search it from cover to cover1 and see if you can find such a thing as infants making vows by proxy1 to renounce the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 and to keep all ,god's commandments1 in order to salvation4 ,there is not so much as a shadow of a foundation for such an idea4 ,by works of law shall no flesh living be justified4 ,but now the righteousness of ,god1 without law1 is manifested1 being witnessed by the law and the prophets4 ,to him that worketh not1 but believeth on ,him that justified the ungodly1 his faith is counted to him for righteousness4 ,for by grace are ye saved1 through faith2 and that not of yourselves it is the gift of ,god3 not of works1 lest any man should boast4 ,not by works of righteousness which we have done1 but according to ,his mercy ,he saved us4 7,see ,rom4 iii4 #bj-bh2 iv4 #d1 #e2 ,eph4 ii4 #h1 #i2 ,titus iii4 #e-g47 ,these are but a very few of the numerous passages which might be adduced in proof of the fact that the ,confirmation ,vows are diametrically opposed to the truth of ,god--totally subversive of the grace of ,god4 ,if my vows mean anything ,i must be miserable1 because ,i am in imminent danger of being lost forever1 inasmuch as ,i have not kept them1 and never could keep them4 ,oh6 what sweet relief for the wearied heart and sin-burdened conscience in the atoning blood of ,jesus6 ,what full deliverance from my worthless and worse than worthless vows6 ,christ has done all4 ,he has put away sin--made peace--brought in everlasting righteousness--brought life and immortality to light4 ,in ,him may you1 my beloved reader1 find abiding peace1 unfading joy1 and everlasting glory4 ,to ,him and ,his perfect work ,i now most affectionately commend you1 body1 soul1 and spirit1 fully assuring you my object in this paper is not to attack the prejudices1 or wound the feelings of any1 but simply to take occasion to show how the perfect work of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is thrown into full and blessed relief by being looked at in contrast with the ,confirmation ,vows4 ,,footnotes3 ,,viii4 ,there is a passage in the book of ,deuteronomy which1 as it may present a difficulty to some minds1 should be noticed here4 ,and the ,lord heard the voice of your words1 when ye spake unto me2 and the ,lord said unto me1 ,i have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee3 they have well said all that they have spoken 7,deut4 v4 #bh74 ,from this passage1 it might seem as though the ,lord approved of their making a vow2 but if my reader will take the trouble of reading the entire context1 from verse #bd to #bg1 he will see that it has nothing whatever to say to the vow1 but that it contains the expression of their terror at the consequences of their vow4 ,they were not able to endure that which was commanded4 ,if1 said they we hear the voice of the ,lord our ,god any more1 then we shall die4 ,for who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living ,god speaking out of the midst of the fire1 as we have1 and lived8 ,go thou near1 and hear all that the ,lord our ,god shall say2 and speak thou unto us all that the ,lord our ,god shall speak unto thee2 and we will hear it and do it4 ,it was the confession of their own inability to encounter ,jehovah in that awful aspect which their proud legality had led ,him to assume4 ,it is impossible that the ,lord could ever commend an abandonment of free and changeless grace for a sandy foundation of works of law4 7,see ,notes on the book of ,exodus1 page #bec4 ,same publishers47 ,,ix4 ,that is1 as many as are on that principle--of law1 works of law4 ,,ed4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,the ,,lord',s ,,supper2 ,,designed ,,for ,,the ,,help ,,of ,,christians ,,in ,,this ,,day ,,of ,,difficulty4 ,,new ,,edition1 ,,revised4 ,,preface ,the institution of the ,lord's ,supper must be regarded1 by every spiritual mind1 as a peculiarly touching proof of the ,lord's gracious care and considerate love for ,his ,church4 ,from the time of its appointment until the present hour1 it has been a steady1 though silent1 witness to a truth which the enemy1 by every means in his power1 has sought to corrupt and set aside1 namely1 that redemption is an accomplished fact to be enjoyed by the weakest believer in ,jesus4 ,eighteen centuries have rolled away since the ,lord ,jesus appointed the bread and the cup in the ,eucharist as the significant symbols of ,his broken body and ,his blood shed for us2 and notwithstanding all the heresy1 all the schism1 all the controversy and strife1 the war of principles and prejudices which the blotted page of ecclesiastical history records1 this most expressive institution has been observed by the saints of ,god in every age4 ,true1 the enemy has succeeded1 throughout a vast section of the professing ,church1 in wrapping it up in a shroud of dark superstition2 in presenting it in such a way as actually to hide from the view of the communicant the grand and eternal reality of which it is the memorial2 in displacing ,christ and ,his accomplished sacrifice by a powerless ordinance--an ordinance1 moreover1 which by the very mode of its administration proves its utter worthlessness and opposition to the truth4 7,see note to page #bi47 ,yet1 notwithstanding ,rome's deadly error in reference to the ordinance of the ,lord's ,supper1 it still speaks to every circumcised ear and every spiritual mind the same deep and precious truth--it shows the ,lord's death till ,he come4 ,the body has been broken1 the blood has been shed ,,once1 no more to be repeated2 and the breaking of bread is but the memorial of this emancipating truth4 ,with what profound interest and thankfulness1 therefore1 should the believer contemplate the bread and the cup6 ,without a word spoken1 there is the setting forth of truths at once the most precious and glorious3 grace reigning--redemption finished--sin put away--everlasting righteousness brought in--the sting of death gone--eternal glory secured--grace and glory revealed as the free gift of ,god and the ,lamb--the unity of the one body1 as baptized by one ,spirit4 ,what a feast6 ,it carries the soul back1 in the twinkling of an eye1 over a lapse of eighteen hundred years1 and shows us the ,master ,himself1 in the same night in which ,he was betrayed1 sitting at the supper table1 and there instituting a feast which1 from that solemn moment1 that memorable night1 until the dawn of the morning1 should lead every believing heart at once backward to the cross and forward to the glory4 ,this feast has ever since1 by the very simplicity of its character1 and yet the deep significance of its elements1 rebuked the superstition that would deify and worship it1 the profanity that would desecrate it1 and the infidelity that would set it aside altogether3 and furthermore1 while it has rebuked all these1 it has strengthened1 comforted and refreshed the hearts of millions of ,god's beloved saints4 ,it is sweet to think of this--sweet to bear in mind1 as we assemble on the first day of the week round the supper of the ,lord1 that apostles1 martyrs and saints have gathered round that feast1 and found therein1 according to their measure1 refreshment and blessing4 ,schools of theology have arisen1 flourished1 and disappeared2 doctors and fathers have accumulated ponderous tomes of divinity2 deadly heresies have darkened the atmosphere1 and rent the professing ,church from one end to the other2 superstition and fanaticism have put forth their baseless theories and extravagant notions2 professing ,christians have split into sects innumerable--all these things have taken place2 but the ,lord's ,supper has continued1 amid the darkness and confusion1 to tell out its simple yet comprehensive tale4 ,as oft as ye eat this bread1 and drink this cup1 ye do show,x4 the ,lord's death till ,he come 7,i ,cor4 xi4 #bf74 ,precious feast6 ,thank ,god for the great privilege of celebrating it6 ,and yet is it but a sign1 the elements of which must1 in nature's view1 be mean and contemptible4 ,bread broken1 wine poured out--how simple6 ,faith alone can read1 in the sign1 the thing signified2 and therefore it needs not the adventitious circumstances which false religion has introduced in order to add dignity1 solemnity and awe to that which derives all its value1 its power and its impressiveness from its being a memorial of an eternal fact which false religion denies4 ,may you and ,i1 beloved reader1 enter with more freshness and intelligence into the meaning of the ,lord's ,supper1 and with deeper experience into the blessedness of breaking that bread which is the communion of the body of ,christ1 and drinking of that cup which is the communion of the blood of ,christ4 ,in closing these few prefatory lines1 ,i commend this treatise to the ,lord's gracious care1 praying ,him to make it useful to the souls of ,his people4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,footnote3 ,x4 ,the ,greek word translated show is more exactly rendered announce or proclaim--same word as in ,i ,cor4 ix4 #ad4 ,,ed4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,the ,,lord',s ,,supper ,for ,i have received of the ,lord that which also ,i delivered unto you1 ,that the ,lord ,jesus1 the same night in which ,he was betrayed1 took bread3 and when ,he had given thanks1 ,he brake it1 and said1 ,take1 eat2 this is ,my body1 which is broken for you3 this do in remembrance of ,me4 ,after the same manner also ,he took the cup1 when ,he had supped1 saying1 ,this cup is the new testament in ,my blood3 this do ye1 as oft as ye drink it1 in remembrance of ,me4 ,for as often as ye eat this bread1 and drink this cup1 ye do show the ,lord's death till ,he come4--,i ,cor4 xi4 #bc-bf4 ,i desire to offer a few brief remarks on the subject of the ,lord's ,supper1 for the purpose of stirring up the minds of all who love the name and institutions of ,christ to a more fervent and affectionate interest in this most important and refreshing ordinance4 ,we should bless the ,lord for ,his gracious consideration of our need in having established such a memorial of ,his dying love1 and also in having spread a table at which all ,his members might present themselves without any other condition than the indispensable one of personal connection with and obedience to ,him4 ,the blessed ,master knew well the tendency of our hearts to slip away from ,him1 and from each other1 and to meet this tendency was one1 at least1 of ,his objects in the institution of the ,supper4 ,he would gather ,his people around ,his own blessed person2 ,he would spread a table for them where1 in view of ,his broken body and shed blood1 they might remember ,him1 and the intensity of ,his love for them1 and from whence1 also1 they might look forward into the future1 and contemplate the glory of which the ,cross is the everlasting foundation4 ,there1 if anywhere1 they would learn to forget their differences1 and to love one another2 there they might see around them those whom ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,god had invited to the feast1 and whom ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,christ had made fit to be there4 ,however1 in order that ,i may the more easily and briefly convey to the mind of my reader what ,i have to say on this subject1 ,i shall confine myself to the four following points1 viz43 #ast4 ,the nature of the ordinance of the ,lord's ,supper4 #b;d4 ,the circumstances under which it was instituted4 #c;d4 ,the persons for whom it was designed4 #dth4 ,the time and manner of its observance4 ,i4 ,and first1 as to the nature of the ordinance of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,this is a cardinal point4 ,if we understand not the nature of the ordinance1 we shall be astray in all our thoughts about it4 ,the ,supper1 then1 is purely and distinctly a feast of thanksgiving--thanksgiving for grace already received4 ,the ,lord ,himself1 at the institution of it1 marks its character by giving thanks4 ,he took bread3 444 when ,he had given thanks1 etc4 ,praise1 and not prayer1 is the suited utterance of those who sit at the table of the ,lord4 ,true1 we have much to pray for1 much to confess1 much to mourn over2 but the table is not the place for mourners3 its language is1 ,give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish1 and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts4 ,let him drink and forget his poverty1 and remember his misery no more4 ,ours is a cup of blessing1 a cup of thanksgiving1 the divinely appointed symbol of that precious blood which has procured our ransom4 ,the bread which we break1 is it not the communion of the body of ,christ8 ,how1 then1 could we break it with sad hearts or sorrowful countenances8 ,could a family circle1 after the toils of the day1 sit down to supper with sighs and gloomy looks8 ,surely not4 ,the supper was the great family meal1 the only one that was sure to bring all the family together4 ,faces that might not have been seen during the day were sure to be seen at the supper table1 and no doubt they would be happy there4 ,just so it should be at the ,lord's ,supper3 the family should assemble there2 and when assembled1 they should be happy1 unfeignedly happy1 in the love that brings them together4 ,true1 each heart may have its own peculiar history--its secret sorrows1 trials1 failures1 and temptations1 unknown to all around2 but these are not the objects to be contemplated at the supper3 to bring them into view is to dishonor the ,lord of the feast1 and make the cup of blessing a cup of sorrow4 ,the ,lord has invited us to the feast1 and commanded us1 notwithstanding all our shortcomings1 to place the fulness of ,his love and the cleansing efficacy of ,his blood between our souls and everything2 and when the eye of faith is filled with ,christ1 there is no room for aught beside4 ,if my sin be the object which fills my eye and engages my thoughts1 of course ,i must be miserable1 because ,i am looking right away from what ,god commands me to contemplate2 ,i am remembering my misery and poverty1 the very things which ,god commands me to forget4 ,hence the true character of the ordinance is lost1 and1 instead of being a feast of joy and gladness1 it becomes a season of gloom and spiritual depression2 and the preparation for it1 and the thoughts which are entertained about it are more what might be expected in reference to mount ,sinai than to a happy family feast4 ,if ever a feeling of sadness could have prevailed at the celebration of this ordinance1 surely it would have been on the occasion of its first institution1 when1 as we shall see when we come to consider the second point in our subject1 there was everything that could possibly produce deep sadness and desolation of spirit2 yet the ,lord ,jesus could give thanks2 the tide of joy that flowed through ,his soul was far too deep to be ruffled by surrounding circumstances2 ,he had a joy even in the breaking and bruising of ,his body and in the pouring forth of ,his blood which lay far beyond the reach of human thought and feeling4 ,and if ,he could rejoice in spirit1 and give thanks in breaking that bread which was to be to all future generations of the faithful the memorial of ,his broken body1 should not we rejoice therein1 we who stand in the blessed results of all ,his toil and passion8 ,yes2 it becomes us to rejoice4 ,but it may be asked1 ,is there no preparation necessary8 are we to sit down at the table of the ,lord with as much indifference as if we were sitting down to an ordinary supper table8 ,surely not--we need to be right in our souls1 and the first step toward this is peace with ,god--that sweet assurance of our eternal salvation which most certainly is not the result of human sighs or penitential tears1 but the simple result of the finished work of the ,lamb of ,god1 attested by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,apprehending this by faith1 we apprehend that which makes us perfectly fit for ,god4 ,many imagine that they are putting honor upon the ,lord's table when they approach it with their souls bowed down into the very dust1 under a sense of the intolerable burden of their sins4 ,this thought can only flow from the legalism of the human heart1 that ever-fruitful source of thoughts at once dishonoring to ,god1 dishonoring to the ,cross of ,christ1 grievous to the ,holy ,ghost1 and completely subversive of our own peace4 ,we may feel quite satisfied that the honor and purity of the ,lord's table are more fully maintained when ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,christ is made the only title than if human sorrow and human penitence were superadded4,,xi4 ,however1 the question of preparedness will come more fully before us as we proceed with our subject2 ,i shall therefore state another principle connected with the nature of the ,lord's ,supper1 viz41 that there is involved in it an intelligent recognition of the oneness of the body of ,christ4 ,the bread which we break1 is it not the communion of the body of ,christ8 ,for we1 being many1 are one bread1 and one body2 for we are all partakers of that one bread4 ,now there was sad failure and sad confusion in reference to this point at ,corinth3 indeed1 the great principle of the ,church's oneness would seem to have been totally lost sight of there4 ,hence the apostle observes that when ye come together into one place1 this is not to eat the ,lord's ,supper1 for every one taketh before other his own supper 7,i ,cor4 xi4 #bj1 #ba74 ,here1 it was isolation1 and not unity2 an individual1 and not a corporate question3 his own supper is strikingly contrasted with the ,lord's ,supper4 ,the ,lord's ,supper demands that the body be fully recognized3 if the one body be not recognized1 it is but sectarianism3 the ,lord ,himself has lost ,his place4 ,if the table be spread upon any narrower principle than that which would embrace the whole body of ,christ1 it is become a sectarian table1 and has lost its claim upon the hearts of the faithful4 ,on the contrary1 where a table is spread upon this divine principle1 which embraces all the members of the body simply as such1 every one who refuses to present himself at it is chargeable with schism1 and that1 too1 upon the plain principles of ,i ,cor4 xi4 ,there must1 says the apostle1 be heresies among you1 that they which are approved may be made manifest among you4 ,when the great ,church principle is lost sight of by any portion of the body1 there must be heresies1 in order that the approved ones may be made manifest6 and under such circumstances it becomes the business of each one to approve himself1 and so to eat4 ,the approved ones stand in contrast with the heretics1 or those who were doing their own will4,,xii4 ,but it may be asked1 ,do not the numerous denominations at present existing in the professing ,church altogether preclude the idea of ever being able to gather the whole body together8 and1 under such circumstances1 is it not better for each denomination to have their own table8 ,if there be any force in this question1 it merely goes to prove that the people of ,god are no longer able to act upon ,god's principles1 but that they are left to the miserable alternative of acting on human expediency4 ,thank ,god1 such is not the case4 ,the truth of the ,lord endureth forever1 and what the ,holy ,ghost teaches in ,i ,cor4 xi4 is binding upon every member of the ,church of ,god4 ,there were divisions1 and heresies1 and unholiness1 existing in the assembly at ,corinth1 just as there are divisions1 and heresies1 and unholiness1 existing in the professing ,church now2 but the apostle did not tell them to set up separate tables on the one hand1 nor yet to cease from breaking bread on the other4 ,no2 he presses upon them the principles and the holiness connected with the ,church of ,god1 and tells those who could approve themselves accordingly to eat4 ,the expression is1 ,so let him eat4 ,we are to eat1 therefore3 our care must be to eat so1 as the ,holy ,ghost teaches us2 and that is in the true recognition of the holiness and oneness of the ,church of ,god4,,xiii4 ,when the ,church is despised1 the ,spirit ,be-must be grieved and dishonored1 and the certain end will be spiritual barrenness and freezing formalism3 and although men may substitute intellectual for spiritual power1 and human talents and attainments for the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 yet will the end be like the heath in the desert4 ,the true way to make progress in the divine life is to live for the ,church1 and not for ourselves4 ,the man who lives for the ,church is in full harmony with the mind of the ,spirit1 and must necessarily grow4 ,on the contrary1 the man who is living for himself1 having his thoughts revolving round1 and his energies concentrated upon1 himself1 must soon become cramped and formal1 and1 in all probability1 openly worldly4 ,yes2 he will become worldly1 in some sense of that extensive term2 for the world and the ,church stand in direct opposition1 the one to the other2 nor is there any aspect of the world in which this opposition is more fully seen than in its religious aspect4 ,what is commonly called the religious world will be found1 when examined in the light of the presence of ,god1 to be more thoroughly hostile to the true interests of the ,church of ,god than almost anything4 ,but ,i must hasten on to other branches of our subject1 only stating another simple principle connected with the ,lord's ,supper1 to which ,i desire to call the special attention of the ,christian reader2 it is this3 the celebration of the ordinance of the ,lord's ,supper should be the distinct expression of the unity of ,,all believers1 and not merely of the unity of a certain number gathered on certain principles1 which distinguish them from others4 ,if there be any term of communion proposed1 save the all-important one of faith in the atonement of ,christ1 and a walk consistent with that faith1 the table becomes the table of a sect1 and possesses no claims upon the hearts of the faithful4 ,furthermore1 if by sitting at the table ,i must identify myself with any one thing1 whether it be principle or practice1 not enjoined in ,scripture1 as a term of communion1 there also the table becomes the table of a sect4 ,it is not a question of whether there may be ,christians there or not2 it would be hard indeed to find a table amongst the reformed communities of which some ,christians are not partakers4 ,the apostle did not say1 there must be heresies among you1 that they which are ,christians may be made manifest among you4 ,no2 but that they which are approved4 ,nor did he say1 ,let a man prove himself a ,christian1 and so let him eat4 ,no2 but let a man approve himself1 i4 e41 let him shew himself to be one of those who are not only upright in their consciences as to their individual act in the matter1 but who are also confessing the oneness of the body of ,christ4 ,when men set up terms of communion of their own1 there you find the principle of heresy2 there1 too1 there must be schism4 ,on the contrary1 where a table is spread in such a manner and upon such principles as that a ,christian1 subject to ,god1 can take his place at it1 then it becomes schism not to be there2 for1 by being there1 and by walking consistently with our position and profession there1 we1 so far as in us lies1 confess the oneness of the ,church of ,god--that grand object for which the ,holy ,ghost was sent from heaven to earth4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 having been raised from the dead1 and having taken ,his seat at the right hand of ,god1 sent down the ,holy ,ghost to earth for the purpose of forming one body4 ,mark1 to form one body--not many bodies4 ,he has no sympathy with the many bodies1 as such2 though ,he has blessed sympathy with many members in those bodies1 because they1 though being members of sects or schisms1 are nevertheless1 members of the one body2 but ,he does not form the many bodies1 but the one body1 for by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body1 whether we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have all been made to drink into one ,spirit 7,i ,cor4 xii4 #ac74 ,i desire that there may be no misunderstanding on this point4 ,i say the ,holy ,ghost cannot approve the schisms in the professing ,church1 for ,he ,himself has said of such1 ,i praise you not4 ,he is grieved by them--,he would counteract them2 ,he baptizes all believers into the unity of the one body1 so that it cannot be thought1 by any intelligent mind1 that the ,holy ,ghost could sustain schisms1 which are a grief and a dishonor to ,him4 ,we must however1 distinguish between the ,spirit's dwelling in the ,church1 and ,his dwelling in individuals4 ,he dwells in the body of ,christ1 which is the ,church 7see ,i ,cor4 iii4 #ag2 ,eph4 ii4 #bb72 ,he dwells also in the body of the believer1 as we read1 your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 which is in you1 which ye have of ,god 7,i ,cor4 vi4 #ai74 ,the only body or community1 therefore1 in which the ,spirit can dwell1 is the whole ,church of ,god2 and the only person in which ,he can dwell is the believer4 ,but1 as has already been observed1 the table of the ,lord1 in any given locality1 should be the exhibition of the unity of the whole ,church4 ,this leads us to another principle connected with the nature of the ,lord's ,supper1 viz41 this1 ,it is an act whereby we not only shew the death of the ,lord until ,he come1 but whereby we also give expression to a fundamental truth1 which cannot be too strongly or too frequently pressed upon the minds of ,christians1 at the present day1 viz41 that all believers are one loaf--one body4 ,it is a very common error to view this ordinance merely as a channel through which grace flows to the soul of the individual1 and not as an act bearing upon the whole body1 and bearing also upon the glory of the ,head of the ,church4 ,that it is a channel through which grace flows to the soul of the individual communicant there can be no doubt1 for there is blessing in every act of obedience4 ,but that individual blessing is but a very small part of it1 can be seen by the attentive reader of ,i ,cor4 xi4 ,it is the ,lord's death and the ,lord's coming1 that are brought prominently before our souls in the ,lord's ,supper2 and where any one of these elements is excluded there must be something wrong4 ,if there be anything to hinder the complete showing forth of the ,lord's death1 or the exhibition of the unity of the body1 or the clear perception of the ,lord's coming1 then there must be something radically wrong in the principle on which the table is spread1 and we only need a single eye1 and a mind entirely subject to the ,word and ,spirit of ,christ1 in order to detect the wrong4 ,let the ,christian reader1 now1 prayerfully examine the table at which he periodically takes his place and see if it will bear the threefold test of ,i ,cor4 xi41 and if not1 let him1 in the name of the ,lord1 and for the sake of the ,church1 abandon it4 ,there are heresies1 and schisms flowing from heresies1 in the professing ,church1 but let a man approve himself1 and so let him eat the ,lord's ,supper2 and if1 once for all1 it be asked1 ,what means the term approved8 it may be answered1 ,it is in the first place1 to be personally true to the ,lord in the act of breaking bread2 and in the next place1 to shake off all schism1 and take our stand1 firmly and decidedly1 upon the broad principle which will embrace all the members of the flock of ,christ4 ,we are not only to be careful that we ourselves are walking in purity of heart and life before the ,lord2 but also1 that the table of which we partake has nothing connected with it that could at all act as a barrier to the unity of the ,church4 ,it is not merely a personal question4 ,nothing more fully proves the low ebb of ,christianity at the present day1 or the fearful extent to which the ,holy ,ghost is grieved1 than the miserable selfishness which tinges1 yea1 pollutes1 the thoughts of professing ,christians4 ,everything is made to hinge upon the mere question of self4 ,it is my forgiveness--my safety--my peace--my happy frames and feelings1 and not the glory of ,christ1 or the welfare of ,his beloved ,church4 ,well1 therefore1 may the words of the prophet be applied to us1 ,thus saith the ,lord1 ,consider your ways4 ,go up to the mountain and bring wood1 and ,,build ,,the ,,house2 and ,i will take pleasure in it and ,i ,,will ,,be ,,glorified4 ,ye looked for much1 and lo1 it came to little2 and when ye brought it home1 ,i did blow upon it4 ,why8 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,because of ,my house that is waste1 and ye run every man to his own house 7,hag4 i4 #g-i74 ,here is the root of the matter4 ,self stands in contrast with the house of ,god2 and1 if self be made the object1 no marvel that there should be a sad lack of spiritual joy1 energy1 and power4 ,to have these1 we must be in fellowship with the ,spirit's thoughts4 ,he thinks of the body of ,christ2 and1 if we are thinking of self1 we must be at issue with ,him2 and the consequences are but too apparent4 ,,ii4 ,having now treated of what ,i conceive to be by far the most important point in our subject1 ,i shall proceed to consider1 in the second place1 the circumstances under which the ,lord's ,supper was instituted4 ,these were particularly solemn and touching4 ,the ,lord was about to enter into dreadful conflict with all the powers of darkness--to meet all the deadly enmity of man2 and to drain to the dregs the cup of ,jehovah's righteous wrath against sin4 ,he had a terrible morrow before ,him--the most terrible that had ever been encountered by man or angel2 yet1 notwithstanding all this1 we read that on the same night in which ,he was betrayed1 ,he took bread4 ,what unselfish love is here6 ,the same night--the night of profound sorrow--the night of ,his agony and bloody sweat---the night of ,his betrayal by one1 and ,his denial by another1 and ,his desertion by all of ,his disciples--on that very night1 the loving heart of ,jesus was full of thoughts about ,his ,church--on that very night ,he instituted the ordinance of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,he appointed the bread to be the emblem of ,his body broken1 and the wine to be the emblem of ,his blood shed2 and such they are to us now1 as often as we partake of them1 for the ,word assures us that as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup1 ye do show the ,lord's death1 till ,he come4 ,now1 all this1 we may say1 attaches peculiar importance and sacred solemnity to the ,supper of the ,lord2 and1 moreover1 gives us some idea of the consequences of eating and drinking unworthily4,,xiv4 ,the voice which the ordinance utters in the circumcised ear is ever the same4 ,the bread and the wine are deeply significant symbols2 the bruised corn and the pressed grape being both combined to minister strength and gladness to the heart3 and not only are they significant in themselves1 but they are also to be used in the ,lord's ,supper1 as being the very emblems which the blessed ,master ,himself ordained on the night previous to ,his crucifixion2 so that faith can behold the ,lord ,jesus presiding at ,his own table--can see ,him take the bread and the wine1 and hear ,him say1 ,take1 eat2 this is ,my body2 and again1 of the cup1 ,drink ye all of it4 ,for this is ,my blood of the ,new ,testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins4 ,in a word1 the ordinance leads the soul back to the eventful night already referred to--brings before us all the reality of the cross and passion of the ,lamb of ,god1 in which our whole souls can rest and rejoice2 it reminds us1 in the most impressive manner1 of the unselfish love and pure devotedness of ,him1 who1 when ,calvary was casting its dark shadow across ,his path1 and the cup of ,jehovah's righteous wrath against sin1 of which ,he was about to be the bearer1 was being filled for ,him1 could1 nevertheless1 busy ,himself about us1 and institute a feast which was to be both the expression of our connection with ,him1 and with all the members of ,his body4 ,and may we not infer1 that the ,holy ,ghost made use of the expression the same night1 for the purpose of remedying the disorders that had arisen in the church at ,corinth8 ,was there not a severe rebuke administered to the selfishness of those who were taking their own supper1 in the ,spirit's reference to the same night in which the ,lord of the feast was betrayed8 ,doubtless there was4 ,can selfishness live in the view of the cross8 ,can thoughts about our own interests1 or our own gratification1 be indulged in the presence of ,him who sacrificed ,himself for us8 ,surely not4 ,could we heartlessly and wilfully despise the ,church of ,god--could we offend or exclude beloved members of the flock of ,christ1 while gazing on that cross on which the ,shepherd of the flock1 and the ,head of the body1 was crucified8,,xv4 ,ah1 no2 let believers only keep near the cross--let them remember the same night--let them keep in mind the broken body and shed blood of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and there will soon be an end to heresy1 schism1 and selfishness4 ,if we could only bear in mind that the ,lord ,himself presides at the table1 to dispense the bread and wine2 if we could hear ,him say1 ,take this1 and divide it among yourselves1 we should be better able to meet all our brethren on the only ,christian ground of fellowship which ,god can own4 ,in a word1 the person of ,christ is ,god's centre of union4 ,i1 said ,christ1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men unto ,me4 ,each believer can hear his blessed ,master speaking from the cross1 and saying of his fellow believers1 ,behold thy brethren2 and1 truly1 if we could distinctly hear this1 we should act1 in a measure1 as the beloved disciple acted towards the mother of ,jesus2 our hearts and our homes would be open to all who have been thus commended to our care4 ,the word is1 ,receive ye one another1 as ,christ also received us to the glory of ,god4 ,there is another point worthy of notice1 in connection with the circumstances under which the ,lord's ,supper was instituted1 namely1 its connection with the ,jewish ,passover4 ,then came the day of unleavened bread1 when the ,passover must be killed4 ,and ,he sent ,peter and ,john1 saying1 ,go and prepare us the ,passover1 that we may eat4444 ,and when the hour was come1 ,he sat down1 and the twelve apostles with ,him4 ,and ,he said unto them1 ,with desire ,i have desired to eat this ,passover with you before ,i suffer2 for ,i say unto you1 ,i will not any more eat thereof1 until it be fulfilled in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,and ,he took the cup i4 e41 the cup of the ,passover1 and gave thanks1 and said1 ,take this and divide it among yourselves2 for ,i say unto you1 ,i will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the ,kingdom of ,god shall come 7,luke xxii4 #g-ah74 ,the ,passover was1 as we know1 the great feast of ,israel1 first observed on the memorable night of their happy deliverance from the thralldom of ,egypt4 ,as to its connection with the ,lord's ,supper1 it consists in its being the marked type of that of which the ,supper is the memorial4 ,the ,passover pointed forward to the cross2 the ,supper points back to it4 ,but ,israel was no longer in a fit moral condition to keep the ,passover1 according to the divine thoughts about it2 and the ,lord ,jesus1 on the occasion above referred to1 was leading ,his apostles away altogether from the ,jewish element to a new order of things4 ,it was no longer to be a lamb sacrificed1 but bread broken and wine drunk in commemoration of a sacrifice ,,once offered1 the efficacy of which was to be eternal4 ,those whose minds are bowed down to ,jewish ordinances1 may still look1 in some way or another1 for the periodical repetition1 either of a sacrifice1 or of something which is to bring them into a place of greater nearness to ,god4,,xvi4 ,some there are who think that in the ,lord's ,supper the soul makes1 or renews1 a covenant with ,god1 not knowing that if we were to enter into covenant with ,god1 we should inevitably be ruined2 as the only possible issue of a covenant between ,god and man is the failure of one of the parties 7i4 e41 man71 and consequent judgment4 ,thank ,god1 there is no such thing as a covenant with us4 ,the bread and wine1 in the ,supper1 speak a deep and wondrous truth2 they tell of the broken body and shed blood of the ,lamb of ,god--the ,lamb of ,god's own providing4 ,here the soul can rest with perfect complacency2 it is ,,the ,,new ,,testament ,,in ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,christ1 and not a covenant between ,god and man4 ,man's covenant had signally failed1 and the ,lord ,jesus had to allow the cup of the fruit of the vine 7the emblem of joy in the earth7 to pass ,him by4 ,earth had no joy for ,him--,israel had become the degenerate plant of a strange vine2 wherefore1 ,he had only to say1 ,i will not drink of the fruit of the vine1 until the ,kingdom of ,god shall come4 ,a long and dreary season was to pass over ,israel1 ere her ,king could take any joy in her moral condition3 but1 during that time1 the ,church of ,god was to keep the feast of unleavened bread1 in all its moral power and significance1 by putting away the old leaven of malice and wickedness1 as the fruit of fellowship with ,him whose blood cleanseth from all sin4 ,however1 the fact of the ,lord's ,supper having been instituted immediately after the ,passover1 teaches us a very valuable principle of truth1 viz41 this3 the destinies of the ,church and of ,israel are inseparably linked with the cross of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,true1 the ,church has a higher place1 even identification with her risen and glorified ,head2 yet all rests upon the ,cross4 ,yes2 it was on the cross that the pure sheaf of corn was bruised and the juices of the living vine pressed forth by the hand of ,jehovah ,himself1 to yield strength and gladness to the hearts of ,his heavenly and earthly people forever4 ,the ,prince of ,life took from ,jehovah's righteous hand the cup of wrath1 the cup of trembling1 and drained it to the dregs in order that ,he might put into the hands of ,his people the cup of salvation1 the cup of ,god's ineffable love1 that they might drink and forget their poverty1 and remember their misery no more4 ,the ,lord's ,supper expresses all this4 ,there the ,lord presides2 there the redeemed should meet in holy fellowship and brotherly love1 to eat and drink before the ,lord2 and while they do so1 they can look back at their ,master's night of deep sorrow1 and forward to ,his day of glory--that morning without clouds1 when ,he shall come to be glorified in ,his saints1 and to be admired in all them that believe4 ,,iii4 ,we shall now consider1 in the third place1 the persons for whom1 and for whom alone1 the ,lord's ,supper was instituted4 ,the ,lord's ,supper1 then1 was instituted for the ,church of ,god--the family of the redeemed4 ,all the members of that family should be there2 for none can be absent without incurring the guilt of disobedience to the plain command of ,christ and ,his inspired apostle2 and the consequence of this disobedience will be positive spiritual decline and a complete failure in testimony for ,christ4 ,such consequences1 however1 are the result only of wilful absence from the ,lord's table4 ,there are circumstances which1 in certain cases1 may present an insurmountable barrier1 though there might be the most earnest desire to be present at the celebration of the ordinance1 as there ever will be where the mind is spiritual2 but we may lay it down as a fixed principle of truth that no one can make progress in the divine life who wilfully absents himself from the ,lord's table4 ,,all the congregation of ,israel were commanded to keep the passover 7,ex4 xii474 ,no member of the congregation could with impunity be absent4 ,the man that is clean1 and is not in a journey1 and forbeareth to keep the passover1 even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people3 because he brought not the offering of the ,lord in his appointed season1 that man shall bear his sin 7,num4 ix4 #ac74 ,i feel that it would be rendering really valuable service to the cause of truth1 and a furtherance of the interests of the ,church of ,god1 if an interest could be awakened on this important subject4 ,there is too much lightness and indifference in the minds of ,christians as to the matter of their attendance at the table of the ,lord2 and where there is not this indifference1 there is an unwillingness arising from imperfect views of justification4 ,now both these hindrances1 though so different in their character1 spring from one and the same source1 viz41 selfishness4 ,he who is indifferent about the matter will selfishly allow trifling circumstances to interfere with his attendance3 he will be hindered by family arrangements1 love of personal ease1 unfavorable weather1 trifling or1 as it frequently happens1 imaginary bodily ailments--things which are lost sight of or counted as nothing when some worldly object is to be gained4 ,how often does it happen that men who have not spiritual energy to leave their houses on the ,lord's day have abundant natural energy to carry them some miles to gain some worldly object on ,monday4 ,alas that it should be so6 ,how sad to think that worldly gain could exert a more powerful influence on the heart of the ,christian than the glory of ,christ and the furtherance of the ,church's benefit6 for this is the way in which we must view the question of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,what would be our feelings1 amid the glory of the coming kingdom1 if we could remember that1 while on earth1 a fair or a market1 or some such worldly object1 had commanded our time and energies1 while the assembly of the ,lord's people around ,his table was neglected8 ,beloved ,christian reader1 if you are in the habit of absenting yourself from the assembly of ,christians1 ,i pray you to ponder the matter before the ,lord ere you absent yourself again4 ,reflect upon the pernicious effect of your absence in every way4 ,you are failing in your testimony for ,christ2 you are injuring the souls of your brethren1 and you are hindering the progress of your own soul in grace and knowledge4 ,do not suppose that your actings are without their influence on the whole ,church of ,god3 you are at this moment either helping or hindering every member of that body on earth4 ,if one member suffer1 all the members suffer with it4 ,this principle has not ceased to be true1 though professing ,christians have split into so many different divisions4 ,nay1 it is so divinely true1 that there is not a single believer on earth who is not acting either as a helper to1 or a drain upon1 the whole body of ,christ2 and if there be any truth in the principle already laid down 7viz41 that the assembly of ,christians and the breaking of bread in any given locality is1 or ought to be1 the expression of the unity of the whole body71 you cannot fail to see that if you absent yourself from that assembly1 or refuse to join in giving expression to that unity1 you are doing serious damage to all your brethren as well as to your own soul4 ,i would lay these considerations on your heart and conscience1 in the name of the ,lord1 looking to ,him to make them influential4,,xvii4 ,but not only does this culpable and pernicious indifference of spirit act as a hindrance to many1 in presenting themselves at the ,lord's table2 imperfect views of justification produce the same unhappy result4 ,if the conscience be not perfectly purged1 if there be not perfect rest in ,god's testimony about the finished work of ,christ1 there will either be a shrinking from the ,supper of the ,lord1 or an unintelligent celebration of it4 ,those only can show the ,lord's death who know1 through the teaching of the ,holy ,spirit1 the value of the ,lord's death4 ,if ,i regard the ordinance as a means whereby ,i am to be brought into a place of greater nearness to ,god1 or whereby ,i am to obtain a clearer sense of my acceptance1 it is impossible that ,i can rightly observe it4 ,i must believe1 as the gospel commands me to believe1 that ,,all my sins are ,,forever put away ere ,i can take my place with any measure of spiritual intelligence at the ,lord's table4 ,if the matter be not viewed in this light1 the ,lord's ,supper can only be regarded as a kind of step to the altar of ,god1 and we are told in the law that we are not to go up by steps to ,god's altar1 lest our nakedness be discovered 7,ex4 xx4 #bf74 ,the meaning of which is1 that all human efforts to approach ,god must issue in the discovery of human nakedness4 ,thus we see that if it be indifference that prevents the ,christian from being at the breaking of bread1 it is most culpable in the sight of ,god1 and most injurious to his brethren and himself2 and if it be an imperfect sense of justification that prevents1 it is not only unwarrantable1 but most dishonoring to the love of the ,father1 the work of the ,son1 and the clear and unequivocal testimony of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but it is not unfrequently said1 and that1 too1 by those who profess spirituality and intelligence1 ,i derive no spiritual benefit by going to the assembly3 ,i am as happy in my own room1 reading my ,bible4 ,i would affectionately ask such1 ,are we to have no higher object before us in our actings than our own happiness8 ,is not obedience to the command of our blessed ,master--a command delivered on the same night in which ,he was betrayed--a far higher and nobler object to set before us than anything connected with self8 ,if ,he desires that ,his people should assemble in ,his name1 for the express object of showing forth ,his death till ,he come1 shall we refuse because we feel happier in our own rooms8 ,he tells us to be there3 we reply1 ,we feel happier at home4 ,our happiness1 therefore1 must be based on disobedience2 and1 as such1 it is an unholy happiness4 ,it is much better1 if it should be so1 to be unhappy in the path of obedience than happy in the path of disobedience4 ,but ,i verily believe1 the thought of being happier at home is a mere delusion1 and the end of those deluded by it will prove it such4 ,thomas might have deemed it indifferent whether he was present with the other disciples1 but he had to do without the ,lord's presence1 and to wait for eight days1 until the disciples came together on the first day of the week2 for there and then the ,lord was pleased to reveal ,himself to his soul4 ,and just so will it be with those who say1 ,we feel happier at home than in the assembly of believers4 ,they will surely be behindhand in knowledge and experience2 yea1 it will be well if they come not under the terrible woe denounced by the prophet3 ,woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock6 the sword shall be upon his arm1 and upon his right eye2 his arm shall be clean dried up1 and his right eye shall be utterly darkened 7,zech4 xi4 #ag74 ,and again1 ,not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together1 as the manner of some is2 but exhorting one another1 and so much the more as ye see the day approaching4 ,for if we sin wilfully1 after that we have received the knowledge of the truth1 there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins1 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation1 which shall devour the adversaries 7,heb4 x4 #be-bg74 ,as to the objection upon the grounds of the barrenness and unprofitableness of ,christian assemblies1 it will generally be remarked that the greatest spiritual barrenness will always be found in connection with a captious and complaining spirit2 and ,i doubt not that if those who complain of the unprofitableness of meetings1 and draw from thence an argument in favor of their remaining at home1 were to spend more time in secret waiting on the ,lord for ,his blessing on the meetings1 they would have a very different experience4 ,and now1 having shown from ,scripture who ought to be at the breaking of bread1 we shall proceed to consider who ought not4 ,on this point ,scripture is equally explicit3 in a word1 then1 none should be there who are not members of the true ,church of ,god4 ,the same law which commanded all the congregation of ,israel to eat the passover1 commanded all uncircumcised strangers not to eat2 and now that ,christ our ,passover has been sacrificed for us1 none can keep the feast1 7which is to extend throughout this entire dispensation17 nor break the bread nor drink the wine in true remembrance of ,him1 save those who know the cleansing and healing virtues of ,his precious blood4 ,to eat and drink without this knowledge1 is to eat and drink unworthily--to eat and drink judgment2 like the woman in ,num4 v4 who drank the water of jealousy1 to make the condemnation more manifest and awfully solemn4 ,now it is in this that ,christendom's guilt is specially manifest4 ,in taking the ,lord's ,supper1 the professing ,church has1 like ,judas1 put her hand on the table with ,christ and betrayed ,him2 she has eaten with ,him1 and at the same time lifted up her heel against ,him4 ,what will be her end8 ,just like the end of ,judas4 ,he1 then1 having received the sop1 went immediately out3 and--the ,holy ,ghost adds1 in awful solemnity--,,it ,,was ,,night4 ,terrible night6 ,the strongest expression of divine love only elicited the strongest expression of human hatred4 ,so will it be with the false professing ,church collectively1 and each false professor individually2 and all those who1 though baptized in the name of ,christ1 and sitting down at the table of ,christ1 have nevertheless been ,his betrayers1 will find themselves at last thrust out into outer darkness--involved in a night which shall never see the beams of the morning--plunged in a gulf of endless and ineffable woe2 and though they may be able to say to the ,lord1 ,we have eaten and drunk in ,thy presence1 and ,thou hast taught in our streets1 yet ,his solemn1 heartrending reply will be1 while ,he shuts the door against them1 ,depart from ,me6 ,i never knew you4 ,o reader1 think of this1 ,i pray you2 and if you be yet in your sins1 defile not the ,lord's table by your presence2 but instead of going thither as a hypocrite1 repair to ,calvary as a poor ruined and guilty sinner1 and there receive pardon and cleansing from ,him who died to save just such as you are4 ,,iv4 ,having now considered1 through the ,lord's mercy1 the nature of the ,lord's ,supper2 the circumstances under which it was instituted2 and the persons for whom it was designed2 ,i would only add a word as to what ,scripture teaches us about the time and manner of its celebration4 ,although the ,lord's ,supper was not first instituted on the first day of the week1 yet the twenty-fourth of ,luke and the twentieth of ,acts are quite sufficient to prove1 to a mind subject to the ,word1 that that is the day on which the ordinance should specially be observed4 ,the ,lord broke bread with ,his disciples on the first day of the week 7,luke xxiv4 #cj72 and on the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread 7,acts xx4 #g74 ,these scriptures are quite sufficient to prove that it is not once a month1 nor once in three months1 nor once in six months1 that disciples should come together to break bread1 but once a week at least1 and that upon the first day of the week4 ,nor can we have any difficulty in seeing that there is a moral fitness in the first day of the week for the celebration of the ,lord's ,supper3 it is the resurrection day--the ,church's day1 in contrast with the seventh1 which was ,israel's day2 and as1 in the institution of the ordinance1 the ,lord led ,his disciples away from ,jewish things altogether1 7by refusing to drink of the fruit of the vine--the passover cup1--and then instituting another ordinance7 so1 in the day on which that ordinance was to be celebrated1 we observe the same contrast between heavenly and earthly things4 ,it is in the power of resurrection that we can rightly show the ,lord's death4 ,when the conflict was over1 ,melchizedek brought forth bread and wine1 and blessed ,abram1 in the name of the ,lord4 ,thus1 too1 our ,melchizedek1 when all the conflict was over and the victory gained1 came forth in resurrection with bread and wine1 to strengthen and cheer the hearts of ,his people1 and to breathe upon them that peace which ,he had so dearly purchased4 ,if1 then1 the first day of the week be the day on which ,scripture teaches the disciples to break bread1 it is clear that man has no authority to alter the period to once a month1 or once in six months4 ,and ,i doubt not1 when the affections are lively and fervent toward the person of the ,lord ,himself1 the ,christian will desire to show the ,lord's death as frequently as possible3 indeed1 it would seem1 from the opening of ,acts1 that the disciples broke bread daily4 ,this we may infer from the expression breaking bread from house to house 7or at home74 ,however1 we are not left to depend upon mere inference as to the question of the first day of the week being the day on which the disciples came together to break bread3 we are distinctly taught this1 and we see its moral fitness and beauty4 ,thus much as to the time4 ,and now one word about the manner4 ,it should be the special aim of ,christians to show that the breaking of bread is their grand and primary object in coming together on the first day of the week4 ,they should show that it is not for preaching or teaching that they assemble1 though teaching may be a happy adjunct1 but that the breaking of bread is the leading object before their minds4 ,it is the work of ,christ which we show forth in the ,supper1 wherefore it should have the first place2 and when it has been duly set forth1 there should be a full and unqualified opening left for the work of the ,holy ,ghost in ministry4 ,the office of the ,spirit is to set forth and exalt the name1 the person and the work of ,christ2 and if ,he be allowed to order and govern the assembly of ,christians1 as ,he undoubtedly should1 ,he will ever give the work of ,christ the primary place4 ,i cannot close this paper without expressing my deep sense of the feebleness and shallowness of all that ,i have advanced1 on a subject of really commanding interest4 ,i do feel before the ,lord1 in whose presence ,i desire to write and speak1 that ,i have so failed to bring out the full truth about this matter1 that ,i almost shrink from letting these pages see the light4 ,it is not that ,i have a shadow of doubt as to the truth of what ,i have endeavored to state2 no3 but ,i feel that1 in writing upon such a subject as the breaking of bread1 at the time when there is such sad confusion among professing ,christians1 there is a demand for pointed1 clear1 and lucid statements1 to which ,i am little able to respond4 ,we have but little conception of how entirely the question of the breaking of bread is connected with the ,church's position and testimony on earth2 and we have as little conception of how thoroughly the question has been misunderstood by the professing ,church4 ,the breaking of bread ought to be the distinct enunciation of the fact that all believers are one body2 but the professing ,church1 by splitting into sects1 and by setting up a table for each sect1 has practically denied that fact4 ,in truth1 the breaking of bread has been cast into the background4 ,the table1 at which the ,lord should preside1 is almost lost sight of1 by being placed in the shade of the pulpit1 in which man presides3 the pulpit1 which1 alas6 is too often the instrument of creating and perpetuating disunion1 is1 to many minds1 the commanding object2 while the table1 which if properly understood would perpetuate love and unity1 is made quite a secondary thing4 ,and even in the most laudable effort to recover from such a lamentable condition of things1 what complete failure have we seen4 ,what has the ,evangelical ,alliance effected8 ,it has effected this1 at least1 it has developed a need existing among professing ,christians1 which they are confessedly unable to meet4 ,they want union1 and are unable to attain it4 ,why8 ,because they will not give up everything which has been added to the truth to meet together according to the truth1 to break bread as disciples4 ,i say1 as disciples1 and not as ,church-men1 ,independents1 ,baptists1 etc4 ,it is not that all such may not have much valuable truth1 ,i mean those of them who love our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 they certainly may2 but they have no truth that should prevent them from meeting together to break bread4 ,how could truth ever hinder ,christians from giving expression to the unity of the ,church8 ,impossible6 ,a sectarian spirit in those who hold truth may do this1 but truth never can4 ,but how is it now in the professing ,church8 ,christians1 of various communities1 can meet for the purpose of reading1 praying1 and singing together during the week1 but when the first day of the week arrives1 they have not the least idea of giving the only real and effectual expression of their unity1 which the ,holy ,ghost can recognize1 which is the breaking of bread4 ,we being many are one bread and one body2 for we are all partakers of that one bread4 ,the sin at ,corinth was their not tarrying one for another4 ,this appears from the exhortation with which the apostle sums up the whole question 7,i ,cor4 xi471 ,wherefore1 my brethren1 when ye come together to eat1 tarry one for another4 ,why were they to tarry one for another8 ,surely1 in order that they might the more clearly express their unity4 ,but what would the apostle have said1 if1 instead of coming together1 into one place1 they had gone to different places1 according to their different views of truth8 ,he might then say with1 if possible1 greater force1 ,ye cannot eat the ,lord's ,supper4 7,see margin47 ,it may1 however1 be asked1 ,how could all the believers in ,london meet in one place8 ,i reply1 if they could not meet in one place1 they could1 at least1 meet on one principle4 ,but how did the believers at ,jerusalem meet together8 ,the answer is1 they were of one accord4 ,this being so1 they had little difficulty about the question of a meeting-room4 ,solomon's porch1 or anywhere else1 would suit their purpose4 ,they gave expression to their unity1 and that1 too1 in a way not to be mistaken4 ,neither various localities1 nor various measures of knowledge and attainment1 could1 in the least1 interfere with their unity4 ,there was one body and one ,spirit4 ,finally1 ,i would say1 the ,lord will assuredly honor those who have faith to believe and confess the unity of the ,church on earth2 and the greater the difficulty in the way of doing so1 the greater will be the honor4 ,the ,lord grant to all ,his people a single eye1 and a humble and honest spirit4 ,thy broken body1 gracious ,lord1 ,is shadowed by this broken bread2 ,the wine which in this cup is poured ,points to the blood which ,thou hast shed4 ,and while we meet together thus1 ,we show that we are one in ,thee2 ,thy precious blood was shed for us-- ,thy death1 ,o ,lord1 has set us free4 ,brethren in ,thee1 in union sweet-- ,forever be ,thy grace adored-- ',tis in ,thy name1 that now we meet1 ,and know ,thou'rt with us1 gracious ,lord4 ,we have one hope--that ,thou wilt come2 ,thee in the air we wait to see1 ,when ,thou wilt take ,thy people home1 ,and we shall ever reign with ,thee4 ,,footnotes3 ,,xi4 ,it is needful to bear in mind that1 while the blood of ,christ is that alone which introduces the believer1 in holy boldness1 into the presence of ,god1 yet it is nowhere set forth as our centre1 or bond of union4 ,truly precious is it for every blood-washed soul to remember1 in the secret of the divine presence1 that the atoning blood of ,jesus has rolled away for ever his heavy burden of sin4 ,yet the ,holy ,ghost can only gather us to the person of a risen and glorified ,christ1 who1 having shed the blood of the everlasting covenant1 is gone up into heaven in the power of an endless life1 to which divine righteousness inseparably attaches4 ,a living ,christ1 therefore1 is our centre and bond of union4 ,the blood having answered for us to ,god1 we gather round our risen and exalted ,head in the heavens4 ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men unto ,me4 ,we behold in the cup in the ,lord's ,supper the symbol of shed blood2 but we are neither gathered round the cup nor the blood1 but round ,him who shed it4 ,the blood of the ,lamb has put away every obstacle to our fellowship with ,god2 and in proof of this the ,holy ,ghost has come down to baptize believers into one body1 and gather them round the risen and glorified ,head4 ,the wine is the memorial of a life shed out for sin3 the bread is the memorial of a body broken for sin3 but we are not gathered round a life poured out1 nor round a body broken1 but round a living ,christ1 who dieth no more1 who cannot have ,his body broken any more1 or ,his blood shed any more4 ,this makes a serious difference2 and when looked at in connection with the discipline of the house of ,god1 the difference is immensely important4 ,very many are apt to imagine that when any one is put away from or refused communion1 the question is raised as to there being a link between his soul and ,christ4 ,a moment's consideration of this point in the light of ,scripture will be sufficient to prove that no such question is raised4 ,if we look at the case of the wicked person in ,i ,cor4 v41 we see one put away from the communion of the ,church on earth who was nevertheless a ,christian1 as people say4 ,he was not1 therefore1 put away because he was not a ,christian3 such a question was never raised2 nor should it be in any case4 ,how can we tell whether a man is eternally linked with ,christ or not8 ,have we the custody of the ,lamb's book of life8 ,is the discipline of the ,church of ,god founded upon what we can know1 or upon what we cannot8 ,was the man in ,i ,cor4 v4 linked eternally with ,christ1 or not8 ,was the ,church told to inquire8 ,even suppose we could see a man's name written in the book of life1 that would not be the ground of receiving him into the assembly on earth1 or retaining him there4 ,that which the ,church is held responsible for1 is to keep herself pure in doctrine1 pure in practice1 and pure in association1 and all this on the ground of being ,god's house4 ,thy testimonies are very sure2 holiness becometh ,thy house1 ,o ,lord1 for ever4 ,when any one was separated1 or cut off1 from the congregation of ,israel1 was it because of not being an ,israelite8 ,by no means2 but because of some moral or ceremonial defilement which could not be tolerated in ,god's ,assembly4 ,in ,achan's case 7,josh4 vii471 although there were six hundred thousand souls ignorant of his sin1 yet ,god says1 ,israel hath sinned4 ,why8 ,because they were looked at as ,god's ,assembly1 and there was defilement there which1 if not judged1 all would have been broken up4 ,,xii4 ,those who are competent to do so can look at the original of this important chapter1 where they will see that the word translated approved 7ver4 #ai7 comes from the same root as that translated examine himself 7ver4 #bh74 ,thus we see that the man who approves himself takes his place amongst the approved1 and is the very opposite of those who were amongst the heretics4 ,now the meaning of a heretic is not merely one who holds false doctrine1 though one may be a heretic in so doing1 but one who persists in the exercise of his own will4 ,the apostle knew that there must be heresies at ,corinth1 seeing that there were sects3 those who were doing their own will were acting in opposition to ,god's will1 and thus producing division2 for ,god's will had reference to the whole body4 ,those who were acting heretically were despising the ,church of ,god4 ,,xiii4 ,it may be well to add a word here for the guidance of any simple-hearted ,christian who may find himself placed in circumstances in which he is called upon to decide between the claims of different tables which might seem to be spread upon the same principle4 ,to confirm and encourage such an one in a truthful course of action1 ,i should regard as a most valuable service4 ,suppose1 then1 ,i find myself in a place where two or more tables have been spread2 what am ,i to do8 ,i believe ,i am to inquire into the origin of these various tables1 to see how it became needful to have more than one table4 ,if1 for example1 a number of ,christians meeting together have admitted and retained amongst them any unsound principles1 affecting the person of the ,son of ,god1 or subversive of the unity of the ,church of ,god on earth2 if1 ,i say1 such principles be admitted and retained in the assembly1 or if persons who hold and teach them be received and acknowledged by the assembly2 under such painful and humiliating circumstances the faithful can no longer be there4 ,why8 ,because ,i cannot take my place at it without identifying myself with manifestly unchristian principles4 ,the same remark1 of course1 applies if the case be that of corrupt conduct unjudged by the assembly4 ,now1 if a number of ,christians should find themselves placed in the circumstances above described1 they would be called upon to maintain ,,the ,,purity ,,of ,,the ,,truth ,,of ,,god while acknowledging as ever the oneness of the body4 ,we have not only to maintain the grace of the ,lord's table1 but the holiness of it also4 ,truth is not to be sacrificed in order to maintain unity1 nor will true unity ever be interfered with by the strict maintenance of truth4 ,it is not to be imagined that the unity of the body of ,christ is interfered with when a community based upon unsound principles1 or countenancing unsound doctrine or practice1 is separated from4 ,the ,church of ,rome charged the ,reformers with schism because they separated from her2 but we know that the ,church of ,rome lay1 and still lies1 under the charge of schism because she imposes false doctrine upon her members4 ,let it only be ascertained that the truth of ,god is called in question by any community1 and that1 to be a member of that community1 ,i must identify myself with unsound doctrine or corrupt practice1 and then it cannot be schism to separate from such a community2 nay1 ,i am bound to separate4 ,,xiv4 ,it is usual to apply the term unworthily1 in this passage1 to persons doing the act1 whereas it really refers to the manner of doing it4 ,the apostle never thought of calling in question the ,christianity of the ,corinthians2 nay1 in the opening address of his epistle1 he looks at them as the ,church of ,god which is at ,corinth1 sanctified in ,christ ,jesus1 called saints 7or saints by calling74 ,how could he use this language in the first chapter1 and in the eleventh call in question the worthiness of these saints to take their seat at the ,lord's ,supper8 ,impossible4 ,he looked upon them as saints1 and as such he exhorted them to celebrate the ,lord's ,supper in a worthy manner4 ,the question of any but true ,christians being there1 is never raised2 so that it is utterly impossible that the word unworthily could apply to persons4 ,its application is entirely to the manner4 ,the persons were worthy1 but their manner was not2 and they were called1 as saints1 to judge themselves as to their ways1 else the ,lord might judge them in their persons as was already the case4 ,in a word1 it was as true ,christians they were called to judge themselves4 ,if they were in doubt as to that1 they were utterly unable to judge anything4 ,i never think of setting my child to judge as to whether he is my child or not2 but ,i expect him to judge himself as to his habits1 else1 if he do not1 ,i may have to do1 by chastening1 what he ought to do by self-judgment4 ,it is because ,i look upon him as my child1 that ,i will not allow him to sit at my table with soiled garments and disorderly manners4 ,,xv4 ,the reader will bear in mind that the text does not touch the question of ,scriptural discipline4 ,there may be many members of the flock of ,christ who could not be received into the ,assembly on earth1 inasmuch as they may possibly be leavened by false doctrine1 or wrong practice4 ,but1 though we might not be able to receive them1 we do not1 by any means1 raise the question as to their being in the ,lamb's book of life4 ,this is not the province nor the prerogative of the ,church of ,god4 ,the ,lord knoweth them that are ,his2 and let every one that nameth the name of ,christ depart from iniquity 7#b ,tim4 ii4 #ai74 ,,xvi4 ,the church of ,rome has so entirely departed from the truth set forth in the ,lord's ,supper1 that she professes to offer1 in the mass1 an unbloody sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead4 ,now1 we are taught1 in ,heb4 ix4 #bb1 that without shedding of blood is no remission2 consequently1 the church of ,rome has no remission of sins for her members4 ,she robs them of this precious reality1 and instead thereof1 gives them an anomalous and utterly unscriptural thing1 called an unbloody sacrifice1 or mass4 ,this1 which1 according to her own practice and the testimony of ,heb4 ix4 #bb1 can never take away sin1 she offers day by day1 week by week1 and year by year4 ,a sacrifice without blood must1 if ,scripture be true1 be a sacrifice without remission4 ,hence1 therefore1 the sacrifice of the mass is a positive blind raised by the devil1 through the agency of ,rome1 to hide from the sinner's view the glorious sacrifice of ,christ1 once offered1 and never to be repeated4 ,christ1 being raised from the dead1 dieth no more2 death hath no more dominion over ,him 7,rom4 vi4 #i74 ,every fresh sacrifice of the mass only declares the inefficiency of all the previous sacrifices1 so that ,rome is only mocking the sinner with an empty shadow4 ,but she is consistent in her wickedness1 for she withholds the cup from the laity1 and teaches her members that they have body and blood and all in the wafer4 ,but1 if the blood be still in the body1 it is manifestly not shed1 and then we get back to the same gloomy point1 namely1 no remission4 ,without shedding of blood is no remission4 ,how totally different is the precious and most refreshing institution of the ,lord's ,supper1 as set before us in the ,new ,testament4 ,there we find the bread broken1 and the wine poured out--the significant symbols of a body broken1 and of blood shed4 ,the wine is not in the bread1 because the blood is not in the body1 for1 if it were1 there would be no remission4 ,in a word1 the ,lord's ,supper is the distinct memorial of an eternally accomplished sacrifice2 and none can communicate thereat1 with intelligence or blessing1 save those who know the full remission of sins4 ,it is not that we would1 by any means1 make knowledge a term of communion1 for very many of the children of ,god1 through bad teaching1 and various other causes1 do not know the perfect remission of sins1 and were they to be excluded on that ground1 it would be making knowledge a term of communion1 instead of life and obedience4 ,still1 if ,i do not know1 experimentally1 that redemption is an accomplished fact1 ,i shall see but little meaning in the symbols of bread and wine2 and1 moreover1 ,i shall be in great danger of attaching a species of efficacy to the memorials1 which belongs only to the great reality to which they point4 ,,xvii4 ,i can only feel myself responsible to present myself in the assembly when it is gathered on proper ,church ground1 i4 e41 the ground laid down in the ,new ,testament4 ,people may assemble1 and call themselves the ,church of ,god1 in any given locality1 but if they do not exhibit the characteristic features and principles of the ,church of ,god as set forth in ,holy ,scripture1 ,i cannot own them4 ,if they refuse1 or lack spiritual power1 to judge worldliness1 carnality1 or false doctrine1 they are evidently not on proper ,church ground3 they are merely a religious fraternity1 which1 in its collective character1 ,i am in no wise responsible before ,god to own4 ,hence the child of ,god needs much spiritual power1 and subjection to the ,word1 to be able to carry himself through all the windings of the professing ,church in this peculiarly evil and difficult day4 ,,the ,,assembly ,,of ,,god ,,or1 ,,the ,,all-,,sufficiency ,,of ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,jesus ,in a day like the present1 when almost every new idea becomes the centre or gathering-point of some new association1 we cannot but feel the value of having divinely formed convictions as to what the assembly of ,god really is4 ,we live in a time of unusual mental activity1 and hence there is the more urgent need of calm and prayerful study of the word of ,god4 ,that ,word1 blessed be its ,author1 is like a rock amid the ocean of human thought4 ,there it stands unmoved1 notwithstanding the raging of the storm and the ceaseless lashing of the waves4 ,and not only does it thus stand unmoved itself1 but it imparts its own stability to all who simply take their stand upon it4 ,what a mercy to make one's escape from the heavings and tossings of the stormy ocean1 and find a calm resting place on that everlasting ,rock4 ,this1 truly1 is a mercy4 ,were it not that we have the law and the testimony1 where should we be8 ,whither should we go8 ,what should we do8 ,what darkness6 ,what confusion6 ,what perplexity6 ,a thousand jarring voices fall1 at times1 upon the ear1 and each voice seems to speak with such authority1 that if one is not well taught and grounded in the ,word1 there is great danger of being drawn away1 or1 at least1 sadly unhinged4 ,one man will tell you that this is right2 another will tell you that is right2 a third will tell you that everything is right2 and a fourth will tell you that nothing is right4 ,with reference to the question of church position1 you will meet with some who go here2 some who go there2 some who go everywhere2 and some who go nowhere4 ,now1 under such circumstances1 what is one to do8 ,all cannot possibly be right4 ,and yet1 surely1 there is something right4 ,it cannot be that we are compelled to live in error1 in darkness1 or uncertainty4 ,there is a path1 blessed be ,god1 though no fowl knoweth it1 and the vulture's eye hath not seen it4 ,the lion's whelps have not trodden it1 nor the fierce lion passed by it4 ,where is this safe and blessed path8 ,hear the divine reply3 ,behold1 the fear of the ,lord1 that is wisdom3 and to depart from evil is understanding 7,job xxviii474 ,let us1 therefore1 in the fear of the ,lord1 in the light of ,his infallible truth1 and in humble dependence upon the teaching of the ,holy ,spirit1 proceed to the examination of the subject which stands at the head of this paper2 and may we have grace to abandon all confidence in our own thoughts1 and the thoughts of others1 so that we may heartily and honestly yield ourselves up to be taught only of ,god4 ,now1 in order to get fairly into the grand and all-important subject of the assembly of ,god1 we have first to state a fact2 and1 secondly1 to ask a question4 ,the fact is this1 ,there is an assembly of ,god on the earth4 ,the question is1 ,what is that assembly8 ,i4 ,and1 first then1 as to our fact4 ,there is such a thing as the assembly of ,god on the earth4 ,this is a most important fact1 surely4 ,god has an assembly on the earth4 ,i do not refer to any merely human organization1 such as the ,greek ,church2 the ,church of ,rome2 the ,church of ,england2 the ,church of ,scotland2 or to any of the various systems which have sprung from these1 framed and fashioned by man's hand1 and carried on by man's resources4 ,i refer simply to that assembly which is gathered by ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 round the person of ,god the ,son1 to worship and hold fellowship with ,god the ,father4 ,if we set forth upon our search for the assembly of ,god1 or for any expression thereof1 with our minds full of prejudice1 preconceived thoughts1 and personal predilections2 or if1 in our searchings1 we seek the aid of the flickering light of the dogmas1 opinions1 and traditions of men1 nothing is more certain than that we shall fail to reach the truth4 ,to recognize ,god's assembly1 we must be exclusively taught by ,god's ,word1 and led by ,god's ,spirit2 for1 of ,god's assembly1 as well as of the sons of ,god1 it may be said1 the world knoweth it not4 ,hence1 then1 if we are1 in any wise1 governed by the spirit of the world2 if we desire to exalt man2 if we seek to commend ourselves to the thoughts of men2 if our object be to gain the attractive ends of a plausible and soul-ensnaring expediency1 we may as well1 forthwith1 abandon our search for any true expression of the assembly of ,god1 and take refuge in that form of human organization which most fully commends itself to our thinkings or our conscientious convictions4 ,further1 if our object be to find a religious community in which the word of ,god is read1 or in which the people of ,god are found1 we may speedily satisfy ourselves1 for it would be hard indeed to find a section of the professing ,christian body in which one or both of these objects might not be realized4 ,finally1 if we merely aim at doing all the good we can1 without any question as to how we do it2 if ,per fas aut nefas1 right or wrong1 be our motto in whatever we undertake2 if we are prepared to reverse those weighty words of ,samuel1 and say that1 ,to sacrifice is better than to obey1 and the fat of rams better than to harken1 then is it worse than vain for us to pursue our search for the assembly of ,god1 inasmuch as that assembly can only be discovered and approved by one who has been taught to flee from the thousand flowery pathways of human expediency1 and to submit his conscience1 his heart1 his understanding1 his whole moral being to the supreme authority of ,thus saith the ,lord4 ,in one word1 then1 the obedient disciple knows that there is such a thing as ,god's assembly3 and he it is1 too1 that will be enabled1 through grace1 to understand what is a true expression of it4 ,the sincere student of ,scripture knows1 full well1 the difference between that which is founded1 formed1 and governed by the wisdom and the will of man1 and that which is gathered round1 and governed by ,christ the ,lord4 ,how vast is the difference6 ,it is just the difference between ,god and man4 ,but we may here be asked for the ,scripture proofs of our fact that there is such a thing on the earth as the assembly of ,god1 and we shall1 at once1 proceed to furnish these2 for we may be permitted to say that1 without the authority of the ,word1 all statements are utterly valueless4 ,what1 therefore1 saith the ,scripture8 ,our first proof shall be that famous passage1 in ,matthew xvi41 ,when ,jesus came into the coast of ,caesarea ,philippi1 ,he asked ,his disciples1 saying ,whom do men say that ,i1 the ,son of man1 am8 ,and they said1 ,some say that ,thou art ,john the ,baptist2 some1 ,elias2 and others1 ,jeremias1 or one of the prophets4 ,he saith unto them1 ,but whom say ye that ,i am8 ,and ,simon ,peter answered and said1 ,thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,and ,jesus answered and said unto him1 ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,bar-jona3 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,and ,i say also unto thee1 that thou art ,peter2 and upon this rock ,i will build ,my assembly,,xviii4 7,greek3 ekklesian72 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 7vers4 #ac-ah74 ,here our blessed ,lord intimates ,his purpose to build an assembly1 and sets forth the true foundation of that assembly1 namely1 ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,this is an all-important point in our subject4 ,the building is founded on the ,rock1 and that ,rock is not the poor failing1 stumbling1 erring ,peter1 but ,,christ1 the eternal ,son of the living ,god2 and every stone in that building partakes of the ,rock-life which1 as being victorious over all the power of the enemy1 is indestructible4,,xix4 ,again1 passing over a section of ,matthew's ,gospel1 we come to an equally familiar passage3 ,moreover1 if thy brother shall trespass against thee1 go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone3 if he shall hear thee1 thou hast gained thy brother4 ,but if he will not hear thee1 then take with thee one or two more1 that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established4 ,and if he shall neglect to hear them1 tell it unto the assembly1 but if he neglect to hear the assembly1 let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 ,whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven2 and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth1 shall be loosed in heaven4 ,again1 ,i say unto you1 that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask1 it shall be done for them of ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,for where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them 7chap4 xviii4 #ae-bj74 ,we shall have occasion to refer to this passage again1 under the second division of our subject4 ,it is here introduced merely as a link in the chain of ,scripture evidence of the fact that there is such a thing as the assembly of ,god on the earth4 ,this assembly is not a name1 a form1 a pretence1 an assumption4 ,it is a divine reality--an institution of ,god1 possessing ,his seal and sanction4 ,it is a something to be appealed to in all cases of personal trespass and dispute which cannot be settled by the parties involved4 ,this assembly may consist of only two or three in any particular place--the smallest plurality1 if you please2 but there it is1 owned of ,god1 and its decisions ratified in heaven4 ,now1 we are not to be scared away from the truth on this subject1 by the fact that the church of ,rome has attempted to base her monstrous pretensions on the two passages which we have just quoted4 ,that church is not ,god's assembly1 built on the ,rock ,christ1 and gathered in the name of ,jesus2 but a human apostasy1 founded on a failing mortal1 and governed by the traditions and doctrines of men4 ,we must not1 therefore1 suffer ourselves to be deprived of ,god's reality by reason of ,satan's counterfeit4 ,god has ,his assembly on the earth1 and we are responsible to confess the truth of it1 and to be a practical expression of it4 ,this may be difficult1 in a day of confusion like the present4 ,it will demand a single eye--a subject will--a mortified mind4 ,but let the reader be assured of this1 that it is his privilege to possess as divine certainty as to what is a true expression of the assembly of ,god1 as surely as the truth concerning his own salvation through the blood of the ,lamb2 nor should he be satisfied without this4 ,i should not be content to go on for an hour without the assurance that ,i am1 in spirit and principle1 associated with those whose ground of gathering is purely their common membership in the assembly of ,god--that assembly which includes all saints4 ,i say1 in spirit and principle1 because ,i may happen to be in a place where there is no such local expression of the assembly2 in which case ,i must be satisfied to hold fellowship1 in spirit1 with all those who are thus gathered4 ,this simplifies the matter amazingly4 ,if ,i cannot have a true expression of ,god's assembly1 ,i shall have nothing4 ,it will not do to point me to a religious community1 with some ,christians therein1 the gospel preached1 and the ordinances administered4 ,i must be convinced that in very truth1 they are gathered on that ground which1 in my heart and conscience1 frees them from the charge of sectarianism4 ,i can own the children of ,god individually anywhere2 but sectarianism ,i cannot own or sanction4 ,no doubt this will give offence4 ,it will be called bigotry1 narrow-mindedness1 intolerance1 and the like4 ,but this need not discourage us4 ,all we have to do is to ascertain the truth as to ,god's assembly1 and cleave to it1 heartily and energetically1 at all cost4 ,if ,god has an assembly--and ,scripture says ,he has--then let me be with those who maintain its principles1 and nowhere else4 ,it must be in this as in all other matters1 truth or nothing4 ,if there be a local expression of that assembly1 well2 be there in person4 ,if not1 be content to hold spiritual communion with all who humbly and faithfully own and occupy that holy ground4 ,it may sound and seem like liberality to be ready to sanction and go with everything and everybody4 ,it may appear very easy and very pleasant to be in a place where everybody's will is indulged1 and nobody's conscience is exercised--where we may hold what we like1 and say what we like1 and do what we like1 and go where we like4 ,all this may seem very delightful--very plausible--very popular--very attractive2 but oh6 it will be barrenness and bitterness in the end2 and1 in the day of the ,lord1 it will assuredly be burnt up as so much wood1 hay1 and stubble1 that cannot stand the action of ,his judgment4 ,but let us proceed with our ,scripture proofs4 ,in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 or rather1 the ,acts of the ,holy ,ghost1 we find the assembly formally set up4 ,a passage or two will suffice3 ,and they1 continuing daily with one accord in the temple1 and breaking bread from house to house1 did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart1 praising ,god1 and having favor with all the people4 ,and the ,lord added to the assembly1 daily1 such as should be saved 7,acts ii4 #df1 #dg74 ,such was the original1 simple apostolic order4 ,when a person was converted1 he thereby belonged to the assembly and took his place in it3 there was no difficulty in the matter1 there were no sects or parties1 each claiming to be considered a church1 a cause1 or an interest4 ,there was just the one thing1 and that was the assembly of ,god1 where ,he dwelt1 acted1 and ruled4 ,it was not a system formed according to the will1 the judgment1 or even the conscience of man4 ,man had not1 as yet1 entered upon the business of church-making4 ,this was ,god's work4 ,it was just as exclusively ,god's province and prerogative to baptize the saved into one body by one ,spirit1 as to save the scattered4,,xx4 ,why1 we may justly inquire1 should it be different now8 ,why should the regenerated seek to belong to something else than that to which they already belong--the assembly of ,god8 ,is not that sufficient8 ,assuredly4 ,should they seek aught else8 ,assuredly not4 ,we repeat1 with emphasis1 ,either that or nothing4 ,true it is1 alas6 that failure1 and ruin1 and apostasy have come in4 ,man's wisdom1 and his will2 or1 if you please1 his reason1 his judgment1 and his misguided conscience have wrought1 in matters ecclesiastical1 and the result appears before us in the almost numberless and nameless sects and parties of the present moment4 ,still1 we are bold to say1 that the ground of assembling as at the beginning1 simply as being members of the assembly of ,god1 remains the same1 spite of all the failure1 the error1 and the confusion1 which have come in4 ,the difficulty in reaching it practically may be great1 but its reality1 when reached1 is unaltered1 and unalterable4 ,in apostolic times the assembly stood out1 in bold relief1 from the dark background of ,judaism on the one hand1 and ,paganism on the other4 ,it was impossible to mistake it2 there it stood1 a grand reality6 a company of living men1 gathered1 indwelt1 ruled and regulated by ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 so that the unlearned or unbelieving coming in1 were convinced of all1 and constrained to acknowledge that ,god was there4 7,see carefully1 ,i ,cor4 xii41 xiv4 throughout47 ,thus1 in this ,gospel1 our blessed ,lord intimates ,his purpose of building an assembly4 ,this assembly is historically presented to us in the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,then1 when we turn to the ,epistles of ,paul1 we find him addressing the assembly in seven distinct places1 namely1 ,rome1 ,corinth1 ,galatia1 ,ephesus1 ,philippi1 ,colosse1 and ,thessalonica2 and finally1 in the opening of the book of ,revelation1 we have addresses to seven distinct assemblies4 ,now1 in all these places1 the assembly of ,god was a plain1 palpable1 real thing1 established and maintained by ,god ,himself4 ,it was not a human organization1 but a divine institution--a testimony--a light bearer for ,god1 in each place4 ,thus much as to our ,scripture proofs of the fact that ,god has an assembly on the earth1 gathered1 indwelt1 and governed by the ,holy ,ghost who is the true and only ,vicar of ,christ upon earth4 ,the ,gospel prophetically intimates the assembly2 the ,acts historically presents the assembly2 and the ,epistles formally address the assembly4 ,all this is plain4 ,and if it be broken into fragments now1 it is for us to be gathered on the ground of the one assembly of ,god1 and to be a true expression of it4 ,and let it be carefully noted that we will listen to nothing on this subject but the voice of ,holy ,scripture4 ,let not reason speak1 for we own it not4 ,let not tradition lift her voice1 for we wholly disregard her4 ,let not expediency thrust itself upon us1 for we shall give it no place whatever4 ,we believe in the all-sufficiency of ,holy ,scripture--that it is sufficient to furnish the man of ,god thoroughly--to equip him perfectly for all good works 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #af1 #ag74 ,the word of ,god is either sufficient or it is not4 ,we believe it to be amply sufficient for every exigency of ,god's assembly4 ,it could not be otherwise if ,god be its author4 ,we must either deny the divinity or admit the sufficiency of the ,bible4 ,there is not a single hair's breadth of middle ground4 ,it is impossible that ,god could have written an imperfect1 an insufficient book4 ,this is a very grave principle in connection with our subject4 ,many of our protestant writers have1 in assailing popery1 maintained the sufficiency and authority of the ,bible2 but it does seem very plain to us that they are always at fault when their opponents turn sharp round upon them and demand proof from ,scripture for many things sanctioned and adopted by protestant communities4 ,there are many things adopted and practised in the ,national ,establishment and other protestant communities1 which have no sanction in the ,word2 and when the shrewd and intelligent defenders of popery have called attention to these things1 and demanded authority for them1 the weakness of mere protestantism has been strikingly apparent4 ,if we admit1 for a moment1 that1 in some things1 we must have recourse to tradition and expediency1 then who will undertake to fix the boundary line8 ,if it be allowable to depart from ,scripture at all1 how far are we to go8 ,if the authority of tradition be admitted at all1 who is to fix its domain8 ,if we leave the narrow and well-defined pathway of divine revelation1 and enter upon the wide and bewildering field of human tradition1 has not one man as much right as another to make a choice8 ,the gates of hell shall assuredly prevail against every human system--against all those corporations and associations which men have set on foot4 ,and in no case has that triumph been1 even already1 made more awfully manifest than in that of the church of ,rome itself1 although it has arrogantly laid claim to this very declaration of our ,lord as the bulwark of its strength4 ,nothing can withstand the power of the gates of hell but the assembly of the living ,god1 for that is built upon the living ,stone4 ,now the local expression of that assembly may be but two or three gathered in the name of ,jesus1 a poor1 feeble1 despised handful4 ,it is well to be clear and decided as to this4 ,christ's promise can never fail4 ,he has1 blessed be ,his name1 come down to the lowest possible point by which the assembly can be represented1 even two4 ,how gracious6 ,how tender6 ,how considerate6 ,how like ,himself6 ,he attaches all the dignity--all the value--all the efficacy of ,his own divine and deathless name to an obscure handful gathered round ,himself4 ,it must be very evident to the spiritual mind that the ,lord ,jesus1 in speaking of the two or three thought not of those vast systems which have sprung up in ancient1 mediaeval1 and modern times1 throughout the eastern and western world1 numbering their adherents and votaries1 not by twos or threes1 but by kingdoms1 provinces1 and parishes4 ,it is very plain that a baptized kingdom1 and two or three living souls gathered in the name of ,jesus1 do not and cannot mean the same thing4 ,baptized ,christendom is one thing1 and the assembly of ,god is another4 ,what this latter is1 we have yet to unfold2 we are here asserting that they are not1 and cannot be1 the same thing4 ,they are constantly confounded1 though no two things can be more distinct4,,xxi4 ,if we would know under what figure ,christ presents the baptized world1 we have only to look at the leaven and the mustard tree of ,matt4 xiii4 ,the former gives us the internal1 and the latter the external character of the kingdom of heaven--of that which was originally set up in truth and simplicity--a real thing1 though small1 but which1 through ,satan's crafty working1 has become inwardly a corrupt mass1 though outwardly a far-spreading1 showy1 popular thing in the earth1 gathering all sorts beneath the shadow of its patronage4 ,such is the lesson--the simple but deeply solemn lesson to be learnt by the spiritual mind from the leaven and the mustard-tree of ,matt4 xiii4 ,and we may add1 one result of learning this lesson would be an ability to distinguish between the kingdom of heaven and the assembly of ,god4 ,the former may be compared to a wide morass1 the latter to a running stream passing through it1 and in constant danger of losing its distinctive character1 as well as its proper direction1 by intermingling with the surrounding waters4 ,to confound the two things is to deal a deathblow to all godly discipline and consequent purity in the assembly of ,god4 ,if the kingdom and the assembly mean one and the same thing1 then how should we act in the case of that wicked person in ,i ,cor4 v48 ,the apostle tells us to put him away4 ,where are we to put him8 ,our ,lord ,himself tells us distinctly that the field is the world2 and again1 in ,john xvii41 ,he says that ,his people are not of the world4 ,this makes all plain enough4 ,but men tell us1 in the very face of our ,lord's statement1 that the field is the assembly1 and the tares and wheat1 ungodly and godly1 are to grow together1 that they are on no account to be separated4 ,thus the plain and positive teaching of the ,holy ,ghost in ,i ,cor4 v4 is set in open opposition to the equally plain and positive teaching of our ,lord in ,matt4 xiii42 and all this flows from the effort to confound two distinct things1 namely1 the kingdom of heaven and the assembly of ,god4 ,it would not by any means comport with the object of this paper to enter further upon the interesting subject of the kingdom4 ,enough has been said1 if the reader has thereby been convinced of the immense importance of duly distinguishing that kingdom from the assembly4 ,what this latter is we shall now proceed to inquire2 and may ,god the ,holy ,ghost be our teacher6 ,,ii4 ,in handling our question as to the assembly of ,god1 it will give clearness and precision to our thoughts to consider the four following points1 namely3-- ,first1 what is the material of which the assembly is composed8 ,secondly1 what is the centre round which the assembly is gathered8 ,thirdly1 what is the power by which the assembly is gathered8 ,fourthly1 what is the authority on which the assembly is gathered8 ,i4 ,and1 first1 then1 as to the material of which ,god's assembly is composed2 it is1 in one word1 those possessing salvation1 or eternal life4 ,we do not enter the assembly in order to be saved1 but as those who are saved4 ,the word is1 ,on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church4 ,he does not say1 ,on ,my ,church ,i will build the salvation of souls4 ,one of ,rome's boasted dogmas is this--,there is no salvation out of the true ,church4 ,yes1 but we can go deeper still1 and say1 ,off the true ,rock there is no ,church4 ,take away the ,rock1 and you have nothing but a baseless fabric of error and corruption4 ,what a miserable delusion1 to think of being saved by that6 ,thank ,god1 it is not so4 ,we do not get to ,christ through the ,church1 but to the ,church through ,christ4 ,to reverse this order is to displace ,christ altogether1 and thus have neither ,rock1 nor ,church1 nor salvation4 ,we meet ,christ as a life-giving ,saviour1 before we have anything to say to the assembly at all2 and hence we could possess eternal life1 and enjoy full salvation1 though there were no such thing as the assembly of ,god on the earth4,,xxii4 ,we cannot be too simple in grasping this truth1 at a time like the present1 when ecclesiastical pretention is rising to such a height4 ,the church1 falsely so called1 is opening her bosom with delusive tenderness1 and inviting poor sin-burdened1 world-sick1 and heavy-laden souls to take refuge therein4 ,she1 with crafty liberality1 throws open her treasury door1 and places her resources at the disposal of needy1 craving1 yearning souls4 ,and truly those resources have powerful attractions for those who are not on ,the ,rock4 ,there is an ordained priesthood1 professing to stand in an unbroken line with the apostles4--,alas6 how different the two ends of the line6--,there is a continual sacrifice4 ,alas6 a bloodless one1 and therefore a worthless one4 7,heb4 ix4 #bb47--,there is a splendid ritual4 ,alas6 it seeks its origin amid the shadows of a by-gone age--shadows which have been for ever displaced by the ,person1 the work1 and the offices of the eternal ,son of ,god4 ,for ever be ,his peerless name adored6 ,the believer has a very conclusive answer to all the pretensions and promises of the ,romish system4 ,he can say he has found his all in a crucified and risen ,saviour4 ,what does he want with the sacrifice of the mass8 ,he is washed in the blood of ,christ4 ,what does he want with a poor1 sinful1 dying priest1 who cannot save himself8 ,he has the ,son of ,god as his priest4 ,what does he want with a pompous ritual1 with all its imposing adjuncts8 ,he worships in spirit and in truth1 within the holiest of all1 whither he enters with boldness1 through the blood of ,jesus4 ,nor is it merely with ,roman ,catholicism we have to do in the establishment of our first point4 ,we fear there are thousands besides ,roman ,catholics who1 in heart1 look to the church1 if not for salvation1 at least to be a stepping-stone thereto4 ,hence the importance of seeing clearly that the materials of which ,god's assembly is composed are those possessing salvation1 in whom is eternal life2 so that whatever be the object of that assembly1 it most certainly is not to provide salvation for its members1 seeing that all its members are saved ere they enter it at all4 ,god's assembly is a houseful of saved ones from one end to the other4 ,blessed fact6 ,it is not an institution set on foot for the purpose of providing salvation for sinners1 nor yet for providing for their religious wants4 ,it is a saved1 living body1 formed and gathered by the ,holy ,ghost1 to make known to ,principalities and powers in the heavenlies1 the manifold wisdom of ,god1 and to declare to the whole universe the all-sufficiency of the name of ,jesus4 ,now1 the great enemy of ,christ and the ,church is well aware of what a powerful testimony the assembly of ,god is called and designed to yield on the earth2 and therefore he has put forth all his hellish energy to quash that testimony in every possible way4 ,he hates the name of ,jesus1 and everything tending to glorify that name4 ,hence his intense opposition to the assembly as a whole1 and to each local expression thereof1 wherever it may happen to exist4 ,he has no objection to a mere religious establishment set on foot for the purpose of providing for man's religious wants1 whether maintained by government or by voluntary effort4 ,you may set up what you please4 ,you may join what you please4 ,you may be what you please2 anything and everything for ,satan but the assembly of ,god1 and the practical expression of it in any given place4 ,that he hates most cordially1 and will seek to blacken and blast by every means in his power4 ,but those consolatory accents of the ,lord ,christ fall with divine power on the ear of faith3 ,on this rock ,i will build ,my assembly1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 #b4 ,this conducts us naturally to our second point1 namely1 ,what is the centre round which ,god's assembly is gathered8 ,the centre is ,christ--the living ,stone1 as we read in the ,epistle of ,peter1 ,to whom coming as unto a living stone1 disallowed indeed of men1 but chosen of ,god1 and precious1 ye also1 as living stones1 are built up a spiritual house1 a holy priesthood1 to offer up spiritual sacrifices1 acceptable to ,god by ,jesus ,christ 7chap4 ii4 #d1 #e74 ,it is around the person of a living ,christ then1 that ,god's assembly is gathered4 ,it is not round a doctrine1 however true2 nor round an ordinance1 however important2 but round a living1 divine ,person4 ,this is a great cardinal and vital point which must be distinctly seized1 tenaciously held1 and faithfully and constantly avowed and carried out4 ,to whom coming4 ,it is not said ,to which coming4 ,we do not come to a thing1 but to a ,person4 ,let us go forth therefore unto ,him 7,heb4 xiii474 ,the ,holy ,ghost leads us only to ,jesus4 ,nothing short of this will avail4 ,we may speak of joining a church1 becoming a member of a congregation1 attaching ourselves to a party1 a cause1 or an interest4 ,all these expressions tend to darken and confuse the mind1 and hide from our view the divine idea of the assembly of ,god4 ,it is not our business to join anything4 ,when ,god converted us1 ,he joined us by ,his ,spirit to ,christ and to all the members of ,christ1 and that should be enough for us4 ,christ is the only centre of ,god's assembly4 ,and1 we may ask1 is not ,he sufficient8 ,is it not quite enough for us to be joined to the ,lord8 ,why add aught thereto8 ,where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them 7,matt4 xviii4 #bj74 ,what more can we need8 ,if ,jesus is in our midst1 why should we think of setting up a human president8 ,why not unanimously and heartily allow ,him to take the president's seat1 and bow to ,him in all things8 ,why set up human authority1 in any shape or form1 in the house of ,god8 ,but this is done1 and it is well to speak plainly about it4 ,man is set up in that which professes to be an assembly of ,god4 ,we see human authority exercised in that sphere in which divine authority alone should be acknowledged4 ,it matters not1 so far as the foundation principle is concerned1 whether it be pope1 parson1 priest1 or president4 ,it is man set up in ,christ's place4 ,it may be the pope appointing a cardinal1 a legate1 or a bishop to his sphere of work2 or it may be a president appointing a man to exhort or to pray for ten minutes4 ,the principle is one and the same4 ,it is human authority acting in that sphere where only ,god's authority should be owned4 ,if ,christ be in our midst1 we can count on ,him for everything4 ,now1 in saying this1 we anticipate a very probable objection4 ,it may be said by the advocates of human authority1 ,how could an assembly ever get on without some human presidency8 ,would it not lead to all sorts of confusion8 ,would it not open the door for everyone to intrude himself upon the assembly1 quite irrespective of gift or qualification8 ,our answer is a very simple one4 ,jesus is all-sufficient4 ,we can trust ,him to keep order in ,his house4 ,we feel ourselves far safer in ,his gracious and powerful hand than in the hands of the most attractive human president4 ,we have all spiritual gifts treasured up in ,jesus4 ,he is the fountain-head of all ministerial authority4 ,he hath the seven stars4 ,let us only confide in ,him1 and the order of our assembly will be as perfectly provided for as the salvation of our souls4 ,this is just the reason of our connecting1 in the title of this pamphlet1 ,the all-sufficiency of the name of ,jesus with the ,assembly of ,god4 ,we believe that the name of ,jesus is1 in very truth1 all-sufficient1 not only for personal salvation1 but for all the exigencies of the assembly--for worship1 communion1 ministry1 discipline1 government1 everything4 ,having ,him1 we have all and abound4 ,this is the real marrow and substance of our subject4 ,our one aim and object is to exalt the name of ,jesus2 and we believe ,he has been dishonored in that which calls itself ,his house4 ,he has been dethroned1 and man's authority has been set up4 ,in vain does ,he bestow a ministerial gift2 the possessor of that gift is not free to exercise it without the seal1 the sanction1 and the authority of man4 ,and not only is this so1 but if man thinks proper to give his seal1 his sanction and authority1 to one possessing not a particle of spiritual gift--yea1 it may be1 not a particle of spiritual life--he is nevertheless a recognized minister4 ,in short1 man's authority without ,christ's gift makes a man a minister2 whereas ,christ's gift without man's authority does not4 ,if this be not a dishonor done to the ,lord ,christ1 what is8 ,christian reader1 pause here1 and deeply ponder this principle of human authority4 ,we confess we are anxious you should get to the root of it1 and judge it thoroughly1 in the light of ,holy ,scripture1 and the presence of ,god4 ,it is1 be assured of it1 the grand point of distinction between the principles of the assembly of ,god and every human system of religion under the sun4 ,if you look at all those systems1 from ,romanism down to the most refined form of religious association1 you will find man's authority recognized and demanded4 ,with that you may minister2 without it you must not4 ,on the contrary1 in the assembly of ,god1 ,christ's gift alone makes man a minister1 apart from all human authority4 ,not of men1 neither by man1 but by ,jesus ,christ1 and ,god the ,father1 who raised ,him from the dead4 7,gal4 i4 ,i74 ,this is the grand principle of ministry in the assembly of ,god4 ,now1 in classing ,romanism with all the other religious systems of the day1 let it1 once for all1 be distinctly understood that it is only in reference to the principle of ministerial authority4 ,god forbid that we should think of comparing a system which shuts out the word of ,god1 and teaches idolatry1 the worship of saints and angels1 and a whole mass of gross1 abominable error and superstition1 with those systems where the word of ,god is held up1 and more or less of scriptural truth promulgated4 ,nothing can be further from our thoughts4 ,we believe popery to be ,satan's master-piece1 in the way of a religious system1 although many of the people of ,god have been1 and may yet be1 involved therein4 ,further1 let us at this stage plainly aver that we believe the saints of ,god are to be found in every ,protestant community1 both as ministers and members2 and that the ,lord uses them in many ways--blesses their work1 service1 and personal testimony4 ,and1 finally1 we feel it right to declare that we would not move a finger to touch any one of those systems4 ,it is not with the systems we have to do2 the ,lord will deal with them4 ,our business is with the saints in those systems1 to seek by every spiritual and scriptural agency to get them to own and act upon the divine principles of the assembly of ,god4 ,having said thus much1 in order to prevent misunderstanding1 we return with increased power to our point1 namely1 that the thread of human authority runs through every religious system in ,christendom1 and that1 in good truth1 there is not a hair's breadth of consistent standing ground between the church of ,rome and a true expression of the assembly of ,god4 ,we believe that an honest seeker after truth1 setting out from amid the dark shadows of popery1 cannot possibly halt until he finds himself in the clear and blessed light of that which is a true expression of ,god's assembly4 ,he may take years to travel over the intervening space4 ,his steps may be slow and measured2 but if only he follows the light1 in simplicity and godly sincerity1 he will find no rest between those two extremes4 ,the ground of the assembly of ,god is the true position for all the children of ,god4 ,alas6 they are not all there2 but this is only their loss and their ,lord's dishonor4 ,they should be there because not only is ,god there1 but ,he is allowed to act and rule there4 ,this latter is of all-importance1 inasmuch as it may be truly said1 ,is not ,god everywhere8 ,and does ,he not act in various places8 ,true1 ,he is everywhere1 and ,he works in the midst of palpable error and evil4 ,but ,he is not allowed to rule in the systems of men1 seeing that man's authority is really supreme1 as we have already shown4 ,and in addition to this1 if the fact of ,god's converting and blessing souls in a system be a reason why we should be there1 then we ought to be in the church of ,rome1 for how many have been converted and blessed in that awful system8 ,even in the recent revival we have heard of persons being stricken in ,roman ,catholic chapels4 ,what proves too much proves nothing at all1 and hence no argument can be based on the fact of ,god's working in a place4 ,he is sovereign1 and may work where ,he pleases4 ,we are to be subject to ,his authority1 and work where we are commanded1 ,my ,master may go where ,he pleases1 but ,i must go where ,i am told4 ,but some may ask1 ,is there no danger of incompetent men intruding their ministry upon an assembly of ,god8 ,and in the event of this1 where is the difference between that assembly and the systems of men8 ,we reply1 assuredly there is very great danger4 ,but then such a thing would be despite1 not in virtue of1 the principle4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,yes1 indeed1 we have seen mistakes and failures which are most humiliating4 ,let no one imagine that1 while we contend for the truth concerning the assembly of ,god1 we are at all ignorant or forgetful of the dangers and trials to which any carrying out its principles are exposed4 ,far from it4 ,no one could be for twenty-eight years on that ground without being painfully conscious of the difficulty of maintaining it4 ,but then the very trials1 dangers1 and difficulties only prove to be so many proofs--painful if you please1 but proofs of the truth of the position2 and were there no remedy but an appeal to human authority--a setting up of man in ,christ's place--a return to worldly systems1 we should without hesitation pronounce the remedy to be far worse than the disease4 ,for were we to adopt the remedy1 we should have the very worst symptoms of the disease1 not to be mourned over as disease1 but gloried in as the fruits of so-called order4 ,but blessed be ,god1 there is a remedy4 ,what is it8 ,there am ,i in the midst4 ,this is enough4 ,it is not1 ,there is a pope1 a priest1 a parson1 or a president in their midst1 at their head1 in the chair1 or in the pulpit4 ,no thought of such a thing1 from cover to cover of the ,new ,testament4 ,even in the assembly of ,god at ,corinth1 where there was most grievous confusion and disorder1 the inspired apostle never hints at such a thing as a human president1 under any name whatsoever4 ,god is the author of peace in all the assemblies of the saints 7,i ,cor4 xiv4 #cc74 ,god was there to keep order4 ,they were to look to ,him1 not to a man1 under any name4 ,to set up man to keep order in ,god's assembly is sheer unbelief1 and an open insult to the ,divine ,presence4 ,now1 we have been often asked to adduce ,scripture in proof of the idea of divine presidency in an assembly4 ,we at once reply1 ,there am ,i2 and ,god is the ,author4 ,on these two pillars1 even had we no more1 we can triumphantly build the glorious truth of divine presidency--a truth which must deliver all1 who receive and hold it from ,god1 from every system of man1 call it by what name you please4 ,it is1 in our judgment1 impossible to recognize ,christ as the centre and sovereign ruler in the assembly1 and continue to sanction the setting up of man4 ,when once we have tasted the sweetness of being under ,christ1 we can never again submit to the servile bondage of being under man4 ,this is not insubordination or impatience of control4 ,it is only the utter refusal to bow to a false authority--to sanction a sinful usurpation4 ,the moment we see man usurping authority in that which calls itself the church1 we simply ask1 ,who are you8 and retire to a sphere where ,god alone is acknowledged4 ,but1 then1 there are errors1 evils1 and abuses even in this very sphere4 ,doubtless2 but if there are1 we have the word of ,god to correct them4 ,and hence1 if an assembly should be troubled by the intrusion of ignorant and foolish men--men who have never yet measured themselves in the presence of ,god--men who boldly overleap the wide domain over which common sense1 good taste1 and moral propriety preside1 and then vainly talk of being led by the ,holy ,spirit--restless men1 who will be at something1 and who keep the assembly in a continual state of nervous apprehension1 not knowing what is to come next--should any assembly be thus grievously afflicted1 what should they do8 ,abandon the ground in impatience1 chagrin1 and disappointment8 give all up as a myth1 a fable1 an idle chimera8 go back to that from which they once came out8 ,alas6 this is what some have done1 thus proving that they never understood what they had been doing2 or if they had understood it1 that they had not faith to pursue it4 ,may the ,lord have mercy upon such1 and open their eyes that they may see from whence they have fallen1 and get a true view of the assembly of ,god1 in contrast with the most attractive of the systems of men4 ,but what is an assembly to do when abuses creep in8 ,correct them by the word of ,god4 ,this is ,god's authoritative voice4 ,we are fully aware of the difficulties and trials connected with any expression of the assembly of ,god4 ,we believe its difficulties and trials are perfectly characteristic4 ,there is nothing under the canopy of heaven that the devil hates as he hates that4 ,he will leave no stone unturned to oppose it4 ,we have seen this exemplified again and again4 ,an evangelist may go to a place and preach the all-sufficiency of the name of ,jesus for the salvation of the soul1 and he will have thousands hanging on his lips4 ,let the same man return1 and1 while he preaches the same gospel1 take another step and proclaim the all-sufficiency of that same ,jesus for all the exigencies of an assembly of believers1 and he will find himself opposed on all hands4 ,why is this8 ,because the devil hates the very feeblest expression of the assembly of ,god4 ,you may see a town left for ages and generations to its dark and dull routine of religious formalism--a dead people gathering once a week to hear a dead man go through a dead service1 and all the rest of the week living in sin and folly4 ,there is not a breath of life1 not a leaf stirring4 ,the devil likes it well4 ,but let some one come and unfurl the standard of the name of ,jesus--,jesus for the soul and ,jesus for the assembly--and you will soon see a mighty change4 ,the rage of hell is excited1 and the dark and dreadful tide of opposition rises4 ,this1 we most fully believe1 is the true secret of many of the bitter attacks that have been recently made on those who maintain the principles of the assembly of ,god4 ,no doubt we have to mourn over many mistakes1 errors1 and failures4 ,we have given much occasion to the adversary in various ways4 ,we have been a poor blotted epistle1 a faint and feeble witness1 a flickering light4 ,for all this we have to be deeply humbled before our ,god4 ,nothing could be more unbecoming in us than pretention or assumption1 or the putting forth of high-sounding ecclesiastical claims4 ,the dust is our place4 ,yes1 beloved brethren1 the place of confession and self-judgment becomes us1 in the presence of our ,god4 ,still1 we are not to let slip the glorious principles of the assembly of ,god because we have so shamefully failed in carrying them out3 we are not to judge the truth by our exhibition of it1 but to judge our exhibition by the truth4 ,it is one thing to occupy divine ground1 and another thing to carry ourselves properly thereon2 and while it is perfectly right to judge our practice by our principles1 yet truth is truth for all that1 and we may rest assured that the devil hates the truth which characterizes the assembly4 ,a mere handful of poor people1 gathered in the name of ,jesus1 as members of ,his body1 to break bread in remembrance of ,him1 is a thorn in the side of the devil4 ,true it is that such an assembly evokes the wrath of men1 inasmuch as it throws their office and authority overboard1 and they cannot bear that4 ,yet we believe the root of the whole matter will be found in ,satan's hatred of the special testimony which such an assembly bears to the all-sufficiency of the name of ,jesus for every possible need of the saints of ,god4 ,this is a truly noble testimony1 and we earnestly long to see it more faithfully carried out4 ,we may fully count upon intense opposition4 ,it will be with us as it was with the returned captives in the days of ,ezra and ,nehemiah4 ,we may expect to encounter many a ,rehum and many a ,sanballat4 ,nehemiah might have gone and built any other wall in the whole world but the wall of ,jerusalem1 and ,sanballat would never have molested him4 ,but to build the wall of ,jerusalem was an unpardonable offence4 ,and why8 ,just because ,jerusalem was ,god's earthly centre1 round which ,he will yet gather the restored tribes of ,israel4 ,this was the secret of the enemy's opposition4 ,and mark the affected contempt4 ,if a fox go up1 he shall even break down their stone wall4 ,and yet ,sanballat and his allies were not able to break it down4 ,they might cause it to cease because of the ,jews' lack of faith and energy2 but they could not break it down when ,god would have it up4 ,how like is this to the present moment6 ,surely there is nothing new under the sun4 ,there is affected contempt1 but real alarm4 ,and1 oh6 if those who are gathered in the name of ,jesus were only more true in heart to their blessed ,centre1 what testimony there would be6 ,what power6 ,what victory6 ,how it would tell on all around4 ,where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i4 ,there is nothing like this under the sun1 be it ever so feeble and contemptible4 ,the ,lord be praised for raising up such a witness for ,himself in these last days4 ,may ,he greatly increase its effectiveness1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost6 #c4 ,we must now very briefly glance at our third point1 namely1 what is the power by which the assembly is gathered4 ,here again man and his doings are set aside4 ,it is not man's will choosing2 nor man's reason discovering2 nor man's judgment dictating2 nor man's conscience demanding2 it is the ,holy ,ghost gathering souls to ,jesus4 ,as ,jesus is the only centre1 so the ,holy ,ghost is the only gathering power4 ,the one is as independent of man as the other4 ,it is where two or three are gathered4 ,it does not say where two or three are met4 ,persons may meet together round any centre1 on any ground1 by any influence1 and merely form a society1 an association1 a community4 ,but the ,holy ,ghost gathers saved souls only to ,christ4 ,an assembly may not embrace all the saints of ,god in a locality4 ,in such a case they cannot be called the assembly of ,god in that place4 ,but if they are assembled as members of the body of ,christ1 they occupy the ground of the assembly of ,god4 ,this is a very simple truth4 ,a soul led by the ,holy ,ghost will gather only to the name of the ,lord2 and if we gather to aught else1 be it a point of truth1 or some ordinance or another1 we are not in that matter led by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is not a question of life or salvation4 ,thousands are saved by ,christ that do not own ,him as their centre4 ,they are gathered to some form of church government1 some favorite doctrine1 some special ordinance1 some gifted man4 ,the ,holy ,ghost will never gather to any one of these4 ,he gathers only to a risen ,christ4 ,this is true of the whole ,church of ,god upon earth2 and each local assembly1 wherever convened1 is the expression of the whole4 ,now1 the power in an assembly will very much depend upon the measure in which each member thereof is gathered in integrity of heart to the name of ,jesus4 ,if ,i am gathered to a party holding peculiar opinions--if ,i am attracted by the people1 or by the teaching--if1 in a word1 it be not the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 leading me to the true ,centre of ,god's assembly1 ,i shall only prove a hindrance1 a weight1 a cause of weakness4 ,i shall be to an assembly what a waster is to a candle2 and instead of adding to the general light and usefulness1 ,i shall do the very reverse4 ,all this is deeply practical4 ,it should lead to much exercise of heart and self-judgment as to what has drawn me to an assembly1 and as to my ways therein4 ,we are fully persuaded that the tone and testimony of an assembly have been greatly weakened by the presence of persons not understanding their position4 ,some present themselves there because they get teaching and blessing there which they cannot get anywhere else4 ,some come because they like the simplicity of the worship4 ,others come looking for love4 ,none of these things are up to the mark4 ,we should be in an assembly simply because the name of ,jesus is the only standard set up there1 and the ,holy ,spirit has gathered us thereto4 ,no doubt ministry is most precious1 and we shall have it1 in more or less power1 where all is ordered aright4 ,so also as to simplicity of worship3 we are sure to be simple1 and real1 and true1 when the divine presence is realized1 and the sovereignty of the ,holy ,ghost fully owned and submitted to4 ,and as to love1 if we go looking for it we shall surely be thoroughly disappointed3 but if we are enabled to cultivate and manifest it1 we shall be sure to get a great deal more than we expect or deserve4 ,it will generally be found that those persons who are perpetually complaining of want of love in others are utterly failing in love themselves2 and1 on the other hand1 those who are really walking in love will tell you that they receive a thousand times more than they deserve4 ,let us remember that the best way to get water out of a dry pump is to pour a little water in4 ,you may work at the handle until you are tired1 and then go away in fretfulness and impatience1 complaining of that horrible pump2 whereas1 if you would just pour in a little water1 you would get in return a gushing stream to satisfy your utmost desire4 ,we have but little conception of what an assembly would be were each one distinctly led by the ,holy ,ghost1 and gathered only to ,jesus4 ,we should not then have to complain of dull1 heavy1 unprofitable1 trying meetings4 ,we should have no fear of an unhallowed intrusion of mere nature and its restless doings--no making of prayer--no talking for talking's sake--no hymn-book seized to fill a gap4 ,each one would know his place in the ,lord's immediate presence--each gifted vessel would be filled1 fitted1 and used by the ,master's hand--each eye would be directed to ,jesus--each heart occupied with ,him4 ,if a chapter were read1 it would be the very voice of ,god4 ,if a word were spoken1 it would tell with power upon the heart4 ,if prayer were offered1 it would lead the soul into the very presence of ,god4 ,if a hymn were sung1 it would lift the spirit up to ,god1 and be like sweeping the strings of the heavenly harp4 ,we should have no ready-made sermons--no teaching or preaching prayers1 as though we would explain doctrines to ,god1 or tell ,him a whole host of things about ourselves--no praying at our neighbors1 or asking for all manner of graces for them1 in which we ourselves are lamentably deficient--no singing for music's sake1 or being disturbed if harmony be interfered with4 ,all these evils should be avoided4 ,we should feel ourselves in the very sanctuary of ,god1 and enjoy a foretaste of that time when we shall worship in the courts above1 and go no more out4 ,we may be asked1 ,where will you find all this down here8 ,ah6 this is the question4 ,it is one thing to present a beau ideal on paper1 and another thing to realize it in the midst of error1 failure1 and infirmity4 ,through mercy1 some of us have tasted1 at times1 a little of this blessedness4 ,we have occasionally enjoyed moments of heaven upon earth4 ,oh1 for more of it6 ,may the ,lord1 in ,his great mercy1 raise the tone of the assemblies everywhere6 ,may ,he greatly enlarge our capacity for more profound communion and spiritual worship6 ,may ,he enable us so to walk1 in private life1 from day to day so as to judge ourselves and our ways in ,his holy presence1 that at least we may not prove a lump of lead or a waster to any of ,god's assemblies4 ,and then1 even though we may not be able to reach in experience the true expression of the assembly1 yet let us never be satisfied with anything less4 ,let us honestly aim at the loftiest standard1 and earnestly pray to be lifted up thereto4 ,as to the ground of ,god's assembly1 we should hold it with jealous tenacity1 and never consent for an hour to occupy any other4 ,as to the tone and character of an assembly1 they may and will vary immensely1 and will depend upon the faith and spirituality of those gathered4 ,where the tone of things is felt to be low1--when meetings are felt to be unprofitable--where things are said and done repeatedly which are felt by the spiritual to be wholly out of place1 let all who feel it wait on ,god--wait continually--wait believingly--and ,he will assuredly hear and answer4 ,in this way the very trials and exercises which are peculiar to an assembly will have the happy effect of casting us more immediately upon ,him1 and thus the eater will yield meat1 and the strong sweetness4 ,we must count upon trials and difficulties in any expression of the assembly1 just because it is the right and divine way for ,god's people on earth4 ,the devil will put forth every effort to drive us from that true and holy ground4 ,he will try the patience1 try the temper1 hurt the feelings1 cause offence in nameless and numberless ways--anything and everything to make us forsake the true ground of the assembly4 ,it is well to remember this4 ,we can only hold the divine ground by faith4 ,this marks the assembly of ,god1 and distinguishes it from every human system4 ,you cannot get on there save by faith4 ,and1 further1 if you want to be somebody1 if you are seeking a place1 if you want to exalt self1 you need not think of any true expression of the assembly4 ,you will soon find your level there1 if it be in any measure what it should be4 ,fleshly or worldly greatness1 in any shape1 will be of no account in such an assembly4 ,the ,divine ,presence withers up everything of that kind1 and levels all human pretension4 ,finally1 you cannot get on in the assembly if you are living in secret sin4 ,the ,divine ,presence will not suit you4 ,have we not often experienced in the assembly a feeling of uneasiness1 caused by the recollection of many things which had escaped our notice during the week8 ,wrong thoughts--foolish words--unspiritual ways--all these things crowd in upon the mind1 and exercise the conscience1 in the assembly6 ,how is this8 ,because the atmosphere of the assembly is more searching than that which we have been breathing during the week4 ,we have not been in the presence of ,god in our private walk4 ,we have not been judging ourselves2 and hence1 when we take our place in a spiritual assembly1 our hearts are detected--our ways are exposed in the light2 and that exercise which ought to have gone on in private--even the needed exercise of self-judgment1 must go on at the table of the ,lord4 ,this is poor1 miserable work for us1 but it proves the power of the presence of ,god in the assembly4 ,things must be in a miserably low state in any assembly when hearts are not thus detected and exposed4 ,it is a fine evidence of the power of the ,holy ,spirit in an assembly when careless1 carnal1 worldly1 self-exalting1 money-loving1 unprincipled persons are compelled to judge themselves in ,god's presence1 or1 failing this1 are driven away by the spirituality of the atmosphere4 ,such an assembly is no place for these4 ,they can breathe more freely outside4 ,now1 we cannot but judge that numbers that have departed from the ground of the assembly have done so because their practical ways did not comport with the purity of the place4 ,no doubt it is easy1 in all such cases1 to find an excuse in the conduct of those who are left behind4 ,but if the roots of things were in every case laid bare1 we should find that many leave an assembly because of inability or reluctance to bear its searching light4 ,thy testimonies are very sure2 holiness becometh ,thy house1 ,o ,lord1 forever4 ,evil must be judged1 for ,god cannot sanction it4 ,if an assembly does not it is not practically ,god's assembly at all1 though composed of ,christians1 as we say4 ,to pretend to be an assembly of ,god1 and not judge false doctrine and evil ways1 would involve the blasphemy of saying that ,god and wickedness can dwell together4 ,the assembly of ,god must keep itself pure1 because it is ,his dwelling-place4 ,men may sanction evil1 and call it liberality and large-heartedness so to do2 but the house of ,god must keep itself pure4 ,let this great practical truth sink down into our hearts1 and produce its sanctifying influence upon our course and character4 #d4 ,a very few words will suffice to set forth1 in the last place1 the authority on which the assembly is gathered4 ,it is the word of ,god alone4 ,the charter of the assembly is the eternal ,word of the living and true ,god4 ,it is not the traditions1 the doctrines1 nor the commandments of men4 ,a passage of ,scripture1 to which we have more than once referred in the progress of this paper1 contains at once the standard round which the assembly is gathered1 the power by which it is gathered1 and the authority by which it is gathered--the name of ,jesus--the ,holy ,ghost--the word of ,god4 ,now these are the same all over the world4 ,whether ,i go to ,new ,zealand1 to ,australia1 to ,canada1 to ,london1 to ,paris1 to ,edinburg1 or ,dublin1 the ,centre1 the gathering ,power1 and the authority are one and the same4 ,we can own no other centre but ,christ2 no gathering energy but the ,holy ,ghost2 no authority but the word of ,god2 no characteristic but holiness of life and soundness in doctrine4 ,such is a true expression of the assembly of ,god1 and we cannot acknowledge aught else4 ,saints of ,god we can acknowledge1 love1 and honor as such1 wherever we find them2 but human systems we look upon as dishonoring to ,christ1 and hostile to the true interest of the saints of ,god4 ,we long to see all ,christians on the true ground of the assembly4 ,we believe it to be the place of real blessing and effective testimony4 ,we believe there is a character of testimony yielded by carrying out the principles of the assembly which cannot be yielded otherwise1 even were each member a ,whitefield in evangelistic power4 ,we say this not to lower evangelistic work4 ,god forbid4 ,we would that all were ,whitefields4 ,but then we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that many affect to despise the assembly1 under the plea of going out as evangelists2 and when we trace their path1 and examine the results of their work1 we find that they have no provision for the souls that have been converted by their means4 ,they seem not to know what to do with them4 ,they quarry the stones1 but do not build them together4 ,the consequence is that souls are scattered hither and thither1 some persuing a desultory course1 others living in isolation1 all at fault as to true ,church ground4 ,now1 we believe that all these should be gathered on the ground of the assembly of ,god1 to have fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayer4 ,they should come together on the first day of the week1 to break bread1 looking to the ,lord ,christ to edify them by the mouth of whom ,he will4 ,this is the simple path--the normal1 the divine idea1 needing1 it may be1 more faith to realize it1 because of the clashing and conflicting elements of the present day1 but none the less simple and true on that account4 ,we are aware1 of course1 that all this will be pronounced proselytizing1 and party spirit1 by those who seem to regard it as the very beau ideal of ,christian liberality and large-heartedness to be able to say1 ,i belong to nothing4 ,strange1 anomalous position6 ,it just resolves itself in this3 it is somebody professing nothingism in order to get rid of all responsibility1 and go with all and everything4 ,this is a very easy path for nature1 and amiable nature1 but we shall see what will come of it in the day of the ,lord4 ,even now we regard it as positive unfaithfulness to ,christ1 from which may the good ,lord deliver ,his people4 ,but let none imagine that we want to place the evangelist and the assembly in opposition4 ,nothing is further from our thoughts4 ,the evangelist should go forth from the bosom of the assembly1 in full fellowship therewith2 he should work not only to gather souls to ,christ1 but also bring them to an assembly1 where divinely-gifted pastors might watch over them1 and divinely-gifted teachers instruct them4 ,we do not want to clip the evangelist's wings1 but only to guide his movements4 ,we are unwilling to see real spiritual energy expended in desultory service4 ,no doubt it is a grand result to bring souls to ,christ4 ,every soul linked to ,jesus is a work done forever4 ,but ought not the lambs and sheep to be gathered and cared for8 ,would anyone be satisfied to purchase sheep1 and then leave them to wander whithersoever they list8 ,surely not4 ,but whither should ,christ's sheep be gathered8 ,is it into the folds of man's erection1 or into an assembly gathered on divine ground8 ,into the latter unquestionably2 for that1 we may rest assured1 however feeble1 however despised1 however blackened and maligned1 is the place for all the lambs and sheep of the flock of ,christ4 ,here1 however1 there will be responsibility1 care1 anxiety1 labor1 a constant demand for watchfulness and prayer2 all of which flesh and blood would like to avoid1 if possible4 ,there is much that is agreeable and attractive in the idea of going through the world as an evangelist1 having thousands hanging on one's lips1 and hundreds of souls as the seals of one's ministry3 but what is to be done with these souls8 ,by all means show them their true place with those gathered on the ground of the assembly of ,god1 where1 notwithstanding the ruin and apostasy of the professing body1 they can enjoy spiritual communion1 worship1 and ministry4 ,this will involve much trial and painful excise4 ,it was so in apostolic times4 ,those who really cared for the flock of ,christ had to shed many a tear1 send up many an agonizing prayer1 spend many a sleepless night4 ,but1 then1 in all these things1 they tasted the sweetness of fellowship with the chief ,shepherd2 and when ,he appears1 their tears1 their prayers1 their sleepless nights will be remembered and rewarded2 while those who are building up human systems will find them all come to an end1 to be heard of no more forever2 and the false shepherds1 who ruthlessly seize the pastoral staff only to use it as an instrument of filthy gain to themselves1 shall have their faces covered with everlasting confusion4 ,but1 we may be asked1 ,is it not worse than useless to seek to carry out the principles of the assembly of ,god1 seeing that the professing ,church is in such complete ruin8 ,we reply by asking1 ,are we to be disobedient because the ,church is in ruin8 ,are we to continue in error because the dispensation has failed8 ,surely not4 ,we own the ruin1 mourn over it1 confess it1 take our share in it1 and in its sad consequences1 seek to walk softly and humbly in the midst of it1 confessing ourselves to be most unfaithful and unworthy4 ,but though we have failed1 ,christ has not failed4 ,he abideth faithful2 ,he cannot deny ,himself4 ,he has promised to be with ,his people to the end of the age4 ,matt4 xviii4 #bj holds as good to-day as it did #ahjj years ago4 ,let ,god be true and every man a liar4 ,we utterly repudiate the idea of men setting about church-making1 or pretending to ordain ministers4 ,we look upon it as a pure assumption1 without a single shadow of ,scripture authority4 ,it is ,god's work to gather ,his ,church and raise up ministers4 ,we have no business to form ourselves into a church1 or to ordain office-bearers4 ,no doubt the ,lord is very gracious1 tender1 and pitiful4 ,he bears with our weakness1 and overrules our mistakes1 and where the heart is true to ,him1 even though in ignorance1 ,he will assuredly lead on into higher light4 ,but we must not use ,god's grace as a plea for unscriptural acting1 any more than we should use the ,church's ruin as a plea for sanctioning error4 ,we have to confess the ruin1 count on the grace1 and act in simple obedience to the word of the ,lord4 ,such is the path of blessing at all times4 ,the remnant1 in the days of ,ezra1 did not pretend to the power and splendor of ,solomon's days1 but they obeyed the word of ,solomon's ,lord1 and they were abundantly blessed in their deed4 ,they did not say1 ,things are in ruin1 and therefore we had better remain in ,babylon1 and do nothing4 ,no2 they simply confessed their own and their people's sin1 and counted on ,god4 ,this is precisely what we are to do4 ,we are to own the ruin1 and count on ,god4 ,finally1 if we be asked1 ,where is the true expression of this assembly of ,god now8 ,we reply1 ,where ,christ is truly the ,centre of gathering2 the one body the ground2 the ,holy ,spirit the ,leader2 the ,holy ,scriptures the sole authority2 and holiness the practice4 ,reader1 are you assembled on this divine ground8 ,if so1 cling to it with your whole soul4 ,are you in this path8 ,if so1 press on with all the energies of your moral being4 ,never be content with anything short of ,his dwelling in you1 and your conscious nearness to ,him4 ,let not ,satan rob you of your proper portion by leading you to rest in a mere name4 ,let him not tempt you to mistake your ostensible position for your real condition4 ,cultivate secret communion--secret prayer--constant self-judgment4 ,be especially on your guard against every form of spiritual pride4 ,cultivate lowliness1 meekness1 and brokenness of spirit1 tenderness of conscience1 in your own private walk4 ,seek to combine the sweetest grace towards others with the boldness of a lion where truth is concerned4 ,then will you be a blessing in the assembly of ,god1 and an effective witness of the all-sufficiency of the name of ,jesus4 ,the veil is rent3--our souls draw near ,unto a throne of grace2 ,the merits of the ,lord appear1 ,they fill the holy place4 ,his precious blood has spoken there1 ,before and on the throne3 ,and ,his own wounds in heaven declare1 ,th' atoning work is done4 ',tis finished6--here our souls have rest1 ,his work can never fail3 ,by ,him1 our ,sacrifice and ,priest1 ,we pass within the veil4 ,within the holiest of all1 ,cleansed by ,his precious blood1 ,before the throne we prostrate fall1 ,and worship ,thee1 ,o ,god6 ,boldly the heart and voice we raise1 ,his blood1 ,his name1 our plea3 ,assured our prayers and songs of praise ,ascend1 by ,christ1 to ,thee4 ,,footnotes3 ,,xviii4 ,the same ,greek word1 ecclesia1 has been rendered both church and assembly in our ,english translation--assembly gives the true meaning4 ,,xix4 ,it is of the utmost importance to distinguish between what ,christ builds1 and what man builds4 ,the gates of hell shall assuredly prevail against all that is merely of man2 and hence it would be a fatal mistake to apply to man's building words which only apply to ,christ's4 ,man may build with wood1 hay1 stubble1 alas6 he does2 but all that our ,lord ,christ builds shall stand forever4 ,the stamp of eternity is upon every work of ,his hand4 ,all praise to ,his glorious name6 ,,xx4 ,there is no such thing in ,scripture as being a member of a church4 ,every true believer is a member of the ,church of ,god--the body of ,christ1 and can therefore no more be1 properly1 a member of anything else1 than my arm can be a member of any other body4 ,the only true ground on which believers can gather is set forth in that grand statement1 ,there is one body1 and one ,spirit4 ,and again1 ,we being many are one loaf1 and one body 7,eph4 iv4 #d2 ,i ,cor4 x4 #ag74 ,if ,god declares that there is but one body1 it must be contrary to ,his mind to own more than that one4 ,now1 while it is quite true that no given number of believers in any given place can be called the body of ,christ1 or the assembly of ,god2 yet they should be gathered on the ground of that body and that assembly1 and on no other ground4 ,we call the reader's special attention to this principle4 ,it holds good at all times1 in all places1 and under all circumstances4 ,the fact of the ruin of the professing ,church does not touch it4 ,it has been true since the day of ,pentecost2 is true at this moment2 and shall be true until the ,church is taken to meet her ,head and ,lord in the clouds1 that there is one body4 ,all believers belong to that body2 and they should meet on that ground1 and on no other4 ,,xxi4 ,the reader will need to ponder the distinction between the ,church viewed as the body of ,christ1 and as the house of ,god4 ,he may study ,eph4 i4 #bb2 ,i ,cor4 xii4 for the former4 ,eph4 ii4 #ba2 ,i ,cor4 iii42 ,i ,tim4 iii4 for the latter4 ,the distinction is as interesting as it is important4 ,,xxii4 ,the reader will do well to note the fact that1 in ,matt4 xvi41 we have the very earliest allusion to the ,church1 and there our ,lord speaks of it as a future thing4 ,he says1 ,on this rock ,i will build ,my ,church4 ,he does not say1 ,i have been1 or ,i am building4 ,in short the ,church had no existence until our ,lord ,christ was raised from the dead and glorified at the right hand of ,god4 ,then1 but not until then1 the ,holy ,ghost was sent down to baptize believers1 whether ,jews or ,gentiles1 into one body1 and unite them to the risen and glorified ,head in heaven4 ,this body has been on the earth since the descent of the ,holy ,ghost2 is here still1 and shall be until ,christ comes to fetch it to ,himself4 ,it is a perfectly unique thing4 ,it is not to be found in ,old ,testament ,scripture4 ,paul expressly tells us it was not revealed in other ages2 it was hid in ,god1 and never made known until it was committed to him4 7,see1 carefully1 ,rom4 xvi4 #be1 #bf2 ,eph4 iii4 #c-aa2 ,col4 i4 #bd-bg47 ,true it is--most blessedly true--that ,god had a people in ,old ,testament times4 ,not merely the nation of ,israel1 but a quickened1 saved1 spiritual people1 who lived by faith1 went to heaven1 and are there the spirits of just men made perfect4 ,but the ,church is never spoken of until ,matt4 xvi41 and there only as a future thing4 ,as to the expression used by ,stephen1 ,the ,church in the wilderness 7,acts vii4 #ch71 it is pretty generally known that it simply refers to the congregation of ,israel4 ,the termini of the ,church's earthly history are ,pentecost 7,acts ii471 and the rapture 7,i ,thess4 iv4 #af1 #ag74 ,,the ,,christian ,,his ,,position ,,and ,,his ,,work4 ,,part ,i4 ,what is the true position of a ,christian8 and what has he got to do8 are questions of the very deepest practical importance4 ,it is assumed1 of course1 that he has eternal life3 without this1 one cannot be a ,christian at all4 ,he that believeth on the ,son of ,god hath everlasting life4 ,this is the common portion of all believers4 ,it is not a matter of attainment1 a matter of progress1 a thing which some ,christians have and others have not4 ,it belongs to the very feeblest babe in the family of ,god1 as well as to the most matured and experienced servant of ,christ4 ,all are possessed of eternal life1 and can never by any possibility lose it4 ,but our present theme is not life1 but position and work2 and in considering it1 we shall ask the reader to turn for a moment to a passage in ,heb4 xiii4 ,perhaps we cannot do better than quote it for him4 ,there is nothing like the plain and solid word of ,holy ,scripture4 ,be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines2 for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace2 not with meats1 which have not profited them that have been occupied therein4 ,we have an altar1 whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle4 ,for the bodies of those beasts1 whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned without the camp4 ,wherefore ,jesus also1 that ,he might sanctify the people with ,his own blood1 suffered without the gate4 ,let us go forth therefore unto ,him without the camp1 bearing ,his reproach4 ,for here have we no continuing city1 but we seek one to come 7vers4 #i-ad74 ,here1 then1 we have one grand aspect of the ,christian's position4 ,it is defined by the position of his ,lord4 ,this makes it divinely simple2 and1 we may add1 divinely settled4 ,the ,christian is identified with ,christ4 ,amazing fact6 ,as ,he is so are we in this world4 ,it is not said1 ,as ,he is1 so shall we be in the world to come4 ,no2 this would not come up to the divine idea4 ,it is1 so are we in this world4 ,the position of ,christ defines the position of the ,christian4 ,but this glorious fact tells in a double way2 it tells upon the ,christian's place before ,god2 and it tells on his place as regards this present world4 ,it is upon the latter that ,heb4 xiii4 instructs us so blessedly1 and it is that which is now more especially before us4 ,jesus suffered without the gate4 ,this fact is the basis on which the apostle grounds his exhortation to the ,hebrew believers to go forth without the camp4 ,the cross of ,christ closed his connection with the camp of ,judaism2 and all who desire to follow ,him must go outside to where ,he is4 ,the final breach with ,israel is presented1 morally1 in the death of ,christ2 doctrinally1 in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews2 historically1 in the destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,in the judgment of faith1 ,jerusalem was as thoroughly rejected when the ,messiah was nailed to the cross1 as it was when the army of ,titus left it a smouldering ruin4 ,the instincts of the divine nature1 and the inspired teachings of ,scripture1 go before the actual facts of history4 ,jesus suffered without the gate4 ,for what end8 ,that ,he might sanctify 7or set apart to ,god7 the people with ,his own blood4 ,what follows8 ,what is the necessary practical result8 ,let us go forth therefore unto ,him without the camp1 bearing ,his reproach4 ,but what is the camp8 ,primarily1 ,judaism2 but1 most unquestionably1 it has a moral application to every organized system of religion under the sun4 ,if that system of ordinances and ceremonies which ,god ,himself had set up--if ,judaism1 with its imposing ritual1 its splendid temple1 its priesthood and its sacrifices1 has been found fault with1 condemned1 and set aside1 what shall be said of any or all of those organizations which have rebuilt it8 ,if our ,lord ,christ is outside of that1 how much more out of these6 ,yes1 ,christian reader1 we may rest assured that the outside place1 the place of rejection and reproach is that to which we are called1 if we would know aught of true fellowship with our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,mark the words6 ,let us go forth4 ,will any ,christian say1 ,no2 ,i cannot go forth4 ,my place is inside the camp4 ,i must work there8 ,if so1 then1 there must be moral distance between you and ,jesus1 for ,he is as surely outside the camp as ,he is on the throne of ,god4 ,if your sphere of work lies inside the camp1 when your ,master tells you to go forth1 what shall we say for your work8 ,can it be gold1 silver1 precious stones8 ,can it have your ,lord's approving smile8 ,it may exhibit ,his overruling hand1 and illustrate ,his sovereign goodness2 but can it possibly have ,his unqualified approval while carried on in a sphere from which ,he commands you to go forth8 ,the all-important thing for every true servant is to be found exactly where his ,master would have him4 ,the question is not1 ,am ,i doing a great deal of work8 but am ,i pleasing my ,master8 ,i may seem to be doing wonders in the way of work2 my name may be heralded to the ends of the earth as a most laborious1 devoted1 and successful workman2 and1 all the while1 ,i may be in an utterly false position1 indulging my own unbroken will1 pleasing myself1 and seeking some personal end or object4 ,all this is very solemn indeed1 and demands the consideration of all who really desire to be found in the current of ,god's thoughts4 ,we live in a day of much wilfulness4 ,the commandments of ,christ do not govern all4 ,we think for ourselves1 in place of submitting ourselves absolutely to the authority of the ,word4 ,when our ,lord tells us to go forth without the camp1 we1 instead of yielding a ready obedience1 begin to reason as to the results which we can reach by remaining within4 ,scripture seems to have little or no power over our souls4 ,we do not aim at simply pleasing ,christ4 ,provided we can make great show of work1 we think all is right4 ,we are more occupied with results which1 after all1 may only tend to magnify ourselves1 than with the earnest purpose to do what is agreeable to the mind of ,christ4 ,but are we to be idle8 ,is there nothing for us to do in the outside place to which we are called8 ,is ,christian life to be made up of a series of negations8 ,is there nothing positive8 ,let ,heb4 xiii4 furnish the clear and forcible answer to all these inquiries4 ,we shall find it quite as distinct in reference to our work as it is in reference to our position4 ,what1 then1 have we got to do8 ,two things2 and these two in their comprehensive range take in the whole of a ,christian's life in its two grand aspects4 ,they give us the inner and the outer life of the true believer4 ,in the first place1 we read1 ,by ,him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the fruit of our lips1 giving thanks to ,his name4 ,is not this something8 ,have we not here a very elevated character of work8 ,yes1 verily1 the most elevated that can possibly engage the energies of our renewed being4 ,it is our privilege to be occupied1 morning1 noon1 eventide1 and midnight1 in presenting the sacrifice of praise to ,god--a sacrifice which1 ,he assures us1 is ever most acceptable to ,him4 ,whoso offereth praise1 ,he says1 glorifieth ,me4 ,let us carefully note this4 ,praise is to be the primary and continual occupation of the believer4 ,we1 in our fancied wisdom1 would put work in the first place4 ,we are disposed to attach chief importance to bustling activity4 ,we have such an overweening sense of the value of doing1 that we lose sight of the place which worship occupies in the thoughts of ,god4 ,again1 there are some who vainly imagine that they can please ,god by punishing their bodies4 ,they think that ,he delights in their vigils1 fastings1 floggings1 and flagellations4 ,miserable1 soul-destroying1 ,god-dishonoring delusion6 ,will not those who harbor it and act upon it bend their ears and their hearts to those gracious words which we have just penned1 ,whoso offereth praise glorifieth ,me8 ,true1 it is1 that those words are immediately followed by that grand practical statement1 ,and to him that ordereth his conversation aright1 will ,i show the salvation of ,god4 ,but still1 here1 as everywhere1 the highest place is assigned to praise1 not to work4 ,and1 most assuredly1 no man can be said to be ordering his conversation aright who abuses his body and renders it unfit to be the vessel or instrument by which he can serve ,god4 ,no1 reader1 if we really desire to please ,god1 to gratify ,his heart and to glorify ,his name1 we shall give our heart's attention to ,heb4 xiii4 #ae1 and seek to offer the sacrifice of praise continually4 ,yes1 continually4 ,not merely now and then1 when all goes on smoothly and pleasantly4 ,come what may1 it is our high and holy privilege to offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god4 ,it does so glorify ,god when ,his people live in an atmosphere of praise4 ,it imparts a heavenly tone to their character1 and speaks more powerfully to the hearts of those around them than if they were preaching to them from morning till night4 ,a ,christian should rejoice in the ,lord alway1 always reflecting back upon this dark world the blessed beams of his ,father's countenance4 ,thus it should ever be4 ,nothing is so unworthy of a ,christian as a fretful spirit1 a gloomy temper1 a sour1 morose-looking face4 ,and not only is it unworthy of a ,christian1 but it is dishonoring to ,god1 and it causes the enemies of truth to speak reproachfully4 ,no doubt1 tempers and dispositions vary2 and allowance must be made in cases of weak bodily health1 and of circumstances of sorrow4 ,it is not easy to look pleasant when the body is in suffering2 and1 further1 we should be very far indeed from the commending anything like levity or the everlasting smile of mere unsubdued nature4 ,but ,scripture is clear and explicit4 ,it tells us to offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the fruit of our lips giving thanks to ,his name4 ,how simple6 ,the fruit of our lips4 ,this is what our ,god delights in4 ,it is ,his joy to be surrounded with the praises of hearts filled to overflowing with ,his abounding goodness4 ,thus it will be throughout eternity1 in that bright home of love and glory to which we are so rapidly hastening4 ,and let the reader specially note the words1 ,by ,him4 ,we are to offer our sacrifice of praise by the hand of our ,great ,high ,priest1 who is ever in the presence of ,god for us4 ,this is most consolatory and assuring to our hearts4 ,jesus presents our sacrifice of praise to ,god4 ,it must therefore be ever acceptable1 coming thus by the priestly hand of the ,great ,minister of the sanctuary4 ,it goes up to ,god1 not as it proceeds from us1 but as it is presented by ,him4 ,divested of all the imperfection and failure attaching to us1 it ascends to ,god in all the fragrance and acceptancy belonging to ,him4 ,the feeblest note of praise1 the simple ,thank ,god6 is perfumed with the incense of ,christ's infinite preciousness4 ,this is unspeakably precious3 and it should greatly encourage us to cultivate a spirit of praise4 ,we should be continually praising and blessing ,god4 ,a murmuring or fretful word should never cross the lips of one who has ,christ for his portion1 and who stands identified with that blessed ,one in ,his position and ,his destiny4 ,but we must draw this paper to a close by a rapid glance at the other side of the ,christian's work4 ,if it is our privilege to be continually praising and blessing ,god1 it is also our privilege to be doing good to man4 ,but to do good and to communicate forget not2 for with such sacrifices ,god is well pleased4 ,we are passing through a world of misery1 of sin and death and sorrow4 ,we are surrounded by broken hearts and crushed spirits1 if we would only look them out4 ,yes2 this is the point2 if we would only look them out4 ,it is easy for us to close our eyes to such things1 to turn away from them1 to forget that there are such things always within reach of us4 ,we can sit in our easy chair1 and speculate about truth1 doctrines1 and the letter of ,scripture2 we can discuss the theories of ,christianity1 and split hairs about prophecy and dispensational truth1 and1 all the while1 be shamefully failing in the discharge of our grand responsibility as ,christians4 ,we are in imminent danger of forgetting that ,christianity is a living reality4 ,it is not a set of dogmas1 a number of principles strung together on a thread of systematized divinity1 which unconverted people can have at their fingers' ends4 ,neither is it a set of ordinances to be gone through1 in dreary formality1 by lifeless1 heartless professors4 ,no2 it is life--life eternal--life implanted by the ,holy ,ghost1 and expressing itself in those two lovely forms on which we have been dwelling1 namely1 praise to ,god and doing good to man4 ,such was the life of ,jesus when ,he trod this earth of ours4 ,he lived in the atmosphere of praise2 and ,he went about doing good4 ,and ,he is our life1 and ,he is our model on which the life is to be formed4 ,the ,christian should be the living expression of ,christ1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is not a mere question of leading what is called a religious life1 which very often resolves itself into a tiresome round of duties which neither yield praise to ,god nor one atom of good to man4 ,there must be life1 or it is all perfectly worthless4 ,the kingdom of ,god is not meat or drink2 but righteousness and peace and joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for he that in these things serveth ,christ is acceptable to ,god1 and approved of men 7,rom4 xiv4 #ag1 #ah74 ,beloved ,christian reader1 let us earnestly apply our hearts to the consideration of these great practical truths4 ,let us seek to be ,christians not merely in name but in reality4 ,let us not be distinguished as the mere vendors of peculiar views4 ,oh6 how worthless are views6 ,how utterly profitless is discussion6 ,how wearisome are theological hair-splittings6 ,let us have life1 light1 and love4 ,these are heavenly1 eternal1 divine4 ,all else is vanity4 ,how we do long for reality in this world of sham--for deep thinkers and earnest workers in this day of shallow talkers6 ,,note4--,the reader will find it profitable to compare ,heb4 xiii4 #ac-af with ,i ,peter ii4 #d-i4 ,let us go forth therefore unto ,him1 says ,paul4 ,to whom coming1 says ,peter4 ,then we have ,the holy priesthood offering up spiritual sacrifices of praise4 ,and the royal priesthood doing good and communicating--showing forth the virtues of ,him who hath called us out of darkness into ,his marvelous light4 ,the two scriptures give us a magnificent view of fundamental1 devotional and practical ,christianity4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,we must ask the reader to open his ,bible and read ,heb4 x4 #g-bd4 ,in it he will find a very deep and marvelous view of the ,christian's position and his work4 ,the inspired writer gives us1 as it were1 three solid pillars on which the grand edifice of ,christianity rests4 ,these are1 first1 the will of ,god2 secondly1 the work of ,christ2 and1 thirdly1 the witness of the ,holy ,ghost1 in ,scripture4 ,if these grand realities be laid hold of in simple faith1 the soul must have settled peace4 ,we may assert1 with all possible confidence1 that no power of earth or hell1 men or devils1 can ever disturb the peace which is founded upon ,heb4 x4 #g-ag4 ,let us then1 in the first place1 dwell1 for a few moments1 on the manner in which the apostle unfolds1 in this magnificent passage1 ,,the ,,will ,,of ,,god4 ,in the opening of the chapter1 we are instructed as to the utter inadequacy of the sacrifices under the law4 ,they could never make the conscience perfect--they could never accomplish the will of ,god--never fulfil the gracious desire and purpose of ,his heart4 ,the law1 having a shadow of good things to come1 and not the very image of the things1 can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect4 ,for then would they not have ceased to be offered8 because the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins4 ,let the reader carefully note this4 ,the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins4 ,he does not say--,no more consciousness of sins4 ,there is an immense difference between these two things2 and yet1 it is to be feared1 they are often confounded4 ,the ,christian has1 alas1 the consciousness of sin in him1 but he ought to have no conscience of sins on him1 inasmuch as he is purged once and forever1 by the precious blood of ,christ4 ,some of the ,lord's people have a habit of speaking of their continual need of applying to the blood of ,christ1 which1 to say the least of it1 is by no means intelligent1 or in accordance with the accurate teaching of ,holy ,scripture4 ,it seems like humility2 but1 we may rest assured1 true humility can only be found in connection with the full1 clear1 settled apprehension of the truth of ,god1 and as to ,his gracious will concerning us4 ,if it be ,his will that we should have no more conscience of sins1 it cannot be true humility1 on our part1 to go on from day to day1 and year to year1 with the burden of sins upon us4 ,and1 further1 if it be true that ,christ has borne our sins and put them away forever--if ,he has offered one perfect sacrifice for sins1 ought we not assuredly to know that we are perfectly pardoned and perfectly purged8 ,is it--can it be1 true humility to reduce the blood of ,christ to the level of the blood of bulls and of goats8 ,but this is what is virtually done1 though1 no doubt1 unwittingly1 by all who speak of applying continually to the blood of ,christ4 ,one reason why ,god found fault with the sacrifices under the law was1 as the apostle tells us1 ,in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year4 ,this1 blessed be ,his name1 was not according to ,his mind4 ,he desired that every trace of guilt and every remembrance of it should be blotted out1 once and forever2 and hence it cannot be ,his will that ,his people should be continually bowed down under the terrible burden of unforgiven sin4 ,it is contrary to ,his will2 it is subversive of their peace1 and derogatory to the glory of ,christ and the efficacy of ,his one sacrifice4 ,one grand point of the inspired argument1 in ,hebrews x41 is to show that the continual remembrance of sins and the continual repetition of the sacrifice go together2 and therefore1 if ,christians now are to have the burden of sins constantly on the heart and conscience1 it follows that ,christ should be offered again and again--which were a blasphemy4 ,his work is done1 and hence our burden is gone--gone forever4 ,it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin4 ,wherefore1 when ,he cometh into the world1 ,he saith1 ,sacrifice and offering ,thou wouldest not1 but a body hast ,thou prepared ,me4 ,in burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin ,thou hast had no pleasure4 ,then said ,i1 ,lo1 ,i come 7in the volume of the book it is written of ,me7 to do ,thy will1 ,o ,god4 ,above1 when ,he said1 ,sacrifice and offering and burnt-offerings and offerings for sin ,thou wouldest not1 neither hadst pleasure therein 7which are offered by the law7 then said ,he1 ,lo1 ,i come to do ,thy will1 ,o ,god4 ,he taketh away the first that ,he may establish the second4 ,by the which will we are sanctified 7or set apart7 by the offering of the body of ,jesus ,christ once4 ,here we are conducted1 in the most distinct and forcible manner1 to the eternal source of the whole matter1 namely1 the will of ,god--the purpose and counsel formed in the divine mind1 before the foundation of the world1 before any creature was formed1 before sin or ,satan existed4 ,it was the will of ,god1 from all eternity1 that the ,son should1 in due time1 come forth and do a work which was to be the foundation of the divine glory and of all the counsels and purposes of the ,trinity4 ,it would be a very grave error indeed to suppose that redemption was an afterthought with ,god4 ,he had not1 blessed be ,his holy name1 to sit down and plan what ,he would do1 when sin entered4 ,it was all settled beforehand4 ,the enemy1 no doubt1 imagined that he was gaining a wonderful victory when he meddled with man in the garden of ,eden4 ,in point of fact1 he was only giving occasion for the display of ,god's eternal counsels in connection with the work of the ,son4 ,there was no basis for those counsels1 no sphere for their display in the fields of creation4 ,it was the meddling of ,satan--the entrance of sin--the ruin of man1 that opened a platform on which a ,saviour-,god might display the riches of ,his grace1 the glories of ,his salvation1 the attributes of ,his nature1 to all created intelligences4 ,there is great depth and power in those words of the eternal ,son1 ,in the volume of the book it is written of ,me4 ,to what volume does ,he here refer8 ,is it to ,old ,testament scripture merely8 ,surely not2 the apostle quotes from the ,old ,testament1 but it is nothing less than the roll of ,god's eternal counsels in which the vast plan was laid1 according to which1 in the appointed time1 the eternal ,son was to come forth and appear on the scene1 in order to accomplish the divine will1 vindicate the divine glory1 confound the enemy utterly1 put away sin1 and save ruined man in a manner which yields a richer harvest of glory to ,god than ever ,he could have reaped in the fields of an unfallen creation4 ,all this gives immense stability to the soul of the believer4 ,indeed it is utterly impossible for human language to set forth the preciousness and blessedness of this line of truth4 ,it is such rich consolation to every pious soul to know that ,one has appeared in this world to do the will of ,god--whatever that will might be4 ,lo1 ,i come to do ,thy will ,o ,god4 ,such was the one undivided purpose and object of that perfect human heart4 ,he never did ,his own will in anything4 ,he says1 ,i came down from heaven1 not to do ,mine own will1 but the will of ,him that sent ,me4 ,it mattered not to ,him what that will might involve to ,himself personally4 ,the decree was written down in the eternal volume that ,he should come and do the divine will2 and1 all homage to ,his peerless name6 ,he came and did it perfectly4 ,he could say1 ,a body hast ,thou prepared ,me4 ,mine ears hast ,thou opened4 ,i clothe the heavens with blackness1 and ,i make sackcloth their covering4 ,the ,lord ,god hath given ,me the tongue of the learned1 that ,i should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary3 ,he wakeneth morning by morning1 ,he wakeneth ,mine ear to hear as the learned4 ,the ,lord ,god hath opened ,mine ear1 and ,i was not rebellious1 neither turned away back4 ,i gave ,my back to the smiters1 and ,my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair3 ,i hid not ,my face from shame and spitting 7,isa4 l4 #c-f74 ,but this leads us1 in the second place1 to contemplate ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,christ4 ,it was ever the delight of the heart of ,jesus to do ,his ,father's will and finish ,his work4 ,from the manger at ,bethlehem to the cross of ,calvary1 the one grand object that swayed ,his devoted heart was the accomplishment of the will of ,god4 ,he perfectly glorified ,god1 in all things4 ,this1 blessed be ,god1 perfectly secures our full and everlasting salvation1 as the apostle in this passage1 so distinctly states4 ,by the which will we are sanctified1 through the offering of the body of ,jesus ,christ once4 ,here our souls may rest1 beloved reader1 in sweetest peace and unclouded certainty4 ,it was the will of ,god that we should be set apart to ,himself1 according to all the love of ,his heart1 and all the claims of ,his throne2 and our ,lord ,christ1 in due time1 in pursuance of the everlasting purpose as set forth in the volume of the book1 came forth from the glory which ,he had with the ,father1 before all worlds1 to do the work which forms the imperishable basis of all the divine counsels and of our eternal salvation4 ,and--forever be ,his name adored6--,he has finished ,his work4 ,he has perfectly glorified ,god in the midst of the scene in which ,he has been so dishonored4 ,at all cost ,he has vindicated ,him and made good ,his every claim4 ,he magnified the law and made it honorable4 ,he vanquished every foe1 removed every obstacle1 swept away every barrier1 bore the judgment and wrath of a sin-hating ,god2 destroyed death and him that had the power of it1 extracted its sting1 and spoiled the grave of its victory4 ,in a word1 ,he gloriously accomplished all that was written in the volume of the book concerning ,him2 and now we see ,him crowned with glory and honor1 at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,he travelled from the throne to the dust of death1 in order to accomplish the will of ,god1 and having done so1 ,he has gone back to the throne1 in a new character and on a new footing4 ,his pathway from the throne to the cross was marked by the footprints of divine and everlasting love2 and ,his pathway from the cross back to the throne is sprinkled by ,his atoning blood4 ,he came from heaven to earth to do the will of ,god1 and1 having done it1 ,he returned to heaven again1 thus opening up for us a new and living way by which we draw nigh to ,god1 in holy boldness and liberty1 as purged worshipers4 ,all is done4 ,every question is settled4 ,every barrier is removed4 ,the vail is rent4 ,that mysterious curtain which1 for ages and generations1 had shut ,god in from man1 and shut man out from ,god1 was rent in twain1 from top to bottom1 by the precious death of ,christ2 and now we can look right up into the opened heavens and see on the throne the ,man who bore our sins in ,his own body on the tree4 ,a seated ,christ tells out1 in the ear of faith1 the sweet emancipating tale that all that had to be done is done--done forever--done for ,god--done for us4 ,yes2 all is settled now1 and ,god can1 in perfect righteousness1 indulge the love of ,his heart1 in blotting out all our sins and bringing us nigh unto ,himself in all the acceptance of the ,one who sits beside ,him on the throne4 ,and let the reader carefully note the striking and beautiful way in which the apostle contrasts a seated ,christ in heaven with the standing priest on earth4 ,every priest standeth daily ministering1 and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices1 which can never take away sins4 ,but this ,man1 after ,he had offered one sacrifice for sins1 forever 7,greek3 eis to dienekes--in perpetuity7 sat down on the right hand of ,god2 from henceforth expecting till ,his enemies be made ,his footstool4 ,for by one offering ,he hath perfected forever 7in perpetuity7 them that are sanctified4 ,this is exceedingly blessed4 ,the priest1 under the ,levitical economy1 could never sit down1 for the obvious reason that his work was never done4 ,there was no seat provided in the temple or in the tabernacle4 ,there is remarkable force and significance in the manner in which the inspired writer puts this4 ,every priest--standeth daily--offering oftentimes--the same sacrifices--which can never take away sins4 ,no human language could possibly set forth1 more graphically1 the utter inefficacy of the ,levitical ceremonial4 ,how strange that1 in the face of such a passage of ,holy ,scripture1 ,christendom should have set up a human priesthood1 with its daily sacrifice6--a priesthood moreover1 not belonging to the tribe of ,levi1 not springing from the house of ,aaron1 and therefore having no sort of divine title or sanction4 ,and1 then as to the sacrifice1 it is1 according to their own admission1 a sacrifice without blood1 and therefore a sacrifice without remission1 for1 ,without the shedding of blood there is no remission 7,heb4 ix4 #bb74 ,hence1 this self-made priesthood is a daring usurpation1 and her sacrifices a worthless vanity--a positive lie--a mischievous delusion4 ,the priests of whom the apostle speaks in ,heb4 x4 were priests of the tribe of ,levi and of the house of ,aaron--the only house1 the only tribe ever recognised of ,god as having any title to assume the office and the work of an earthly priest4 ,and1 further1 the sacrifices which the ,aaronic priests offered were appointed by ,god1 for the time being1 to serve as figures of ,him that was to come2 but they never gave ,him any pleasure1 inasmuch as they could never take away sins2 and the true ,priest having come1 the true sacrifice having been offered1 the figures have been forever abolished4 ,now1 in view of all this1 what shall we say of ,christendom's priests and ,christendom's sacrifices8 ,what will a righteous ,judge say to them8 ,we cannot attempt to dwell upon such an awful theme4 ,we can merely say1 alas6 alas6 for the poor souls that are deluded and ruined by such antichristian absurdities4 ,may ,god in ,his mercy deliver them and lead them to rest in the one offering of ,jesus ,christ--that precious blood that cleanses from all sin4 ,may many be led to see that a repeated sacrifice and a seated ,christ are in positive antagonism4 ,if the sacrifice must be repeated1 ,christ has no right to ,his seat and to ,his crown--,god pardon the very penning of the words6 ,if ,christ has a divine right to ,his seat and to ,his crown1 then to repeat a sacrifice is simply a blasphemy against ,his cross1 ,his name1 ,his glory4 ,to repeat in any way1 or under any form whatsoever1 the sacrifice1 is to deny the efficacy of ,christ's one offering1 and to rob the soul of anything like an approach to the knowledge of remission of sins4 ,a repeated sacrifice and perfect remission are an absolute contradiction in terms4 ,but we must turn1 for a moment1 to the third grand point in our subject1 namely1 ,,the ,,witness ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,this is of the deepest possible moment for the reader to understand4 ,it gives great completeness to the subject4 ,how are we to know that ,christ has1 by ,his work on the cross1 absolutely and divinely accomplished the will of ,god8 ,simply by the witness of the ,holy ,ghost in ,scripture4 ,this is the third pillar on which the ,christian's position rests1 and it is as thoroughly divine and1 therefore1 as thoroughly independent of man as the other two4 ,it is very evident that man had nothing to do with the eternal counsels of the ,trinity--nothing to do with the glorious work accomplished on the cross4 ,all this is clear2 and it is equally clear that man has nothing to do with the authority on which our souls receive the joyful news as to the will of ,god1 and the work of ,christ1 inasmuch as it is nothing less than the witness of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we cannot be too simple as to this4 ,it is not1 by any means1 a question of our feelings1 our frames1 our evidences1 or our experiences--things interesting in their right place4 ,we must receive the truth solely and simply on the authority of that august ,witness who speaks to us in ,holy ,scripture4 ,thus we read1 ,whereof the ,holy ,ghost also is a witness to us2 for after that ,he had said before1 ,this is the covenant that ,i will make with them after those days1 saith the ,lord2 ,i will put ,my laws into their hearts1 and in their minds will ,i write them2 and their sins and iniquities will ,i remember no more4 ,here1 then1 we have fully before us the solid foundation of the ,christian's position and the ,christian's peace4 ,it is all of ,god1 from first to last4 ,the will1 the work1 and the witness are all divine4 ,the ,lord be praised for this glorious fact6 ,what should we do1 what would become of us1 were it otherwise8 ,in this day of confusion1 when souls are tossed about by every wind of doctrine--when the beloved sheep of ,christ are driven hither and thither1 in bewilderment and perplexity--when ritualism with its ignorant absurdities1 and rationalism with its impudent blasphemies1 and spiritualism with its horrible traffic with demons1 are threatening the very foundations of our faith1 how important it is for ,christians to know what those foundations really are1 and that they should be consciously resting thereon6 ,,part ,,iii4 ,we would recall for a moment to the reader's attention the third point in our subject1 namely1 ,the witness of the ,holy ,ghost in ,scripture4 ,we feel it to be of too much importance to be dismissed with such a cursory glance as we were able to give it at the close of our last paper4 ,it is absolutely essential to the enjoyment of settled peace that the heart should rest solely on the authority of ,holy ,scripture4 ,nothing else will stand4 ,inward evidences1 spiritual experiences1 comfortable frames1 happy feelings1 are all very good1 very valuable1 and very desirable2 indeed we cannot prize them too highly in their right place4 ,but1 most assuredly1 their right place is not at the foundation of the ,christian position4 ,if we look to such things as the ground of our peace1 we shall very soon become clouded1 uncertain1 and miserable4 ,the reader cannot be too simple in his apprehension of this point4 ,he must rest like a little child upon the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost in the ,word4 ,it is blessedly true that ,he that believeth hath the witness in himself4 ,and again1 ,the ,spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of ,god4 ,all this is essential to ,christianity2 but it must1 in no wise1 be confounded with the witness of the ,holy ,ghost1 as given to us in ,holy ,scripture4 ,the ,spirit of ,god never leads any one to build upon ,his work as the ground of peace1 but only upon the finished work of ,christ1 and the unchangeable word of ,god2 and we may rest assured that the more simply we rest on these the more settled our peace will be1 and the clearer our evidences1 the brighter our frames1 the happier our feelings1 the richer our experiences4 ,in short1 the more we look away from self and all its belongings1 and rest in ,christ1 on the clear authority of ,scripture1 the more spiritually minded we shall be2 and the inspired apostle tells us that to be spiritually minded 7or1 the minding of the ,spirit7 is life and peace4 ,the best evidence of a spiritual mind is childlike repose in ,christ and ,his ,word4 ,the clearest proof of an unspiritual mind is self-occupation4 ,it is a poor affair to be trafficking in our evidences1 or our anything4 ,it looks like piety1 but it leads away from ,christ--away from ,scripture--away from ,god2 and this is not piety1 or faith1 or ,christianity4 ,we are intensely anxious that the reader should seize1 with great distinctness1 the importance of committing his whole moral being to the divine authority of the word of ,god4 ,it will never fail him4 ,all else may go1 but the word of our ,god shall stand forever4 ,heart and flesh may fail4 ,internal evidences may become clouded2 frames1 feelings1 and experiences may all prove unsatisfactory2 but the word of the ,lord1 the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost1 the clear voice of ,holy ,scripture1 must ever remain unshaken4 ,and this is the ,word which by the gospel is preached unto us4 ,thus much1 then1 as to the divine and everlasting basis of the ,christian's position1 as set forth in the tenth chapter of the ,epistle to the ,hebrews4 ,let us1 now1 see what this same scripture tells us of the ,christian's work1 and of the sphere in which that work is to be carried on4 ,the ,christian is brought into the immediate presence of ,god1 inside the veil1 into the holiest of all4 ,this is his proper place1 if indeed we are to listen to the voice of ,scripture4 ,having therefore1 brethren1 boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of ,jesus1 by a new and living way which ,he hath consecrated for us1 through the veil1 that is to say1 ,his flesh2 and having a high-priest over the house of ,god2 let us draw near with a true heart1 in full assurance of faith1 having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience1 and our bodies washed with pure water4 ,our ,god1 blessed be ,his holy name1 would have us near unto ,himself4 ,he has made out for us a title clear and indisputable in the blood of ,jesus4 ,nothing more is needed4 ,that precious blood stands out before the eye of faith in all its infinite value4 ,in it alone we read our title4 ,it is not the blood and something else--be that something what it may4 ,the blood constitutes our exclusive title4 ,we come before ,god in all the perfect efficacy of that blood which rent the veil1 glorified ,god as to the question of sin1 canceled our guilt according to all the demands of infinite holiness1 silenced1 forever1 every accuser1 every foe4 ,we enter by a new and living way--a way which can never become old or dead4 ,we enter by the direct invitation1 yea1 by the distinct command of ,god4 ,it is positive disobedience not to come4 ,we enter to receive the loving welcome of our ,father's heart1 it is an insult to that love not to come4 ,he tells us to come boldly--to draw near with full1 unclouded confidence--a boldness and confidence commensurate with the love that invites us2 the word that commands us1 and the blood that fits and entitles us4 ,it is offering dishonor to the eternal ,trinity not to draw near4 ,reader1 is all this1 think you1 understood and taught in ,christendom8 ,say1 do ,christendom's creeds1 confessions1 and liturgical services harmonize with apostolic teaching in ,heb4 x48 ,alas6 alas6 they do not4 ,nay1 they are in direct antagonism2 and the state of souls1 accordingly1 is the very reverse of what it ought to be4 ,in place of draw near it is keep off4 ,in place of liberty and boldness1 it is legality and bondage4 ,in place of a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience1 it is a heart bowed down beneath the intolerable burden of unforgiven sin4 ,in place of a great ,high ,priest seated on the throne of ,god1 in virtue of accomplished redemption1 we have poor mortal--not to say sinful--priests standing from week to week1 all the year round in wearisome routine1 actually contradicting1 in their barren formularies1 the very foundation truths of ,christianity4 ,how truly deplorable is all this6 ,and then the sad condition of the ,lord's dear people1 the lambs and sheep of that precious flock for which ,he died6 ,it is this that so deeply affects us4 ,it is of little use attacking ,christendom4 ,we quite admit this2 but we yearn over the souls of ,god's people4 ,we long to see them fully delivered from false teaching1 from ,judaism1 legalism1 and every other ism that robs them of a full salvation and a precious ,saviour4 ,we long to reach them with the clear and soul-satisfying teachings of ,holy ,scripture1 so that they may know and enjoy the things that are freely given to them of ,god4 ,we can truly say there is nothing which gives us such painful concern as the state of the ,lord's dear people1 scattered upon the dark mountains and desolate moors3 and one special object for which we desire to live is to be the instrument of leading them into those green pastures and beside those still waters where the true ,shepherd and ,bishop of their souls longs to feed them1 according to all the deep and tender love of ,his heart4 ,he would have them near ,himself1 reposing in the light of ,his blessed countenance4 ,it is not according to ,his mind or ,his loving heart that ,his people should be kept at a dim cold distance from ,his presence1 in doubt and darkness4 ,ah1 no2 reader1 ,his word tells us to draw near--to come boldly--to appropriate freely--to make our very own all the precious privileges to which a ,father's love invites us1 and a ,saviour's blood entitles us4 ,let us draw near4 ,this is the voice of ,god to us4 ,christ has opened up the way4 ,the veil is rent1 our place is in the holiest of all1 the conscience sprinkled1 the body washed1 the soul entering intelligently into the atoning value of the blood1 and the cleansing1 sanctifying power of the ,word--its action upon our habits1 our ways1 our associations1 our entire course and character4 ,all this is of the very utmost practical value to every true lover of holiness--and every true ,christian is a lover of holiness4 ,the body washed with pure water is a perfectly delightful thought4 ,it sets forth the purifying action of the word of ,god on the ,christian's entire course and character4 ,we must not be content with having the heart sprinkled by the blood2 we must also have the body washed with pure water4 ,and what then8 ,let us hold fast the profession of our hope 7,greek3 elpidos7 without wavering 7for ,he is faithful that promised74 ,blessed parenthesis6 ,we may well hold fast1 seeing ,he is faithful4 ,our hope can never make ashamed4 ,it rests1 in holy calmness1 upon the infallible faithfulness of ,him who cannot lie1 whose word is settled for ever in heaven1 far above all the changes and chances of this mortal life1 above the din of controversy1 the strife of tongues1 the impudent assaults of infidelity1 the ignorant ravings of superstition--far away above all these things1 eternally settled in heaven is that ,word which forms the ground of our hope4 ,it well becomes us1 therefore1 to hold fast4 ,we should not have a single wavering thought--a single question--a single misgiving4 ,for a ,christian to doubt is to cast dishonor upon the word of a faithful ,god4 ,let sceptics1 and rationalists1 and infidels doubt1 for they have nothing to believe1 nothing to rest upon1 no certainty4 ,but for a child of ,god to doubt1 is to call in question the faithfulness of the divine ,promiser4 ,we owe it to ,his glory1 to say nothing of our own peace1 to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering4 ,thus may it be with every beloved member of the household of faith1 until that longed-for moment when faith and hope shall cease1 and love abide alone4 ,but there is one more interesting branch of ,christian work at which we must glance ere closing this paper4 ,let us consider one another1 to provoke unto love and to good works4 ,this is in lovely moral keeping with all that has gone before4 ,the grace of ,god has so richly met all our personal need--setting before us such an array of precious privileges--an opened heaven--a rent veil--a crowned and seated ,saviour--a great ,high ,priest--a perfectly purged conscience--boldness to enter--a hearty welcome--a faithful ,promiser--a sure and certain hope3 having all these marvelous blessings in full possession1 what have we got to do8 ,to consider ourselves8 ,nay verily2 this were superfluous and sinfully selfish4 ,we could not possibly do so well for ourselves as ,god has done for us4 ,he has left nothing unsaid1 nothing undone1 nothing to be desired4 ,our cup is full and running over4 ,what remains8 ,simply to consider one another2 to go out in the activities of holy love1 and serve our brethren in every possible way2 to be on the lookout for opportunities of doing good2 to be ready for every good work2 to seek in a thousand little ways to make hearts glad2 to seek to shed a ray of light on the moral gloom around us2 to be a stream of refreshing in this sterile and thirsty wilderness4 ,these are some of the things that make up a ,christian's work4 ,may we attend to them6 ,may we be found provoking one another1 not to envy and jealousy1 but to love and good works2 exhorting one another daily2 diligently availing ourselves of the public assembly1 and so much the more1 as we see the day approaching4 ,may the ,holy ,spirit engrave upon the heart of both writer and reader these most precious exhortations so thoroughly characteristic of our glorious ,christianity--,let us draw near--,let us hold fast--,let us consider one another6 99 99 99 99 99 ,the veil is rent3--our souls draw near ,unto a throne of grace2 ,the merits of the ,lord appear1 ,they fill the holy place4 ,his precious blood has spoken there4 ,before and on the throne3 ,and ,his own wounds in heaven declare1 ,the atoning work is done4 ',tis finished6--here our souls have rest1 ,his work can never fail3 ,by ,him1 our ,sacrifice and ,priest1 ,we pass within the veil4 ,within the holiest of all1 ,cleansed by ,his precious blood1 ,before the throne we prostrate fall ,and worship ,thee1 ,o ,god6 99_/ ,,the ,,christian ,,priesthood ,we want the reader to open his ,bible and read ,i ,pet4 ii4 ,i-#i4 ,in this lovely scripture he will find three words on which we will ask him to dwell with us for a little4 ,they are words of weight and power--words which indicate three great branches of practical ,christian truth--words conveying to our hearts a fact which we cannot too deeply ponder1 namely1 that ,christianity is a living and divine reality4 ,it is not a set of doctrines1 however true2 a system of ordinances1 however imposing2 a number of rules and regulations1 however important4 ,christianity is far more than any or all of these things4 ,it is a living1 breathing1 speaking1 active1 powerful reality--something to be seen in the every day life--something to be felt in the scenes of personal1 domestic history1 from hour to hour--something formative and influential--a divine and heavenly power introduced into the scenes and circumstances through which we have to move1 as men1 women1 and children1 from ,sunday morning to ,saturday night4 ,it does not consist in holding certain views1 opinions1 and principles1 or in going to this place of worship or that4 ,christianity is the life of ,christ communicated to the believer--dwelling in him--and flowing out from him1 in the ten thousand little details which go to make up our daily practical life4 ,it has nothing ascetic1 or sanctimonious about it4 ,it is genial1 pure1 elevated1 holy1 divine4 ,such is ,christianity4 ,it is ,christ dwelling in the believer1 and reproduced1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 in the believer's daily practical career4 ,but let us turn to our three words2 and may the ,eternal ,spirit expound their deep and holy meaning to our souls6 ,and first1 then1 we have the word living4 ,to whom coming1 as unto a living ,stone1 disallowed indeed of men1 but chosen of ,god1 and precious1 ye also1 as living stones1 are built up4 ,here we have what we may call the foundation of ,christian priesthood4 ,there is evidently an allusion here to that profoundly interesting scene in ,matt4 xvi4 to which we must ask the reader to turn for a moment4 ,when ,jesus was come into the coasts of ,caesarea ,philippi1 ,he asked ,his disciples1 saying1 ,whom do men say that ,i1 the ,son of ,man1 am8,,xxiii4 ,and they said1 ',some say ,thou art ,john the ,baptist2 some1 ,elias2 and others1 ,jeremias1 or one of the prophets4' ,there was endless speculation1 simply because there was no real heart-work respecting the blessed ,one4 ,some said this1 some said that2 and1 in result1 no one cared who or what ,he was2 and hence ,he turns away from all this heartless speculation1 and puts the pointed question to ,his own1 ,but whom say ye that ,i am8 ,he desired to know what they thought about ,him--what estimate their hearts had formed of ,him4 ,and ,simon ,peter answered and said1 ,thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,here we have the true confession4 ,here lies the solid foundation of the whole edifice of the ,church of ,god and all true practical ,christianity--,christ the ,son of the living ,god4 ,no more dim shadows--no more powerless forms--no more lifeless ordinances--all must be permeated by this new1 this divine1 this heavenly life which has come into this world1 and is communicated to all who believe in the name of the ,son of ,god4 ,and ,jesus answered and said unto him1 ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,bar-jona2 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,and ,i say also unto thee1 ,that thou art ,peter2 and upon this rock ,i will build ,my ,church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,now1 it is evidently to this magnificent passage that the apostle ,peter refers in the second chapter of his first epistle1 when he says1 ,to whom coming1 as unto a living stone1 disallowed indeed of men1 but chosen of ,god1 and precious1 ye also1 as living stones 7the same words71 are built up1 etc4 ,all who believe in ,jesus are partakers of ,his risen1 victorious1 rock life4 ,the life of ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god1 flows through all ,his members1 and through each in particular4 ,thus we have the living ,god1 the living ,stone1 the living stones4 ,it is all life together--life flowing down from a living source1 through a living channel1 and imparting itself to all believers1 thus making them living stones4 ,now1 this life having been tried and tested1 in every possible way1 and having come forth victorious1 can never again be called to pass through any process of trial1 testing1 or judgment whatsoever4 ,it has passed through death and judgment4 ,it has gone down under all the waves and billows of divine wrath1 and come forth at the other side in resurrection1 in divine glory and power--a life victorious1 heavenly1 and divine1 beyond the reach of all the powers of darkness4 ,there is no power of earth or hell1 men or devils1 that can possibly touch the life which is possessed by the very smallest and most insignificant stone in ,christ's assembly4 ,all believers are built upon the living ,stone1 ,christ2 and are thus constituted living stones4 ,he makes them like ,himself in every respect1 save of course1 in ,his incommunicable deity4 ,is ,he a living ,stone8 ,they are living stones4 ,is ,he a precious ,stone8 ,they are precious stones4 ,is ,he a rejected ,stone8 ,they are rejected stones--rejected1 disallowed of men4 ,they are1 in every respect1 identified with ,him4 ,ineffable privilege6 ,here1 then1 we repeat1 is the solid foundation of the ,christian priesthood--the priesthood of all believers4 ,before any one can offer up a spiritual sacrifice1 he must come to ,christ1 in simple faith1 and be built on ,him as the foundation of the whole spiritual building4 ,wherefore also it is contained in the ,scripture 7,isa4 xxviii4 #af71 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,sion a chief corner-stone1 elect1 precious2 and he that believeth in ,him shall not be confounded4 ,how precious are these words6 ,god ,himself has laid the foundation1 and that foundation is ,christ2 and all who simply believe in ,christ--all who give ,him the confidence of their hearts--all who rest satisfied with ,him1 are made partakers of ,his resurrection-life1 and thus made living stones4 ,how blessedly simple is this6 ,we are not asked to assist in laying the foundation4 ,we are not called upon to add the weight of a feather to it4 ,god has laid the foundation1 and all we have to do is to believe and rest thereon2 and ,he pledges ,his faithful word that we shall never be confounded4 ,the very feeblest believer in ,jesus has ,god's own gracious assurance that he shall never be confounded--never be ashamed--never come into judgment4 ,he is as free from all charge of guilt and every breath of condemnation as that living ,rock on whom he is built4 ,beloved reader1 are you on this foundation8 ,are you built on ,christ8 ,have you come to ,him as ,god's living ,stone1 and given ,him the full confidence of your heart8 ,are you thoroughly satisfied with ,god's foundation8 or are you seeking to add something of your own--your own works1 your prayers1 your ordinances1 your vows and resolutions1 your religious duties8 ,if so1 if you are seeking to add the smallest jot to ,god's foundation1 you may rest assured1 you will be confounded4 ,god will not suffer such dishonor to be offered to ,his tried1 elect1 precious1 chief corner ,stone4 ,think you that ,he could allow aught1 no matter what1 to be placed beside ,his beloved ,son1 in order to form1 with ,him1 the foundation of ,his spiritual edifice8 ,the bare thought were an impious blasphemy4 ,no2 it must be ,christ alone4 ,he is enough for ,god1 and ,he may well be enough for us2 and nothing is more certain than that all who reject1 or neglect1 turn away from1 or add to1 ,god's foundation1 shall be covered with everlasting confusion4 ,but1 having glanced at the foundation1 let us look at the superstructure4 ,this will lead us to the second of our three weighty words4 ,to whom coming as unto a living ,stone 444 ye also1 as living stones1 are built up a spiritual house1 a holy priesthood1 to offer up spiritual sacrifices1 acceptable to ,god by ,jesus ,christ4 ,all true believers are holy priests4 ,they are made this by spiritual birth1 just as ,aaron's sons were priests in virtue of their natural birth4 ,the apostle does not say1 ,ye ought to be living stones1 and1 ,ye ought to be holy priests4 ,he says ye are such4 ,no doubt1 being such1 we are called upon to act accordingly2 but we must be in a position before we can discharge the duties belonging to it4 ,we must be in a relationship before we can know the affections which flow out of it4 ,we do not become priests by offering priestly sacrifices4 ,but being1 through grace1 made priests1 we are called upon to present the sacrifice4 ,if we were to live a thousand years twice told1 and spend all that time working1 we could not work ourselves into the position of holy priests2 but the moment we believe in ,jesus--the moment we come to ,him in simple faith--the moment we give ,him the full confidence of our hearts1 we are born anew into the position of holy priests1 and are then privileged to draw nigh and offer the priestly sacrifice4 ,how could any one1 of old1 have constituted himself a son of ,aaron8 ,impossible4 ,but being born of ,aaron1 he was thereby made a member of the priestly house4 ,we speak not now of capacity1 but simply of the position4 ,this latter was reached not by effort1 but by birth4 ,and now1 let us enquire as to the nature of the sacrifice which1 as holy priests1 we are privileged to offer4 ,we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices1 acceptable to ,god by ,jesus ,christ4 ,so also in ,heb4 xiii4 #ae1 we read1 ,by ,him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the fruit of our lips giving thanks to ,his name4 ,here1 then1 we have the true nature and character of that sacrifice which1 as holy priests1 we are to offer4 ,it is praise--praise to ,god continually4 ,blessed occupation6 ,hallowed exercise6 ,heavenly employment6 ,and this is not to be an occasional thing4 ,it is not merely at some peculiarly favored moment1 when all looks bright and smiling around us4 ,it is not to be merely amid the glow and fervor of some specially powerful public meeting1 when the current of worship flows deep1 wide1 and rapid4 ,no2 the word is1 praise continually4 ,there is no room1 no time for complaining or murmuring1 fretfulness and discontent1 impatience and irritability1 lamenting about our surroundings1 whatever these may be1 complaining about the weather1 finding fault with those who are associated with us1 whether in public or in private1 whether in the congregation1 in the business1 or in the family circle4 ,holy priests should have no time for any of these things4 ,they are brought nigh to ,god1 in holy liberty1 peace1 and blessing4 ,they breathe the atmosphere and walk in the sunlight of the divine presence1 in the new creation1 where there are no materials for a sour and discontented mind to feed upon4 ,we may set it down as a fixed principle--an axiom--that whenever we hear anyone pouring out a string of complaints about circumstances1 his neighbors etc41 such an one is not realizing the place of holy priesthood1 and1 as a consequence1 not exhibiting its practical fruits4 ,a holy priest should rejoice in the ,lord always--ever ready to praise ,god4 ,true1 he may be tried in a thousand ways2 but he brings his trials to ,god in communion1 not to his fellow-man in complaining4 ,hallelujah is the proper utterance of the very feeblest member of the ,christian priesthood4 ,but we must now look1 for a moment1 at the third and last branch of our present theme4 ,this is presented in that highly expressive word royal4 ,the apostle goes on to say1 ,but ye are a chosen generation1 a royal priesthood 444 that ye should show forth the virtues 7see margin7 of ,him who hath called you out of darkness into ,his marvelous light4 ,this completes the lovely picture of the ,christian priesthood4,,xxiv4 ,as holy priests1 we draw nigh to ,god1 and present the sacrifice of praise4 ,as royal priests we go forth among our fellow-men1 in all the details of practical daily life1 to show forth the virtues--the graces--the lovely moral features of ,christ4 ,every movement of a royal priest should emit the fragrance of the grace of ,christ4 ,mark again1 the apostle does not say1 ,ye ought to be royal priests4 ,he says ye are2 and as such we are to show forth the virtues of ,christ4 ,nothing else becomes a member of the royal priesthood4 ,to be occupied with myself1 to be taking counsel for my own ease1 my own interest1 my own enjoyment1 to be seeking my own ends1 and caring about my own things1 is not the act of a royal priest at all4 ,christ never did so2 and ,i am told to show forth ,his virtues4 ,he1 blessed be ,his name1 grants to ,his people1 in this the time of ,his absence1 to anticipate the day when ,he shall come forth as a ,royal ,priest1 and sit upon ,his throne1 and send forth the benign influence of ,his dominion to the ends of the earth4 ,we are called to be the present expression of the kingdom of ,christ--the expression of ,himself4 ,and let none suppose that the actings of a royal priest are to be confined to the matter of giving4 ,this would be a grave mistake4 ,no doubt1 a royal priest will give1 and give liberally if he has it2 but to limit him to the mere matter of communicating would be to rob him of some of the most precious functions of his position4 ,the very man who penned the words on which we are dwelling said on one occasion--and said it without shame1 ,silver and gold have ,i none2 and yet at that very moment1 he was acting as a royal priest1 by bringing the precious virtue of the name of ,jesus to bear on the impotent man 7,acts4 iii474 ,the blessed ,master ,himself1 we know1 possessed no money2 but ,he went about doing good2 and so should we3 nor do we need money to do it4 ,indeed it very often happens that we do mischief instead of good with our silver and gold4 ,we may take people off the ground on which ,god has placed them1 namely1 the ground of honest industry1 and make them dependent upon human alms4 ,moreover1 we may often make hypocrites and sycophants of people by our injudicious use of money4 ,hence1 therefore1 let no one imagine that he cannot act as a royal priest without earthly riches4 ,what riches are required to speak a kindly word--to drop the tear of sympathy--to give the soothing1 genial look8 ,none whatever save the riches of ,god's grace--the unsearchable riches of ,christ1 all of which are laid open to the most obscure member of the ,christian priesthood4 ,i may be poorly clad1 without a penny in the world1 and yet carry myself truly as a royal priest1 by diffusing around me the fragrance of the grace of ,christ4 ,but1 perhaps1 we cannot more suitably close these few remarks on the ,christian priesthood1 than by giving a very vivid illustration drawn from the inspired page--the narrative of two beloved servants of ,christ who were enabled1 under the most distressing circumstances1 to acquit themselves as holy and royal priests4 ,turn to ,acts xvi4 #ai-cd4 ,here we have ,paul and ,silas thrust into the innermost part of the prison at ,philippi1 their backs covered with stripes1 and their feet fast in the stocks1 in the darkness of the midnight hour4 ,what were they doing8 murmuring and complaining8 ,ah1 no6 ,they had something better and brighter to do4 ,here were two really living stones1 and nothing that earth or hell could do could hinder the life that was in them expressing itself in its proper accents4 ,but what1 we repeat1 were these living stones doing8 these partakers of the rock-life--the victorious1 resurrection-life of ,christ--how did they employ themselves8 ,well1 then1 in the first place1 as holy priests they offered the sacrifice of praise to ,god4 ,yes1 at midnight1 ,paul and ,silas prayed and sang praises to ,god4 ,how precious is this6 ,how morally glorious6 ,how truly refreshing6 ,what are stripes1 or stocks1 or prison walls1 or gloomy nights1 to living stones and holy priests8 ,nothing more than a dark background to throw out into bright and beauteous relief the living grace that is in them4 ,talk of circumstances6 ,ah1 it is little any of us know of trying circumstances4 ,poor things that we are1 the petty annoyances of daily life are often more than enough to cause us to lose our mental balance4 ,paul and ,silas were really in trying circumstances2 but they were there as living stones and holy priests4 ,yes1 reader1 and they were there as royal priests1 likewise4 ,how does this appear8 ,certainly not by scattering silver and gold4 ,it is not likely the dear men had much of these to scatter4 ,but oh1 they had what was better1 even the virtues of ,him who had called them out of darkness into ,his marvelous light4 ,and where do these virtues shine out8 ,in those touching words addressed to the jailer1 ,do thyself no harm4 ,these were the accents of a royal priest1 just as the song of praise was the voice of a holy priest4 ,thank ,god for both6 ,the voices of the holy priests went directly up to the throne of ,god and did their work there2 and the words of the royal priests went directly to the jailer's hard heart and did their work there4 ,god was glorified and the jailer saved by two men rightly discharging the functions of the ,christian priesthood4 ,father6 ,thy sovereign love has sought ,captives to sin1 gone far from ,thee3 ,the work that ,thine own ,son hath wrought1 ,has brought us back1 in peace1 and free6 ,and now1 as sons before ,thy ,face1 ,with joyful steps the path we tread1 ,which leads us on to that blest place ,prepared for us1 by ,christ our ,head4 ,thou gav'st us1 in eternal love1 ,to ,him1 to bring us home to ,thee2 ,suited to ,thine own thoughts above ,as sons1 like ,him1 with ,him to be4 ,oh1 boundless grace6 ,what fills with joy ,unmingled all that enter there2 ,god's ,nature1 ,love without alloy1 ,our hearts are given e'en now to share6 ,oh1 keep us1 ,love ,divine1 near ,thee6 ,that we our nothingness may know2 ,and ever to ,thy glory be1 ,walking in faith while here below4 ,j4 ,n4 ,d4 ,,footnotes3 ,,xxiii4 ,let the reader note this title1 ,son of ,man4 ,it is infinitely precious4 ,it is a title indicating our ,lord's rejection as the ,messiah1 and leading out into that wide1 that universal sphere over which ,he is destined in the counsels of ,god1 to rule4 ,it is far wider than ,son of ,david1 or ,son of ,abraham1 and has peculiar charms for us1 inasmuch as it places ,him before our hearts as the lonely1 outcast ,stranger1 and yet as the ,one who links ,himself in perfect grace with us in all our need--,one whose footprints we can trace all across this dreary desert4 ,the ,son of ,man hath not where to lay ,his head4 ,and yet it is as ,son of ,man that ,he shall1 by-and-by1 exercise that universal dominion reserved for ,him according to the eternal counsels of ,god4 ,see ,daniel vii4 ,,xxiv4 ,the intelligent reader does not need to be told that all believers are priests2 and1 further1 that there is no such thing as a priest upon earth1 save in the sense in which all true ,christians are priests4 ,the idea of a certain set of men1 calling themselves priests in contrast with the people--a certain caste distinguished by title and dress from the body of ,christians1 is not ,christianity at all1 but ,judaism or intelligently worse4 ,all who read the ,bible and bow to its authority will be perfectly clear as to these things4 ,,papers ,,on ,,evangelization ,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,,word ,,to ,,the ,,evangelist4 ,we trust it may not be deemed out of place if we venture to offer a word of counsel and encouragement to all who have been and are engaged in the blessed work of preaching the gospel of the grace of ,god4 ,we are1 in some measure1 aware of the difficulties and discouragements which attend upon the path of every evangelist1 whatever may be his sphere of labor or measure of gift2 and it is our heart's desire to hold up the hands and cheer the hearts of all who may be in danger of falling under the depressing power of these things4 ,we increasingly feel the immense importance of an earnest1 fervent gospel testimony everywhere2 and we dread exceedingly any falling off therein4 ,we are imperatively called to do the work of an evangelist1 and not to be moved from that work by any arguments or considerations whatsoever4 ,let none imagine that1 in writing thus1 we mean to detract1 in the smallest degree1 from the value of teaching1 lecturing1 or exhortation4 ,nothing is further from our thoughts4 ,these things ought ye to have done1 and not to leave the other undone4 ,we mean not to compare the work of the evangelist with that of the teacher1 or to exalt the former at the expense of the latter4 ,each has its own proper place1 its own distinctive interest and importance4 ,but is there not a danger1 on the other hand1 of the evangelist abandoning his own precious work in order to give himself to the work of teaching and lecturing8 ,is there not a danger of the evangelist becoming merged in the teacher8 ,we fear there is2 and it is under the influence of this very fear that we pen these few lines4 ,we observe1 with deep concern1 some who were once known amongst us as earnest and eminently successful evangelists1 now almost wholly abandoning their work and becoming teachers and lecturers4 ,this is most deplorable4 ,we really want evangelists4 ,a true evangelist is almost as great a rarity as a true pastor4 ,alas6 alas6 how rare are both6 ,the two are closely connected4 ,the evangelist gathers the sheep2 the pastor feeds and cares for them4 ,the work of each lies very near the heart of ,christ--the ,divine ,evangelist and ,pastor2 but it is with the former we have now more immediately to do--to encourage him in his work1 and to warn him against the temptation to turn aside from it4 ,we cannot afford to lose a single ambassador just now1 or to have a single preacher silent4 ,we are perfectly aware of the fact that there is in some quarters a strong tendency to throw cold water upon the work of evangelization4 ,there is a sad lack of sympathy with the preacher of the gospel2 and1 as a necessary consequence1 of active co-operation with him in his work4 ,further1 there is a mode of speaking of gospel preaching which argues but little sympathy with the heart of ,him who wept over impenitent sinners1 and who could say1 at the very opening of ,his blessed ministry1 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon ,me1 because ,he hath anointed ,me to preach the gospel to the poor 7,isa4 lxi42 ,luke iv474 ,and again1 ,let us go into the next towns1 that ,i may preach there also3 for therefore came ,i forth 7,mark i4 #ch74 ,our blessed ,lord was an indefatigable preacher of the gospel1 and all who are filled with ,his mind and spirit will take a lively interest in the work of all those who are seeking in their feeble measure to do the same4 ,this interest will be evinced1 not only by earnest prayer for the divine blessing upon the work1 but also by diligent and persevering efforts to get immortal souls under the sound of the gospel4 ,this is the way to help the evangelist1 and this way lies open to every member of the ,church of ,god--man1 woman1 or child4 ,all can thus help forward the glorious work of evangelization4 ,if each member of the assembly were to work diligently and prayerfully in this way1 how different would it be with the ,lord's dear servants who are seeking to make known the unsearchable riches of ,christ4 ,but1 alas6 how often is it otherwise4 ,how often do we hear even those who are of some repute for intelligence and spirituality1 when referring to meetings for gospel testimony1 say1 ,oh1 ,i am not going there2 it is only the gospel4 ,think of that6 ,only the gospel4 ,if they would put the idea into other words1 they might say1 ,it is only the heart of ,god--only the precious blood of ,christ--only the glorious record of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this would be putting the thing plainly4 ,nothing is more sad than to hear professing ,christians speak in this way4 ,it proves too clearly that their souls are very far away from the heart of ,jesus4 ,we have invariably found that those who think and speak slightingly of the work of the evangelist are persons of very little spirituality2 and on the other hand1 the most devoted1 the most true hearted1 the best taught saints of ,god1 are always sure to take a profound interest in that work4 ,how could it be otherwise8 ,does not the voice of ,holy ,scripture bear the clearest testimony to the fact of the interest of the ,trinity in the work of the gospel8 ,most assuredly it does4 ,who first preached the gospel8 ,who was the first herald of salvation8 ,who first announced the good news of the bruised ,seed of the woman8 ,the ,lord ,god ,himself1 in the garden of ,eden4 ,this is a telling fact in connection with our theme4 ,and further1 let us ask1 who was the most earnest1 laborious1 and faithful preacher that ever trod this earth8 ,the ,son of ,god4 ,and who has been preaching the gospel for the last eighteen centuries8 ,the ,holy ,ghost sent down from heaven4 ,thus then we have the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost all actually engaged in the work of evangelization2 and if this be so1 who are we to dare to speak slightingly of such a work8 ,nay1 rather may our whole moral being be stirred by the power of the ,spirit of ,god so that we may be able to add our fervent and deep ,amen to those precious words of inspiration1 ,how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace1 and bring glad tidings of good things6 7,isa4 lii4 #g2 ,rom4 x4 #ae47 ,but it may be that these lines shall be scanned by some one who has been engaged in the work of preaching the gospel1 and is beginning to feel rather discouraged4 ,it may be that he has been called to preach in the same place for years1 and he feels burdened by the thought of having to address the same audience1 on the same subject1 week after week1 month after month1 year after year4 ,he may feel at a loss for something new1 something fresh1 some variety4 ,he may sigh for some new sphere1 where the subjects which are familiar to him will be new to the people4 ,or1 if this cannot be1 he may feel led to substitute lectures and expositions for the fervid1 pointed1 earnest preaching of the gospel4 ,if we have in any measure set forth the reader's feelings on this subject1 we think it will greatly help him in his work to bear in mind that the one grand theme of the true evangelist is ,christ4 ,the power to handle that theme is the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the one to whom that theme is to be unfolded is the poor lost sinner4 ,now1 ,christ is ever new2 the power of the ,holy ,ghost is ever fresh2 the soul's condition and destiny ever intensely interesting4 ,furthermore1 it is well for the evangelist to bear in mind1 on every fresh occasion of rising to preach1 that his unconverted hearers are totally ignorant of the gospel1 and hence he should preach as though it were the first time they had ever heard the message1 and the first time he had ever delivered it4 ,for1 be it remembered1 the preaching of the gospel1 in the divine acceptation of the phrase1 is not a mere barren statement of evangelical doctrine--a certain form of words enunciated over and over again in wearisome routine4 ,far1 very far from it4 ,the gospel is really the large loving heart of ,god welling up and flowing forth toward the poor lost sinner in streams of life and salvation4 ,it is the presentation of the atoning death and glorious resurrection of the ,son of ,god2 and all this in the present energy1 glow1 and freshness of the ,holy ,ghost1 from the exhaustless mine of ,holy ,scripture4 ,moreover1 the one absorbing object of the preacher is to win souls for ,christ1 to the glory of ,god4 ,for this he labors and pleads2 for this he prays1 weeps1 and agonizes2 for this he thunders1 appeals1 and grapples with the heart and conscience of his hearer4 ,his object is not to teach doctrines1 though doctrines may be taught2 his object is not to expound ,scripture1 though ,scripture may be expounded4 ,these things lie within the range of the teacher or lecturer2 but let it never be forgotten1 the preacher's object is to bring the ,saviour and the sinner together--to win souls to ,christ4 ,may ,god by ,his ,spirit keep these things ever before our hearts1 so that we may have a deeper interest in the glorious work of evangelization6 ,we would1 in conclusion1 merely add a word of exhortation in reference to the ,lord's ,day evening4 ,we would1 in all affection1 say to our beloved and honored fellow-laborers1 ,seek to give that one hour to the great business of the soul's salvation4 ,there are #afh hours in the week1 and1 surely1 it is the least we may devote one of these to this momentous work4 ,it so happens that during that interesting hour we can get the ear of our fellow-sinner4 ,oh1 let us use it to pour in the sweet story of ,god's free love and of ,christ's full salvation4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,a ,,motto ,,for ,,the ,,evangelist4 7#b ,cor4 x4 #af47 ,to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you4 ,these words1 while they set forth the large-heartedness of the self-denying and devoted apostle1 do also furnish a fine model for the evangelist1 in every age4 ,the gospel is a traveler2 and the preacher of the gospel must be a traveler likewise4 ,the divinely-qualified and divinely-sent evangelist will fix his eye upon the world4 ,he will embrace1 in his benevolent design1 the human family4 ,from house to house2 from street to street2 from city to city2 from province to province2 from kingdom to kingdom2 from continent to continent2 from pole to pole4 ,such is the range of the good news and the publisher thereof4 ,the regions beyond must ever be the grand gospel motto4 ,no sooner has the gospel lamp cast its cheering beams over a district1 than the bearer of that lamp must think of the regions beyond4 ,thus the work goes on4 ,thus the mighty tide of grace rolls1 in enlightening and saving power1 over a dark world which lies in the region of the shadow of death4 ,waft1 waft1 ye winds1 the story1 ,and you1 ye waters1 roll1 ,till1 like the sea of glory1 ,it spreads from pole to pole4 ,christian reader1 are you thinking of the regions beyond you8 ,this expression may1 in your case1 mean the next house1 the next street1 the next village1 the next city1 the next kingdom1 or the next continent4 ,the application is for your own heart to ponder3 but say1 are you thinking of the regions beyond you8 ,i do not want you to abandon your present post at all2 or1 at least1 not until you are fully persuaded that your work1 at the post1 is done4 ,but1 remember1 the gospel plough should never stand still4 ,onward is the motto of every true evangelist4 ,let the shepherds abide by the flocks2 but let the evangelists betake themselves hither and thither1 to gather the sheep4 ,let them sound the gospel trump1 far and wide1 o'er the dark mountains of this world1 to gather together the elect of ,god4 ,this is the design of the gospel4 ,this should be the object of the evangelist1 as he sighs after the regions beyond4 ,when ,caesar beheld1 from the coast of ,gaul1 the white cliffs of ,britain1 he earnestly longed to carry his arms thither4 ,the evangelist1 on the other hand1 whose heart beats in unison with the heart of ,jesus1 as he casts his eye over the map of the world1 longs to carry the gospel of peace into regions which have heretofore been wrapped in midnight gloom1 covered with the dark mantle of superstition1 or blasted beneath the withering influences of a form of godliness without the power4 ,it would1 ,i believe1 be a profitable question for many of us to put to ourselves1 how far are we discharging our holy responsibilities to the regions beyond4 ,i believe the ,christian who is not cultivating and manifesting an evangelistic spirit1 is in a truly deplorable condition4 ,i believe1 too1 that the assembly which is not cultivating and manifesting an evangelistic spirit is in a dead state4 ,one of the truest marks of spiritual growth and prosperity1 whether in an individual or in an assembly1 is earnest anxiety after the conversion of souls4 ,this anxiety will swell the bosom with most generous emotions2 yea1 it will break forth in copious streams of benevolent exertion1 ever flowing toward the regions beyond4 ,it is hard to believe that the word of ,christ is dwelling richly in any one who is not making some effort to impart that word to his fellow-sinners4 ,it matters not what may be the amount of the effort2 it may be to drop a few words in the ear of a friend1 to give a tract1 to pen a note1 to breathe a prayer4 ,but one thing is certain1 namely1 that a healthy1 vigorous ,christian will be an evangelistic ,christian--a teller of good news--one whose sympathies1 desires1 and energies1 are ever going forth toward the regions beyond4 ,i must preach the gospel to other cities also1 for therefore am ,i sent4 ,such was the language of the true ,evangelist4 ,it is very doubtful whether many of the servants of ,christ have not erred in allowing themselves1 through one influence or another1 to become too much localized--too much tied in one place4 ,they have dropped into routine work--into a round of stated preaching in the same place1 and1 in many cases1 have paralyzed themselves and paralyzed their hearers also4 ,i speak not1 now1 of the labors of the pastor1 the elder1 or the teacher1 which must1 of course1 be carried on in the midst of those who are the proper subjects of such labors4 ,i refer more particularly to the evangelist4 ,such an one should never suffer himself to be localized4 ,the world is his sphere--the regions beyond1 his motto--to gather out ,god's elect1 his object--the current of the ,spirit1 his line of direction4 ,if the reader should be one whom ,god has called and fitted to be an evangelist1 let him remember these four things--the sphere1 the motto1 the object1 and the line of direction1 which all must adopt if they would prove fruitful laborers in the gospel field4 ,finally1 whether the reader be an evangelist or not1 ,i would earnestly intreat him to examine how far he is seeking to further the gospel of ,christ4 ,we must not stand idle4 ,time is short6 ,eternity is rapidly posting on6 ,the ,master is most worthy6 ,souls are most precious6 ,the season for work will soon close6 ,let us1 then1 in the name of the ,lord1 be up and doing4 ,and when we have done what we can1 in the regions around1 let us carry the precious seed into ,,the ,,regions ,,beyond4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,an ,,evangelist4 7,acts xvi4 #h-ca47 ,we ventured to offer a word to the evangelist1 which we now follow up with a paper on the evangelist's work2 and we cannot do better than select1 as the basis of our remarks1 a page from the missionary record of one of the greatest evangelists that ever lived4 ,the passage of ,scripture that stands at the head of this article furnishes specimens of three distinct classes of hearers1 and also the method in which they were met by the great apostle of the ,gentiles1 guided1 most surely1 by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we have1 first1 the earnest seeker2 secondly1 the false professor2 and thirdly1 the hardened sinner4 ,these three classes are to be met everywhere1 and at all times1 by the ,lord's workman2 and hence we may be thankful for an inspired account of the right mode of dealing with such4 ,it is most desirable that those who go forth with the gospel should have skill in dealing with the various conditions of soul that come before them1 from day to day2 and there can be no more effectual way of attaining this skill than the careful study of the models given us by ,god the ,holy ,ghost4 ,let us then1 in the first place1 look at the narrative of ,,the ,,earnest ,,seeker4 ,the laborious apostle1 in the course of his missionary journeyings1 came to ,troas1 and there a vision appeared to him in the night1 ,there stood a man of ,macedonia1 and prayed him1 saying1 ,come over into ,macedonia and help us4 ,and after he had seen the vision1 immediately we endeavored to go into ,macedonia1 assuredly gathering that the ,lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them4 ,therefore loosing from ,troas1 we came with a straight course to ,samothracia1 and the next day to ,neapolis2 and from thence to ,philippi1 which is the chief city of that part of ,macedonia1 and a colony3 and we were in that city abiding certain days4 ,and on the ,sabbath we went out of the city by a river side1 where prayer was wont to be made2 and we sat down1 and spake unto the women which resorted thither4 ,and a certain woman named ,lydia1 a seller of purple1 of the city of ,thyatira1 which worshiped ,god1 heard us2 whose heart the ,lord opened1 that she attended unto the things that were spoken of ,paul4 ,and when she was baptized1 and her household1 she besought us1 saying1 ,if ye have judged me to be faithful to the ,lord1 come into my house and abide there4 ,and she constrained us 7,acts xvi4 #h-ae74 ,here1 then1 we have a touching picture--something well worth gazing at and pondering4 ,it is a picture of one who1 having through grace gotten a measure of light1 was living up to it1 and was earnestly seeking for more4 ,lydia1 the seller of purple1 belonged to the same interesting generation as the eunuch of ,ethiopia1 and the centurion of ,caesarea4 ,all three appear on the page of inspiration as quickened souls not emancipated--not at rest--not satisfied4 ,the eunuch had gone from ,ethiopia to ,jerusalem in search of something on which to rest his anxious soul4 ,he had left that city still unsatisfied1 and was devoutly and earnestly hanging over the precious page of inspiration4 ,the eye of ,god was upon him1 and ,he sent ,his servant ,philip with the very message that was needed to solve his difficulties1 answer his questions1 and set his soul at rest4 ,god knows how to bring the ,philips and the eunuchs together4 ,he knows how to prepare the heart for the message and the message for the heart4 ,the eunuch was a worshiper of ,god2 but ,philip is sent to teach him how to see ,god in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,this was precisely what he wanted4 ,it was a flood of fresh light breaking in upon his earnest spirit1 setting his heart and conscience at rest1 and sending him on his way rejoicing4 ,he had honestly followed the light as it broke in upon his soul1 and ,god sent him more4 ,thus it is ever4 ,to him that hath shall more be given4 ,there never was a soul who sincerely acted up to his light that did not get more light4 ,this is most consolatory and encouraging to all anxious enquirers4 ,if the reader belongs to this class1 let him take courage4 ,if he is one of those with whom ,god has begun to work1 then let him rest assured of this1 that ,he who hath begun a good work will perform the same until the day of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he will1 most surely1 perfect that which concerneth ,his people4 ,but let no one fold his arms1 settle upon his oars1 and coolly say1 ,i must wait ,god's time for more light4 ,i can do nothing--my efforts are useless4 ,when ,god's time comes ,i shall be all right2 till then1 ,i must remain as ,i am4 ,these were not the thoughts or feelings of the ,ethiopian eunuch4 ,he was one of the earnest seekers2 and all earnest seekers are sure to be happy finders4 ,it must be so1 for ,god is a rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him 7,heb4 xi4 #f74 ,so also with the centurion of ,caesarea4 ,he was a man of the same stamp4 ,he lived up to his light4 ,he fasted1 he prayed1 and gave alms4 ,we are not told whether he had read the sermon on the mount3 but it is remarkable that he exercised himself in the three grand branches of practical righteousness set forth by our ,lord in the sixth chapter of ,matthew4,,xxv4 ,he was moulding his conduct and shaping his way according to the standard which ,god had set before him4 ,his righteousness exceeded the righteousness of the scribes and ,pharisees1 and therefore he entered the kingdom4 ,he was1 through grace1 a real man1 earnestly following the light as it streamed in upon his soul1 and he was led into the full blaze of the gospel of the grace of ,god4 ,god sent a ,peter to ,cornelius1 as he had sent a ,philip to the eunuch4 ,the prayers and alms had gone up as a memorial before ,god1 and ,peter was sent with a message of full salvation through a crucified and risen ,saviour4 ,now it is quite possible that there are persons who1 having been rocked in the cradle of easy-going evangelical profession1 and trained up in the flippant formalism of a self-indulgent1 heaven-made-easy religion1 are ready to condemn the pious conduct of ,cornelius1 and pronounce it the fruit of ignorance and legality4 ,such persons have never known what it was to deny themselves a single meal1 or to spend an hour in real1 earnest prayer1 or to open their hand1 in true benevolence1 to meet the wants of the poor4 ,they have heard and learnt1 perchance1 that salvation is not to be gained by such means--that we are justified by faith without works--that it is to him that worketh not1 but believeth on ,him that justifieth the ungodly4 ,all this is most true2 but what right have we to imagine that ,cornelius was praying1 fasting1 and giving alms in order to earn salvation8 ,none whatever--at least if we are to be governed by the inspired narrative1 and we have no other means of knowing aught about this truly excellent and interesting character4 ,he was informed by the angel that his prayers and his alms had gone up as a memorial before ,god4 ,is not this a clear proof that these prayers and alms were not the trappings of self-righteousness1 but the fruits of a righteousness based on the knowledge which he had of ,god8 ,surely the fruits of self-righteousness and legality could never have ascended as a memorial to the throne of ,god2 nor could ,peter ever have said concerning a mere legalist that he was one who feared ,god and worked righteousness4 ,ah1 no1 reader2 ,cornelius was a man thoroughly in earnest4 ,he lived up to what he knew1 and he would have been quite wrong to go further4 ,to him the salvation of his immortal soul1 the service of ,god1 and eternity1 were grand and all-absorbing realities4 ,he was none of your easy-going professors1 full of flippant1 vapid1 worthless talk1 but doing nothing4 ,he belonged to another generation altogether4 ,he belonged to the working1 not the talking class4 ,he was one on whom the eye of ,god rested with complacency1 and in whom the mind of heaven was profoundly interested4 ,and so was our friend of ,thyatira1 ,lydia1 the seller of purple4 ,she belonged to the same school--she occupied the same platform as the centurion and the eunuch4 ,it is truly delightful to contemplate these three precious souls--to think of one in ,ethiopia2 another at ,caesarea2 and a third at ,thyatira or ,philippi4 ,it is particularly refreshing to contrast such downright thorough-going1 earnest souls1 with many in this our day of boasted light and knowledge1 who have got the plan of salvation1 as it is termed1 in their heads1 the doctrines of grace on the tongue1 but the world in the heart2 whose absorbing object is self1 self1 self1--miserable object6 ,we shall have occasion to refer more fully to these latter under our second head2 but1 for the present1 we shall think of the earnest ,lydia2 and we must confess it is a far more grateful exercise4 ,it is very plain that ,lydia1 like ,cornelius and the eunuch1 was a quickened soul2 she was a worshiper of ,god2 she was one who was right glad to lay aside her purple-selling1 and betake herself to a prayer-meeting1 or to any such like place where spiritual profit was to be had1 and where there were good things going4 ,birds of a feather flock together1 and so ,lydia soon found out where a few pious souls1 a few kindred spirits1 were in the habit of meeting to wait on ,god in prayer4 ,all this is lovely4 ,it does the heart good to be brought in contact with this deep-toned earnestness4 ,surely the ,holy ,ghost has penned this narrative1 like all ,holy ,scripture1 for our learning4 ,it is a specimen case1 and we do well to ponder it4 ,lydia was found diligently availing herself of any and every opportunity2 indeed she exhibited the real fruits of divine life1 the genuine instincts of the new nature4 ,she found out where saints met for prayer1 and took her place among them4 ,she did not fold her arms and settle down on her lees1 to wait1 in antinomian indolence and culpable idleness1 for some extraordinary undefinable thing to come upon her1 or some mysterious change to come over her4 ,no2 she went to a prayer-meeting--the place of expressed need--the place of expected blessing3 and there ,god met her1 as ,he is sure to meet all who frequent such scenes in ,lydia's spirit4 ,god never fails an expectant heart4 ,he has said1 ,they shall not be ashamed that wait for ,me2 and1 like a bright and blessed sunbeam on the page of inspiration1 shines that pregnant1 weighty1 soul-stirring sentence1 ,god is a rewarder of them that ,,diligently seek ,him4 ,he sent a ,philip to the eunuch in the desert of ,gaza4 ,he sent a ,peter to the centurion1 in the town of ,caesarea4 ,he sent a ,paul to a seller of purple1 in the suburbs of ,philippi2 and ,he will send a message to the reader of these lines1 if he be a really earnest seeker after ,god's salvation4 ,it is ever a moment of deepest interest when a prepared soul is brought in contact with the full gospel of the grace of ,god4 ,it may be that that soul has been under deep and painful exercise for many a long day1 seeking rest but finding none4 ,the ,lord has been working by ,his ,spirit1 and preparing the ground for the good seed4 ,he has been making deep the furrows so that the precious seed of ,his ,word may take permanent root1 and bring forth fruit to ,his praise4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is never in haste4 ,his work is deep1 sure and solid4 ,his plants are not like ,jonah's gourd1 springing up in a night and perishing in a night4 ,all that ,he does will stand1 blessed be ,his name4 ,i know that whatsoever ,god doeth1 it shall be forever4 ,when ,he convicts1 converts1 and liberates a soul1 the stamp of ,his own eternal hand is upon the work1 in all its stages4 ,now1 it must have been a moment of intense interest when one in ,lydia's state of soul was brought in contact with that most glorious gospel which ,paul carried 7,acts xvi4 #ad74 ,she was thoroughly prepared for his message2 and surely his message was thoroughly prepared for her4 ,he carried with him truth which she had never heard and never thought of4 ,as we have already remarked1 she had been living up to her light2 she was a worshiper of ,god2 but we are bold to assert that she had no idea of the glorious truth which was lodged in the heart of that stranger who sat beside her at the prayer-meeting4 ,she had come thither--devout and earnest woman that she was--to pray and to worship1 to get some little refreshment for her spirit1 after the toils of the week4 ,how little did she imagine that at that meeting she should hear the greatest preacher that ever lived1 save ,one1 and that she should hear the very highest order of truth that had ever fallen upon mortal ears4 ,yet thus it was4 ,and1 oh1 how important it was for ,lydia to have been at that memorable prayer meeting6 ,how well it was she had not acted as so many1 now-a-days1 act1 who after a week of toil in the shop1 the warehouse1 the factory1 or the field1 take the opportunity of lying in bed on ,sunday6 ,how many there are whom you will see at their post from ,monday morning till ,saturday night1 working away with all diligence at their calling1 but for whom you will look in vain at the meeting on the ,lord's day4 ,how is this8 ,they will tell you1 perhaps1 that they are so worn out on ,saturday night that they have no energy to rise on ,sunday1 and therefore they spend this day in sloth1 lounging1 and self-indulgence4 ,they have no care for their souls1 no care for eternity1 no care for ,christ4 ,they care for themselves1 for their families1 for the world1 for money-making2 and hence you will find them up with the dawn of ,monday and off to their work4 ,lydia did not belong to this class at all4 ,no doubt she attended to her business1 as every right-minded person will4 ,we dare say--indeed1 we are sure--she kept very excellent purple1 and was a fair1 honest trader1 in every sense of the word4 ,but she did not spend her ,sabbath in bed1 or lounging about her house1 or nursing herself up1 and making a great fuss about all she had to do during the week4 ,neither do we believe that ,lydia was one of those self-occupied folk whom a shower of rain is sufficient to keep away from a meeting4 ,no2 ,lydia was of a different stamp altogether4 ,she was an earnest woman1 who felt she had a soul to save1 and an eternity before her1 and a living ,god to serve and worship4 ,would to ,god we had more ,lydias in this our day6 ,it would give a charm1 and an interest1 and a freshness to the work of an evangelist1 for which many of the ,lord's workmen have to sigh in vain4 ,we seem to live in a day of terrible unreality as to divine and eternal things4 ,men1 women1 and children are real enough at their money-making1 their pursuits1 and their pleasures2 but oh1 when the things of ,god1 the things of the soul1 the things of eternity1 are in question1 the aspect of people is that of a yawning indifference4 ,but the moment is rapidly approaching--every beat of the pulse1 every tick of the watch1 brings us nearer to it--when the yawning indifference shall be exchanged for weeping1 wailing1 and gnashing of teeth4 ,if this were more deeply felt1 we should have many more ,lydias1 prepared to lend an attentive ear to ,paul's gospel4 ,what force and beauty in those words1 ,whose heart the ,lord opened1 that she attended unto the things that were spoken of ,paul4 ,lydia was not one of those who go to meetings to think of anything and everything but the things that are spoken by the ,lord's messengers4 ,she was not thinking of her purple1 or of the prices1 or the probable gains or losses4 ,how many of those who fill our preaching rooms and lecture halls follow the example of ,lydia8 ,alas6 we fear but very few indeed4 ,the business1 the state of the markets1 the state of the funds1 money1 pleasure1 dress1 folly--a thousand and one things are thought of1 and dwelt upon1 and attended to1 so that the poor vagrant1 volatile heart is at the ends of the earth instead of attending to the things that are spoken4 ,all this is very solemn1 and very awful4 ,it really ought to be looked into and thought of4 ,people seem to forget the responsibility involved in hearing the gospel preached4 ,they do not seem to be in the smallest degree impressed with the weighty fact that the gospel never leaves any unconverted person where it finds him4 ,he is either saved by receiving1 or rendered more guilty by rejecting it4 ,hence it becomes a serious matter to hear the gospel4 ,people may attend gospel meetings as a matter of custom1 as a religious service1 or because they have nothing else to do1 and the time would hang heavy upon their hands2 or they may go because they think that the mere act of going has a sort of merit attached to it4 ,thus thousands attend preachings at which ,christ's servants1 though not ,pauls in gift1 power1 or intelligence1 unfold the precious grace of ,god in sending ,his only begotten ,son into the world to save us from everlasting torment and misery4 ,the virtue and efficacy of the atoning death of the divine ,saviour--the ,lamb of ,god--the dread realities of eternity--the awful horrors of hell1 and the unspeakable joys of heaven--all these weighty matters are handled1 according to the measure of grace bestowed upon the ,lord's messengers1 and yet how little impression is produced6 ,they reason of righteousness1 temperance1 and judgment to come1 and yet how few are made even to tremble6 ,and why8 ,will anyone presume to excuse himself for rejecting the gospel message on the ground of his inability to believe it8 ,will he appeal to the very case before us1 and say1 ,the ,lord opened her heart2 and if ,he would only do the same for me1 ,i1 too1 should attend2 but until ,he does1 ,i can do nothing8 ,we reply1 and with deep seriousness1 ,such an argument will not avail thee in the day of judgment4 ,indeed we are most thoroughly convinced that thou wilt not dare to use it then4 ,thou art making a false use of ,lydia's charming history4 ,true it is1 blessedly true1 the ,lord opened her heart2 and ,he is ready to open thine also1 if there were in thee but the hundredth part of ,lydia's earnestness4 ,and dost thou not know full well1 reader1 that there are two sides to this great question1 as there are to every question8 ,it is all very well1 and sounds very forcibly1 for thee to say1 ,i can do nothing4 ,but who told thee this8 ,where hast thou learnt it8 ,we solemnly challenge thee1 in the presence of ,god1 ,canst thou look up to ,him and say1 ,i can do nothing--,i am not responsible8 ,say1 is the salvation of thy never-dying soul just the one thing in which thou canst do nothing8 ,thou canst do a lot of things in the service of the world1 of self1 and of ,satan2 but when it becomes a question of ,god1 the soul1 and eternity1 you coolly say1 ,i can do nothing--,i am not responsible4 ,ah6 it will never do4 ,all this style of argument is the fruit of a one-sided theology4 ,it is the result of the most pernicious reasoning of the human mind upon certain truths in ,scripture which are turned the wrong way and sadly misapplied4 ,but it will not stand4 ,this is what we urge upon the reader4 ,it is of no possible use arguing in this way4 ,the sinner is responsible2 and all the theology1 and all the reasoning1 and all the fallacious though plausible objections that can be scraped together1 can never do away with this weighty and most serious fact4 ,hence1 therefore1 we call upon the reader to be1 like ,lydia1 in earnest about his soul's salvation--to let every other question1 every other point1 every other subject1 sink into utter insignificance in comparison with this one momentous question--the salvation of his precious soul4 ,then1 he may depend upon it1 the ,one who sent ,philip to the eunuch1 and sent ,peter to the centurion1 and sent ,paul to ,lydia1 will send some messenger and some message to him1 and will also open his heart to attend4 ,of this there cannot possibly be a doubt1 inasmuch as ,scripture declares that ,god is not willing that any should perish1 but that all should come to repentance4 ,all who perish1 after having heard the message of salvation--the sweet story of ,god's free love1 of a ,saviour's death and resurrection--shall perish without a shadow of an excuse1 shall descend into hell with their blood upon their guilty heads4 ,their eyes shall then be open to see through all the flimsy arguments by which they have sought to prop themselves up in a false position1 and lull themselves to sleep in sin and worldliness4 ,but let us dwell for a moment on the things that were spoken of ,paul4 ,the ,spirit of ,god hath not thought proper to give us even a brief outline of ,paul's address at the prayer-meeting4 ,we are therefore left to other passages of ,holy ,scripture to form an idea of what ,lydia heard from his lips on that interesting occasion4 ,let us take1 for example1 that famous passage in which he reminds the ,corinthians of the gospel which he had preached to them4 ,moreover1 brethren1 ,i declare unto you the gospel which ,i preached unto you1 which also ye have received1 and wherein ye stand2 by which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what ,i preached unto you1 unless ye have believed in vain4 ,for ,i delivered unto you first of all that which ,i also received1 how that ,christ died for our sins according to the ,scriptures2 and that ,he was buried1 and that ,he rose again the third day according to the ,scriptures 7,i ,cor4 xv4 ,i-#d74 ,now we may safely conclude that the foregoing passage of ,scripture contains a compendium of the things that were spoken of ,paul at the prayer-meeting at ,philippi4 ,the grand theme of ,paul's preaching was ,christ--,christ for the sinner--,christ for the saint--,christ for the conscience--,christ for the heart4 ,he never allowed himself to wander from this great centre1 but made all his preachings and all his teachings circulate round it with admirable consistency4 ,if he called on men1 both ,jews and ,gentiles1 to repent1 the lever with which he worked was ,christ4 ,if he urged them to believe1 the object which he held up for faith was ,christ1 on the authority of ,holy ,scripture4 ,if he reasoned of righteousness1 temperance1 and judgment to come1 the ,one that gave cogency and moral power to his reasoning was ,christ4 ,in short1 ,christ was the very gist and marrow1 the sum and substance1 the foundation and top stone of ,paul's preaching and teaching4 ,but1 for our present purpose1 there are three grand subjects1 found in ,paul's preaching1 to which we desire to call the reader's attention4 ,these are1 first1 the grace of ,god2 secondly1 the ,person and work of ,christ2 and thirdly1 the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost as given in the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,we do not attempt to go into these vast subjects here2 we merely name them1 and entreat the reader to ponder them1 to muse over them1 and seek to make them his own4 7,i7 ,the grace of ,god--,his free1 sovereign favor--is the source from whence salvation flows--salvation in all the length1 breadth1 height1 and depth of that most precious word--salvation which stretches1 like a golden chain1 from the bosom of ,god1 down to the very deepest depths of the sinner's guilty and ruined condition1 and back again to the throne of ,god--meets all the sinner's necessities1 overlaps the whole of the saint's history1 and glorifies ,god in the highest possible manner4 7#b7 ,then1 in the second place1 the ,person of ,christ and ,his finished work are the only channel through which salvation can possibly flow to the lost and guilty sinner4 ,it is not the ,church and her sacraments1 religion and its rites and ceremonies--man or his doings in any shape or form4 ,it is the death and resurrection of ,christ4 ,he died for our sins1 was buried1 and rose again the third day4 ,this was the gospel which ,paul preached1 by which the ,corinthians were saved1 and the apostle declares1 with solemn emphasis1 ,if any man preach any other gospel1 let him be accursed4 ,tremendous words for this our day6 7#c7 ,but1 thirdly1 the authority on which we receive the salvation is the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost in ,scripture4 ,it is according to the ,scriptures4 ,this is a most solid and comforting truth4 ,it is not a question of feelings1 or experiences1 or evidences2 it is a simple question of faith in ,god's word wrought in the heart by ,god's ,spirit4 ,it is a serious reflection for the evangelist1 that wherever ,god's ,spirit is at work1 there ,satan is sure to be busy4 ,we must remember and ever be prepared for this4 ,the enemy of ,christ and the enemy of souls is always on the watch1 always hovering about to see what he can do1 either to hinder or corrupt the work of the gospel4 ,this need not terrify or even discourage the workman2 but it is well to bear it in mind and be watchful4 ,satan will leave no stone unturned to mar or hinder the blessed work of ,god's ,spirit4 ,he has proved himself the ceaseless1 vigilant enemy of that work1 from the days of ,eden down to the present moment4 ,now1 in tracing the history of ,satan1 we find him acting in two characters1 namely1 as a serpent1 or as a lion--using craft or violence4 ,he will try to deceive2 and1 if he cannot succeed1 then he will use violence4 ,thus it is in this sixteenth chapter of the ,acts4 ,the apostle's heart had been cheered and refreshed by what we moderns should pronounce1 a beautiful case of conversion4 ,lydia's was a very real and decided case1 in every respect4 ,it was direct1 positive1 and unmistakable4 ,she received ,christ into her heart1 and forthwith took ,christian ground by submitting to the deeply significant ordinance of baptism4 ,nor was this all4 ,she immediately opened her house to the ,lord's messengers4 ,hers was no mere lip profession4 ,it was not merely saying she believed4 ,she proved her faith in ,christ1 not only by going down under the water of baptism1 but also by identifying herself and her household with the name and cause of that blessed ,one whom she had received into her heart by faith4 ,all this was clear and satisfactory4 ,but we must now look at something quite different4 ,the serpent appears upon the scene in the person of ,,the ,,deceiver4 ,it came to pass1 as we went to prayer1 a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us1 which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying4 ,the same followed ,paul and us1 and cried1 saying1 ,these men are the servants of the most high ,god1 which show unto us the way of salvation4 ,and this did she many days4 ,but ,paul1 being grieved1 turned and said to the spirit1 ,i command thee in the name of ,jesus ,christ to come out of her4 ,and he came out the same hour 7vers4 #af-ah74 ,here1 then1 was a case eminently calculated to test the spirituality and integrity of the evangelist4 ,most men would have hailed such words from the lips of this damsel as an encouraging testimony to the work4 ,why then was ,paul grieved8 ,why did he not allow her to continue to bear witness to the object of his mission8 ,was she not saying the truth8 ,were they not the servants of the most high ,god8 ,and were they not showing the way of salvation8 ,why be grieved with--why silence such a witness8 ,because it was of ,satan2 and1 most assuredly1 the apostle was not going to receive testimony from him4 ,he could not allow ,satan to help him in his work4 ,true1 he might have walked about the streets of ,philippi owned and honored as a servant of ,god1 if only he had consented to let the devil have a hand in the work4 ,but ,paul could never consent to this4 ,he could never suffer the enemy to mix himself up with the work of the ,lord4 ,had he done so1 it would have given the deathblow to the testimony at ,philippi4 ,to have permitted ,satan to put his hand to the work1 would have involved the total shipwreck of the mission to ,macedonia4 ,it is deeply important for the ,lord's workman to weigh this matter4 ,we may rest assured that this narrative of the damsel has been written for our instruction4 ,it is not only a statement of what has occurred1 but a sample of what may and indeed what does occur every day4,,xxvi4 ,besides ,christendom is full of false profession4 ,there are multitudes of false professors at this moment1 throughout the wide domain of ,christian profession4 ,it is sad to have to say it1 but so it is1 and we must press the fact upon the attention of the reader4 ,we are surrounded1 on all sides1 by those who give a merely nominal assent to the truths of the ,christian religion4 ,they go on1 from week to week1 and from year to year1 professing to believe certain things which they do not in reality believe at all4 ,there are thousands who1 every ,lord's ,day1 profess to believe in the forgiveness of sins1 and yet1 were such persons to be examined1 it would be found that they either do not think about the matter at all1 or1 if they do think1 they deem it the very height of presumption for any one to be sure that his sins are forgiven4 ,this is very serious4 ,only think of a person standing up in the presence of ,god and saying1 ,i believe in the forgiveness of sins1 and all the while he does not believe any such thing6 ,can anything be more hardening to the heart1 or more deadening to the conscience than this8 ,it is our firm persuasion that the forms and the formularies of professing ,christianity are doing more to ruin precious souls than all the forms of moral pravity put together4 ,it is perfectly appalling to contemplate the countless multitudes that are at this moment rushing along the well-trodden highway of religious profession1 down to the eternal flames of hell4 ,we feel bound to raise a warning note4 ,we want the reader most solemnly to take heed as to this matter4 ,we have only instanced one special formulary1 because it refers to a subject of very general interest and importance4 ,how few1 comparatively1 are clear and settled as to the question of forgiveness of sins6 ,how few are able1 calmly1 decidedly1 and intelligently1 to say1 ,i know that my sins are forgiven6 ,how few are in the real enjoyment of full forgiveness of sins1 through faith in that precious blood that cleanseth from all sin6 ,how solemn1 therefore1 to hear people giving utterance to such words as these1 ,i believe in the forgiveness of sins1 while1 in fact1 they do not believe their own very utterance6 ,is the reader in the habit of using such a form of words8 ,does he believe it8 ,say1 dear friend1 are thy sins forgiven8 ,art thou washed in the precious atoning blood of ,christ8 ,if not1 why not8 ,the way is open4 ,there is no hindrance4 ,thou art perfectly welcome1 this moment1 to the free benefits of the atoning work of ,christ4 ,though thy sins be as scarlet2 though they be black as midnight1 black as hell2 though they rise like a dreadful mountain before the vision of thy troubled soul1 and threaten to sink thee into eternal perdition2 yet do these words shine with divine and heavenly lustre on the page of inspiration1 ,the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,god's ,son1 cleanseth us from ,,all sin 7,i ,john i4 #g74 ,but mark1 friend1 do not go on1 week after week1 mocking ,god1 hardening thine own heart1 and carrying out the schemes of the great enemy of ,christ1 by a false profession4 ,this marks the damsel possessed by a spirit of divination1 and here her history links itself with the present awful condition of ,christendom4 ,what was the burden of her song1 during those many days in the which the apostle narrowly considered her case8 ,these men are the servants of the most high ,god1 which show unto us the way of salvation4 ,but she was not saved--she was not delivered--she was1 all the while1 under ,satan's power herself4 ,thus it is with ,christendom--thus it is with each false professor throughout the length and breadth of the professing ,church4 ,we know of nothing1 even in the deepest depths of moral evil1 or in the darkest shades of heathenism1 more truly awful than the state of careless1 hardened1 self-satisfied1 fallow-ground professors1 who on each successive ,lord's ,day give utterance1 either in their prayers or their singing1 to words which1 so far as they are concerned1 are wholly false4 ,the thought of this is1 at times1 almost over-whelming4 ,we cannot dwell upon it4 ,it is really too sorrowful4 ,we shall therefore pass on1 having once more solemnly warned the reader against every shade and degree of false profession4 ,let him not say or sing aught that he does not heartily believe4 ,the devil is at the bottom of all false profession1 and by means thereof he seeks to bring discredit on the work of the ,lord4 ,but how truly refreshing to contemplate the actings of the faithful apostle in the case of the damsel4 ,had he been seeking his own ends1 or had he been merely a minister of religion1 he might have welcomed her words as a tributary stream to swell the tide of his popularity1 or promote the interest of his cause4 ,but ,paul was not a mere minister of religion2 he was a minister of ,christ--a totally different thing4 ,and we may notice that the damsel does not say a word about ,christ4 ,she breathes not the precious1 peerless name of ,jesus4 ,there is total silence as to ,him4 ,this stamps the whole thing as of ,satan4 ,no man can call ,jesus ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,people may speak of ,god1 and of religion2 but ,christ has no place in their hearts4 ,the ,pharisees1 in the ninth of ,john1 could say to the poor man1 ,give ,god the praise2 but in speaking of ,jesus1 they could say1 ,this man is a sinner4 ,thus it is ever in the case of corrupt religion1 or false profession4 ,thus it was with the damsel in ,acts xvi4 ,there was not a syllable about ,christ4 ,there was no truth1 no life1 no reality4 ,it was hollow and false4 ,it was of ,satan2 and hence ,paul would not and could not own it2 he was grieved with it and utterly rejected it4 ,would that all were like him6 ,would that there were the singleness of eye to detect1 and the integrity of heart to reject the work of ,satan in much that is going on around us6 ,such an eye ,paul1 through grace1 possessed4 ,he was not to be deceived4 ,he saw that the whole affair was an effort of ,satan to mix himself up with the work1 that thus he might spoil it altogether4 ,but ,paul1 being grieved1 turned and said to the spirit1 ,i command thee1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 to come out of her4 ,and he came out the same hour4 ,this was true spiritual action4 ,paul was not in any haste to come into collision with the evil one1 or even to pronounce upon the case at all2 he waited many days2 but the very moment that the enemy was detected he is resisted and repulsed with uncompromising decision4 ,a less spiritual workman might have allowed the thing to pass1 under the idea that it might turn to account and help forward the work4 ,paul thought differently2 and he was right4 ,he would take no help from ,satan4 ,he was not going to work by such an agency2 and hence1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ--that name which the enemy so sedulously excluded--he puts ,satan to flight4 ,but no sooner was ,satan repulsed as the serpent1 than he assumed the character of a lion4 ,craft having failed1 he tried violence4 ,and when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone1 they caught ,paul and ,silas and drew them into the market-place unto the rulers1 and brought them to the magistrates1 saying1 ,these men1 being ,jews1 do exceedingly trouble our city1 and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive1 neither to observe1 being ,romans4 ,and the multitude rose up together against them2 and the magistrates rent off their clothes1 and commanded to beat them4 ,and when they had laid many stripes upon them1 they cast them into prison1 charging the jailor to keep them safely 7vers4 #ai-bc74 ,thus the enemy seemed to triumph2 but be it remembered that ,christ's warriors gain their most splendid victories by apparent defeat4 ,the devil made a great mistake when he cast the apostle into prison4 ,indeed it is consolatory to reflect that he has never done anything else but make mistakes1 from the moment that he left his first estate down to the present moment4 ,his entire history1 from beginning to end1 is one tissue of errors4 ,and thus1 as has been already remarked1 the devil made a great mistake when he cast ,paul into prison at ,philippi4 ,to nature's view it might have seemed otherwise2 but in the judgment of faith1 the servant of ,christ was much more in his right place in prison for the truth's sake1 than outside at his ,master's expense4 ,true1 ,paul might have saved himself4 ,he might have been an honored man1 owned and acknowledged as a servant of the most high ,god1 if he had only accepted the damsel's testimony1 and suffered the devil to help him in his work4 ,but he could not do this1 and hence he had to suffer4 ,and the multitude 7ever fickle and easily swayed7 rose up together against them3 and the magistrates rent off their clothes1 and commanded to beat them4 ,and when they had laid many stripes upon them1 they cast them into prison1 charging the jailor to keep them safely4 ,who1 having received such a charge1 thrust them into the inner prison1 and made their feet fast in the stocks 7vers4 #bb-bd74 ,here1 then1 some might have said1 was an end to the work of the evangelist in the city of ,philippi4 ,here was an effectual stop to the preaching4 ,not so2 the prison was the very place1 at the moment1 for the evangelist4 ,his work was there4 ,he was to find a congregation within the prison walls which he could not have found outside4 ,but this leads us1 in the third and last place1 to the case of ,,the ,,hardened ,,sinner4 ,it was very unlikely that the jailor would ever have found his way to the prayer-meeting at the river side4 ,he had little care for such things4 ,he was neither an earnest seeker1 nor a deceiver4 ,he was a hardened sinner1 pursuing a very hardening occupation4 ,jailors1 from the occupation of their office1 are1 generally speaking1 hard and stern men4 ,no doubt there are exceptions4 ,there are some tender-hearted men to be found in such situations2 but1 as a rule1 jailors are not tender4 ,it would hardly suit them to be so4 ,they have to do with the very worst class of society4 ,much of the crime of the whole country comes under their notice2 and many of the criminals come under their charge4 ,accustomed to the rough and the coarse1 they are apt to become rough and coarse themselves4 ,now1 judging from the inspired narrative before us1 we may well question if the ,philippian jailor was an exception to the general rule with respect to men of his class4 ,certainly he does not seem to have shown much tenderness to ,paul and ,silas4 ,he thrust them into the inner prison1 and made their feet fast in the stocks4 ,he seems to have gone to the utmost extreme in making them uncomfortable4 ,but ,god had rich mercy in store for that poor1 hardened1 cruel jailor2 and1 as it was not at all likely that he would go to hear the gospel1 the ,lord sent the gospel to him2 and1 moreover1 ,he made the devil the instrument of sending it4 ,little did the jailor know whom he was thrusting into the inner prison--little did he anticipate what was to happen ere another sun should rise4 ,and we may add1 little did the devil think of what he was doing when he sent the preachers of the gospel into jail1 there to be the means of the jailor's conversion4 ,but the ,lord ,jesus ,christ knew what ,he was about to do1 in the case of a poor hardened sinner4 ,he can make the wrath of man to praise ,him and restrain the remainder4 ,he everywhere hath sway1 ,and all things serve ,his might1 ,his ev'ry act pure blessing is1 ,his path unsullied light4 ,when ,he makes bare ,his arm1 ,who shall ,his work withstand8 ,when ,he ,his people's cause defends1 ,who then shall stay ,his hand8 ,it was ,his purpose to save the jailor2 and so far from ,satan's being able to frustrate that purpose1 he was actually made the instrument of accomplishing it4 ,god's purpose shall stand2 and ,he will do all ,his pleasure4 ,and where ,he sets ,his love upon a poor1 wretched1 guilty sinner1 ,he will have him in heaven1 spite of all the malice and rage of hell4 ,as to ,paul and ,silas1 it is very evident that they were in their right place in the prison4 ,they were there for the truth's sake1 and therefore the ,lord was with them4 ,hence they were perfectly happy4 ,what1 though they were confined within the gloomy walls of the prison1 with their feet made fast in the stocks1 prison walls could not confine their spirits4 ,nothing can hinder the joy of one who has the ,lord with him4 ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego1 were happy in the fiery furnace4 ,daniel was happy in the lions' den2 and ,paul and ,silas were happy in the dungeon of ,philippi3 ,and at midnight ,paul and ,silas prayed1 and sang praises to ,god3 and the prisoners heard them4 ,what sounds to issue from the inner prison6 ,we may safely say that no such sounds had ever issued thence before4 ,curses and execrations and blasphemous words might have been heard2 sighs1 cries1 and groans come forth from those walls4 ,but to hear the accents of prayer and praise1 ascending at the midnight hour1 must have seemed strange indeed4 ,faith can sing as sweetly in a dungeon as at a prayer-meeting4 ,it matters not where we are1 provided always that we have ,god with us4 ,his presence lights up the darkest cell1 and turns a dungeon into the very gate of heaven4 ,he can make ,his servants happy anywhere1 and give them victory over the most adverse circumstances1 and cause them to shout for joy in scenes where nature would be overwhelmed with sorrow4 ,but the ,lord had ,his eye upon the jailor4 ,he had written his name in the ,lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world1 and ,he was now about to lead him into the full joy of ,his salvation4 ,and suddenly there was a great earthquake1 so that the foundations of the prison were shaken3 and immediately all the doors were opened1 and every one's bands were loosed 7ver4 #bf74 ,now if ,paul had not been in full communion with the mind and heart of ,christ1 he would assuredly have turned to ,silas and said1 ,now is the moment for us to make our escape4 ,god has most manifestly appeared for us1 and set before us an open door4 ,if ever there was an opening of divine ,providence surely this is one4 ,but no2 ,paul knew better4 ,he was in the full current of ,his blessed ,master's thoughts1 and in full sympathy with his ,master's heart4 ,hence he made no attempt to escape4 ,the claims of truth had brought him into prison2 the activities of grace kept him there4 ,providence opened the door2 but faith refused to walk out4 ,people talk of being guided by ,providence2 but if ,paul had been so guided1 the jailor would never have been a jewel in his crown4 ,and the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open1 he drew out his sword1 and would have killed himself1 supposing that the prisoners had been fled 7ver4 #bg74 ,this proves1 very plainly1 that the earthquake1 with all its attendant circumstances1 had not touched the heart of the jailor4 ,he naturally supposed1 when he saw the doors open1 that the prisoners were all gone4 ,he could not imagine a number of prisoners sitting quietly in jail when the doors lay open and their chains were loosed4 ,and then what was to become of him if the prisoners were gone8 ,how could he face the authorities8 ,impossible4 ,anything but that4 ,death1 even by his own hand1 was preferable to that4 ,thus the devil had conducted this hardened sinner to the very brink of the precipice1 and he was about to give him the final and fatal push over the edge1 and down to the eternal flames of hell2 when lo1 a voice of love sounded in his ear4 ,it was the voice of ,jesus through the lips of ,his servant--a voice of tender and deep compassion--,do thyself no harm4 ,this was irresistible4 ,a hardened sinner could meet an earthquake2 he could meet death itself2 but he could not withstand the mighty melting power of love4 ,the hardest heart must yield to the moral influence of love4 ,then he called for a light1 and sprang in1 and came trembling1 and fell down before ,paul and ,silas1 and brought them out1 and said1 ,sirs1 what must ,i do to be saved8 ,love can break the hardest heart4 ,and surely there was love in those words1 ,do thyself no harm1 coming from the lips of one to whom he had done so much harm a few hours before4 ,and1 be it noted1 there was not a single syllable of reproach1 or even of reflection1 uttered by ,paul to the jailor4 ,this was ,christ-like4 ,it was the way of divine grace4 ,if we look through the ,gospels1 we never find the ,lord casting reproach upon the sinner4 ,he has tears of sorrow2 ,he has touching words of grace and tenderness2 but no reproaches--no reflections--no reproach to the poor distressed sinner4 ,we cannot attempt to furnish the many illustrations and proofs of this assertion2 but the reader has only to turn to the gospel story to see its truth4 ,look at the prodigal3 look at the thief4 ,not one reproving word to either4 ,thus it is in every case2 and thus it was with ,god's ,spirit in ,paul4 ,not a word about the harsh treatment--the thrusting into the inner prison--not a word about the stocks4 ,do thyself no harm4 ,and then1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved1 and thy house4 ,such is the rich and precious grace of ,god4 ,it shines1 in this scene1 with uncommon lustre4 ,it delights in taking up hardened sinners1 melting and subduing their hard hearts1 and leading them into the sunlight of a full salvation2 and all this in a style peculiar to itself4 ,yes1 ,god has ,his style of doing things1 blessed be ,his name2 and when ,he saves a wretched sinner1 ,he does it after such a fashion as fully proves that ,his whole heart is in the work4 ,it is ,his joy to save a sinner--even the very chief--and ,he does it in a way worthy of ,himself4 ,and now1 let us look at the fruit of all this4 ,the jailor's conversion was most unmistakable4 ,saved from the very brink of hell1 he was brought into the very atmosphere of heaven4 ,preserved from self-destruction1 he was brought into the circle of ,god's salvation2 and the evidences of this were as clear as could be desired4 ,and they spake unto him the word of the ,lord1 and to all that were in his house4 ,and he took them the same hour of the night1 and washed their stripes2 and was baptized1 he and all his straightway4 ,and when he had brought them into his house1 he set meat before them1 and rejoiced1 believing in ,god1 with all his house4 ,what a marvelous change6 ,the ruthless jailor has become the generous host6 ,if any man be in ,christ1 he is a new creature2 old things are passed away3 behold1 all things are become new4 ,how clearly we can now see that ,paul was right in not being guided by providences6 ,how much better and higher to be led by the eye of ,god6 ,what an eternal loss it would have proved to him had he walked out at the open door6 ,how much better to be conducted out by the very hand that had thrust him in--a hand once the instrument of cruelty and sin1 now the instrument of righteousness and love6 ,what a magnificent triumph6 ,what a scene1 altogether6 ,how little had the devil anticipated such a result from the imprisonment of the ,lord's servants6 ,he was thoroughly outwitted4 ,the tables were completely turned upon him4 ,he thought to hinder the gospel1 and1 behold6 he was made to help it on4 ,he had hoped to get rid of two of ,christ's servants1 and1 lo6 he lost one of his own4 ,christ is stronger than ,satan2 and all who put their trust in ,him and move in the current of ,his thoughts shall most assuredly share in the triumphs of ,his grace now1 and shine in the brightness of ,his glory forever4 ,thus much1 then1 as to the work of an evangelist4 ,such are the scenes through which he may have to pass--such the cases with which he may have to come in contact4 ,we have seen the earnest seeker satisfied2 the deceiver silenced2 the hardened sinner saved4 ,may all who go forth with the gospel of the grace of ,god know how to deal with the various types of character that may cross their path6 ,may many be raised up to do the work of an evangelist6 ,,footnotes3 ,,xxv4 ,the reader will notice that in ,matthew vi4 ,i1 the marginal reading is the correct one3 ,take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men1 to be seen of them4 ,then we have the three departments of this righteousness1 namely1 alms-giving 7ver4 #b72 prayer 7ver4 #c72 fasting 7ver4 #af74 ,these were the very things ,cornelius was doing4 ,in short1 he feared ,god1 and was working righteousness1 according to his measure of light4 ,,xxvi4 ,an evangelist will not travel far in our day to find persons who will take him warmly by the hand1 and profess lively interest in his work4 ,a moment's intercourse with them1 however1 will disclose them to be agents of ,christian ,science1 of ,millennial ,dawn of ,seventh ,day ,adventism or of some one or other of like systems--messengers of ,satan1 all professing ,christianity1 though in reality destroyers of it2 pluming themselves with its name1 only to get inside and work destruction the more easily4 ,,ed4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,letters ,,to ,,an ,,evangelist4 ,,dearest ,a----1 ,i have been much interested1 and ,i trust profited1 of late1 by tracing1 through the ,gospels and the ,acts1 the various notices of the work of evangelization2 and it has occured to me that it may not be amiss to present to you1 as one much occupied in the blessed work1 a few of the thoughts that have suggested themselves to my mind4 ,i shall feel myself much more free in this way1 than if ,i were writing a formal treatise4 ,and1 first of all1 ,i have been greatly struck with the simplicity with which the work of evangelizing was carried on in primitive times2 so very unlike a great deal of what obtains among us4 ,it seems to me that we moderns are quite too much hampered by conventional rules--too much fettered by the habits of ,christendom4 ,we are sadly deficient in what ,i may call spiritual elasticity4 ,we are apt to think that in order to evangelize there must be a special gift2 and even where there is this special gift1 there must be a great deal of machinery and human arrangement4 ,when we speak of doing the work of an evangelist1 we1 for the most part1 have before our minds great public halls1 and crowded audiences1 for which there is a demand for considerable gift and power for speaking4 ,now you and ,i thoroughly believe1 that in order to preach the gospel publicly1 there must be a special gift from the ,head of the ,church2 and1 moreover1 we believe according to ,eph4 iv4 #aa1 that ,christ has given1 and does still give1 evangelists4 ,this is clear1 if we are to be guided by ,scripture4 ,but ,i find in the ,gospels1 and in the ,acts of the ,apostles1 that a quantity of most blessed evangelistic work was done by persons who were not specially gifted at all1 but who had an earnest love for souls1 and a deep sense of the preciousness of ,christ and ,his salvation4 ,and1 what is more1 ,i find in those who were specially gifted1 called1 and appointed by ,christ to preach the gospel1 a simplicity1 freedom1 and naturalness in their mode of working1 which ,i greatly covet for myself and for all my brethren4 ,let us look a little into ,scripture4 ,take that lovely scene in ,john i4 #cf-de4 ,john pours out his heart in testimony to ,jesus3 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god6 ,his soul was absorbed with the glorious ,object4 ,what was the result8 ,two disciples heard him speak1 and they followed ,jesus4 ,what then8 ,one of the two which heard ,john speak1 and followed ,him1 was ,andrew1 ,simon ,peter's brother4 ,and what does he do8 ,he first findeth his own brother ,simon1 and saith unto him1 ,we have found the ,messias1 which is1 being interpreted1 the ,christ4 ,and he brought him to ,jesus4 ,again1 ,the day following1 ,jesus would go forth into ,galilee1 and findeth ,philip1 and saith unto him1 ,follow ,me4444 ,philip findeth ,nathanael1 and saith unto him1 ,we have found ,him1 of whom ,moses in the law1 and the prophets1 did write1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the son of ,joseph4444 ,come and see4 ,here then1 dearest ,a41 is the style of thing for which ,i earnestly long3 this individual work1 this laying hold of the first man that comes in our way1 this finding one's own brother1 and bringing him to ,jesus4 ,i do feel we are deficient in this4 ,it is all right enough to gather congregations1 and address them1 as ,god gives ability and opportunity4 ,neither you nor ,i would pen a single word to detract from the value of such a line of work4 ,by all means hire rooms1 halls1 and theatres2 put out bills inviting people to come2 leave no lawful means untried to spread the gospel4 ,seek to get at souls as best you can4 ,far be it from me to cast a damp upon any who are seeking to carry on the work in this public way4 ,but does it not strike you that we want more of the individual work8 more of the private1 earnest1 personal dealing with souls8 ,do you not think that if we had more ,philips we should have more ,nathanaels8 ,if we had more ,andrews1 we should have more ,simons8 ,i cannot but believe it4 ,there is amazing power in an earnest personal appeal4 ,do you not often find that it is after the more formal public preaching is finished1 and the close personal work begins1 that souls are reached8 ,how is it then that there is so little of this latter8 ,does it not often happen at our public preachings1 that when the formal address is delivered1 a hymn sung1 and a word of prayer offered1 all disperse without any attempt at individual work8 ,i speak not now1 mark you1 of the preacher--who cannot possibly reach every case1 but of the scores of ,christians who have been listening to him4 ,they have seen strangers enter the room1 they have sat beside them2 they have1 it may be1 noticed their interest1 seen the tear stealing down the cheek2 and yet they have let them pass away without a single loving effort to reach them1 or to follow up the good work4 ,no doubt it may be said1 ,it is much better to allow the ,spirit of ,god to follow up ,his own work4 ,we may do more harm than good4 ,and besides1 people do not like to be spoken to3 they will look upon it as an impertinent intrusion1 and they will be driven away from the place altogether4 ,there is considerable weight in all this4 ,i fully appreciate it2 and ,i am sure you do likewise1 dearest ,a4 ,i fear great blunders are committed by injudicious persons intruding upon the sacred privacy of the soul's deep and holy exercises4 ,it needs tact and judgment2 in short1 it needs direct spiritual guidance to be able to deal with souls2 to know whom to speak to1 and what to say4 ,but allowing all this1 as we do in the fullest possible manner1 ,i think you will agree with me that there is1 as a rule1 something lacking in connection with our public preachings4 ,is there not a want of that deep1 personal1 loving interest in souls which will express itself in a thousand ways that act powerfully on the heart8 ,i confess that ,i have often been pained by what has come under my own notice in our preaching-rooms4 ,strangers come in and are left to find a seat wherever they can4 ,no one seems to think of them4 ,christians are there1 and they will hardly move to make room for them4 ,no one offers them a ,bible or hymn-book4 ,and when the preaching is over1 they are allowed to go as they came2 not a loving word of inquiry as to whether they enjoyed the truth preached2 not even a kindly look which might win confidence and invite conversation4 ,on the contrary1 there is a chilling reserve1 amounting almost to repulsiveness4 ,all this is very sorrowful2 and perhaps you will tell me that ,i am drawing too highly colored a picture4 ,alas6 the picture is only too true4 ,and what makes it all the more deplorable is1 that one knows as a fact that many persons frequent our preaching-rooms and lecture-halls in the deepest exercise1 and they are only longing to open their hearts to some one who could offer them a little spiritual counsel2 but through timidity1 reserve1 or nervousness1 they shrink from making any advance1 and have but to retire to their homes and to their bedchambers1 lonely and sad1 there to weep in solitude because no man cares for their precious souls4 ,now ,i feel persuaded that much of this might be remedied if those ,christians who attend the gospel preachings were more on the look out for souls3 if they would attend1 not so much for their own profit1 as in order to be co-workers with ,god1 in seeking to bring souls to ,jesus4 ,no doubt it is very refreshing to ,christians to hear the gospel fully and faithfully preached4 ,but it would not be the less refreshing because they were intensely interested in the conversion of souls1 and in earnest prayer to ,god in the matter4 ,and1 besides1 it could in no wise interfere with their personal enjoyment and profit to cultivate and manifest a lively and loving interest in those who surround them1 and to seek at the close of the meeting to help any who may need and desire to be helped4 ,it has a surprising effect upon the preacher1 upon the preaching1 upon the whole meeting1 when the ,christians who attend are really entering into1 and discharging1 their high and holy responsibilities to ,christ and to souls4 ,it imparts a certain tone and creates a certain atmosphere which must be felt in order to be understood2 but when once felt it cannot easily be dispensed with4 ,but1 alas1 how often is it otherwise6 ,how cold1 how dull1 how dispiriting is it at times to see the whole congregation clear out the moment the preaching is over6 ,no loving1 lingering groups gathering round young converts or anxious inquirers4 ,old experienced ,christians have been present2 but1 instead of pausing with the fond hope that ,god would graciously use them to speak a word in season to him that is weary1 they hasten away as though it were a matter of life and death that they should be home at a certain hour4 ,do not suppose1 dearest ,a41 that ,i wish to lay down rules for my brethren4 ,far be the thought4 ,i am merely1 in the freest possible manner1 pouring out the thoughts of my heart to one with whom ,i have been linked in the work of the gospel for many years4 ,i feel convinced there is a something lacking4 ,it is my firm persuasion that no ,christian is in a right condition1 if he is not seeking in some way to bring souls to ,christ4 ,and1 on the same principle1 no assembly of ,christians is in a right condition if it be not a thoroughly evangelistic assembly4 ,we should all be on the lookout for souls2 and then we may rest assured we should see soul-stirring results4 ,but if we are satisfied to go on from week to week1 month to month1 and year to year1 without a single leaf stirring1 without a single conversion1 our state must be truly lamentable4 ,but ,i think ,i hear you saying1 ,where is all the ,scripture we were to have had8 where the many quotations from the ,gospels and the ,acts8 ,well1 ,i have gone on jotting down the thoughts which have for some considerable time occupied my mind2 and now1 space forbids my going further at present4 ,but if you so desire1 ,i shall write you a second letter on the subject4 ,meanwhile1 may the ,lord1 by ,his ,spirit1 make us more earnest in seeking the salvation of immortal souls1 by every legitimate agency4 ,may our hearts be filled with genuine love for precious souls1 and then we shall be sure to find ways and means of getting at them6 ,ever1 believe me1 dearest ,a41 ,your deeply affectionate yoke-fellow1 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,ii4 ,there is one point in connection with our subject which has much occupied my mind2 and that is1 the immense importance of cultivating an earnest faith in the presence and action of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we want to remember1 at all times1 that we can do nothing1 and that ,god the ,holy ,ghost can do all4 ,it holds good in the great work of evangelization1 as in all beside1 that it is not by might1 nor by power1 but by ,my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,the abiding sense of this would keep us humble1 and yet full of joyful confidence4 ,humble1 because we can do nothing2 full of joyful confidence1 because ,god can do all4 ,moreover1 it would have the effect of keeping us very sober and quiet in our work--not cold and indifferent1 but calm and serious1 which is a great matter just now4 ,i was much struck with a remark lately made by an aged workman1 in a letter to one who had just entered the field4 ,excitement1 says this writer1 is not power1 but weakness4 ,earnestness and energy are of ,god4 ,this is most true and most valuable4 ,but ,i like the two sentences taken together4 ,if we were to take either apart1 ,i think you and ,i would prefer the latter2 and for this reason3 there are many1 ,i fear1 who would regard as excitement what you and ,i might really consider to be earnestness and energy4 ,now ,i do confess1 ,i love a deep-toned earnestness in the work4 ,i do not see how a man can be otherwise than deeply and thoroughly in earnest1 who realizes in any measure the awfulness of eternity1 and the state of all those who die in their sins4 ,how is it possible for any one to think of an immortal soul standing on the very brink of hell1 and in danger at any moment of being dashed over1 and not be serious and earnest8 ,but this is not excitement4 ,what ,i understand by excitement is the working up of mere nature1 and the putting forth of such efforts of nature as are designed to work on the natural feelings--all high pressure--all that is merely sensational4 ,this is all worthless4 ,it is evanescent4 ,and not only so1 but it superinduces weakness4 ,we never find aught of this in the ministry of our blessed ,lord or ,his apostles3 and yet what earnestness6 what untiring energy6 what tenderness6 ,we see an earnestness which wore the appearance of being beside oneself2 an energy which hardly afforded a moment for rest or refreshment2 and a tenderness which could weep over impenitent sinners4 ,all this we see2 but no excitement4 ,in a word1 all was the fruit of the ,eternal ,spirit2 and all was to the glory of ,god4 ,moreover1 there was ever that calmness and solemnity which becomes the presence of ,god1 and yet that deep earnestness which proved that man's serious condition was fully realized4 ,now1 dear brother1 this is precisely what we want1 and what we ought diligently to cultivate4 ,it is a signal mercy to be kept from all merely natural excitement2 and1 at the same time1 to be duly impressed with the magnitude and solemnity of the work4 ,thus the mind will be kept properly balanced1 and we shall be preserved from the tendency to be occupied with our work merely because it is ours4 ,we shall rejoice that ,christ is magnified1 and souls are saved1 whoever be the instrument used4 ,i have been thinking a good deal lately of that memorable time1 now exactly ten years ago1 when the ,spirit of ,god wrought so marvelously in the province of ,ulster4 ,i think ,i gathered up some valuable instruction from what then came under my notice4 ,that was a time never to be forgotten by those who were privileged to be eyewitnesses of the magnificent wave of blessing which rolled over the land4 ,but ,i now refer to it in connection with the subject of the ,spirit's action4 ,i have no doubt whatever that the ,holy ,ghost was grieved and hindered in the year #ahei1 by man's interference4 ,you remember how that work began4 ,you remember the little school-house by the road side1 where two or three men met1 week after week1 to pour out their hearts in prayer to ,god1 that ,he would be pleased to break in upon the death and darkness which reigned around3 and that ,he would revive ,his work1 and send out ,his light and ,his truth in converting power4 ,you know how these prayers were heard and answered4 ,you and ,i were privileged to move through these soul-stirring scenes in the province of ,ulster2 and ,i doubt not the memory of them is fresh with you1 as it is with me1 this day4 ,well1 what was the special character of that work in its earlier stages8 ,was it not most manifestly a work of ,god's ,spirit8 ,did not ,he take up and use instruments the most unfit and unfurnished1 according to human thinking1 for the accomplishment of ,his gracious purpose8 ,do we not remember the style and character of the agents who were chiefly used in the conversion of souls8 ,were they not for the most part unlearned and ignorant men8 ,and further1 can we not distinctly recall the fact that there was a most decided setting aside of all human arrangement and official routine8 ,working men came from the field1 the factory1 and the workshop1 to address crowded audiences2 and we have seen hundreds hanging in breathless interest upon the lips of men who could not speak five words of good grammar4 ,in short1 the mighty tide of spiritual life and power rolled in upon us1 and swept away for the time being a quantity of human machinery1 and ignored all question of man's authority in the things of ,god and the service of ,christ4 ,now we can well remember1 that just in so far as the ,holy ,ghost was owned and honored1 did the glorious work progress2 and1 on the other hand1 in proportion as man intruded himself1 in bustling self-importance1 upon the domain of the ,eternal ,spirit1 was the work hindered and quashed4 ,i saw the truth of this illustrated in numberless cases4 ,there was a vigorous effort made to cause the living water to flow in official and denominational channels1 and this the ,holy ,ghost would not sanction4 ,moreover1 there was a strong desire manifested1 in many quarters1 to make sectarian capital out of the blessed movement2 and this the ,holy ,ghost resented4 ,nor was this all4 ,the work and the workman were lionized in all directions4 ,cases of conversion which were judged to be striking were blazed abroad and paraded in the public prints4 ,travellers and tourists from all parts visited these persons1 took notes of their words and ways1 and wafted the report of them to the ends of the earth4 ,many poor creatures1 who had up to that time lived in obscurity1 unknown and unnoticed1 found themselves1 all of a sudden1 objects of interest to the wealthy1 the noble1 and the public at large4 ,the pulpit and the press proclaimed their sayings and doings2 and1 as might be expected1 they completely lost their balance4 ,knaves and hypocrites abounded on all hands4 ,it became a grand point to have some strange and extravagant experience to tell2 some remarkable dream or vision to relate4 ,and even where this ill-advised line of action did not issue in producing knavery and hypocrisy1 the young converts became heady and high-minded1 and looked with a measure of contempt upon old established ,christians1 or those who did not happen to be converted after their peculiar fashion--stricken1 as it was termed4 ,in addition to this1 some very remarkable characters--men of desperate notoriety1 who seemed to be converted1 were conveyed from place to place1 and placarded about the various streets1 and crowds gathered to see them and hear them recount their history2 which history was very frequently a disgusting detail of immoralities and excesses which ought never to have been named4 ,several of these remarkable men afterwards broke down1 and returned with increased ardor to their former practices4 ,these things1 dearest ,a41 ,i witnessed in various places4 ,i believe the ,holy ,ghost was grieved and hindered1 and the work marred thereby4 ,i am thoroughly convinced of this3 and hence it is that ,i think we should earnestly seek to honor the blessed ,spirit2 to lean upon ,him in all our work2 to follow where ,he leads1 not run before ,him4 ,his work will stand3 ,whatsoever ,god doeth it shall be forever4 ,the works that are done upon the earth1 ,he is the doer of them4 ,the remembrance of this will ever keep the mind well balanced4 ,there is great danger of young workmen getting so excited about their work1 their preaching1 their gifts1 as to lose sight of the blessed ,master ,himself4 ,moreover1 they are apt to make preaching the end instead of the means4 ,this works badly in every way4 ,it injures themselves1 and it mars their work4 ,the moment ,i make preaching my end1 ,i am out of the current of the mind of ,god1 whose end is to glorify ,christ2 and ,i am out of the current of the heart of ,christ1 whose end is the salvation of souls and the full blessing of ,his ,church4 ,but where the ,holy ,ghost gets ,his proper place1 where ,he is duly owned and trusted1 there all will be right4 ,there will be no exaltation of man2 no bustling self-importance2 no parading of the fruits of our work2 no excitement4 ,all will be calm1 quiet1 real1 and unpretending4 ,there will be the simple1 earnest1 believing1 patient waiting upon ,god4 ,self will be in the shade2 ,christ will be exalted4 ,i often recall a sentence of yours4 ,i remember your once saying to me1 ,heaven will be the best and safest place to hear the results of our work4 ,this is a wholesome word for all workmen4 ,i shudder when ,i see the names of ,christ's servants paraded in the public journals1 with flattering allusion to their work and its fruits4 ,surely those who pen such articles ought to reflect upon what they are doing3 they should consider that they may be ministering to the very thing which they ought to desire to see mortified and subdued4 ,i am most fully persuaded that the quiet1 shady1 retired path is the best and safest for the ,christian workman4 ,it will not make him less earnest but the contrary4 ,it will not cramp his energy1 but increase and intensify it4 ,god forbid that you or ,i should pen a line or utter a sentence which might in the most remote way tend to discourage or hinder a single worker in all the vineyard of ,christ4 ,no1 no1 this is not the moment for aught of this kind4 ,we want to see the ,lord's laborers thoroughly in earnest2 but we believe1 most assuredly1 that true earnestness will ever result from the most absolute dependence upon ,god the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but only see how ,i have run on6 ,and yet ,i have not referred to those passages of ,scripture of which ,i spoke in my last4 ,well1 dearly beloved in the ,lord1 ,i am addressing one who is happily familiar with the ,gospels and ,acts1 and who therefore knows that the great ,workman ,himself1 and all those who sought to tread in ,his blessed footsteps1 owned and honored the ,eternal ,spirit as the ,one by whom all their works were to be wrought4 ,i must now close for the present1 my much loved brother and fellow-laborer2 and ,i do so with a full heart1 commending you1 in spirit and soul and body1 to ,him who has loved us1 and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood1 and called us to the honored post of workers in ,his gospel field4 ,may ,he bless you and yours1 most abundantly1 and increase your usefulness a thousandfold6 ,as ever1 and for ever1 ,your deeply affectionate work-fellow1 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,iii4 ,there is another point which stands intimately connected with the subject of my last letter1 and that is1 the place the word of ,god occupies in the work of evangelization4 ,in my last letter1 as you will remember1 ,i referred to the work of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the immense importance of giving ,him ,his proper place4 ,how clearly the precious word of ,god is connected with the action of the ,holy ,spirit1 ,i need not say4 ,both are inseparably linked in those memorable words of our ,lord to ,nicodemus--words so little understood--so sadly misapplied3 ,except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god 7,john iii74 ,now1 you and ,i1 dearest ,a41 fully believe that in the above passage the ,word is presented under the figure of water4 ,thank ,god1 we are not disposed to give any credit to the ritualistic absurdity of baptismal regeneration4 ,we are1 ,i believe1 most thoroughly convinced that no one ever did1 ever will1 or ever could1 get life by water baptism4 ,that all who believe in ,christ ought to be baptized we fully admit2 but this is a totally different thing from the fatal error that substitutes an ordinance for the atoning death of ,christ1 the regenerating power of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the life-giving virtues of the word of ,god4 ,i shall not waste your time or my own in combating this error1 but at once assume that you agree with me in thinking that when our ,lord speaks of being born of water and of the ,spirit1 ,he refers to the ,word and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,thus1 then1 the ,word is the grand instrument to be used in the work of evangelization4 ,many passages of holy ,scripture establish this point with such clearness and decision as to leave no room whatever for dispute4 ,in the first chapter of ,james1 ver4 #ah1 we read1 ,of ,his own will begat ,he us with the word of truth4 ,again1 in ,i ,pet4 i4 #bc1 we read1 ,being born again1 not of corruptible seed1 but of incorruptible1 by the word of ,god1 which liveth and abideth forever4 ,i must quote the whole passage because of its immense importance in connection with our subject3 ,for all flesh is as grass1 and all the glory of man as the flower of grass4 ,the grass withereth1 and the flower thereof falleth away2 but the word of the ,lord endureth forever4 ,and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you4 ,this last clause is of unspeakable value to the evangelist4 ,it binds him1 in the most distinct manner1 to the word of ,god as the instrument--the only instrument--the all-sufficient instrument1 to be used in his glorious work4 ,he is to give the ,word to the people2 and the more simply he gives it the better4 ,the pure water should be allowed to flow from the heart of ,god to the heart of the sinner1 without receiving a tinge from the channel through which it flows4 ,the evangelist is to preach the ,word2 and he is to preach it in simple dependence upon the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is the true secret of success in preaching4 ,but while ,i urge this great cardinal point in the work of preaching--and ,i believe it cannot be too strongly urged--,i am very far indeed from thinking that the evangelist should give his hearers a quantity of truth4 ,so far from this1 ,i consider it a very great mistake4 ,he ought to leave this to the teacher1 lecturer1 or pastor4 ,i often fear that very much of our preaching shoots over the heads of the people1 owing to the fact of our seeking rather to unfold truth than to reach souls4 ,we rest satisfied1 it may be1 with having delivered a very clear and forcible lecture1 a very interesting and instructive exposition of ,scripture1 something very valuable for the people of ,god2 but the unconverted hearer has sat unmoved1 unreached1 unimpressed4 ,there has been nothing for him4 ,the lecturer has been more occupied with his lecture than with the sinner--more taken up with his subject than with the soul4 ,now ,i am thoroughly convinced that this is a serious mistake1 and one into which we all--at least ,i am--very apt to fall4 ,i deplore it deeply1 and ,i earnestly desire to correct it4 ,i question if this very mistake may not be viewed as the true secret of our lack of success4 ,but1 dearest ,a41 ,i should not perhaps say our lack but my lack4 ,i do not think--so far as ,i know aught of your ministry--that you are exactly chargeable with the defect to which ,i am now just referring4 ,of this1 however1 you will be the best judge yourself2 but of one thing ,i am certain1 namely1 that the most successful evangelist is the one who keeps his eye fixed on the sinner1 who has his heart bent on the salvation of souls1 yea1 the one with whom the love for precious souls amounts almost to a passion4 ,it is not the man who unfolds the most truth1 but the man who longs most after souls1 that will have the most seals to his ministry4 ,i assert all this1 mark you1 in the full and clear recognition of the fact with which ,i commenced this letter1 namely1 that the ,word is the grand instrument in the work of conversion4 ,this fact must never be lost sight of1 never weakened4 ,it matters not what agency may be used to make the furrow1 or in what form the ,word may clothe itself1 or by what vehicle it may be conveyed2 it is only by the ,word of truth that souls are begotten4 ,all this is divinely true1 and we would ever bear it in mind4 ,but do we not often find that persons who undertake to preach the gospel 7particularly if they continue long in one place7 are very apt to leave the domain of the evangelist--most blessed domain6--and travel into that of the teacher and lecturer8 ,this is what ,i deprecate and deeply deplore4 ,i know ,i have erred in this way myself1 and ,i mourn over the error4 ,i write in all loving freedom to you--the ,lord has of late deepened immensely in my soul the sense of the vast importance of earnest gospel preaching4 ,i do not--,god forbid that ,i should--think the less of the work of a teacher or pastor4 ,i believe that wherever there is a heart that loves ,christ1 it will delight to feed and tend the precious lambs and sheep of the flock of ,christ1 that flock which ,he purchased with ,his own blood4 ,but the sheep must be gathered before they can be fed2 and how are they to be gathered but by the earnest preaching of the gospel8 ,it is the grand business of the evangelist to go forth upon the dark mountains of sin and error1 to sound the gospel trumpet and gather the sheep2 and ,i feel convinced that he will best accomplish this work1 not by elaborate exposition of truth2 not by lectures however clear1 valuable1 and instructive2 not by lovely unfoldings of prophetic1 dispensational1 or doctrinal truth--most precious and important in the right place--but by fervid1 pointed1 earnest dealing with immortal souls2 the warning voice1 the solemn appeal1 the faithful reasoning of righteousness1 temperance1 and judgment to come--the awakening presentation of death and judgment1 the dread realities of eternity1 the lake of fire and the worm that never dies4 ,in short1 beloved1 it strikes me we want awakening preachers4 ,i fully admit that there is such a thing as teaching the gospel1 as well as preaching it4 ,for example1 ,i find ,paul teaching the gospel in ,rom4 i4-viii4 just as ,i find him preaching the gospel in ,acts xiii4 or xvii4 ,this is of the very last importance at all times1 inasmuch as there are almost sure to be a number of what we call exercised souls at our public preachings1 and these need an emancipating gospel--the full1 clear1 elevated1 resurrection gospel4 ,but admitting all this1 ,i still believe that what is needed for successful evangelization is1 not so much a great quantity of truth as an intense love for souls4 ,look at that eminent evangelist ,george ,whitefield4 ,what think you was the secret of his success8 ,no doubt you have looked into his printed sermons4 ,have you found any great breadth of truth in them8 ,i question it4 ,indeed ,i must say ,i have been struck with the contrary4 ,but oh6 there was that in ,whitefield which you and ,i may well covet and long to cultivate4 ,there was a burning love for souls--a thirst for their salvation--a mighty grappling with the conscience--a bold1 earnest1 face-to-face dealing with men about their past ways1 their present state1 their future destiny4 ,these were the things that ,god owned and blessed2 and ,he will own and bless them still4 ,i am persuaded--,i write as under the very eye of ,god--that if our hearts are bent upon the salvation of souls1 ,god will use us in that divine and glorious work4 ,but on the other hand1 if we abandon ourselves to the withering influences of a cold1 heartless1 godless fatalism2 if we content ourselves with a formal and official statement of the gospel--a very cheerless sort of thing2 if1 to use a vulgar phrase1 our preaching is on the principle of take it or leave it1 need we wonder if we do not see conversions8 ,the wonder would be if there were any to see4 ,no1 no2 ,i believe we want to look seriously into this great practical subject4 ,it demands the solemn and dispassionate consideration of all who are engaged in the work4 ,there are dangers on all sides4 ,there are conflicting opinions on all sides4 ,but ,i cannot conceive how any ,christian man can be satisfied to shirk the responsibility of looking after souls4 ,a man may say1 ,i am not an evangelist2 that is not my line2 ,i am more of a teacher1 or a pastor4 ,well1 ,i understand this2 but will any one tell me that a teacher or pastor may not go forth in earnest longing after souls8 ,i cannot admit it for a moment4 ,nay more2 it does not matter in the least what a man's gift is1 or even though he should not possess any prominent gift at all1 he can and ought1 nevertheless1 to cultivate a longing desire for the salvation of souls4 ,would it be right to pass a house on fire1 without giving warning1 even though one were not a member of the ,fire ,brigade8 ,should we not seek to save a drowning man1 even though we could not command the use of a patent life-boat8 ,who in his senses would maintain aught so monstrous8 ,so1 in reference to souls1 it is not so much a gift or knowledge of truth that is needed1 as a deep and earnest longing for souls--a keen sense of their danger1 and a desire for their rescue4 ,ever1 dearest ,a41 ,your deeply affectionate yoke-fellow1 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,iv4 ,when ,i took up my pen to address you in my first letter1 ,i had no idea that ,i should have occasion to extend the series to a fourth4 ,however1 the subject is one of intense interest to me2 and there are just two or three points further on which ,i desire very briefly to touch4 ,and in the first place ,i deeply feel our lack of a prayerful spirit in carrying on the work of evangelization4 ,i have referred to the subject of the ,spirit's work2 and also to the place which ,god's word ought ever to get2 but it strikes me we are very deficient in reference to the matter of earnest1 persevering1 believing prayer4 ,this is the true secret of power4 ,we1 say the apostles1 will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the ,word4 ,here is the order3 ,prayer1 and the ministry of the ,word4 ,prayer brings in the power of ,god2 and this is what we want4 ,it is not the power of eloquence1 but the power of ,god2 and this can only be had by waiting upon ,him4 ,he giveth power to the faint2 and to them that have no might ,he increaseth strength4 ,even the youths shall faint and be weary1 and the young men shall utterly fall3 but they that wait upon the ,lord shall renew their strength2 they shall mount up with wings as eagles2 they shall run1 and not be weary2 and they shall walk1 and not faint 7,isa4 xl4 #bi-ca74 ,it seems to me1 dearest ,a41 that we are far too mechanical1 if ,i may so express myself1 in the work4 ,there is too much of what ,i may call going through a service4 ,i greatly fear that some of us are more on our legs than on our knees2 more in the railway carriage than in the closet2 more on the road than in the sanctuary2 more before men than before ,god4 ,this will never do4 ,it is impossible that our preaching can be marked by power and crowned with results1 if we fail in waiting upon ,god4 ,look at the blessed ,master ,himself--that great ,workman4 ,see how often ,he was found in prayer4 ,at ,his baptism2 at ,his transfiguration2 previous to the appointment and mission of the twelve4 ,in short1 again and again we find that blessed ,one in the attitude of prayer4 ,at one time ,he rises up a great while before day1 in order to give ,himself to prayer4 ,at another time ,he spends the whole night in prayer1 because the day was given up to work4 ,what an example for us6 ,may we follow it6 ,may we know a little better what it is to agonize in prayer4 ,how little we know of this6--,i speak for myself4 ,it sometimes appears to me as if we were so much taken up with preaching engagements that we have no time for prayer--no time for closet work--no time to be alone with ,god4 ,we get into a sort of whirl of public work2 we rush from place to place1 from meeting to meeting1 in a prayerless1 barren condition of soul4 ,need we wonder at the little result8 ,how could it be otherwise when we so fail in waiting upon ,god8 ,we cannot convert souls--,god alone can do this2 and if we go on without waiting on ,him1 if we allow public preaching to displace private prayer1 we may rest assured our preaching will prove barren and worthless4 ,we really must give ourselves to prayer if we would succeed in the ministry of the ,word4 ,nor is this all4 ,it is not merely that we are lacking in the holy and blessed practice of private prayer4 ,this is1 alas6 too true1 as ,i have said4 ,but there is more than this4 ,we fail in our public meetings for prayer4 ,the great work of evangelization is not sufficiently remembered in our prayer-meetings4 ,it is not definitely1 earnestly1 and constantly kept before ,god in our public reunions4 ,it may occasionally be introduced in a cursory1 formal manner1 and then dismissed4 ,indeed1 ,i feel there is a great lack of earnestness and perseverance in our prayer-meetings generally1 not merely as to the work of the gospel1 but as to other things as well4 ,there is frequently great formality and feebleness4 ,we do not seem like men in earnest4 ,we lack the spirit of the widow in ,luke xviii41 who overcame the unjust judge by the bare force of her importunity4 ,we seem to forget that ,god will be inquired of2 and that ,he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him4 ,it is of no use for any one to say1 ,god can work without our earnest pleading2 ,he will accomplish ,his purposes2 ,he will gather out ,his own4 ,we know all this2 but we know also that ,he who has appointed the end has appointed the means2 and if we fail in waiting on ,him1 ,he will get others to do ,his work4 ,the work will be done1 no doubt1 but we shall lose the dignity1 the privilege1 and the reward of working4 ,is this nothing8 ,is it nothing to be deprived of the sweet privilege of being co-workers with ,god1 of having fellowship with ,him in the blessed work which ,he is carrying on8 ,alas6 alas6 that we prize it so little4 ,still we do prize it2 and perhaps there are few things in which we can more fully taste this privilege than in united earnest prayer4 ,here every saint can join4 ,here all can add their cordial ,amen4 ,all may not be preachers2 but all can pray--all join in prayer2 all can have fellowship4 ,and do you not find1 beloved brother1 that there is always a stream of deep and real blessing where the assembly is drawn out in earnest prayer for the gospel1 and for the salvation of souls8 ,i have invariably seen it1 and hence it is always a source of unspeakable comfort1 joy1 and encouragement to my heart when ,i see the assembly stirred up to pray1 for then ,i am sure ,god is going to give copious showers of blessing4 ,moreover1 when this is the case1 when this most excellent spirit pervades the whole assembly1 you may be sure there will be no trouble as to what is called ,the responsibility of the preaching4 ,it will be all the same who does the work1 provided it is done as well as it can be4 ,if the assembly is waiting upon ,god1 in earnest intercession for the progress of the work1 it will not be a question as to the one who is to take the preaching1 provided ,christ is preached and souls are blessed4 ,then there is another thing which has of late occupied my mind a good deal2 and that is our method of dealing with young converts4 ,most surely there is immense need of care and caution1 lest we be found accrediting what is not the genuine work of ,god's ,spirit at all4 ,there is very great danger here4 ,the enemy is ever seeking to introduce spurious materials into the assembly1 in order that he may mar the testimony and bring discredit upon the truth of ,god4 ,all this is most true1 and demands our serious consideration4 ,but does it not seem to you1 beloved1 that we often err on the other side8 ,do we not often1 by a stiff and peculiar style1 cast a chill upon young converts8 ,is there not frequently something repulsive in our spirit and deportment8 ,we expect young ,christians to come up to a standard of intelligence which has taken us years to attain4 ,nor this only4 ,we sometimes put them through a process of examination which only tends to harass and perplex4 ,now assuredly this is not right4 ,the ,spirit of ,god would never puzzle1 perplex1 or repulse a dear anxious inquirer--never1 no never4 ,it could never be according to the mind or heart of ,christ to chill the spirit of the very feeblest lamb in all ,his blood-bought flock4 ,he would have us seeking to lead them on gently and tenderly--to soothe1 nourish1 and cherish them1 according to all the deep love of ,his heart4 ,it is a great thing to lay ourselves out1 and hold ourselves open to discern and appreciate the work of ,god in souls1 and not to mar it by placing our own miserable crotchets as stumbling-blocks in their pathway4 ,we need divine guidance and help in this as much as in any other department of our work4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 ,he is sufficient for this as for all beside4 ,let us only wait on ,him3 let us cling to ,him1 and draw upon ,his exhaustless treasury for each case as it arises1 for exigence of every hour4 ,he will never fail a trusting1 expectant1 dependent heart4 ,i must now close this series of letters4 ,i think ,i have touched most1 if not all1 of the points which ,i had in my mind4 ,you will1 ,i trust1 bear in mind1 beloved in the ,lord1 that ,i have1 in all these letters1 simply jotted down my thoughts in the utmost possible freedom1 and in all the intimacy of true brotherly friendship4 ,i have not been writing a formal treatise1 but pouring out my heart to a beloved friend and yoke-fellow4 ,this must be borne in mind by all who may read these letters4 ,may ,god bless and keep you1 dearest ,a4 ,may ,he crown your labours with ,his richest and best blessing6 ,may ,he keep you from every evil work1 and preserve you unto ,his own everlasting kingdom6 ,ever believe me1 ,my dearest ,a41 ,your deeply affectionate 99 99 99 ,,letter ,v4 ,it seems as though ,i must once more take up my pen to address you on certain matters connected with the work of evangelization1 which have forced themselves upon my attention for some time past4 ,there are three distinct branches of the work which ,i long to see occupying a far more definite and prominent place among us2 and these are1 the ,tract depot1 the ,gospel preaching1 and the ,sunday-school4 ,it strikes me that the ,lord is awakening attention to the importance of the ,tract depot as a valuable agency in the work of evangelization2 but ,i question if we1 on this side of the ,atlantic1 are thoroughly in earnest on the subject4 ,how is this8 ,have books and tracts lost their interest and value in our eyes8 ,or does the fault lie in the mode of conducting our ,tract depots8 ,to my mind there seems to be something lacking in reference to this matter4 ,i would fain see a well-conducted depot in every important town2 by well-conducted ,i mean one taken up and carried on as a direct service to the ,lord1 in true love for souls1 deep interest in the spread of the truth1 and at the same time in a sound business way4 ,i have known several depots fall to the ground through lack of business habits on the part of the conductors4 ,they seemed very earnest1 sincere persons1 but quite unfit to conduct a business4 ,in short1 they were persons in whose hands any business would have fallen through4 ,then in many places there is the most deplorable failure as to the valuable and interesting work of conducting a depot4 ,and how can we best reach the people1 for whom the tracts and books are prepared8 ,i believe by having the books and tracts exposed for sale in a shop window1 where that is possible1 so that people may see them as they pass1 and step in and purchase what they want4 ,many a soul has been laid hold of in this way4 ,many1 ,i doubt not1 have been saved and blessed by means of tracts1 seen for the first time in a shop window or arranged on a counter4 ,but where there is no such opportunity1 the assembly's meeting-room is the ,tract depot's natural home4 ,there is1 manifestly1 a real want of a ,tract depot in every large town1 conducted by some one of intelligence and sound business habits1 who would be able to speak to persons about the tracts1 and to recommend such as might prove helpful to anxious inquirers after truth4 ,in this way1 ,i feel persuaded1 much good might be done4 ,the ,christians in the town would know where to go for tracts1 not only for their own personal reading1 but also for general distribution4 ,surely if a thing is worth doing at all1 it is worth doing well2 and if the ,tract depot be not worth attending to1 we know not what is4 ,the ,tract depot must be taken up in direct service to ,christ4 ,and ,i feel assured that where it is so taken up and so carried on1 in energy1 zeal1 and integrity1 the ,lord will own it and ,he will make it a blessing4 ,is there no one who will take up this valuable work for ,christ's sake and not for the sake of remuneration8 ,is there no one who will enter upon it in simple faith1 looking to the living ,god8 ,here lies the root of the matter1 dearest ,a4 ,for this branch of the work1 as for every other branch1 we need those who trust ,god and deny themselves4 ,it seems to me that a grand point would be gained if the ,tract depot were placed on its proper footing1 and viewed as an integral part of the evangelistic work1 to be taken up in responsibility to the ,lord1 and carried on in the energy of faith in the living ,god4 ,every branch of gospel work--the ,depot1 the ,preaching1 the ,sunday-school--must be carried on in this way4 ,it is all well and most valuable to have fellowship--full cordial fellowship1 in all our service2 but if we wait for fellowship and co-operation in the starting of work which comes within the range of personal1 as well as collective1 responsibility1 we shall find ourselves very much behind--or the work may not be done at all4 ,i shall have occasion to refer more particularly to this point1 when ,i come to treat of the ,preaching and the ,sunday-school4 ,all ,i want now1 is to establish the fact that the ,tract depot is a branch1 and a most important and efficient branch1 of evangelistic work4 ,if this be thoroughly grasped by our friends1 a great point is gained4 ,i must confess to you1 dearest ,a41 that my moral sense has often been grievously offended by the cold1 commercial style in which the publishing and sale of books and tracts are spoken of--a style befitting perhaps a mere commercial business1 but most offensive when adopted in reference to the precious work of ,god4 ,i admit in the fullest way--nay1 ,i actually contend for it--that the proper management of the depot demands good sound business habits1 and upright business principles4 ,but at the same time ,i am persuaded that the ,tract depot will never occupy its true ground--never realize the true idea1 never reach the desired end--until it is firmly fixed on its holy basis1 and viewed as an integral part of that most glorious work to which we are called--even the work of active1 earnest1 persevering evangelization4 ,and this work must be taken up in the sense of responsibility to ,christ1 and in the energy of faith in the living ,god4 ,it will not do for an assembly of ,christians1 or some wealthy individual1 to take up an inefficient protege1 and commit to such an one the management of the affair in order to afford a means of living4 ,it is most blessed for all to have fellowship in the work2 but ,i am thoroughly convinced that the work must be taken up in direct service to ,christ1 to be carried on in love for souls1 and real interest in the spread of the truth4 ,i hope to address you again on the other two branches of my theme4 ,meanwhile1 ,i remain1 dearest ,a41 ,your deeply affectionate yoke-fellow1 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,vi4 ,i have1 in some of the earlier letters of this series1 dwelt upon the unspeakable importance of keeping up with zeal and constancy1 a faithful preaching of the gospel--a distinct work of evangelization1 carried on in the energy of love to precious souls1 and with direct reference to the glory of ,christ--a work bearing entirely upon the unconverted1 and therefore quite distinct from the work of teaching1 lecturing1 or exhorting1 in the bosom of the assembly2 which latter is1 ,i need not say1 of equal importance in the mind of our ,lord ,christ4 ,my object in referring again to this subject is to call your attention to a point in connection with it1 respecting which1 it seems to me1 there is a great want of clearness amongst some of our friends4 ,i question if we are1 as a rule1 thoroughly clear as to the question of individual responsibility in the work of the gospel4 ,i admit1 of course1 that the teacher or lecturer is called to exercise his gift1 to a very great extent1 on the same principle as the evangelist2 that is1 on his own personal responsibility to ,christ2 and that the assembly is not responsible for his individual services2 unless indeed he teach unsound doctrine1 in which case the assembly is bound to take it up4 ,but my business is with the work of the evangelist2 and he is to carry on his work outside of the assembly4 ,his sphere of action is the wide1 wide world4 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature4 ,here is the sphere and here the object of the evangelist--,all the world--,every creature4 ,he may go forth from the bosom of the assembly1 and return thither again laden with his golden sheaves2 nevertheless he goes forth in the energy of personal faith in the living ,god1 and on the ground of personal responsibility to ,christ2 nor is the assembly responsible for the peculiar mode in which he may carry on his work4 ,no doubt the assembly is called into action when the evangelist introduces the fruit of his work in the shape of souls professing to be converted1 and desiring to be received into fellowship at the ,lord's table4 ,but this is another thing altogether1 and must be kept distinct4 ,the evangelist must be left free3 this is what ,i contend for4 ,he must not be tied down to certain rules or regulations1 nor cramped by special conventionalities4 ,there are many things which a large-hearted evangelist will feel perfectly free to do which might not commend themselves to the spiritual judgment and feelings of some in the assembly2 but1 provided he does not traverse any vital or fundamental principle1 such persons have no right to interfere with him4 ,and be it remembered1 dearest ,a41 that when ,i use the expression1 spiritual judgment and feelings1 ,i am taking the very highest possible view of the case1 and treating the objector with the highest respect4 ,i feel this is but right and proper4 ,every true man has a right to have his feelings and judgment--not to speak of conscience--treated with all due respect4 ,there are1 alas6 everywhere1 men of narrow mind1 who object to everything that does not square with their own notions--men who would fain tie the evangelist down to the exact line of things and mode of acting which according to their thinking would suit the assembly of ,god's people when gathered for worship at the table of the ,lord4 ,all this is a thorough mistake4 ,the evangelist should pursue the even tenor of his way1 regardless of all such narrowness and meddling4 ,take1 for example1 the matter of singing hymns4 ,the evangelist may feel perfectly free to use a class of hymns or gospel songs which would be wholly unsuitable for the assembly4 ,the fact is1 he sings the gospel for the same object that he preaches it1 namely1 to reach the sinner's heart4 ,he is just as ready to sing ,come as to preach it4 ,such1 dearest ,a41 is the judgment which ,i have had on this subject for many years1 though ,i am not quite sure if it will fully commend itself to your spiritual mind4 ,it strikes me we are in danger of slipping into ,christendom's false notion of establishing a cause1 and organizing a body4 ,hence it is that the four walls in which the assembly meets are regarded by many as a chapel1 and the evangelist who happens to preach there is looked upon as the minister of the chapel4 ,all this has to be carefully guarded against3 but my object in referring to it now is to clear up the point with respect to the gospel preaching4 ,the true evangelist is not the minister of any chapel2 or the organ of any congregation2 or the representative of a body2 or the paid agent of any society4 ,no2 he is the ambassador of ,christ--the messenger of a ,god of love--the herald of glad tidings4 ,his heart is filled with love to souls2 his lips anointed by the ,holy ,ghost2 his words clothed with heavenly power4 ,let him alone6 ,fetter him not by your rules and regulations6 ,leave him to his work and to his ,master6 ,and further1 bear in mind that the ,church of ,god can afford a platform broad enough for all sorts of workmen and every possible style of work1 provided only that foundation truth be not disturbed4 ,it is a fatal mistake to seek to reduce every one and every thing to a dead level4 ,christianity is a living1 a divine reality4 ,christ's servants are sent by ,him1 and to ,him they are responsible4 ,who art thou that judgest another man's servant8 ,to his own master he standeth or falleth 7,rom4 xiv474 ,we may depend upon it1 dearest ,a41 these things demand our serious consideration1 if we do not want to have the blessed work of evangelization marred in our hands4 ,i have just one other point that ,i would refer to before closing my letter1 as it has been rather a vexed question in certain places--,i allude to what has been termed the responsibility of the preaching4 ,how many of our friends have been and are harassed about this question6 ,and why8 ,i am persuaded that it is from not understanding the true nature1 character1 and sphere of the work of evangelization4 ,hence we have had some persons contending for it that the ,sunday evening preaching should be left open4 ,open to what8 ,that is the question4 ,in too many cases it has proved to be open to a character of speaking altogether unsuited to many who had come there1 or who had been brought by friends1 expecting to hear a full1 clear1 earnest gospel4 ,on such occasions our friends have been disappointed1 and the unconverted perfectly unable to understand the meaning of the service4 ,surely such things ought not to be2 nor would they be if men would only discern the simplest thing possible1 namely1 the distinction between all meetings in which ,christ's servants exercise their ministry on their own personal responsibility1 and all meetings which are purely reunions of the assembly1 whether for the ,lord's ,supper1 for prayer1 or for any other purpose whatsoever4 ,your deeply affectionate1 99 99 99 ,,letter ,,vii4 ,through want of space ,i was obliged to close my last letter without even touching upon the subject of the ,sunday-school3 ,i must1 however1 devote a page or two to a branch of work which has occupied a very large place in my heart for thirty years4 ,i should deem my series incomplete were this subject left untouched4 ,some may question how far the ,sunday-school can be viewed as an integral part of the work of evangelization4 ,i can only say it is mainly in this light ,i regard it4 ,i look upon it as one great and most interesting branch of gospel work4 ,the superintendent of the ,sunday-school and the teacher of the ,sunday-school class are workers in the wide gospel field1 just as distinctly as the evangelist or preacher of the gospel4 ,i am fully aware that a ,sunday-school differs materially from an ordinary gospel preaching4 ,it is not convened in the same way1 or conducted in the same manner4 ,there is1 if ,i may so express myself1 a union of the parent1 the teacher1 and the evangelist1 in the person of the ,sunday-school worker4 ,for the time being he takes the place of the parent3 he seeks to do the duty of a teacher2 but he aims at the object of the evangelist--that priceless object1 the salvation of the souls of the precious little ones committed to his charge4 ,as to the mode in which he gains his end--as to the details of his work--as to the varied agencies which he may bring to bear1 he alone is responsible4 ,i am aware that exception is taken to the ,sunday-school on the ground that its tendency is to interfere with parental or domestic training4 ,now ,i must confess1 dearest ,a41 that ,i cannot see any force whatever in this objection4 ,the true object of the ,sunday-school is1 not to supersede parental training1 but to help it where it exists1 or to supply its lack where it does not exist4 ,there are1 as you and ,i well know1 hundreds of thousands of dear children who have no parental training at all4 ,thousands have no parents1 and thousands more have parents who are far worse than none4 ,look at the multitudes that throng the lanes1 alleys1 and courtyards of our large cities and towns1 who seem hardly a degree above mere animal existence--yea1 many of them like little incarnate demons4 ,who can think upon all these precious souls without wishing a hearty ,god-speed to all true ,sunday-school workers1 and earnestly longing for more thorough earnestness and energy in that most blessed work8 ,i say true ,sunday-school workers1 because ,i fear that many engage in the work who are not true1 not real1 not fit4 ,many1 ,i fear1 take it up as a little bit of fashionable religious work1 suited to the younger members of religious communities4 ,many1 too1 view it as a kind of set-off to a week of self-indulgence1 folly1 and worldliness4 ,all such persons are an actual hindrance rather than a help to this sacred service4 ,then again1 there are many who sincerely love ,christ1 and long to serve ,him in the ,sunday-school1 but who are not really fitted for the work4 ,they are deficient in tact1 energy1 order1 and rule4 ,they lack that power to adapt themselves to the children1 and to engage their young hearts1 which is so essential to the ,sunday-school worker4 ,it is a great mistake to suppose that every one who stands idle in the market-place is fit to turn into this particular branch of ,christian labor4 ,on the contrary1 it needs a person thoroughly fitted of ,god for it2 and if it be asked1 ,how are we ever to be supplied with suited agents for this branch of evangelistic service8 ,i reply1 ,just in the same way as you are to be supplied in any other department--by earnest1 persevering1 believing prayer4 ,i am most thoroughly persuaded that if ,christians were more stirred up by ,god's ,spirit to feel the importance of the ,sunday-school--if they could only seize the idea that it is1 like the ,tract depot and the preaching1 part and parcel of that most glorious work to which we are called in these closing days of ,christendom's history--if they were more permeated by the idea of the evangelistic nature and object of ,sunday-school work1 they would be more instant and earnest in prayer1 both in the closet and in the public assembly1 that the ,lord would raise up in our midst a band of earnest1 devoted1 whole-hearted ,sunday-school workers4 ,this is the lack1 dearest ,a42 and may ,god1 in ,his abounding mercy1 supply it6 ,he is able1 and surely ,he is willing4 ,but then ,he will be waited on and inquired of2 and ,he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him4 ,i think we have much cause for thankfulness and praise for what has been done in the way of ,sunday-schools during the last few years4 ,i well remember the time when many of our friends seemed to overlook this branch of work altogether4 ,even now many treat it with indifference1 thus weakening the hand and discouraging the hearts of those engaged in it4 ,but ,i shall not dwell upon this1 inasmuch as my theme is the ,sunday-school1 and not those who neglect or oppose it4 ,i bless ,god for what ,i see in the way of encouragement4 ,i have often been exceedingly refreshed and delighted by seeing some of our very oldest friends rising from the table of their ,lord1 and proceeding to arrange the benches on which the dear little ones were soon to be ranged to hear the sweet story of a ,saviour's love4 ,and what could be more lovely1 more touching1 or more morally suited1 than for those who had just been remembering the ,saviour's dying love to seek1 even by the arrangement of the benches1 to carry out ,his living words1 ,suffer the little children to come unto ,me8 ,there is very much ,i should like to add as to the mode of working the ,sunday-school2 but perhaps it is just as well that each worker should be wholly cast upon the living ,god for counsel and help as to details4 ,we must ever remember that the ,sunday-school1 like the ,tract depot and the preaching1 is entirely a work of individual responsibility4 ,this is a grand point2 and where it is fully understood1 and where there is real earnestness of heart and singleness of eye1 ,i believe there will be no great difficulty as to the particular mode of working4 ,a large heart1 and a fixed purpose to carry on the great work and fulfil the glorious mission committed to us1 will effectually deliver us from the withering influence of crotchets and prejudices--those miserable obstructions to all that is lovely and of good report4 ,may ,god pour out ,his blessing on all ,sunday-schools1 upon the pupils1 the teachers1 and the superintendents6 ,may ,he also bless all who are engaged1 in any way1 in the instruction of the young6 ,may ,he cheer and refresh their spirits by giving them to reap many golden sheaves in their special corner of the one great and glorious gospel field6 ,ever believe me1 dearest ,a41 ,your deeply affectionate 99 99 99 ,,the ,,living ,,god ,,and ,a ,,living ,,faith ,there is one great substantial fact standing prominently forth on every page of the volume of ,god1 and illustrated in every stage of the history of ,god's people--a fact of immense weight and moral power at all times1 but specially in seasons of darkness1 difficulty1 and discouragement1 occasioned by the low condition of things among those who profess to be on the ,lord's side4 ,the fact is this1 ,that faith can always count on ,god1 and ,god will always answer faith4 ,such is our fact1 such our thesis2 and if the reader will turn with us1 for a few moments1 to #b ,chron xx41 he will find a very beautiful and very striking illustration4 ,this chapter shows us the good king ,jehoshaphat under very heavy pressure indeed--it records a dark moment in his history4 ,it came to pass after this also1 that the children of ,moab1 and the children of ,ammon1 and with them other besides the ,ammonites1 came against ,jehoshaphat to battle4 ,then 7for people are ever quick to run with evil tidings7 there came some that told ,jehoshaphat1 saying1 ,there cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea1 on this side ,syria4 ,here was a difficulty of no ordinary nature4 ,this invading host was made up of the descendants of ,lot and of ,esau2 and this fact might give rise to a thousand conflicting thoughts and distracting questions in the mind of ,jehoshaphat4 ,they were not ,egyptians or ,assyrians1 concerning whom there could be no question whatever2 but both ,esau and ,lot stood in certain relations to ,israel1 and a question might suggest itself as to how far such relations were to be recognized4 ,not this only4 ,the practical state of the entire nation of ,israel--the actual condition of ,god's people1 was such as to give rise to the most serious misgivings4 ,israel no longer presented an unbroken front to the invading foe4 ,their visible unity was gone4 ,a grievous breach had been made in their battlements4 ,the ten tribes and the two were rent asunder1 the one from the other4 ,the condition of the former was terrible1 and that of the latter1 shaky enough4 ,thus the circumstances of king ,jehoshaphat were dark and discouraging in the extreme2 and1 even as regards himself and his practical course1 he was but just emerging from the consequences of a very humiliating fall1 so that his reminiscences would be quite as cheerless as his surroundings4 ,but it is just here that our grand substantial fact presents itself to the vision of faith1 and flings a mantle of light over the whole scene4 ,things looked gloomy1 no doubt2 but ,god was to be counted upon by faith1 and faith could count upon ,him4 ,god is a never failing resource--a great reality1 at all times1 and under all circumstances4 ,god is our refuge and strength1 a very present help in trouble4 ,therefore will not we fear1 though the earth be removed1 and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea4 ,though the waters thereof roar and be troubled1 though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof4 ,there is a river1 the stream whereof shall make glad the city of ,god1 the holy place of the tabernacles of the ,most ,high4 ,god is in the midst of her1 she shall not be moved3 ,god shall help her1 and that right early4 ,the heathen raged1 the kingdoms were moved3 ,he uttered ,his voice1 the earth melted4 ,the ,lord of hosts is with us2 the ,god of ,jacob is our refuge 7,psa4 xlvi4 ,i-#g74 ,here1 then1 was ,jehoshaphat's resource in the day of his trouble2 and to it he at once betook himself1 in that earnest faith which never fails to draw down power and blessing from the living and true ,god1 to meet every exigency of the way4 ,and ,jehoshaphat feared1 and set himself to seek the ,lord1 and proclaimed a fast throughout all ,judah4 ,and ,judah gathered themselves together1 to ask help of the ,lord2 even out of all the cities of ,judah they came to seek the ,lord4 ,and ,jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of ,judah and ,jerusalem1 in the house of the ,lord1 before the new court1 and said1 ,o ,lord ,god of our fathers1 art not ,thou ,god in heaven8 and rulest not ,thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen8 and in ,thy hand is there not power and might1 so that none is able to withstand ,thee8 ,art not ,thou our ,god1 who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before ,thy people ,israel1 and gavest it to the seed of ,abraham ,thy friend for ever8 ,these are the breathings of faith--faith that enables the soul to take the very highest possible ground4 ,it mattered not what unsettled questions there might be between ,esau and ,jacob2 there were none between ,abraham and the ,almighty ,god4 ,now1 ,god had given the land to ,abraham1 ,his friend4 ,for how long8 ,for ever4 ,this was enough4 ,the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance4 ,god will never cancel ,his call1 or take back a gift4 ,this is a fixed foundation principle2 and on this faith always takes its stand with firm decision4 ,the enemy might throw in a thousand suggestions2 and the poor heart might throw up a thousand reasonings4 ,it might seem like presumption and empty conceit1 on the part of ,jehoshaphat1 to plant his foot on such lofty ground4 ,it was all well enough in the days of ,david1 or of ,solomon1 or of ,joshua1 when the unity of the nation was unbroken1 and the banner of ,jehovah floated in triumph over the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,but things were sadly changed2 and it ill became one in ,jehoshaphat's circumstances to use such lofty language or assume to occupy such a high position4 ,what is faith's reply to all this8 ,a very simple1 but a very powerful one--,god never changes4 ,he is the same yesterday1 to-day1 and forever4 ,had ,he not made ,abraham a present of the land of ,canaan8 ,had ,he not bestowed it upon his seed forever8 ,had ,he not ratified the gift by ,his word and ,his oath--these two immutable things in which it was impossible for ,him to lie8 ,unquestionably4 ,but then what of the law8 ,did not that make some difference8 ,none whatever1 as regards ,god's gift and promise4 ,four centuries previous to the giving of the law1 was the great transaction settled and stablished between the ,almighty ,god and ,abraham ,his friend--and settled and stablished forever4 ,hence nothing can possibly touch this4 ,there were no legal conditions proposed to ,abraham4 ,all was pure and absolute grace4 ,god gave the land to ,abraham by promise1 and not by law1 in any shape or form4 ,now1 it was on this original ground that ,jehoshaphat took his stand2 and he was right4 ,it was the only thing for him to do4 ,he had not one hair's breadth of solid standing ground1 short of these golden words1 ,thou gavest it to the seed of ,abraham ,thy friend forever4 ,it was either this or nothing4 ,a living faith always lays hold on the living ,god4 ,it cannot stop short of ,him4 ,it looks not at men or their circumstances4 ,it takes no account of the changes and chances of this mortal life4 ,it lives and moves and has its being in the presence of the living ,god2 it rejoices in the cloudless sunlight of ,his blessed countenance4 ,it carries on all its artless reasonings in the sanctuary1 and draws all its happy conclusions from the facts discovered there4 ,it does not lower the standard according to the condition of things around1 but boldly and decidedly takes up its position on the very highest ground4 ,now1 these actings of faith are always most grateful to the heart of ,god4 ,the living ,god delights in a living faith4 ,we may be quite sure that the bolder the grasp of faith1 the more welcome it is to ,god4 ,we need never suppose that the blessed ,one is either gratified or glorified by the workings of a legal mind4 ,no1 no2 ,he delights to be trusted without a shadow of reserve or misgiving4 ,he delights to be fully counted upon and largely used2 and the deeper the need1 and the darker the surrounding gloom1 the more is ,he glorified by the faith that draws upon ,him4 ,hence1 we may assert with perfect confidence1 that the attitude and the utterances of ,jehoshaphat1 in the scene before us1 were in full accordance with the mind of ,god4 ,there is something perfectly beautiful to see him1 as it were1 opening the original lease1 and laying his finger on that clause in virtue of which ,israel held as tenants forever under ,god4 ,nothing could cancel that clause or break that lease4 ,no flaw there4 ,all was ordered and sure4 ,thou gavest it to the seed of ,abraham ,thy friend forever4 ,this was solid ground--the ground of ,god--the ground of faith1 which no power of the enemy can ever shake4 ,true1 the enemy might remind ,jehoshaphat of sin and folly1 failure and unfaithfulness4 ,nay1 he might suggest to him that the very fact of the threatened invasion proved that ,israel had fallen1 for had they not done so1 there would be neither enemy nor evil4 ,but for this1 too1 grace had provided an answer--an answer which faith knew well how to appropriate4 ,jehoshaphat reminds ,jehovah of the house which ,solomon had built to ,his name4 ,they have built ,thee a sanctuary therein for ,thy name1 saying1 ,if1 when evil cometh upon us1 as a sword1 judgment1 or pestilence1 or famine1 we stand before this house1 and in ,thy presence 7for ,thy name is in this house71 and cry unto ,thee in our affliction1 then ,thou will hear and help4 ,and now1 behold1 the children of ,ammon1 and ,moab1 and ,mount ,seir1 whom ,thou wouldest not let ,israel invade1 when they came out of the land of ,egypt1 but they turned from them1 and distroyed them not4 ,behold1 ,i say1 how they reward us1 to come to cast us out of ,thy possession1 which ,thou hast given us to inherit4 ,o our ,god1 wilt ,thou not judge them8 for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us2 neither know we what to do1 but our eyes are upon ,thee 7vers4 #h-ab74 ,here1 truly1 is a living faith dealing with the living ,god4 ,it is no mere empty profession--no lifeless creed--no cold uninfluential theory4 ,it is not a man saying he has faith4 ,such things will never stand in the day of battle4 ,they may do well enough when all is calm1 smooth1 and bright2 but when difficulties have to be grappled with--when the enemy has to be met face to face1 all merely nominal faith1 all mere lip profession1 will prove like autumn leaves before the blast4 ,nothing will stand the test of actual conflict but a living personal faith in a living personal ,saviour-,god4 ,this is what is needed4 ,it is this which alone can sustain the heart1 come what may4 ,faith brings ,god into the scene1 and all is strength1 victory1 and perfect peace4 ,thus it was with the king of ,judah1 in the days of #b ,chron4 xx4 ,we have no might2 neither know we what to do2 but our eyes are upon ,thee4 ,this is the way to occupy ,god's ground1 even with the eyes fixed on ,god ,himself4 ,this is the true secret of stability and peace4 ,the devil will leave no stone unturned to drive us off the true ground which1 as ,christians1 we ought to occupy in these last days2 and we1 in ourselves1 have no might whatever against him4 ,our only resource is in the living ,god4 ,if our eyes are upon ,him1 nothing can harm us4 ,thou wilt keep him in perfect peace1 whose mind is stayed on ,thee1 because he trusteth in ,thee4 ,reader1 art thou on ,god's ground8 ,canst thou give a ,thus saith the ,lord for the position which thou occupiest1 at this moment8 ,art thou consciously standing on the solid ground of holy ,scripture8 ,is there anything questionable in thy surroundings and associations8 ,we beseech thee to weigh these questions solemnly as in the divine presence4 ,be assured they are of moment just now4 ,we are passing through critical moments4 ,men are taking sides2 principles are working and coming to a head4 ,never was it more needful to be thoroughly and unmistakably on the ,lord's side4 ,jehoshaphat never could have met the ,ammonites1 ,moabites1 and ,edomites1 had he not been persuaded that his feet were on the very ground which ,god had given to ,abraham4 ,if the enemy could have shaken his confidence as to this1 he would have had an easy victory4 ,but ,jehoshaphat knew where he was2 he knew his ground4 ,he understood his bearings2 and therefore he could fix his eyes with confidence upon the living ,god4 ,he had no misgivings as to his position4 ,he did not say1 as many do1 now-a-days1 ,i am not quite sure4 ,i hope ,i am2 but sometimes clouds come over my soul1 and make me hesitate as to whether ,i am really on divine ground4 ,ah6 no1 reader1 the king of ,judah would not have understood such language at all4 ,all was clear to him4 ,his eye rested on the original grant4 ,he felt sure he was on the true ground of the ,israel of ,god2 and albeit all ,israel were not there with him1 yet ,god was with him1 and that was enough4 ,his was a living faith in the living ,god--the only thing that will stand in the day of trial4 ,there is something in the attitude and utterance of the king of ,judah1 on that memorable occasion1 well worthy of the reader's profound attention4 ,his feet were firmly fixed on ,god's ground1 and his eyes as firmly fixed on ,god ,himself2 and in addition to this1 there was the deep sense of his own thorough nothingness4 ,he had not so much as a shadow of a doubt as to the fact of his being in possession of the very inheritance which ,god had given him4 ,he knew that he was in his right place4 ,he did not hope it2 still less did he doubt it2 no1 he knew it4 ,he could say1 ,i believe and am sure4 ,this is all-important4 ,it is impossible to stand against the enemy1 if there is anything equivocal in our position4 ,if there be any secret misgiving as to our being in our right place--if we cannot give a ,thus saith the ,lord for the position which we occupy1 the path we tread1 the associations in which we stand1 the work in which we are engaged1 there will1 most assuredly1 be weakness in the hour of conflict4 ,satan is sure to avail himself of the smallest misgiving in the soul4 ,all must be settled as to our positive standing1 if we would make any headway against the enemy4 ,there must be an unclouded confidence as to our real position before ,god1 else the foe will have an easy victory4 ,now1 it is precisely here that there is so much weakness apparent among the children of ,god4 ,very few1 comparatively1 are clear1 sound1 and settled as to their foundation--very few are able1 without any reserve1 to take the blessed ground of being washed in the blood of ,jesus1 and sealed with the ,holy ,spirit4 ,at times they hope it4 ,when things go well with them2 when they have had a good time in the closet2 when they have enjoyed nearness to ,god in prayer1 or over the ,word2 while they are sitting under a clear1 fervent1 forcible ministry--at such moments1 perhaps1 they can venture to speak hopefully about themselves4 ,but1 very soon1 dark clouds gather2 they feel the workings of indwelling sin2 they are afflicted with wandering thoughts2 or it may be1 they have been betrayed into some levity of spirit1 or irritability of temper2 then they begin to reason about themselves1 and to question whether they are1 in reality1 the children of ,god4 ,and from reasonings and questionings1 they very speedily slip into positive unbelief1 and then plunge into the thick gloom of a despondency bordering on despair4 ,all this is most sad4 ,it is1 at once1 dishonoring to ,god1 and destructive to the soul's peace2 and as to progress1 in such a condition1 it is wholly out of the question4 ,how can any one run a race1 if he has not cleared the starting post8 ,how can he erect a building1 if he has not laid the foundation8 ,and1 on the same principle1 how can a soul grow in the divine life1 if he is always liable to doubt whether he has that life or not8 ,but it may be that some of our readers are disposed to put such a question as the following1 ,how can ,i be sure that ,i am on ,god's ground8--that ,i am washed in the blood of ,jesus and sealed with the ,holy ,spirit8 ,we reply1 ,how do you know that you are a lost sinner8 ,is it because you feel it8 ,is mere feeling the ground of your faith8 ,if so1 it is not a divine faith at all4 ,true faith rests only on the testimony of holy ,scripture4 ,no doubt1 it is by the gracious energy of the ,holy ,ghost that any one can exercise this living faith2 but we are speaking now of the true ground of faith--the authority--the basis on which it rests1 and that is simply the holy ,scriptures which1 as the inspired apostle tells us1 are able to make us wise unto salvation1 and which even a child could know1 without the church1 the clergy1 the fathers1 the doctors1 the councils1 the colleges1 or any other human intervention whatsoever4 ,abraham believed ,god4 ,here was divine faith4 ,it was not a question of feeling4 ,indeed1 if ,abraham had been influenced by his feelings1 he would have been a doubter instead of a believer4 ,for what had he to build upon in himself8 ,his own body now dead4 ,a poor ground surely on which to build his faith in the promise of an innumerable seed4 ,but1 we are told1 ,he considered not his own body now dead 7,rom4 iv474 ,what1 then1 did he consider8 ,he considered the word of the living ,god1 and on that he rested4 ,now this is faith4 ,and mark what the apostle says3 ,he staggered not at the promise of ,god through unbelief 7for unbelief is always a staggerer71 but was strong in faith1 giving glory to ,god3 and being fully persuaded that what ,he had promised1 ,he was able also to perform4 ,and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness4 ,ah6 but1 the anxious reader may say1 what has all this to say to my case8 ,i am not an ,abraham--,i cannot expect a special revelation from ,god4 ,how am ,i to know that ,god has spoken to me8 ,how can ,i possess this precious faith8 ,well1 dear friend1 mark the apostle's further statement4 ,now1 he adds1 it was not written for his 7,abraham's7 sake alone1 that it was imputed to him2 but for us also1 to whom it shall be imputed1 if--if what8--if we feel1 realize1 or experience aught in ourselves8 ,nay1 but if we believe on ,him that raised up ,jesus our ,lord from the dead2 who was delivered for our offences1 and was raised again for our justification4 ,all this is full of solid comfort and richest consolation4 ,it assures the anxious inquirer that he has the self-same ground and authority to rest upon that ,abraham had1 with an immensely higher measure of light thrown on that ground1 inasmuch as ,abraham was called to believe in a promise1 whereas we are privileged to believe in an accomplished fact4 ,he was called to look forward to something which was to be done2 we look back at something that is done1 even an accomplished redemption1 attested by the fact of a risen and glorified ,saviour1 at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,but as to the ground or authority on which we are called to rest our souls1 it is the same in our case as in ,abraham's and all true believers' in all ages--it is the word of ,god--the holy ,scriptures4 ,there is no other foundation of faith but this2 and the faith that rests on any other is not true faith at all4 ,a faith resting on human tradition--on the authority of the ,church--on the authority of so-called general councils--on the clergy--or on learned men1 is not divine faith1 but mere superstition2 it is a faith which stands in the wisdom of men1 and not in the power of ,god 7,i ,cor4 ii4 #e74 ,now1 it is utterly impossible for any human pen or mortal tongue to overstate the value or importance of this grand principle--this principle of a living faith4 ,its value at the present moment is positively unspeakable4 ,we believe it to be the divine antidote against most1 if not all1 the leading errors1 evils1 and hostile influences of the day in which our lot is cast4 ,there is a tremendous shaking going on around us4 ,minds are agitated4 ,disturbing forces are abroad4 ,there is a loosening of the foundations4 ,old institutions1 to which the human mind clings1 as the ivy to the oak1 are tottering on every side2 and many are actually fallen3 and thousands of souls that have been finding shelter in them are dislodged and scared1 and know not whither to turn4 ,some are saying1 ,the bricks are thrown down1 but we will build with hewn stone4 ,many are at their wit's end1 and most are ill at ease4 ,nor is this all2 there is a numerous class1 for the most part1 of those who are not so much concerned about the condition and destiny of religious institutions and ecclesiastical systems1 as about the condition and destiny of their own precious souls--of those who are not so much agitated by questions about ,broad ,church1 ,high ,church1 ,low ,church1 ,state ,church1 or ,free ,church1 as about this one great question1 ,what must ,i do to be saved8 ,what have we to say to these latter8 ,what is the real want of their souls8 ,simply this1 ,a living faith in the living ,god4 ,this is what is needed for all who are disturbed by what they see without1 or feel within4 ,our unfailing resource is in the living ,god and in ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 as revealed by the ,holy ,spirit in the holy ,scriptures4 ,here is the true resting-place of faith1 and to this we do1 most earnestly1 most urgently and solemnly1 invite the anxious reader4 ,in one word1 we entreat him to stay his whole soul on the word of ,god--the holy ,scriptures4 ,here we have authority for all that we need to know1 to believe1 or to do4 ,is it a question of anxiety about my eternal salvation8 ,hear the following words1 ,therefore1 thus saith the ,lord ,god1 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion for a foundation1 a stone1 a tried stone1 a precious corner stone1 a sure foundation3 he that believeth shall not make haste 7,isa4 xxviii4 #af74 ,these precious words1 so pregnant with tranquilizing power1 are quoted by the inspired apostle in the ,new ,testament ,scriptures3 ,wherefore also it is contained in the scripture1 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,sion a chief corner stone1 elect1 precious3 and he that believeth on ,him shall not be confounded 7,i ,peter ii4 #f74 ,what solid comfort--what deep and settled repose for the anxious soul is here6 ,god has laid the foundation1 and that foundation is nothing less than ,his own eternal and co-equal ,son1 the ,son who had dwelt from all eternity in ,his bosom4 ,this foundation is1 in every respect1 adequate to sustain the whole weight of the counsels and purposes of the eternal ,,three ,,in ,,one--to meet all the claims of the nature1 the character1 and the throne of ,god4 ,being all this1 it must needs be fully adequate to meet all the need of the anxious soul1 of what kind soever that need may be4 ,if ,christ is enough for ,god ,he must of necessity be enough for man--for any man--for the reader2 and that ,he is enough is proved by the very passage just quoted4 ,he is ,god's own foundation1 laid by ,his own hand1 the foundation and centre of that glorious system of royal and victorious grace set forth in the word ,zion4 7,see ,heb4 xii4 #bb-bd47 ,he is ,god's own precious1 tried1 chief corner stone--that blessed ,one who went down into death's dark waters--bore the heavy judgment and wrath of ,god against sin--robbed death of its sting1 and the grave of its victory--destroyed him that had the power of death--wrested from the enemy's grasp that terrible weapon with which sin had armed him1 and made it the very instrument of his eternal defeat and confusion4 ,having done all this1 ,he was received up into glory1 and seated at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,such is ,god's foundation1 to which ,he graciously calls the attention of every one who really feels the need of something divinely solid on which to build1 in view of the hollow and shadowy scenes of this world1 and in prospect of the stern realities of eternity4 ,dear reader1 you are now invited to build upon this foundation4 ,be assured it is for you as positively and distinctly as though you heard a voice from heaven speaking to your own very self4 ,the word of the living ,god is addressed to every creature under heaven--,whosoever will is invited to come4 ,the inspired volume has been placed in your hand and laid open before your eyes2 and for what think you8 ,is it to mock or to tantalize you by presenting before you what was never intended for you8 ,ah6 no1 reader2 such is not ,god's way4 ,does ,he send ,his sunlight and showers to mock and to tantalize1 or to gladden and refresh8 ,do you ever think of calling in question your own very personal welcome to study the book of ,creation8 ,never2 and yet there might be some show of foundation of such a question1 inasmuch as1 since that wondrous volume was thrown open1 sin has entered and thrown its dark blots over the pages thereof4 ,but1 spite of sin and all its forms and all its consequences1 spite of ,satan's power and malice1 ,god has spoken4 ,he has caused ,his voice to be heard in this dark and sinful world4 ,and what has ,he said8 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion a foundation4 ,this is something entirely new4 ,it is as though our blessed1 loving1 and ever gracious ,god had said to us1 ,here1 ,i have begun on the new4 ,i have laid a foundation1 on the ground of redemption1 which nothing can ever touch1 neither sin1 or ,satan1 or aught else4 ,i lay the foundation1 and pledge ,my word that whosoever believes--whosoever commits himself1 in childlike1 unquestioning confidence1 to ,my foundation--whosoever rests in ,my ,christ--whosoever is satisfied with ,my precious1 tried1 chief corner stone1 shall never--no1 never--no1 never be confounded--never be put to shame--never be disappointed--shall never perish1 world without end4 ,beloved reader1 dost thou still hesitate8 ,we solemnly avow we cannot see even the shadow of a foundation of a reason why thou shouldest4 ,if there were any question raised1 or any condition proposed1 or any barrier erected1 reason would that thou mightest hesitate4 ,if there were so much as a single preliminary to be settled by thee--if it were made a question of feeling or of experience1 or of aught else that thou couldst do1 or feel1 or be1 then verily thou mightest justly pause4 ,but there is absolutely nothing of the sort4 ,there is the ,christ of ,god and the word of ,god1 and--what then8 ,he that believeth shall not be confounded4 ,in short it is simply ,a living faith in the living ,god4 ,it is taking ,god at ,his word4 ,it is believing what ,he says because ,he says it4 ,it is committing your soul to the word of ,him who cannot lie4 ,it is doing what ,abraham did when he believed ,god and was counted righteous4 ,it is doing what ,jehoshaphat did when he planted his foot firmly on those immortal words1 ,thou gavest it to the seed of ,abraham ,thy friend1 forever4 ,it is doing what the patriarchs1 the prophets1 the apostles1 the saints in all ages have done1 when they rested their souls for time and eternity upon that ,word which is settled forever in heaven1 and thus lived in peace and died in hope of a glorious resurrection4 ,it is resting calmly and sweetly on the immovable rock of holy ,scripture1 and thus proving the divine and sustaining virtue of that which has never failed any who who trusted it1 and never will1 and never can4 ,oh6 the unspeakable blessedness of having such a foundation in a world like this where death1 decay1 and change are stamped upon all2 where friendship's fondest links are snapped in the twinkling of an eye by death's rude hand2 where all that seems1 to nature's view1 most stable1 is liable to be swept away in a moment by the rushing tide of popular revolution2 where there is absolutely nothing on which the heart can lean1 and say1 ,i have now found permanent repose4 ,what a mercy1 in such a scene1 to have ,a living faith in the living ,god4 ,they shall not be ashamed that wait for ,me4 ,such is the veritable record of the living ,god--a record made good in the experience of all those who have been enabled1 through grace1 to exercise a living faith4 ,but then we must remember how much is involved in those three words1 wait for ,me4 ,the waiting must be a real thing4 ,it will not do to say we are waiting on ,god1 when1 in reality1 our eye is askance upon some human prop or creature confidence4 ,we must be absolutely shut up to ,god4 ,we must be brought to the end of self1 and to the bottom of circumstances1 in order fully to prove what the life of faith is1 and what ,god's resources are4 ,god and the creature can never occupy the same platform4 ,it must be ,god alone4 ,my soul1 wait thou only upon ,god2 for my expectation is from ,him4 ,he only is my rock and my salvation 7,psa4 lxii4 #e1 #f74 ,thus it was with ,jehoshaphat1 in that scene recorded in #b ,chron4 xx4 ,he was wholly cast upon ,god4 ,it was either ,god or nothing4 ,we have no might4 ,but what then8 ,our eyes are upon ,thee4 ,this was enough4 ,it was well for ,jehoshaphat not to have so much as a single atom of might--a single ray of knowledge4 ,he was in the very best possible attitude and condition to prove what ,god was4 ,it would have been an incalculable loss to him to have been possessed of the very smallest particle of creature strength or creature wisdom1 inasmuch as it could only have proved a hindrance to him in leaning exclusively upon the arm and the counsel of the ,almighty ,god4 ,if the eye of faith rests upon the living ,god--if ,he fills the entire range of the soul's vision1 then what do we want with might or knowledge of our own8 ,who would think of resting in that which is human when he can have that which is divine8 ,who would lean on an arm of flesh1 when he can lean on the arm of the living ,god8 ,reader1 art thou1 at this moment in any pressure1 in any trial1 need1 or difficulty8 ,if so1 let us entreat thee to look simply and solely to the living ,god4 ,turn away thine eyes completely from the creature3 ,cease from man1 whose breath is in his nostrils4 ,let thy faith take hold now on the strength of ,god ,himself4 ,put thy whole case into ,his omnipotent hand4 ,cast thy burden1 whatever it is1 upon ,him4 ,let there be no reserve4 ,he is as willing as ,he is able1 and as able as ,he is willing1 to bear all4 ,only trust ,him fully4 ,he loves to be trusted--loves to be used4 ,it is ,his joy1 blessed be ,his name1 to yield a ready and a full response to the appeal of faith4 ,it is worth having a burden1 to know the blessedness of rolling it over upon ,him4 ,so the king of ,judah found it in the day of his trial1 and so shall the reader find it now4 ,god never fails a trusting heart4 ,they shall not be ashamed that wait for ,me4 ,precious words6 ,let us mark how they are illustrated in the narrative before us4 ,no sooner had ,jehoshaphat cast himself completely upon the ,lord1 than the divine response fell1 with clearness and power1 upon his ear4 ,harken ye1 all ,judah1 and ye inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 and thou king ,jehoshaphat2 thus saith the ,lord unto you1 ,be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude2 for the battle is not yours1 but ,god's 444 ye shall not need to fight in this battle4 ,set yourselves1 stand ye still1 and see the salvation of the ,lord with you1 ,o ,judah and ,jerusalem3 fear not1 nor be dismayed2 to-morrow go out against them2 for the ,lord will be with you4 ,what an answer6 ,the battle is not yours1 but ,god's4 ,only think of ,god's having a battle with people6 ,assuredly there could be little question as to the issue of such a battle4 ,jehoshaphat had put the whole matter into ,god's hands1 and ,god took it up and made it entirely ,his own4 ,it is always thus4 ,faith puts the difficulty1 the trial1 and the burden into ,god's hands1 and leaves ,him to act4 ,this is enough4 ,god never refuses to respond to the appeal of faith2 nay1 it is ,his delight to answer it4 ,jehoshaphat had made it a question between ,god and the enemy4 ,he had said1 ,they have come to cast us out of ,thy possession1 which ,thou hast given us to inherit4 ,nothing could be simpler4 ,god had given ,israel the land1 and ,he could keep them in it1 spite of ten thousand foes4 ,thus faith would reason4 ,the self-same ,hand that had placed them in the land could keep them there4 ,it was simply a question of divine power4 ,o our ,god1 wilt ,thou not judge them8 for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us2 neither know we what to do2 but our eyes are upon ,thee4 ,it is a wonderful point in the history of any soul1 to be brought to say1 ,i have no might4 ,it is the sure precursor of divine deliverance4 ,the moment a man is brought to the discovery of his utter powerlessness1 the divine word is1 ,stand still1 and see the salvation of ,god4 ,one does not want might to stand still4 ,it needs no effort to see the salvation of ,god4 ,this holds good in reference to the sinner in coming to ,christ1 at the first2 and it holds equally good in reference to the ,christian in his whole career from first to last4 ,the great difficulty is to get to the end of our own strength4 ,once there1 the whole thing is settled4 ,there may be a vast amount of struggle and exercise ere we are brought to say without strength6 ,but1 the moment we take that ground1 the word is1 ,stand still1 and see the salvation of ,god4 ,human effort1 in every shape and form1 can but raise a barrier between our souls and ,god's salvation4 ,if ,god has undertaken for us1 we may well be still4 ,and has ,he not8 ,yes1 blessed be ,his holy name1 ,he has charged ,himself with all that concerns us1 for time and eternity2 and hence we have only to let ,him act for us1 in all things4 ,it is our happy privilege to let ,him go before us1 while we follow on in wonder1 love1 and praise4 ,thus it was in that interesting and instructive scene on which we have been dwelling4 ,jehoshaphat bowed his head1 with his face to the ground3 and all ,judah and the inhabitants of ,jerusalem fell before the ,lord1 worshiping the ,lord4 ,and the ,levites1 of the children of the ,kohathites1 and of the children of the ,korhites1 stood up to praise the ,lord ,god of ,israel with a loud voice on high4 ,here we have the true attitude and the proper occupation of the believer4 ,jehoshaphat withdrew his eyes from that great company that had come against him1 and fixed them upon the living ,god4 ,jehovah had come right in and placed ,himself between ,his people and the enemy1 just as ,he had done in the day of the exodus1 at the ,red ,sea1 so that instead of looking at the difficulties1 they might look at ,him4 ,this1 beloved reader1 is the secret of victory at all times1 and under all circumstances4 ,this it is which fills the heart with praise and thanksgiving1 and bows the head in wondering worship4 ,there is something perfectly beautiful in the entire bearing of ,jehoshaphat and the congregation1 on the occasion before us4 ,they were evidently impressed with the thought that they had nothing to do but to praise ,god4 ,and they were right4 ,had ,he not said to them1 ,ye shall not need to fight8 ,what then had they to do8 ,what remained for them8 ,nothing but praise4 ,jehovah was going out before them to fight2 and they had but to follow after ,him in adoring worship4 ,and they rose early in the morning1 and went forth in the wilderness of ,tekoa3 and as they went forth1 ,jehoshaphat stood and said1 ,hear me1 ,o ,judah1 and ye inhabitants of ,jerusalem2 believe in the ,lord your ,god1 so shall ye be established2 believe ,his prophets1 so shall ye prosper 7#b ,chron4 xx4 #bj74 ,it is of the very last importance that ,god's word should ever have its own supreme place in the heart of the ,christian4 ,god has spoken4 ,he has given us ,his ,word2 and it is for us to lean unshaken thereon4 ,we want nothing more4 ,the divine ,word is amply sufficient to give confidence1 peace1 and stability to the soul4 ,we do not need evidences from man to prove the truth of ,god's word4 ,that ,word carries its own powerful evidences with it4 ,to suppose that we require human testimony to prove that ,god's word is true1 is to imply that man's word is more valid1 more trustworthy1 more authoritative1 than the word of ,god4 ,if we need a human voice to interpret1 to ratify1 to make ,god's revelation available1 then we are virtually deprived of that revelation altogether4 ,we call the special attention of the reader to this point4 ,it concerns the integrity of ,holy ,scripture4 ,the grand question is this1 ,is ,god's word sufficient or not8 ,do we really want man's authority to make us sure that ,god has spoken8 ,far be the thought6 ,this would be placing man's word above ,god's word1 and thus depriving us of the only solid ground on which our souls can lean4 ,this is precisely what the devil has been aiming at from the very beginning1 and it is what he is aiming at now4 ,he wants to remove from beneath our feet the solid rock of divine revelation1 and to give us instead the sandy foundation of human authority4 ,hence it is that we do so earnestly press upon our readers the urgent need of keeping close to ,god's word1 in simple unquestioning faith4 ,it is really the true secret of stability and peace4 ,if ,god's word be not enough for us1 without man's interference1 we are positively left without any sure basis of our soul's confidence2 yea1 we are cast adrift on the wild watery waste of skepticism1 we are plunged in doubt and dark uncertainty3 we are most miserable4 ,but1 thanks and praise be to ,god1 it is not so4 ,believe in the ,lord your ,god1 so shall ye be established3 believe ,his prophets1 so shall ye prosper4 ,here is the resting-place of faith in all ages4 ,god's eternal ,word1 which is settled forever in heaven1 which ,he has magnified according to all ,his name1 and which stands forth in its own divine dignity and sufficiency before the eye of faith4 ,we must utterly reject the idea that aught in the way of human authority1 human evidences1 or human feelings1 is needful to make the testimony of ,god full weight in the balances of the soul4 ,grant us but this1 that ,god has spoken1 and we argue with bold decision that nothing more is needed as a foundation for genuine faith4 ,in a word1 if we want to be established and to prosper1 we have simply to ,believe in the ,lord our ,god4 ,it was this that enabled ,jehoshaphat to bow his head in holy worship4 ,it was this that enabled him to praise ,god for victory ere a single blow was struck4 ,it was this that conducted him into the valley of ,berachah 7blessing7 and surrounded him with spoil more than he could carry away4 ,and now we have the soul-stirring record3 ,and when he had consulted with the people1 he appointed singers unto the ,lord1 and that should praise the beauty of holiness1 as they went out before the army1 and to say1 ,praise the ,lord3 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 ,what a strange advance guard for an army6 ,a company of singers6 ,such is faith's way of ordering the battle4 ,and when they began to sing and to praise1 the ,lord set ambushments against the children of ,ammon1 ,moab1 and ,mount ,seir1 which were come against ,judah1 and they were smitten4 ,only think of the ,lord setting ambushments6 ,think of ,his engaging in the business of military tactics6 ,how wonderful6 ,god will do any thing that ,his people need1 if only ,his people will confide in ,him1 and leave themselves and their affairs absolutely in ,his hand4 ,and when ,judah came toward the watch-tower in the wilderness1 they looked unto the multitude1 and1 behold1 they were dead bodies fallen to the earth1 and none escaped4 ,such was the end of that great company--that formidable host--that terrible foe4 ,all vanished away before the presence of the ,god of ,israel4 ,yes1 and had they been a million times more numerous1 and more formidable1 the issue would have been the same1 for circumstances are nothing to the living ,god1 and nothing to a living faith4 ,when ,god fills the vision of the soul1 difficulties fade away1 and songs of praise break forth from joyful lips4 ,and when ,jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them 7for that was all they had to do7 they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies1 and precious jewels1 which they stripped off for themselves1 more than they could carry away2 and they were three days in gathering of the spoil1 it was so much4 ,and on the fourth day1 they assembled themselves in the valley of ,berachah2 for there they blessed the ,lord4 ,such1 beloved reader1 must ever be the result of a living faith in the living ,god4 ,more than two thousand five hundred years have rolled away since the occurrence of the event on which we have been dwelling2 but the record is as fresh as ever4 ,no change has come over the living ,god1 or over the living faith which ever takes hold of ,his strength1 and counts on ,his faithfulness4 ,it is as true to-day as it was in the day of ,jehoshaphat1 that those who believe in the ,lord our ,god shall be established1 and shall prosper4 ,they shall be endowed with strength1 crowned with victory1 clothed with spoils1 and filled with songs of praise4 ,may we1 then through the gracious energy of the ,holy ,spirit1 ever be enabled to exercise ,a ,,living ,,faith ,,in ,,the ,,living ,,god6 ,a ,,scriptural ,,inquiry ,,as ,,to ,,the ,,true ,,nature ,,of ,,the ,,sabbath1 ,,the ,,law1 ,,and ,,christian ,,ministry ,,the ,,sabbath4 ,if it were merely a question of the observance or non-observance of a day1 it might be easily disposed of1 inasmuch as the apostle teaches us in ,rom4 xiv4 #e1 #f1 and also in ,col4 ii4 #af1 that such things are not to be made a ground of judgment4 ,but seeing there is a great principle involved in the ,sabbath question1 we deem it to be of the very last importance to place it upon a clear and ,scriptural basis4 ,we shall quote the ,fourth ,commandment at full length3 ,remember the sabbath day1 to keep it holy4 ,six days shalt thou labor1 and do all thy work2 but the seventh day is the sabbath of the ,lord thy ,god3 in it thou shalt not do any work1 thou1 nor thy son1 nor thy daughter1 thy manservant1 nor thy maidservant1 nor thy cattle1 nor thy stranger that is within thy gates3 for in six days the ,lord made heaven and earth1 the sea1 and all that in them is1 and rested the seventh day3 wherefore the ,lord blessed the sabbath day1 and hallowed it 7,ex4 xx4 #h-aa74 ,this same law is repeated in ,exodus xxxi4 #ab-ag4 ,and in pursuance thereof we find in ,numbers xv4 a man stoned for gathering sticks on the sabbath day4 ,all this is plain and absolute enough4 ,man has no right to alter ,god's law in reference to the sabbath2 no more than he has to alter it in reference to murder1 adultery1 or theft4 ,this1 we presume1 will not be called in question4 ,the entire body of old ,testament ,scripture fixes the seventh day as the sabbath2 and the ,fourth ,commandment lays down the mode in which that sabbath was to be observed4 ,now where1 we ask1 is this precedent followed8 ,where is this command obeyed8 ,is it not plain that the professing ,church neither keeps the right day as the sabbath1 nor does she keep it after the ,scripture mode8 ,the commandments of ,god are made of none effect by human traditions1 and the glorious truths which hang around the ,lord's day are lost sight of4 ,the ,jew is robbed of his distinctive day and all the privileges therewith connected1 which are only suspended for the present1 while judicial blindness hangs over that loved and interesting1 though now judged and scattered1 people4 ,and furthermore1 the ,church is robbed of her distinctive day and all the glories therewith connected1 which if really understood would have the effect of lifting her above earthly things into the sphere which properly belongs to her1 as linked by faith to her glorified ,head in heaven4 ,in result1 we have neither pure ,judaism nor pure ,christianity1 but an anomalous system arising out of an utterly unscriptural combination of the two4 ,however1 we desire to refrain from all attempt at developing the deeply spiritual doctrine involved in this great question1 and confine ourselves to the plain teaching of ,scripture on the subject2 and in so doing we maintain that if the professing ,church quotes the ,fourth ,commandment and parallel scriptures in defense of keeping the sabbath1 then it is evident that in almost every case the law is entirely set aside4 ,observe1 the word is1 ,thou shalt not do any work4 ,this ought to be perfectly binding on all who take the ,jewish ground4 ,there is no room here for introducing what we deem to be works of necessity4 ,we may think it necessary to kindle fires1 to make servants harness our horses and drive us hither and thither4 ,but the law is stern and absolute1 severe and unbending4 ,it will not1 it can not1 lower its standard to suit our convenience or accommodate itself to our thoughts4 ,the mandate is1 ,thou shalt not do any work1 and that1 moreover1 on the seventh day1 which answers to our ,saturday4 ,we ask for a single passage of ,scripture in which the day is changed1 or in which the strict observance of the day is in the smallest degree relaxed4 ,we request the reader of these lines to pause and search out this matter thoroughly in the light of ,scripture4 ,let him not be scared as by some terrible bugbear1 but let him1 in true ,berean nobility of spirit1 search the ,scriptures4 ,by so doing he will find that from the second chapter of ,genesis down to the very last passage in which the sabbath is named1 it means the seventh day and none other2 and further1 that there is not so much as a shadow of divine authority for altering the mode of observing that day4 ,law is law1 and if we are under the law we are bound to keep it or else be cursed2 for it is written1 ,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them 7,deut4 xxvii4 #bf2 ,gal4 iii4 #aj74 ,but it will be said1 ,we are not under the ,mosaic law2 we are the subjects of the ,christian economy4 ,granted2 most fully1 freely and thankfully granted4 ,all true ,christians are1 according to the teaching of ,romans vii4 and viii4 and ,galatians iii4 and iv41 the happy and privileged subjects of the ,christian dispensation4 ,but if so1 what is the day which specially characterizes that dispensation8 ,not the seventh day1 but the first day of the week--,,the ,,lord',s ,,day4 ,this is pre-eminently the ,christian's day4 ,let him observe this day with all the sanctity1 the sacred reverence1 the hallowed retirement1 the elevated tone1 of which his new nature is capable4 ,we believe the ,christian's retirement from all secular things cannot possibly be too profound on the ,lord's day4 ,the idea of any one1 calling himself a ,christian1 making the ,lord's day a season of what is popularly called recreation1 unnecessary traveling1 personal convenience1 or profit in temporal things1 is perfectly shocking4 ,we are of opinion that such acting could not be too severely censured4 ,we can safely assert that we never yet came in contact with a godly1 intelligent1 right-minded ,christian person who did not love and reverence the ,lord's day2 nor could we have any sympathy with any one who could deliberately desecrate that holy and happy day4 ,we are aware1 alas1 that some persons have through ignorance or misguided feelings said things in reference to the ,lord's day which we utterly repudiate1 and that they have done things on the ,lord's day of which we wholly disapprove4 ,we believe that there is a body of ,new ,testament teaching on the important subject of the ,lord's day quite sufficient to give that day its proper place in every well-regulated mind4 ,the ,lord ,jesus rose from the dead on that day 7,matt1 xxviii4 ,i-#f2 ,mark xvi4 ,i1 #b2 ,luke xxiv4 ,i2 ,john xx4 ,i74 ,he met ,his disciples once and again on that day 7,john xx4 #ai1 #bf74 ,the early disciples met to break bread on that day 7,acts xx4 #g74 ,the apostle1 by the ,holy ,ghost1 directs the ,corinthians to lay by their contributions for the poor on that day 7,i ,cor4 xvi4 #b74 ,and finally1 the exiled apostle was in the ,spirit and received visions of the future on that day 7,rev4 i4 #aj74 ,the above scriptures are conclusive4 ,they prove that the ,lord's day occupies a place quite unique1 quite heavenly1 quite divine4 ,but they as fully prove the entire distinctness of the ,jewish sabbath and the ,lord's day4 ,the two days are spoken of throughout the ,new ,testament with fully as much distinctness as we speak of ,saturday and ,sunday4 ,the only difference is that the latter are heathen titles1 and the former divine4 7,comp4 ,matt4 xxviii4 ,i2 ,acts xiii4 #ad1 xvii4 #b1 xx4 #g2 ,col4 ii4 #af74 ,having said thus much as to the question of the ,jewish sabbath and the ,lord's day1 we shall suggest the following questions to the reader1 namely3 ,where in the word of ,god is the sabbath said to be changed to the first day of the week8 ,where is there any repeal of the law as to the sabbath8 ,where is the authority for altering the day or the mode of observing it8 ,where in ,scripture have we such an expression as the ,christian sabbath8 ,where is the ,lord's day ever called the sabbath8,,xxvii4 ,we would not yield to any of our dear brethren in the various denominations around us in the pious observance of the ,lord's day4 ,we love and honor it with all our hearts2 and were it not that the gracious providence of ,god has so ordered it in these realms that we can enjoy the rest and retirement of the ,lord's day without pecuniary loss1 we should feel called upon to abstain from business1 and give ourselves wholly up to the worship and service of ,god on that day--not as a matter of cold legality1 but as a holy and happy privilege4 ,it would be the deepest sorrow to our hearts to think that a true ,christian should be found taking common ground with the ungodly1 the profane1 the thoughtless1 and the pleasure-hunting multitude1 in desecrating the ,lord's day4 ,it would be sad indeed if the children of the kingdom and the children of this world were to meet in an excursion train on the ,lord's day4 ,we feel persuaded that any who in any wise profane or treat with lightness the ,lord's day act in direct opposition to the ,word and ,spirit of ,god4 ,,the ,,law4 ,as regards the law1 it is looked at in two ways2 first1 as a ground of justification2 and secondly1 as a rule of life4 ,a passage or two of ,scripture will suffice to settle both the one and the other3 ,therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in ,his sight3 for by the law is the knowledge of sin 7,rom4 iii4 #bj74 ,therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law 7ver4 #bh74 ,again3 ,knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law1 but by the faith of ,jesus ,christ1 even we have believed in ,jesus ,christ1 that we might be justified by the faith of ,christ1 and not by the works of the law2 for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified 7,gal4 ii4 #af74 ,then1 as to its being a rule of life1 we read1 ,wherefore1 my brethren1 ye also are become dead to the law by the body of ,christ2 that ye should be married to another1 even to ,him that is raised from the dead1 that we should bring forth fruit unto ,god 7,rom4 vii4 #d74 ,but now are we delivered from the law1 being dead to that 7see margin7 wherein we were held3 that we should serve in newness of spirit1 and not in the oldness of the letter 7ver4 #f74 ,observe in this last-quoted passage two things3 first1 we are delivered from the law2 second1 not that we may do nature's pleasure1 but that we should serve in newness of spirit4 ,being delivered from bondage1 it is our privilege to serve in liberty4 ,again we read1 further on in the chapter1 ,and the commandment which was ordained to life1 ,i found to be unto death 7ver4 #aj74 ,it evidently did not prove as a rule of life to him4 ,i was alive without the law once2 but when the commandment came1 sin revived1 and ,i died 7ver4 #i74 ,whoever ,i represents in this chapter was alive until the law came1 and then he died4 ,hence1 therefore1 the law could not have been a rule of life to him2 yea1 it was the very opposite1 even a rule of death4 ,in a word1 then1 it is evident that a sinner cannot be justified by the works of the law2 and it is equally evident that the law is not the rule of the believer's life4 ,for as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse 7,gal4 iii4 #aj74 ,the law knows no such thing as a distinction between a regenerated and an unregenerated man3 it curses all who attempt to stand before it4 ,it rules and curses a man so long as he lives2 nor is there any one who will so fully acknowledge that he cannot keep it as the true believer1 and hence no one would be more thoroughly under the curse4 ,what1 therefore1 is the ground of our justification8 and what is our rule of life8 ,the word of ,god answers1 ,we are justified by the faith of ,christ1 and ,christ is our rule of life4 ,he bore all our sins in ,his own body on the tree2 ,he was made a curse for us2 ,he drained on our behalf the cup of ,god's righteous wrath2 ,he deprived death of its sting1 and the grave of its victory2 ,he gave up ,his life for us2 ,he went down into death1 where we lay1 in order that ,he might bring us up in eternal association with ,himself in life1 righteousness1 favor and glory1 before our ,god and ,his ,god1 our ,father and ,his ,father4 7,see carefully the following scriptures3 ,john xx4 #ag2 ,rom4 iv4 #be2 v4 ,i-#aj2 vi4 ,i-#aa2 vii4 passim1 viii4 ,i-#d2 ,i ,cor4 i4 #cj1 #ca2 vi4 #aa2 xv4 #ee-eg2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ag-ba2 ,gal4 iii4 #ac1 #be-bi2 iv4 #ca2 ,eph4 i4 #ai-bc2 ii4 ,i-#f2 ,col4 ii4 #aj-ae2 ,heb4 ii4 #ad1 #ae2 ,i ,peter i4 #bc47 ,if the reader will prayerfully ponder all these passages of ,scripture he will see clearly that we are not justified by the works of the law2 and not only so1 but he will see how we are justified4 ,he will see the deep and solid foundations of the ,christian's life1 righteousness and peace planned in ,god's eternal counsels1 laid in the finished atonement of ,christ1 developed by ,god the ,holy ,ghost in the ,word1 and made good in the happy experience of all true believers4 ,then1 as to the believer's rule of life1 the apostle does not say1 ,to me to live is the law2 but1 ,to me to live is ,christ 7,phil4 i4 #ba74 ,christ is our rule1 our model1 our touchstone1 our all4 ,the continual inquiry of the ,christian should be1 not is this or that according to law8 but is it like ,christ8 ,the law never could teach me to love1 bless and pray for my enemies2 but this is exactly what the gospel teaches me to do1 and what the divine nature leads me to do4 ,love is the fulfilling of the law2 and yet1 were ,i to seek justification by the law1 ,i should be lost2 and were ,i to make the law my standard of action1 ,i should fall far short of my proper mark4 ,we are predestinated to be conformed1 not to the law1 but to the image of ,god's ,son4 ,we are to be like ,him4 7,see ,matt4 v4 #ba-dh2 ,rom4 viii4 #bi2 ,i ,cor4 xiii4 #d-h2 ,rom4 xiii4 #h-aj2 ,gal4 v4 #ad-bf2 ,eph4 i4 #c-e2 ,phil4 iii4 #bj1 #ba2 ii4 #e2 iv4 #h2 ,col4 iii4 ,i-#ag47 ,it may seem a paradox to some to be told that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us 7,rom4 viii4 #d71 and yet that we cannot be justified by the law1 nor make the law our rule of life4 ,nevertheless1 thus it is if we are to form our convictions by the word of ,god4 ,nor is there any difficulty to the renewed mind in understanding this blessed doctrine4 ,we are by nature dead in trespasses and sins1 and what can a dead man do8 ,how can a man get life by keeping that which requires life to keep it--a life which he has not8 ,and how do we get life8 ,christ is our life4 ,we live in ,him who died for us2 we are blessed in ,him who became a curse for us by hanging on a tree2 we are righteous in ,him who was made sin for us2 we are brought nigh in ,him who was cast out for us 7,rom4 v4 #f-ae2 ,eph4 ii4 #d-f2 ,gal4 iii4 #ac74 ,having thus life and righteousness in ,christ1 we are called to walk as ,he walked1 and not merely to walk as a ,jew4 ,we are called to purify ourselves even as ,he is pure2 to walk in ,his footsteps2 to show forth ,his virtues2 to manifest ,his spirit 7,john xiii4 #ad1 #ae2 xvii4 #ad-ai2 ,i ,peter ii4 #ba2 ,i ,john ii4 #f1 #bi2 iii4 #c74 ,we shall close our remarks on this head by suggesting two questions to the reader1 namely1 ,would the ,ten ,commandments without the ,new ,testament be a sufficient rule of life for the believer8 ,is not the ,new ,testament a sufficient rule without the ,ten ,commandments8 ,surely that which is insufficient cannot be our rule of life4 ,we receive the ,ten ,commandments as part of the canon of inspiration2 and moreover1 we believe that the law remains in full force to rule and curse a man as long as he liveth4 ,let a sinner only try to get life by it1 and see where it will put him2 and let a believer only shape his way according to it1 and see what it will make of him4 ,we are fully convinced that if a man is walking according to the spirit of the gospel1 he will not commit murder nor steal2 but we are also convinced that a man1 confining himself to the standard of the law of ,moses would fall very far short of the spirit of the gospel4 ,the subject of the law would demand much more elaborate exposition1 but the limits of this paper do not admit of it1 and we therefore entreat of the reader to look out the various passages of ,scripture referred to and ponder them carefully4 ,in this way we feel assured he will arrive at a sound conclusion1 and be independent of all human teaching and influence4 ,he will see how that a man is justified freely by the grace of ,god through faith in a crucified and risen ,christ2 that he is made a partaker of divine life1 and introduced into a condition of divine and everlasting righteousness1 and consequent exemption from all condemnation2 that in this holy and elevated position ,christ is his object1 his theme1 his model1 his rule1 his hope1 his joy1 his strength1 his all2 that the hope which is set before him is to be with ,jesus where ,he is1 and to be like ,him forever4 ,and he will also see that if as a lost sinner he has found pardon and peace at the foot of the cross1 he is not1 as an accepted and adopted son1 sent back to the foot of ,mount ,sinai1 there to be terrified and repulsed by the terrible anathemas of a broken law4 ,the ,father could not think of ruling with an iron law the prodigal whom ,he had received to ,his bosom in purest1 deepest1 richest grace4 ,oh no6 ,being justified by faith1 we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand1 and rejoice in hope of the glory of ,god 7,rom4 v4 ,i1 #b74 ,the believer is justified not by works1 but by faith2 he stands not in law1 but in grace2 and he waits not for judgment1 but for glory4 ,we come now1 in the third place1 to treat of the subject of ,,the ,,christian ,,ministry2 in reference to which we have only to say1 that we hold it to be a divine institution3 its source1 its power1 its characteristics1 are all divine and heavenly4 ,we believe that the great ,head of the ,church received in resurrection gifts for ,his body4 ,he1 and not the ,church1 or any section of the ,church1 is the reservoir of the gifts4 ,they are vested in ,him1 and not in the ,church4 ,he imparts them as1 and to whom1 ,he will4 ,no man1 nor body of men1 can impart gifts4 ,this is ,christ's prerogative1 and ,his alone2 and we believe that when ,he imparts a gift1 the man who receives that gift is responsible to exercise the same1 whether as an evangelist1 a pastor or a teacher1 quite independently of all human authority4 ,we do not by any means believe that all are endowed with the above gifts1 though all have some ministry to fulfil4 ,all are not evangelists1 pastors1 and teachers4 ,such precious gifts are only administered according to the sovereign will of the divine ,head of the ,church4 ,man has no right to interfere with them4 ,wherever they really exist1 it is the place of the assembly to recognize them with devout thankfulness4 ,christians are exhorted to remember them that are over them in the ,lord1 to know them that guide them1 and those who addict themselves to the ministry of the saints1 and those who have spoken to them the word of life4 ,were they to refuse to do so1 they would only be forsaking and rejecting their own mercies1 for all things are theirs4 7,see ,rom4 xii4 #c-h2 ,i ,cor4 iii4 #ba-bc2 xii41 xiv41 xvi4 #ae2 ,gal4 i4 #aa-ag2 ,eph4 iv4 #g-af2 ,i ,thess4 v4 #ab1 #ac2 ,heb4 xiii4 #g1 #ag2 ,i ,peter iv4 #aj1 #aa47 ,all this is simple enough4 ,we can easily see where a man is divinely qualified for any department of ministry4 ,it is not if a man say he has a gift1 but if he in reality has it4 ,a man may say he has a gift on the same principle as he may say he has faith 7,james ii4 #ad71 and it may only be1 after all1 an empty conceit of his own ill-adjusted mind1 which a spiritual assembly could not recognize for a moment4 ,god deals in realities4 ,a divinely-gifted evangelist is a reality2 a teacher is a reality2 a pastor is a reality2 and such will be duly recognized1 thankfully received1 and counted worthy of all esteem and honor for their work's sake4 ,now we hold that unless a man has a bona fide gift imparted to him by the ,head of the ,church1 all the instruction1 all the education1 and all the training that men could impart to him would not constitute him a ,christian minister4 ,if a man has a gift1 he is responsible to exercise1 to cultivate1 and to wait upon his gift4 ,but unless a man has a direct gift from ,christ1 though he had all the learning of a ,newton1 all the philosophy of a ,bacon1 all the eloquence of a ,demosthenes1 he is not a ,christian minister4 ,he may be a very gifted and efficient minister of religion1 so called2 but a minister of religion and a minister of ,christ are two different things4 ,and further1 we believe that where the ,lord ,christ has bestowed a gift1 that gift makes the possessor thereof a ,christian minister1 whom all true ,christians are bound to own and receive1 quite apart from all human appointment3 whereas1 though a man had all the human qualifications1 human titles and human authority which it is possible to possess1 and yet lacked that one grand reality1 namely1 ,christ's gift1 he is not a minister of ,christ4 ,we thank ,god for ,christian ministry2 and we feel assured that there are many truly gifted servants of ,christ in the various denominations around us2 but they are ministers of ,christ on the ground of possessing ,his gift1 and not1 by any means1 on the ground of man's ordination4 ,man cannot add aught to a heaven-bestowed gift4 ,as well might he attempt to add a shade to the rainbow1 a tint to the violet1 motion to the waves1 height to the snow-capped mountains1 or daub with a painter's brush the peacock's plumage1 as attempt to render more efficient by his puny authority the gift which has come down from the risen and glorified ,head of the ,church4 ,ah no6 the vine1 the olive and the fig-tree1 in ,jotham's parable 7,judges ix47 needed not the appointment of the other trees4 ,god had implanted in each its specific virtue4 ,it was only the worthless bramble which hailed with delight an appointment that raised it from the position of a real nothing to be an official something4 ,thus it is with a divinely-gifted man4 ,he has what ,god has given him3 he wants1 he asks no more4 ,he rises above the narrow enclosure which man's authority would erect around him1 and plants his foot upon that elevated ground where prophets and apostles have stood4 ,he feels that it lies not within the range of the schools and colleges of this world to open to him his proper sphere of action4 ,it appertains not to them to provide a setting for the precious gem which sovereign grace has imparted4 ,the hand which has bestowed the gem can alone provide the proper setting4 ,the grace which has implanted the gift can alone throw open a proper sphere for its exercise4 ,what6 can it be possible that those gifts which emanate from the ,church's triumphant and glorious ,lord are not available for her edification until they are dragged through the mire of a heathen mythology8 ,alas for the heart that can think so6 ,as well might we say that the fatness of the olive and the pure blood of the grape must be mingled with the contents of a quagmire to render them available for human use4 ,but it will be asked1 ,were there not elders and deacons in the early ,church1 and ought we not to have such likewise8 ,unquestionably there were elders and deacons in the early ,church4 ,they were appointed by the apostles1 or those whom the apostles deputed3 that is to say1 they were appointed by the ,holy ,ghost--the only ,one who could then1 or can now1 appoint them4 ,we believe that none but ,god can make or appoint an elder1 and therefore for man to set about such work is but a powerless form1 an empty name4 ,men may1 and do1 point us to the shadows of their own creation1 and call upon us to recognize in those shadows divine realities2 but alas6 when we examine them in the light of ,holy ,scripture1 we cannot even trace the outline1 to say nothing of the living1 speaking features of the divine original4 ,we see divinely-appointed elders in the ,new ,testament1 and we see humanly-appointed elders in the professing ,church2 but we can by no means accept the latter as a substitute for the former4 ,we cannot accept a mere shadow in lieu of the substance4 ,neither do we believe that men have any divine authority for their act when they set about making and appointing elders4 ,we believe that when ,paul1 or ,timothy1 or ,titus1 ordained elders1 they did so as acting by the power and under the direct authority of the ,holy ,ghost2 but we deny that any man1 or body of men1 can so act now4 ,we believe it was the ,holy ,ghost then1 and it must be the ,holy ,ghost now4 ,human assumption is perfectly contemptible4 ,if ,god raises up an elder or a pastor we thankfully own him4 ,he both can and does raise up such4 ,he does raise up men fitted by ,his ,spirit to take the oversight of ,his flock1 and to feed ,his lambs and sheep4 ,his hand is not shortened that ,he cannot provide those blessings for ,his ,church even amid its humiliating ruins4 ,the reservoir of spiritual gift in ,christ the ,head is not so exhausted that ,he cannot shed forth upon ,his body all that is needed for the edification thereof4 ,we are of opinion that were it not for our impatient attempts to provide for ourselves by making pastors and elders of our own1 we should be far more richly endowed with pastors and teachers after ,god's own heart4 ,we need not marvel that ,he leaves us to our own resources when by our unbelief we limit ,him in ,his4 ,instead of proving ,him1 we limit ,him1 and therefore we are shorn of our strength and left in barrenness and desolation2 or1 what is worse1 we betake ourselves to the miserable provisions of human expediency4 ,however1 we believe it is far better1 if we have not ,god's reality1 to remain in the position of real1 felt1 confessed weakness than to put forth the hollow assumption of strength2 we believe it is better to be real in our poverty than to put on the appearance of wealth4 ,it is infinitely better to wait on ,god for whatever ,he may be pleased to bestow1 than to limit ,his grace by our unbelief1 or hinder ,his provision for us by making provision for ourselves4 ,we ask1 where is the ,church's warrant for calling1 making or appointing pastors8 ,where have we an instance in the ,new ,testament of a ,church electing its own pastor8 ,acts i4 #bc-bf has been adduced in proof4 ,but the very wording of the passage is sufficient to prove that it furnishes no warrant whatever4 ,even the eleven apostles could not elect a brother apostle1 but had to commit it to higher authority4 ,their words are1 ,,thou1 ,,lord1 which knowest the hearts of all1 show whether of these two ,thou hast chosen4 ,this is very plain4 ,they did not attempt to choose4 ,god knew the heart4 ,he had formed the vessel4 ,he had put the treasure therein1 and ,he alone could appoint it to its proper place4 ,it is very evident1 therefore1 that the case of the eleven apostles calling upon the ,lord to choose a man to fill up their number affords no precedent whatever for a congregation electing a pastor3 it is entirely against any such practice4 ,god alone can make or appoint an apostle or an elder1 an evangelist or a pastor4 ,this is our firm belief1 and we ask for ,scripture proof of its unsoundness4 ,human opinion will not avail2 tradition will not avail2 expediency will not avail4 ,are we taught from the word of ,god that the early ,church ever elected its own pastors or teachers8 ,we positively affirm that there is not so much as a single line of ,scripture in proof of any such custom4 ,if we could only find direction in the word of ,god to make and appoint pastors1 we should at once seek to carry such direction into effect2 but in the absence of any divine warrant we could only regard it as a mimicry on our part to attempt any such a thing4 ,why was not the church at ,ephesus1 or why were not the churches at ,crete1 directed to elect or appoint elders8 ,why was the direction given to ,timothy and ,titus without the slightest reference to the ,church1 or to any part of the ,church8 ,because1 as we believe1 ,timothy and ,titus acted by the direct power and under the direct authority of ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 and hence their appointment was to be regarded by the ,church as divine4,,xxviii4 ,but where have we anything like this now8 ,where is the ,timothy or the ,titus now8 ,where is there the least intimation in the ,new ,testament that there should be a succession of men invested with the power to ordain elders or pastors8 ,true1 the apostle ,paul1 in his second epistle to ,timothy1 says1 ,the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses1 the same commit thou to faithful men1 who shall be able to teach others also 7#b ,tim4 ii4 #b74 ,but there is not a word here about a succession of men having power to ordain elders and pastors4 ,assuredly teaching is not ordination2 still less is it imparting the power to ordain4 ,if the inspired apostle had meant to convey to the mind of ,timothy that he was to commit to others authority to ordain1 and that such authority was to descend by a regular chain of succession1 he could and would have done so2 and in that case the passage would have run thus3 ,the power which has been vested in you1 the same do thou vest in faithful men1 that they may be able also to ordain others4 ,such1 however1 is not the case2 and we deny that there is any man or body of men now upon earth possessing power to ordain elders1 nor was that power or authority ever committed to the ,church4 ,we hold it to be absolutely divine2 and therefore1 when ,god sends an elder or a pastor1 an evangelist or a teacher1 we thankfully hail the heaven-bestowed gift2,,xxix4 but we desire to be delivered from all empty pretension4 ,we will have ,god's reality or nothing4 ,we will have heaven's genuine coin1 not earth's counterfeit4 ,like the ,tirshatha of old1 who said that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with ,urim and ,thummim 7,ezra ii4#fc71 so would we say1 let us rather1 if it must be so1 remain without office-bearers than substitute for ,god's realities the shadows of our own creation4 ,ezra could not accept the pretensions of men4 ,men might say they were priests2 but if they could not produce the divine warrant and the divine qualifications1 they were utterly rejected4 ,in order for a man to be entitled to approach the altar of the ,god of ,israel1 he should not only be descended from ,aaron1 but also be free from every bodily blemish4 7,see ,lev4 xxi4 #af-bc47 ,so now1 in order for any man to minister in the ,church of ,god1 he must be a regenerated man1 and he must have the necessary spiritual qualifications4 ,even ,st4 ,paul1 in his powerful appeal to the conscience and judgment of the church at ,corinth1 refers to his spiritual gifts and the fruits of his labor as the indisputable evidences of his apostleship4 7,see #b ,cor4 x41 xii47 ,before dismissing the subject of the ,christian ,ministry1 we would offer a remark upon the practise of laying on of hands1 which is presented in the ,new ,testament in two ways4 ,first1 we find it connected with the communication of a positive gift4 ,neglect not the gift that is in thee1 which was given thee by prophecy1 with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery 7,i ,tim4 iv4 #ad74 ,this is again referred to in the second epistle3 ,wherefore ,i put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of ,god which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 7#b ,tim4 i4 #f74 ,this latter passage fixes the import of the expression presbytery1 as used in the first epistle4 ,both passages prove that the act of laying on of hands in ,timothy's case was connected with the imparting of a gift4 ,but secondly1 we find the laying on of hands adopted simply for the purpose of expressing full fellowship and identification1 as in ,acts xiii4 #c4 ,it could not possibly mean ordination in this passage1 inasmuch as ,paul and ,barnabas had been in the ministry long before4 ,it simply gave beautiful expression to the full identification of their brethren in that work unto which the ,holy ,ghost had called them1 and to which ,he alone could send them forth4 ,now we believe that the laying on of hands as expressing ordination1 if there be not the power to impart a gift1 is worth nothing1 if indeed it be not mere assumption2 but if it be merely adopted as the expression of full fellowship in any special work or mission1 we should quite rejoice in it4 ,for example1 if two or three brethren felt themselves called of ,god to go on an evangelistic mission to some foreign land1 and that those with whom they were in communion perceived in them the needed gift and grace for such a work1 we should deem it exceedingly happy were they to set forth their unqualified approval and their brotherly fellowship by the act of laying on of hands4 ,beyond this we can see no value whatever in that act4 ,having thus1 so far as our limits would permit1 treated of the questions of the ,sabbath1 the ,law1 and the ,christian ,ministry2 having shown that we honor and observe the ,lord's day1 that we give the ,law its divinely appointed place1 and finally1 that we hold the sacred and precious institution of the ,christian ,ministry1 we might close this paper1 did we not feel called upon to present a few other points4 ,in our general teaching and preaching we seek to set forth the fundamental truths of the gospel1 such as the doctrine of the ,trinity2 the eternal ,sonship2 the personality of the ,holy ,ghost2 the plenary inspiration of ,holy ,scripture2 the eternal counsels of ,god in reference to ,his elect2 the fullest and freest presentation of ,his love to a lost world2 the solemn responsibility of every one who hears the glad tidings of salvation to accept the same2 man's total ruin by nature and by practice2 his inability to help himself in thought1 word1 or deed2 the utter corruption of his will2 ,christ's incarnation1 death1 and resurrection2 ,his absolute deity and perfect humanity in one person2 the perfect efficacy of ,his blood to cleanse from all sin2 perfect justification and sanctification by faith in ,christ1 through the operation of ,god the ,holy ,ghost2 the eternal security of all true believers2 the entire separation of the ,church in calling1 standing and hope from this present world4 ,then1 again1 we hold1 in common with many of our brethren in the denominations1 that the hope of the believer is set forth in these words of ,christ3 ,i will come again and receive you unto myself2 that where ,i am1 there ye may be also 7,john xiv4#c74 ,we believe that the early ,christians were converted to that blessed hope--that it was the common hope of ,christians in apostolic times4 ,to adduce proofs would swell this paper into a volume4 ,furthermore1 we believe that all disciples should meet on the first day of the week to break bread 7,acts xx4 #g72 and when so met1 they should look to the ,head of the ,church to furnish the needed gifts1 and to the ,holy ,ghost to guide in the due administration of these gifts4 ,as to the ,scriptural ordinance of baptism1 we look upon it as a beautiful exhibition of the truth of the believer's identification with ,christ in death4 7,see ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai2 ,mark xvi4 #af2 ,acts ii4 #ch1 #da2 viii4 #ch2 x4 #dg1 #dh2 xvi4 #cc2 ,rom4 vi4 #c1 #d47 ,as regards the precious institution of the ,lord's ,supper1 we believe that ,christians should celebrate it on every ,lord's day1 and that in so doing they commemorate the ,lord's death until ,he come4 ,we believe that as baptism sets forth our death with ,christ1 so the ,lord's ,supper sets forth ,christ's death for us4 ,we do not see any authority in the word of ,god for regarding the ,lord's ,supper as a sacrifice1 a sacrament1 or a covenant4 ,the word is1 ,this do in remembrance of ,me4 7,see ,matt4 xxvi4 #bf-bh2 ,mark xiv4 #bb-bd2 ,luke xxii4 #ai1 #bj2 ,i ,cor4 xi4 #bc-bf47 ,the above is a very brief but explicit statement of what we hold1 and preach and practise4 ,we meet in public3 our worship meetings1 our prayer meetings1 our reading meetings1 our lectures1 our gospel preachings1 are all open to the public4 ,but we have done4 ,we would in this closing line entreat the reader to search the ,scriptures4 ,let him try everything by that standard4 ,let him see to it that he has plain ,scripture for everything with which he stands connected4 ,to the law and to the testimony3 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them 7,isa4 viii4 #bj474 ,we can honestly say we love with all our hearts all those who love our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity2 and wherever there is one who preaches a full1 free and an everlasting salvation to perishing sinners1 through the blood of the ,lamb1 we wish him godspeed in the name of the ,lord4 ,we now commend the reader to the blessing of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if he be a true believer1 we pray that in his course down here he may be a bright and faithful witness for his absent ,lord4 ,but if he be one who has not yet found peace in ,jesus1 we would say to him1 with solemn emphasis and earnest affection1 ,,behold ,,the ,,lamb ,,of ,,god1 ,,which ,,taketh ,,away ,,the ,,sin ,,of ,,the ,,world6 7,john i4 #bi74 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,footnotes3 ,,xxvii4 ,for a fuller exposition of the doctrine of the sabbath1 see ,notes on ,genesis 7chap4 ii472 also1 ,notes on ,exodus 7chaps4 xvi4 and xxxi474 ,,xxviii4 ,we would here offer a remark in reference to the appointment of deacons in ,acts vi4 ,this case has been adduced in proof of the rightness of a congregation electing its own pastor2 but the proof fails in every particular4 ,in the first place1 the business of those deacons was to serve tables4 ,their functions as deacons were temporal1 not spiritual4 ,they might possess spiritual gift independently altogether of their deaconship4 ,stephen did possess such4 ,but more than this4 ,although the disciples were called upon to look out for men competent to take charge of their temporal affairs1 yet the apostles alone could appoint them4 ,their words are1 ,whom we may appoint over this business4 ,in other words1 although there is a vast difference between a deacon and a pastor1 between taking charge of money and taking the oversight of souls1 yet even in the matter of a deacon the appointment in ,acts vi4 was entirely divine2 and hence it affords no warrant for a church electing its own pastor4 ,we might further add that office and gift are clearly distinguished in the word of ,god4 ,there might be1 and were1 many elders and deacons in any given church1 and yet the fullest and freest exercise of gift when the whole church came together into one place4 ,elders and deacons might or might not have the gift of teaching or exhortation4 ,such gift was quite independent of their special office4 ,in ,i ,cor4 xiv41 where it is said1 ,ye may all prophesy one by one1 and where we have a full view of the public assembly1 there is not a word about an elder or a president of any kind whatever4 ,,xxix4 ,let the reader carefully note that gifts1 as evangelists1 pastors1 teachers1 prophets1 being given directly by the ,head of the ,church for the edification of ,his people on earth 7see ,eph4 iv4 #h-ac7 were never appointed or licensed by apostolic hands or any others4 ,elders and deacons were to act as guides and to serve in the assemblies in which they had their place4 ,to this position or office they were appointed by an apostle1 or one sent by him4 ,,ed4 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,christ ,,past1 ,,present1 ,,and ,,future 7,scriptures read before lecture1 ,exodus xxi4 ,i-#f2 ,john xiii4 ,i-#aj2 ,luke xii4 #cg47 ,for even the ,son of ,man came not to be ministered unto1 but to minister1 and to give ,his life a ransom for many4 7,mark x4 #de47 ,it is very necessary1 beloved friends1 to retire from all thoughts about our service to the ,lord1 and our work for ,him1 and to have our hearts occupied with ,his service toward us4 ,and when ,i say this1 you will not suppose for a moment that it is my desire or thought to weaken in any heart in this assembly1 in the smallest degree1 the desire to work for ,christ1 whatever sphere ,he may open for you1 or according to whatever gift ,he may have bestowed upon you4 ,quite the reverse2 indeed1 ,i would seek in every way to strengthen and intensify that desire4 ,but then one knows1 both from experience and observation1 that we may be so occupied with our work and our services that our hearts may lose the sense of what ,christ is toward us in ,his marvelous character as a servant4 ,and here let me say that my immediate thesis to-night is the ,lord ,jesus as the servant of ,his people's necessities4 ,that is the field into which we are introduced by those scriptures which have been read in your hearing4 ,the ,lord ,jesus is the servant of the soul's necessities in every stage of its history1 from first to last1--from the depths of your ruin and degradation as sinners1 in all your weakness and failure as saints from day to day1 until ,he plants you in the joys of ,his own kingdom4 ,and ,his services will not end there2 for1 as we read in ,luke xii4 #cg1 ,he will gird ,himself1 and serve us in the glory4 ,thus ,his work as a servant overlaps the whole of the soul's history1 past1 present1 and future4 ,he has served us in the past1 ,he is serving us now1 and ,he will serve us forever4 ,and here allow me to say that the line of truth which ,i have to bring before you to-night is of a directly individual character4 ,we were speaking1 on this night week1 of the truth with respect to our corporate condition and character1 and therefore ,i feel all the more free on this occasion to enter upon what is more directly personal--to speak of truth which bears directly on the soul's individual condition and wants4 ,and ,i would ask you1 my beloved hearers1 to place yourselves1 so far as through grace you can1 in all simplicity and reality1 straight in view of this theme--,christ the servant of our necessities4 ,it is possible there may be souls in this room who want to begin at the very beginning with this most precious theme4 ,they want to know ,christ as the ,one who came into this world to serve them in all their deep and varied need as lost1 self-destroyed1 guilty1 hell-deserving sinners4 ,if there be any such present to-night1 ,i would ask them to ponder deeply that verse which ,i have read1 ,the ,son of ,man is come to serve and to give4 ,this is a divine reality4 ,jesus came into this world to meet our need1 to serve us in all that in which we need ,his precious service1 and to give ,his life a ransom for many2 to serve us by bearing our sins in ,his own body on the tree1 and working out a full and an eternal salvation4 ,he did not come to get--,he did not come to take--,he did not come to be ministered to--,he did not come to be gazed at--,he came to be used2 and therefore1 while the soul that is exercised may be raising this harassing question1 ,what can ,i do for the ,lord8 the answer is1 ,you must pause and see and believe what the ,lord has done for you4 ,you must stand still and see the salvation of ,god4 ,remember those words of divine and evangelistic sweetness1 ,to him that worketh not1 but believeth on ,him that justifieth the ungodly1 his faith is counted for righteousness4 7,rom4 iv4 #e47 ,you can never intelligently or properly serve ,christ until you know and believe how ,he has served you4 ,you must cease your restless doings1 and rest in a divinely accomplished work4 ,then1 but not until then1 will you be able to start on a career of ,christian service4 ,it is most necessary for all anxious souls to understand that all true ,christian service begins with the possession of eternal life1 and is rendered in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 the indwelling ,spirit1 in the light and on the authority of holy ,scripture4 ,this is the divine idea of ,christian work and service4 ,now1 though the primary object of this meeting1 brethren1 is for those who are saints of ,god1 who have set out on their course1 still ,i do not think it would be according to the heart and sympathies of ,christ to overlook the fact that there may be some soul in this congregation that wants1 as ,i said1 just to begin at the very beginning with this precious mystery--,christ the servant4 ,i say1 there may be some here to-night that have never taken the attitude of simple repose in ,christ's finished work4 ,they have1 it may be1 begun to think of their soul's salvation1 to think about eternity2 but they are occupied with the thought that the ,lord is claiming something from them3 ,i must do this1 ,i must do that1 and ,i must do the other4 ,now1 my beloved friends1 if such be here1 ,i repeat1 with deepest earnestness1 you must cease altogether from your own doings1 cease from your own reasonings1 cease from your own feelings2 because1 be assured of it1 it is neither feeling nor thinking nor reasoning nor doing at all1 but it is pausing and gazing4 ,it is hearing and believing4 ,it is looking off from yourselves and your service to ,christ and ,his service4 ,it is ceasing from your restless and worthless doings1 and reposing in full1 unquestioning confidence in the one offering of ,jesus ,christ1 which has perfectly satisfied and perfectly glorified ,god as to the great question of your sin and guilt4 ,here lies the divine secret of peace--peace in ,jesus--peace with ,god--eternal peace4 ,nothing will ever be right till you get on this ground4 ,if you are occupied with your doings for ,christ1 you will never get peace2 but if you will only take ,god at ,his word1 and rest in ,his ,christ1 you shall possess a peace which no power of earth or hell can ever disturb4 ,now1 my beloved hearers1 ,i ask you1 before ,i proceed1 this question1 ,is there a heart in this congregation that has not yet rested here8 ,is there a heart here to-night that will say1 ,i am not satisfied with ,christ's service3 ,i cannot rest in ,his work8 ,what6 ,the ,son of ,god has stooped to serve you4 ,the ,one who made you1 the ,one who gave you life and breath and all things1 the ,one to whom all are responsible1 ,he has stooped to become your servant4 ,it is not a question of asking you to do any thing1 or asking you to give any thing1 because--mark those words--they are words which sweep all through the history of the ,son of ,man--they are words which1 in all their length and breadth and fullness1 you can take up and use as if you were the only object of this service in the world--,the ,son of ,man is come to serve and to give4 ,he is not come to get2 ,he is not come to ask4 ,the legal mind leads you to think that ,god is an exactor--that ,he is making demands upon you--that ,he wants your services in one way or another4 ,but oh remember1 ,i pray you1 that your first great business1 your primary and all-important work1 is to believe in ,jesus--to rest sweetly in ,him1 and in what ,he has done for you on the cross1 and in what ,he is doing for you on the throne4 ,this is the work of ,god1 that ye believe on ,him whom ,he hath sent4 ,you remember the interesting question of the ,psalmist--a question asked when his eye rested on the magnitude and multitude of ,jehovah's benefits--,what shall ,i render unto the ,lord for all ,his benefits8 ,what is the reply8 ,i will take the cup of salvation1 and call upon the name of the ,lord4 ,is this the way to render unto the ,lord8 ,yes1 this is just the way that gratifies and glorifies ,him4 ,if you really want to render1 you must take4 ,take what8 ,the cup of salvation--a full and brimming cup1 most surely2 and as you drink of that cup1 as the glories of ,god's salvation shine in the vision of your soul1 then will streams of living praise flow from your grateful heart4 ,and you know ,he says1 ,whoso offereth praise1 glorifieth ,me4 ,in a word1 then1 you must1 first of all1 allow your soul to dwell upon the marvelous mystery of ,christ's service toward you in all the depth of your need2 and the more you dwell upon that1 the more will you be in the true attitude to serve ,him4 ,take another striking illustration4 ,when ,david1 as you remember1 in that remarkable passage in the second book of ,samuel 7chap4 vii471 sat in his house of cedar1 and looked around at all that ,god had done for him1 he said1 ,i must rise and build a house4 ,immediately the prophet was despatched to ,david to correct him on this point3 ,you shall not build ,me a house1 but ,i will build you a house4 ,you must reverse the matter4 ,god wants you to sit down and gaze yet more fully and intently upon ,his actings on your behalf4 ,he wants you to look1 not only at the past and the present1 but to look on into the bright future2 to see your entire history overlapped by ,his own magnificent grace4 ,and what1 let me ask1 was the effect of all this upon the heart of ,david8 ,we have the answer in that one pithy statement3 ,then went ,king ,david in1 and sat before the ,lord1 and said1 ',who am ,i8' ,mark the attitude1 and ponder the question4 ,they are full of deep meaning4 ,he sat4 ,this is rest and sweet repose4 ,he wanted to go to work too soon4 ,no1 says ,god1 you must sit down and look at my work1 and trace my actings on your behalf in the past1 the present1 and the future4 ,and then the question1 ,who am ,i8 ,in this we see the blessed fact that self was for the moment lost sight of4 ,it was flung into the shade by the lustre of divine revelation4 ,self and its poor little actings were set aside by the glory of ,god and the rich magnificence of ,his actings on behalf of ,his servant4 ,now1 some might have thought that ,david was an active1 useful man when he was rising to take the trowel to build the house2 and they might have thought him a good-for-nothing man to be sitting still when there was work to be done4 ,but1 brethren1 let us remember that ,god's thoughts are not as our thoughts4 ,he prizes our worship much more highly than our work4 ,indeed1 it is only the true and intelligent worshiper that can be a true and intelligent workman4 ,no doubt ,god most graciously accepts our poor services1 even stamped as they so often are with mistakes of all sorts4 ,but when it becomes a question of the comparative value of service and worship1 the former must give place to the latter2 and we know that when our brief span of working time shall have expired1 our eternity of worship shall begin4 ,sweet thought6 ,and let me further remark1 ere leaving this part of our subject1 that no one need fear in the least that the practical effect of what ,i have been saying will be to cripple your service1 or lead you to fold your arms in culpable idleness or cold indifference4 ,the very reverse is the case1 as you may see in the history of ,david himself4 ,study at your leisure1 ,i ,chronicles xxviii1 xxix4 ,there you have a splendid presentation of service--a most triumphant answer to all who would place work before worship4 ,there you see1 as it were1 ,king ,david rising from the attitude of a worshiper into that of a workman1 and making ample provision for the building of that very house of which he was not allowed to set one stone upon another4 ,and not only does he make provision according to the claims of holiness1 but1 as he says1 ,because ,i have set my affection to the house of my ,god1 ,i have of mine own proper good1 of gold and silver1 which ,i have given to the house of my ,god1 over and above all that ,i have prepared for the holy house1 even three thousand talents of gold1 of the gold of ,ophir1 and seven thousand talents of refined silver1 to overlay the walls of the house4 ,in other words1 as we should express it1 out of his own private purse1 he gave the princely sum of over sixteen millions as a free gift toward the house which was to be reared by the hand of another4 ,this1 as he informs us1 was over and above what he had prepared for the holy house1 which latter greatly exceeded the amount of ,england's national debt4 ,thus we see that it is the true worshiper that makes the effective servant4 ,it is when we have sat and gazed on the actings of ,christ for us that we are enabled in any small degree to act for ,him4 ,and then1 too1 we shall be able to say with ,david1 as he surveyed the untold wealth prepared for the house of ,god1 ,it is all ,thine1 and of ,thine own have we given ,thee4 ,i4 ,but we must now turn for a few moments to the opening paragraph of ,exodus xxi--,if thou buy a ,hebrew servant1 six years he shall serve2 and in the seventh1 he shall go out free for nothing4 ,if he came in by himself1 he shall go out by himself3 if he were married1 then his wife shall go out with him4 ,if his master have given him a wife1 and she have borne him sons or daughters2 the wife and her children shall be her master's1 and he shall go out by himself4 ,and if the servant shall plainly say1 ,i love my master1 my wife1 and my children2 ,i will not go out free3 then his master shall bring him unto the judges2 he shall also bring him to the door1 or unto the door-post2 and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl2 and he shall serve him forever4 ,here1 then1 we have one of the shadows of good things to come--a shadow or figure of the ,true ,servant1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that blessed ,one who loved the ,church and gave ,himself for it4 ,the ,hebrew servant1 having served the legal time1 was perfectly free to go out2 but he loved his wife and his children1 and that1 too1 with such a love as led him to surrender his own personal liberty for their sakes4 ,he proved his love for them by sacrificing himself4 ,he might have gone forth and enjoyed his freedom1 but what of them8 ,how could he leave them behind8 ,impossible4 ,he loved them too well for that2 and hence he deliberately walked to the door-post1 and there1 in the presence of the judges1 had his ear bored in token of perpetual service4 ,this was love indeed4 ,there was no mistake about it4 ,the wife and each child1 as they gazed ever after on that bored ear1 could read the touching and powerful proof of the love of that servant's heart4 ,here1 beloved1 is something for the heart to dwell upon--yea1 something over which the heart may well break itself4 ,we see in this ,old-,testament type the everlasting ,lover of our souls--,jesus1 the true servant4 ,you remember that remarkable occasion in our ,lord's life when ,he was setting before ,his disciples the solemn fact of ,his approaching cross and passion4 ,you will find it in the eighth chapter of the gospel of ,mark3 ,and ,he began to teach them that the ,son of ,man must suffer many things1 and be rejected of the elders1 and of the chief priests1 and scribes1 and be killed1 and after three days rise again4 ,and ,he spake that saying openly4 ,and ,peter took ,him1 and began to rebuke ,him4 ,peter would fain1 though he knew it not1 have interrupted the ,true ,servant in ,his movement to the door-post4 ,he would have ,him pity ,himself1 and maintain ,his own personal freedom4 ,but oh1 brethren1 hearken to the withering rebuke administered to the very man who just before had made such a fine confession of ,christ6 ,but when ,he had turned about and looked on ,his disciples1 ,he rebuked ,peter1 saying1 ',get thee behind ,me1 ,satan2 for thou savorest not the things that be of ,god1 but the things that be of men4' ,mark the action4 ,he turned and looked on ,his disciples1 as though ,he would say1 ,if ,i hearken to your counsel1 ,peter--if ,i pity ,myself--if ,i retreat from that cross which lies before ,me1 then what is to become of these8 ,it is the ,hebrew servant saying1 ,i love my wife1 ,i love my children1 ,i will not go out free4 ,it is of the very last possible importance for us to see that there was no necessity whatever laid upon the ,lord ,jesus ,christ to walk to the cross2 there was no necessity whatever laid upon ,him to leave the glory which ,he had with the ,father from all eternity and come down here2 and when ,he had come down into this world1 and taken perfect humanity upon ,him1 there was no necessity laid upon ,him that ,he should have gone to the cross2 for at any moment during the whole of ,his blessed history1 from the manger of ,bethlehem to the cross of ,calvary1 ,he might have gone back to where ,he came from4 ,death had no claim upon ,him4 ,the prince of this world came and had nothing in ,him4 ,he could say1 speaking of ,his life1 ,no man taketh it from ,me1 but ,i lay it down of ,myself4 7,john x4 #ah47 ,and on ,his way from the garden to the cross we hear ,him saying1 ,thinkest thou that ,i cannot now pray to ,my ,father1 and ,he shall presently give ,me more than twelve legions of angels8 ,but how then shall the ,scriptures be fulfilled1 that thus it must be8 ,and may we not say there was much more truth than the utterers were aware of in these accents of mockery which fell on the blessed ,saviour's ear as ,he hung on the cross--,he saved others2 ,himself ,he cannot save8 ,but they might have said1 ,himself ,he will not save4 ,ah1 no6 blessed forever be ,his name6 ,he did not pity or spare ,himself1 but ,he pitied us4 ,he beheld us in our hopeless ruin1 guilt1 misery1 and danger4 ,he saw that there was no eye to pity1 no arm to save2 and--all praise to ,his matchless name6--,he laid aside ,his glory1 came down into this wretched world1 became a man1 that as a man ,he might1 by the sacrifice of ,himself1 deliver us from the lake of fire1 and associate us with ,himself on the new and eternal ground of accomplished redemption1 in the power of resurrection-life1 according to the eternal counsels of ,god1 and to the praise of ,his glory4 ,now1 we cannot possibly overestimate the importance of dwelling upon the fact that there was no necessity whatever laid upon our blessed ,lord ,jesus ,christ to die on the cross1 and to endure the wrath of ,god4 ,neither in ,his person1 in ,his nature1 nor in ,his relations was ,he obnoxious to death4 ,he was ,god over all1 blessed forever4 ,he was the ,eternal ,son of ,god4 ,and in ,his human nature ,he was pure1 spotless1 sinless1 perfect4 ,he knew no sin4 ,he did always and only the things that pleased ,god4 ,he glorified ,him1 and finished ,his work2 and ,he has saved us in such a way as to glorify ,god in the most wonderful manner4 ,he was1 to use the language of our type1 free to go out by ,himself2 but ah1 beloved1 had ,he done so1 your place and mine must inevitably have been the lake of fire forever4 ,to all this the ,holy ,ghost delights to bear testimony1 as one of our own poets has sweetly sung-- ,and1 ,lord1 ,thy perfect fitness ,to do a ,saviour's part1 ,the ,holy ,ghost doth witness ,to each believer's heart4 ,most true2 and we might with equal truth say1 ,his fitness to do a servant's part1 because it was the very height of ,his glory1 the very dignity of ,his person2 it was the glory whence ,he had descended1 that enabled ,him to stoop down to the very depths of ,his people's necessities4 ,there is not a necessity--no1 not one--in the deepest range of ,his people's history1 or in the lowest depths of their condition1 that ,he has not reached in ,his marvelous character and ,his divine ministry as the servant of ,his people's necessities4 ,brethren1 let us never forget this4 ,nay1 rather let us constantly cherish in our hearts the most grateful remembrance of it4 ,the more we dwell upon the height of ,christ's personal glory1 the more fully we shall see the depths of ,his humiliation4 ,the more profoundly we meditate upon the glory of what ,he was1 the more we must be arrested by the grace of what ,he became4 ,ye know the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that1 though ,he was rich1 yet for your sakes ,he became poor1 that ye through ,his poverty might be rich4 ,who can measure the heights and the depths of those two words1 rich and poor1 in their application to our adorable ,lord and ,saviour8 ,no created intelligence can fathom them2 but most assuredly we should cultivate the habit of dwelling upon the love that shines all along the pathway of the divine ,servant as ,he walked to the cross for us4 ,it is as we dwell upon ,his love to us that our hearts shall be drawn out by the ,holy ,ghost in the power of responsive love to ,him4 ,the love of ,christ constraineth us2 because we thus judge1 that if ,one died for all1 then were all dead2 and that ,he died for all1 that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves1 but unto ,him which died for them1 and rose again4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ad1 #ae47 ,,ii4 ,having thus glanced at our ,lord's service toward us in the past1 let us look for a few moments at ,his present service--at what ,he is now doing for us continually in the presence of ,god4 ,this we have most blessedly presented to us in that part of ,john xiii4 which ,i have read for you this evening4 ,the same precious grace shines in this as in all that on which we have been dwelling4 ,if we look back at the past1 we behold the ,perfect ,servant nailed to the cross for us2 if we look up to the throne now1 we behold ,him girded for us1 not only according to our present need1 but according to the perfect love of ,his heart--,his love to the ,father1 ,his love to the ,church1 ,his love to each individual believer from the beginning to the end of time4 ,now before the feast of the passover1 when ,jesus knew that ,his hour was come that ,he should depart out of this world unto the ,father1 having loved ,his own which were in the world1 ,he loved them unto the end4 ,and during supper see ,greek1 the devil having now put into the heart of ,judas ,iscariot1 ,simon's son1 to betray ,him2 ,jesus knowing that the ,father had given all things into ,his hands1 and that ,he was come from ,god1 and went to ,god2 ,he riseth from supper1 and laid aside ,his garments2 and took a towel1 and girded ,himself4 ,after that ,he poureth water into a basin1 and began to wash the disciples' feet1 and to wipe them with the towel wherewith ,he was girded4 ,here1 then1 we have a most marvelous presentation of ,christ's present service toward ,his own which are in the world4 ,there is something peculiarly precious in the expression1 ,his own4 ,it brings us so very near to the heart of ,christ4 ,it is so sweet to think that ,he can look at such poor1 feeble1 failing creatures as we are1 and say1 ,they are ,mine4 ,it matters not what others may think about them2 they belong to ,me1 and ,i must have them in a condition worthy of the place whence ,i came1 and whither ,i am going4 ,this1 brethren1 is ineffably precious and edifying for our souls4 ,it was in the sense of ,his personal glory1 in the consciousness that ,he had come from ,god and was going to ,god1 that ,he could stoop down and wash ,his people's feet4 ,there was nothing1 could be nothing1 higher than the place whence ,jesus had come2 there was nothing1 could be nothing1 lower than the defiled feet of ,his disciples3 but1 blessed and praised forever be ,his name6 ,he fills up in ,his own divine person and marvelous service every point between those two extremes4 ,he can lay one hand on the throne of ,god1 and the other on our feet1 and be ,himself the divine and eternal link between4 ,now1 there are three things in this scripture which ,i am anxious to put clearly before you this evening4 ,in the first place1 we have the special action of our ,lord toward ,his own in the world2 secondly1 the spring of that action2 and thirdly1 the measure of the action3--the action1 its spring1 and its measure4 7,i47 ,and first1 the action itself4 ,you will bear in mind1 beloved in the ,lord1 that what we have presented here is not the washing of regeneration4 ,that pertains to the first stage of our ,lord's service on our behalf4 ,his own which are in the world--all who belong to that highly privileged class 7and that is simply all who believe in ,his name7 have passed through that great washing1 in virtue of which ,christ can pronounce them clean every whit4 ,there is not a spot or a stain upon the very feeblest of that blessed number whom ,he calls ,his own4 ,he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet1 but is clean every whit3 and ye are clean1 but not all4 ,if a single spot could be detected on one of ,christ's own1 it would be a dishonor cast upon ,him1 inasmuch as ,he has washed us from all our guilt according to the perfection of ,his work as the ,servant of our need1 and1 far above all1 the ,servant of the eternal counsels1 purposes1 and glory of ,god4 ,he found us clean never a whit1 and ,he has made us clean every whit4 ,this is the washing of regeneration1 which is never repeated4 ,we have a figure of this in the case of the priests of the ,mosaic economy4 ,on the great day of their inauguration they were washed in water4 ,this action was never repeated4 ,but after this1 from day to day1 in order to fit them for the daily discharge of their priestly functions1 they had to wash their hands and their feet in the brazen laver in the tabernacle1 or the brazen sea in the temple4 ,this daily washing is the figure of the action in ,john xiii4 ,the two washings1 being distinct1 must never be confounded2 and being intimately connected1 must never be separated4 ,the washing of regeneration is divinely and eternally complete3 the washing of sanctification is being divinely and continually carried on4 ,the former is never repeated2 the latter is never interrupted4 ,that gives us a part in ,christ1 of which nothing can rob us2 and this gives us a part with ,christ1 of which any thing may deprive us4 ,the one is the basis of our eternal life2 the other is the ground of our daily communion4 ,beloved brethren1 see that you understand the meaning of having your feet washed1 moment by moment1 by the hands of that blessed ,one who is girded as the divine ,servant of your present need4 ,it is utterly impossible for any one to overestimate the importance of this work2 but we may at least gather something of its value from our ,lord's words to ,peter2 for ,peter1 like ourselves1 alas6 was very far from seizing the full significance of what his ,lord was doing4 ,then cometh ,he to ,simon ,peter2 and ,peter saith unto ,him1 ',lord1 dost ,thou wash my feet8' ,jesus answered and said unto him1 ',what ,i do thou knowest not now2 but thou shalt know hereafter4 ,peter saith unto ,him1 ',thou shalt never wash my feet4' ,jesus answered him1 ',if ,i wash thee not1 thou hast no part with ,me4' ,here is the grand point--part with ,me4 ,the washing of regeneration gives us a part in ,christ3 the daily washing of sanctification gives us a part with ,christ4 ,in order to full1 intelligent1 happy communion1 we must have a clean conscience1 and clean feet4 ,the blood of atonement secures the former2 the water of purification maintains the other4 ,but both the blood and the water flowed from a crucified ,christ4 ,the death of ,christ is the necessary basis of every thing4 ,he died to make us clean2 ,he lives to keep us clean4 ,we are made as clean as ,his death can make us2 we are kept as clean as ,his life can keep us4 ,and1 be it remembered1 this marvelous ministry of ,christ on our behalf never ceases4 ,he ever liveth to act for us on high1 and to act on us and in us by ,his ,word and ,spirit4 ,he speaks to ,god for us1 and ,he speaks to us for ,god4 ,he came from ,god1 and traveled down to the profoundest depths of our need4 ,he has gone back to ,god1 to bear us ever on ,his heart1 to meet our daily need1 and to maintain us in the integrity of the position and relationship into which ,he has introduced us4 ,this is replete with solid comfort for the soul4 ,we are passing through a defiling world1 where we are constantly liable to contract evils of one kind or another which1 though they cannot touch our eternal life1 can very seriously affect our communion4 ,it is impossible for us to tread the sanctuary of the divine presence with soiled feet2 and hence the deep and unspeakable blessedness of having ,one ever in the presence of ,god for us--,one who1 having been in this scene1 knows its true character2 and ,one who1 having come from ,god1 and gone back to ,him1 knows the full extent of ,his claims1 and all that is needful to fit us for fellowship with ,him4 ,the provision is divinely perfect4 ,sin or uncleanness can never be found in the presence of ,god4 ,if we can make light of either the one or the other1 ,god cannot and will not4 ,the holiness that shines in the demand for purity is as bright as the grace that provides it4 ,grace has made the provision1 but holiness demands the application thereof4 ,the goodness of ,god provided a laver for the priests of old1 but the holiness of ,god demanded that the priests should use that laver4 ,the great washing of inauguration introduced them to the office of the priesthood2 the washing in the laver fitted them for the duties of that office4 ,how could acceptable priestly service be discharged with unclean hands8 ,impossible4 ,and we may say it is as impossible that we can walk in the pathway of holiness if our feet are not washed and wiped by that blessed ,one who has girded ,himself to serve us in this matter perpetually4 ,all this is divinely simple4 ,there are two links in ,christianity2 namely1 the link of eternal life1 which can never be snapped by any thing2 and the link of personal communion1 which can be snapped in a moment by the weight of a feather4 ,now1 it is as our ways are cleansed by the holy action of the ,word1 through the ,holy ,ghost1 that our communion is maintained in its unbroken integrity4 ,but if ,i am afraid to face the ,word of ,god1 or if ,i am willfully refusing its action1 how can ,i enjoy communion with ,god8 ,i am not speaking now of ignorance of the ,word of ,god4 ,the ,lord bears with a wonderful amount of ignorance in us--far more than we could bear with in one another4 ,i do not now refer to the question of ignorance4 ,but suppose a case4 ,a young person entered these walls a few weeks ago1 and took her seat on one of these benches4 ,she was dressed out in all the fashion of this world--her head adorned with feathers and flowers1 and her fingers with jewels4 ,her heart full of vanity and folly4 ,here the grace of ,god met her in all its fullness and freeness4 ,the arrow of divine conviction entered her soul4 ,she was broken down under the mighty power of the ,word1 in the hands of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,she was brought to repentance toward ,god1 and faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,she was saved1 there and then1 and left the place rejoicing in a full salvation4 ,this joy continued for many days4 ,she was engrossed with her newly found treasure4 ,she never thought about her feathers1 her flowers1 or her jewels4 ,true1 she continued to wear them1 simply because she as yet saw nothing wrong in so doing4 ,she knew not as yet that there was so much as a single sentence in the ,word of ,god bearing upon such things4 ,brethren1 let me just remind you that we should be prepared for such a case as this1 and be prepared to meet it4 ,some of us1 ,i fear1 have but little wisdom or patience to deal with cases of this type4 ,we are in undue haste to enter upon what ,i may call the stripping process4 ,this is a mistake4 ,we must allow time for the hidden virtues of the kingdom of ,god to develop themselves4 ,we must not attempt to reduce the ,christian assembly into a place in which a certain livery is adopted4 ,this will never do4 ,we really cannot reduce all to a dead level4 ,we must allow the ,word of ,god to act on the life which the ,spirit of ,god has implanted4 ,i do nothing but mischief to people if ,i get them to adopt a certain style of dress merely at my suggestion4 ,the grand thing is to allow the kingdom of ,god to assert its holy sway over the entire character4 ,this is to ,his glory and the soul's genuine progress4 ,let us pursue our case4 ,our young friend1 in the course of her reading1 is arrested by the following pointed passage3 ,in like manner also1 that women adorn themselves in modest apparel1 with shamefacedness and sobriety2 not with broidered hair1 or gold1 or pearls1 or costly array2 but 7which becometh women professing godliness7 with good works4 7,i ,tim4 ii4 #i1 #aj47 ,and again1 ,whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair1 and of wearing of gold1 or of putting on of apparel2 but let it be the hidden man of the heart1 in that which is not corruptible1 even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit1 which is in the sight of ,god of great price4 7,i ,pet4 iii4 #c1 #d47 ,now1 here1 brethren1 we have illustrated for us the present ministry of ,christ--the action of the ,word upon the soul--the application of the basin to the feet--the washing of water by the ,word4 ,it is ,jesus stooping down to wash the feet of this young disciple4 ,the question is1 ,how will she receive the action8 ,will she resist it1 or yield to it8 ,will she push away the basin8 ,will she refuse the gracious ministry8 ,if ,i wash thee not1 thou hast no part with ,me4 ,this is very solemn1 and it demands our most serious attention4 ,next in moral importance to having the conscience purged by the blood of ,christ stands this cleansing of our ways by the action of the ,word1 through the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the former gives us a part in ,christ2 the latter1 a part with ,christ4 ,that is never repeated2 this must never be interrupted4 ,if we really desire fellowship with ,christ1 we must allow ,him to wash our feet moment by moment4 ,we cannot tread the pure precincts of the sanctuary of ,god with defiled feet any more than we can enter them with a defiled conscience4 ,hence1 therefore1 dearly beloved in the ,lord1 let us look well to it that we have our ways continually submitted to the purifying action of the precious ,word of ,god4 ,let us put away every thing which that ,word condemns2 let us abandon every position and every association and every practice which that ,word condemns1 that so our holy fellowship with ,christ may be maintained in its freshness and integrity4 ,nothing is more dangerous than to trifle with evil in any shape or form4 ,ignorance ,god can and does most graciously bear with1 but the willful resistance of ,his ,word in any one point is sure to lead to disastrous results4 ,the heart becomes hardened1 the conscience seared1 the moral sense blunted1 and the whole moral being gets into a most deplorable condition4 ,we get away from the ,lord1 and make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience4 ,may the ,lord keep us near to ,himself1 walking with ,him in tenderness of conscience and uprightness of heart4 ,may ,his ,word ever tell in living formative power upon our souls1 that so our way be cleansed according to the claims of the sanctuary of ,god4 7#b47 ,but let us now inquire for a moment into the spring of this action on which we have been dwelling4 ,this is presented with touching sweetness and power in the first verse of ,john xiii4--,having loved ,his own which were in the world1 ,he loved them unto the end4 ,here1 then1 brethren1 we have the mighty spring of ,christ's present ministry4 ,it is the changeless love of ,his heart--a love that was stronger than death1 and which many waters could not quench4 ,christ loved the ,church1 and gave ,himself for it2 that ,he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the ,word4 7,eph4 v4 #be1 #bf47 ,this is the blessed basis and the motive-spring of that marvelous ministry which our ,lord ,jesus ,christ is now carrying on for us and toward us4 ,he knew what ,he was undertaking when ,he uttered those words in the fortieth ,psalm1 ,lo1 ,i come to do ,thy will1 ,o ,god4 ,he knew what it would cost ,him when ,he took up our case4 ,but ,his love was and is divinely equal to all4 ,we need not be afraid of exhausting that love which triumphed over all the unutterable horrors of ,calvary1 and went down under the deep and dark waters of death and judgment4 ,we may at times feel ashamed to have so often to bring our defiled feet to that blessed ,one to cleanse them2 but ,his love is equal to all1 and that love is the spring of ,his precious and indispensable ministry4 ,it is a common saying that love is blind1 but ,i look upon it as a libel upon love4 ,most certainly it does not and could not apply to the love of ,christ4 ,he knew all that was in us1 and ,he knows now all our ways and all our weakness and all our follies2 but ,he loves us notwithstanding all1 and in the power of that love ,he acts toward us in order to deliver us from all that ,he sees in us and about us which would hinder our holy fellowship with the ,father and with ,his ,son4 ,brethren1 of what use1 may ,i ask you1 would a blind love be to you or to me8 ,surely1 none whatever4 ,how could we ever repose in a love which only acted toward us in ignorance of our blots and blemishes6 ,impossible4 ,what we want is a love superior to all our imperfections1 and a love that can deliver us from them4 ,this love we have in ,christ1 blessed be ,his name6 ,it is a love that1 however it may expose us to ourselves1 will never expose us to another4 ,it is a love that comes to us with the basin and towel1 and stoops down in infinite tenderness and lowly1 matchless grace to wash away every soil1 and give us the comfortable sense of being clean every whit4 ,this1 brethren1 is the love which you and ,i need1 and this is the love which we have found in divine fullness and power in the heart of that perfect ,servant who is girded for us ever before the throne4 ,having loved ,his own which were in the world1 ,he loved them--how long8 ,as long as they behaved themselves1 and walked with unsoiled feet8 ,ah1 no6 this would never do for such as we4 ,he loved them unto the end4 ,precious1 perfect1 divine1 everlasting love6 a love that overlaps and underlies and outlives all our blots and blemishes1 our failings and falterings1 our wants and weaknesses1 our wanderings and waywardness2 a love that has come to us armed with all that our condition could possibly demand2 a love that will never cease to act for us and toward us and in us1 until it presents us in unblemished perfectness before the throne of ,god4 7#c47 ,and now one word as to the measure of ,christ's present action for us and toward us4 ,this is a point of unspeakable value and importance4 ,it is essential for us to know that1 whether it be a question of ,christ's service for us in the past or ,his present service1 the measure of both the one and the other is and can be nothing less than the claims of the sanctuary1 the throne1 and the nature of ,god4 ,we might suppose that the measure would be our necessities1 but this would never do4 ,if we think of ,christ's atoning work1 we know1 and rejoice to know1 that precious work has done very much more than meet the deepest measure of our necessities as sinners4 ,blessed be ,god6 the work of the cross has divinely met all the claims of ,god4 ,it could never give solid peace to our souls merely to know that the very highest claims of human conscience had been met by the atoning death of ,christ4 ,we must be assured on divine authority that the highest claims of the government1 the character1 the nature1 and the glory of ,god have all been perfectly met by the precious work of ,christ4 ,thus it is through infinite grace1 and here every divinely exercised soul can find settled and eternal peace4 ,nor is it otherwise in respect to ,christ's present work for us4 ,it could never satisfy our souls1 brethren1 to be told that that work is measured by our very deepest need4 ,that need is met1 no doubt2 but it is because ,christ's present ministry goes far beyond that need1 and reaches to1 and satisfies the claims of1 the sanctuary of ,god4 ,unspeakable mercy6 ,here we may rest in perfect tranquillity4 ,we have ,one on high undertaking for us1 ever living in the presence of ,god for us2 ,one who not only knows our necessities1 but knows also the claims of ,god4 ,he knows what this scene is through which we are passing1 and ,he knows what that scene is into which ,he has entered2 and1 all praise to ,his name6 ,he meets in ,his own perfect ministry both the one and the other4 ,he must needs meet all our claims since ,he meets all ,god's claims1 for the less must ever be included in the greater4 ,what solid comfort is here6 ,what unruffled repose6 ,we have ,one in the presence of ,god for us1 in whose hands all our affairs are perfectly1 because divinely1 safe4 ,they can never fall through1 never go wrong4 ,we may say that ere ever the very weakest of those whom ,christ calls ,his own in the world can fail1 ,christ ,himself must fail1 and that can be never4 ,his own are as safe as ,himself4 ,what a grand reality6 ,with what perfect confidence may we refer every objector1 every accuser1 every opposer1 to this blessed manager6 ,and what folly1 on our part1 to attempt to answer such ourselves6 ,oh1 beloved brethren1 may we learn to lean more confidently on that blessed ,one who thus presents ,himself before our souls as the girded servant of our deep and manifold necessities4 ,may we prize ,his precious ministry more and more--,his ministry for us1 ,his ministry to us4 ,may we repose more sweetly in the assurance that ,he is speaking to the ,father for us1 in all our failures1 in all our shortcomings1 in all our sins4 ,may we remember1 for our exceeding comfort1 that even before we slip1 ,he has been pleading for us1 as ,he pleaded for ,peter4 ,i have prayed for thee1 said the loving ,one1 that thy faith fail not4 ,oh1 the matchless grace of these words6 ,he did not pray that ,peter might not fall1 but that1 having fallen1 his confidence might not give way1 his faith might not fail4 ,thus1 too1 ,he pleads for us1 and thus we are sustained1 and thus we are restored when we fall1 else we should very speedily go from bad to worse1 and make shipwreck altogether4 ,he ever liveth to make intercession for us4 ,we are sustained by ,his precious and powerful ministry every moment4 ,we could not stand for a single hour without ,him4 ,things are continually turning up which would prove destructive of our fellowship1 if we had not that blessed ,one acting for us1 whose intervention on our behalf never ceases4 ,he knows not only our need1 but ,he knows what the sanctuary demands2 and not only does ,he know it1 but ,he provides for it1 according to ,his own infinite perfectness and acceptance before ,god1 meeting ,his people's necessities4 ,now1 there are some people--,i do not know whether there are any here to-night--but there are some people who have got such a one-sided notion of the standing of the believer1 that they throw the ,lord's priestly ministry overboard altogether4 ,i say it is one-sided1 and there is nothing more dangerous than one-sided truth--nothing4 ,i would far rather see a man going through the length and breadth of ,london publishing palpable error1 such as the simplest mind could detect4 ,i would have far less apprehension of the mischievous result of his ministry than of the teaching of a man who takes up one side of a truth1 and presses it in such a way as to interfere with some other truth4 ,now1 there is an adjusting power in the truth of ,god--an adjusting power in ,scripture that constitutes one of its brightest moral glories2 and hence we find that while the ,word of ,god most fully and blessedly establishes the truth that the believer stands complete in ,christ1 justified from all things1 accepted in the ,beloved1 clean every whit1 it1 at the same time1 with equal clearness and fullness1 sets forth the fact that the believer is1 in himself1 a poor feeble creature1 exposed to manifold snares1 temptations1 and hostile influences2 liable at any moment to fall into error and evil2 utterly unable to keep himself1 or to grapple with the difficulties and dangers which surround him2 liable at any moment to contract defilement1 which would unfit him for the holy fellowship and worship of the sanctuary4 ,how1 then1 are all those things to be met8 ,how is the ,christian to be kept in the face of such things8 ,having an evil nature1 a crafty foe1 and a hostile world to cope with1 how is he to get on8 ,how is he to be kept8 ,how is he to be restored if he wanders8 ,how is he to be lifted up if he falls8 ,the answer to all these questions is found in that ever-precious sentence of inspiration1 ,he ever liveth to make intercession for us2 and again1 ,he is able to save to the uttermost2 and again1 ,we shall be saved by ,his life2 and again1 ,because ,i live1 ye shall live also2 and again1 ,we have an advocate with the ,father4 ,brethren1 how the heart delights to give forth and to ponder over such utterances as these6 ,they are marrow and fatness to the soul4 ,how can any one1 in the face of such passages--to say nothing of his own necessary experiences as to himself and his surroundings--think of calling in question the grand foundation-truth of the priesthood of ,christ1 in its application to believers now8 ,i can only say1 ,i know not4 ,but alas6 alas6 there is no accounting for the depths of error into which we may fall1 if we allow our minds to work1 and get away from the direct authority of holy ,scripture4 ,and we may truly say that a most palpable proof of our need of the intercession of ,christ is to be found in the sad fact that any of ,his servants should be found to deny it4 ,i shall add no more on this point1 save to warn all the ,lord's dear people against the terrible error of denying our continual need of the priestly ministry1 the precious intercession and all-prevailing advocacy of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ--an error second only to the denial of ,his atoning work4 ,for most surely our need of ,his priesthood is second only to our need of ,his atoning blood4 ,,iii4 ,having then briefly1 and1 alas6 imperfectly1 glanced at our ,lord's ministry in the past and in the present1 we cannot close without a reference to ,his ministry in the future4 ,some may feel disposed to say1 ,i do not understand how our ,lord can ever be found serving us in the future4 ,i can understand ,his serving us now on the throne1 but how ,he is to serve us in the kingdom is1 ,i confess1 beyond me4 ,no doubt it is most marvelous1 and had we not ,his own veritable words for it1 we might well hesitate in our statement of the fact that our ,lord ,christ shall serve ,his people in the very brightness of the glory4 ,but let us hear what ,he ,himself saith to us4 ,turn for a moment to ,luke xii4 #ce3 ,let your loins be girded about1 and your lights burning2 and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord1 when he will return from the wedding2 that when he cometh and knocketh1 they may open unto him immediately4 ,blessed are those servants1 whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching3 verily ,i say unto you1 that he shall gird himself1 and make them to sit down to meat1 and will come forth and serve them4 ,this is distinct and unmistakable4 ,most marvelous1 no doubt1 but as plain as it is marvelous4 ,christ will serve us in the kingdom4 ,he will serve us forever4 ,his ministry overlaps our entire history4 ,it reaches down to the very deepest depths of our need as sinners1 and up to the very loftiest heights of the glory4 ,it goes back to the past1 it covers the present1 and it stretches away into the boundless future4 ,blessed be ,his name6 ,he loves to serve us1 and ,he gives us the assurance that the very moment1 as it were1 that ,he enters upon the glory of name6 has given us a whole heart1 and nothing can satisfy ,him in return but a whole heart from us4 ,his entire service--past1 present1 and future--is the fruit of ,his perfect love2 and nothing can meet ,his desire1 with respect to us1 save a heart responsive in its affections to ,him4 ,and where there is this1 it will express itself in an anxious1 earnest longing for ,his coming4 ,blessed are those servants1 whom their lord when he cometh shall find watching4 ,may the eternal ,spirit fill our hearts with genuine love to the ,person of our own adorable ,lord and ,saviour2 that so our one grand and undivided purpose may be to live for ,him in this scene from which ,he has been cast out1 and to wait for that moment when we shall see ,him as ,he is1 and be like ,him and with ,him forever4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,prayer ,,and ,,the ,,prayer-,,meeting ,in considering the deeply important subject of prayer1 two things claim our attention2 first1 the moral basis of prayer2 secondly1 its moral conditions4 ,i4 ,the basis of prayer is set forth in such words as the following3 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ye shall ask what ye will1 and it shall be done unto you4 7,john xv4 #g47 ,again1 ,beloved1 if our heart condemn us not1 then have we confidence toward ,god4 ,and whatsoever we ask1 we receive of ,him1 because we keep ,his commandments1 and do those things that are pleasing in ,his sight4 7,i ,john iii4 #ba1 #bb47 ,so also1 when the blessed apostle seeks an interest in the prayers of the saints1 he sets forth the moral basis of his appeal--,pray for us2 for we trust we have a good conscience1 in all things willing to live honestly4 7,heb4 xiii4 #ah47 ,from these passages1 and many more of like import1 we learn that1 in order to effectual prayer1 there must be an obedient heart1 an upright mind1 a good conscience4 ,if the soul be not in communion with ,god--if it be not abiding in ,christ--if it be not ruled by ,his holy commandments--if the eye be not single1 how could we possibly look for answers to our prayers8 ,we should1 as the apostle ,james says1 be asking amiss1 that we may consume it upon our lusts4 ,how could ,god1 as a holy ,father1 grant such petitions8 ,impossible4 ,how very needful1 therefore1 it is to give earnest heed to the moral basis on which our prayers are presented4 ,how could the apostle have asked the brethren to pray for him1 if he had not a good conscience1 a single eye1 an upright mind--the moral persuasion that in all things he really wished to live honestly8 ,we may safely assert1 he could do no such thing4 ,but may we not often detect ourselves in the habit of lightly and formally asking others to pray for us8 ,it is a very common formulary amongst us--,remember me in your prayers1 and most surely nothing can be more blessed or precious than to be borne upon the hearts of ,god's dear people in their approaches to the mercy-seat2 but do we sufficiently attend to the moral basis8 ,when we say1 ,brethren pray for us1 can we add1 as in the presence of the ,searcher of hearts1 ,for we trust we have a good conscience1 in all things willing to live honestly8 and when we ourselves bow before the throne of grace1 is it with an uncondemning heart--an upright mind--a single eye--a soul really abiding in ,christ1 and keeping ,his commandments8 ,these1 beloved reader1 are searching questions4 ,they go right to the very centre of the heart--down to the very roots and moral springs of our being4 ,but it is well to be thoroughly searched--searched in reference to every thing1 but especially in reference to prayer4 ,there is a terrible amount of unreality in our prayers--a sad lack of the moral basis--a vast amount of asking amiss4 ,hence1 the want of power and efficacy in our prayers--hence1 the formality--the routine--yea1 the positive hypocrisy4 ,the ,psalmist says1 ,if ,i regard iniquity in my heart1 the ,lord will not hear me4 ,how solemn this is6 ,our ,god will have reality2 ,he desireth truth in the inward parts4 ,he1 blessed be ,his name1 is real with us1 and ,he will have us real with ,him4 ,he will have us coming before ,him as we really are1 and with what we really want4 ,how often1 alas6 it is otherwise1 both in private and in public6 ,how often are our prayers more like orations than petitions--more like statements of doctrine than utterances of need6 ,it seems1 at times1 as though we meant to explain principles to ,god1 and give ,him a large amount of information4 ,these are the things which cast a withering influence over our prayer-meetings1 robbing them of their freshness1 their interest1 and their value4 ,those who really know what prayer is--who feel its value1 and are conscious of their need of it1 attend the prayer-meeting in order to pray1 not to hear orations1 lectures1 and expositions from men on their knees4 ,if they want lectures1 they can attend at the lecture-hall or the preaching-room2 but when they go to the prayer-meeting1 it is to pray4 ,to them1 the prayer-meeting is the place of expressed need and expected blessing--the place of expressed weakness and expected power4 ,such is their idea of the place where prayer is wont to be made2 and therefore when they flock thither1 they are not disposed or prepared to listen to long preaching prayers1 which would be deemed barely tolerable if delivered from the desk1 but which are absolutely insufferable in the shape of prayer4 ,we write plainly1 because we feel the need of great plainness of speech4 ,we deeply feel our want of reality1 sincerity1 and truth in our prayers and prayer-meetings4 ,not unfrequently it happens that what we call prayer is not prayer at all1 but the fluent utterance of certain known and acknowledged truths and principles1 to which one has listened so often that the reiteration becomes tiresome in the extreme4 ,what can be more painful than to hear a man on his knees explaining principles and unfolding doctrines8 ,the question forces itself upon us1 ,is the man speaking to ,god1 or to us8 ,if to ,god1 surely nothing can be more irreverent or profane than to attempt to explain things to ,him2 but if to us1 then it is not prayer at all1 and the sooner we rise from the attitude of prayer the better1 inasmuch as the speaker will do better on his legs and we in our seats4 ,and1 having referred to the subject of attitude1 we would very lovingly call attention to a matter which1 in our judgment1 demands a little serious consideration2 we allude to the habit of sitting during the holy and solemn exercise of prayer4 ,we are fully aware1 of course1 that the grand question in prayer is1 to have the heart in a right attitude4 ,and further1 we know1 and would ever bear in mind1 that many who attend our prayer-meetings are aged1 infirm1 and delicate people1 who could not possibly kneel for any length of time--perhaps not at all4 ,then again1 it often happens that1 even where there is not physical weakness1 and where there would be real desire to kneel down1 as feeling it to be the proper attitude1 yet1 from actual want of space1 it is impossible to change one's position4 ,all these things must be taken into account2 but1 allowing as broad a margin as possible in which to insert these modifying clauses1 we must still hold to it that there is a very deplorable lack of reverence in many of our public reunions for prayer4 ,we frequently observe young men1 who can neither plead physical weakness nor want of space1 sitting through an entire prayer-meeting4 ,this1 we confess1 is offensive1 and we cannot but believe it grieves the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,we ought to kneel down when we can2 it expresses reverence and prostration4 ,the blessed ,master kneeled down and prayed4 7,luke xxii4 #da47 ,his apostle did the same1 as we read in ,acts xx4 #cf1 ,when he had thus spoken1 he kneeled down and prayed with them all4 ,and is it not comely and right so to do8 ,assuredly it is4 ,and can aught be more unseemly than to see a number of people sitting1 lolling1 lounging1 and gaping about while prayer is being offered8 ,we consider it perfectly shocking1 and we do here most earnestly beseech all the ,lord's people to give this matter their solemn consideration1 and to endeavor1 in every possible way1 both by precept and example1 to promote the godly habit of kneeling at our prayer-meetings4 ,no doubt those who take part in the meeting would greatly aid in this matter by short and fervent prayers2 but of this1 more hereafter4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,we shall now proceed to consider1 in the light of holy ,scripture1 the moral conditions or attributes of prayer4 ,there is nothing like having the authority of the divine ,word for every thing in the entire range of our practical ,christian life4 ,scripture must be our one grand and conclusive referee in all our questions4 ,let us never forget this4 ,what1 then1 saith the ,scripture as to the necessary moral conditions of prayer8 ,turn to ,matthew xviii4 #ai--;,again ,i say unto you1 that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask1 it shall be done for them of ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,here we learn that one necessary condition of our prayers is1 unanimity--cordial agreement--thorough oneness of mind4 ,the true force of the words is1 ,if two of you shall symphonize--shall make one common sound4 ,there must be no jarring note1 no discordant element4 ,if1 for example1 we come together to pray about the progress of the gospel--the conversion of souls1 we must be of one mind in the matter--we must make one common sound before our ,god4 ,it will not do for each to have some special thought of his own to carry out4 ,we must come before the throne of grace in holy harmony of mind and spirit1 else we cannot claim an answer1 on the ground of ,matthew xviii4 #ai4 ,now1 this is a point of immense moral weight4 ,its importance1 as bearing upon the tone and character of our prayer-meetings1 cannot possibly be overestimated4 ,it is very questionable indeed whether any of us have given sufficient attention to it4 ,have we not to deplore the objectless character of our prayer-meetings8 ,ought we not to come together more with some definite object on our hearts1 as to which we are going to wait together upon ,god8 ,we read in the first chapter of ,acts1 in reference to the early disciples1 ,these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication1 with the women1 and ,mary the mother of ,jesus1 and with ,his brethren4,,xxx4 ,and again1 in the second chapter1 we read1 ,when the day of ,pentecost was fully come1 they were all with one accord in one place4 ,they were waiting1 according to our ,lord's instructions1 for the promise of the ,father--the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,they had the sure word of promise4 ,the ,comforter was1 without fail1 to come2 but this1 so far from dispensing with prayer1 was the very ground of its blessed exercise4 ,they prayed2 they prayed in one place2 they prayed with one accord4 ,they were thoroughly agreed4 ,they all1 without exception1 had one definite object before their hearts4 ,they were waiting for the promised ,spirit2 they continued to wait2 and they waited with one accord1 until ,he came4 ,men and women1 absorbed with one object1 waited in holy concord1 in happy symphony--waited on1 day after day1 earnestly1 fervently1 harmoniously waited until they were indued with the promised power from on high4 ,should not we go and do likewise8 ,is there not a sad lack of this one accord1 one place principle in our midst8 ,true it is1 blessed be ,god1 we have not to ask for the ,holy ,ghost to come1--,he has come2 we have not to ask for the outpouring of the ,spirit1--,he has been poured out3 but we have to ask for the display of ,his blessed power in our midst4 ,supposing our lot is cast in a place where spiritual death and darkness reign4 ,there is not so much as a single breath of life--not a leaf stirring4 ,the heaven above seems like brass2 the earth beneath1 iron4 ,such a thing as a conversion is never heard of4 ,a withering formalism seems to have settled down upon the entire place4 ,powerless profession1 dead routine1 stupefying mechanical religiousness1 are the order of the day4 ,what is to be done8 ,are we to allow ourselves to fall under the fatal influence of the surrounding malaria8 are we to yield to the paralyzing power of the atmosphere that inwraps the place8 ,assuredly not4 ,if not1 what then8 ,let us1 even if there be but two who really feel the condition of things1 get together1 with one accord1 and pour out our hearts to ,god4 ,let us wait on ,him1 in holy concord1 with united1 firm purpose1 until ,he send a copious shower of blessing upon the barren spot4 ,let us not fold our arms and vainly say1 ,the time is not come4 ,let us not yield to that pernicious offshoot of a one-sided theology1 which is rightly called fatalism1 and say1 ,god is sovereign1 and ,he works according to ,his own will4 ,we must wait ,his time4 ,human effort is in vain4 ,we cannot get up a revival4 ,we must beware of mere excitement4 ,all this seems very plausible2 and the more so because there is a measure of truth in it2 indeed it is all true1 so far as it goes3 but it is only one side of the truth4 ,it is truth1 and nothing but the truth2 but it is not the whole truth4 ,hence its mischievous tendency4 ,there is nothing more to be dreaded than one-sided truth2 it is far more dangerous than positive1 palpable error4 ,many an earnest soul has been stumbled and turned completely out of the way by one-sided or misapplied truth4 ,many a true-hearted and useful workman has been chilled1 repulsed1 and driven out of the harvest-field by the injudicious enforcement of certain doctrines having a measure of truth1 but not the full truth of ,god4 ,nothing1 however1 can touch the truth1 or weaken the force of ,matthew xviii4 #ai4 ,it stands in all its blessed fullness1 freeness1 and preciousness before the eye of faith2 its terms are clear and unmistakable4 ,if two of you shall agree upon earth1 as touching any thing that they shall ask1 it shall be done for them of ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,here is our warrant for coming together to pray for any thing that may be laid on our hearts4 ,do we mourn over the coldness1 barrenness1 and death around us8 ,are we discouraged by the little apparent fruit from the preaching of the gospel--the lack of power in the preaching itself1 and the total absence of practical result8 ,are our souls cast down by the barrenness1 dullness1 heaviness1 and low tone of all our reunions1 whether at the table of our ,lord1 before the mercy-seat1 or around the fountain of holy ,scripture8 ,what are we to do8 ,fold our arms in cold indifference8 give up in despair8 or give vent to complaining1 murmuring1 fretfulness1 or irritation8 ,god forbid6 ,what then8 ,come together1 with one accord in one place2 get down on our faces before our ,god1 and pour out our hearts1 as the heart of one man1 pleading ,matthew xviii4 #ai4 ,this1 we may rest assured1 is the grand remedy--the unfailing resource4 ,it is perfectly true that ,god is sovereign1 and this is the very reason why we should wait on ,him2 perfectly true that human effort is in vain1 and that is the very reason for seeking divine power2 perfectly true that we cannot get up a revival1 and that is the very reason for seeking to get it down2 perfectly true that we must beware of mere excitement2 equally true that we must beware of coldness1 deadness1 and selfish indifference4 ,the simple fact is1 there is no excuse whatever--so long as ,christ is at the right hand of ,god--so long as ,god the ,holy ,ghost is in our midst and in our hearts--so long as we have the ,word of ,god in our hands--so long as ,matthew xviii4 #ai shines before our eyes--there is1 we repeat1 no excuse whatever for barrenness1 deadness1 coldness1 and indifference--no excuse for heavy and unprofitable meetings--no excuse whatever for lack of freshness in our reunions or of fruitfulness in our service4 ,let us wait on ,god1 in holy concord1 and the blessing is sure to come4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,if we turn to ,matthew xxi4 #bb1 we shall find another of the essential conditions of effectual prayer4 ,and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer1 believing1 ye shall receive4 ,this is a truly marvelous statement4 ,it opens the very treasury of heaven to faith4 ,there is absolutely no limit4 ,our blessed ,lord assures us that we shall receive whatsoever we ask in simple faith4 ,the apostle ,james1 under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 gives us a similar assurance in reference to the matter of asking for wisdom4 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all liberally1 and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him4 ,but--here is the moral condition--let him ask in faith1 nothing wavering4 ,for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea1 driven with the wind and tossed4 ,for let not that man think that he shall obtain any thing of the ,lord4 ,from both these passages we learn that if our prayers are to have an answer1 they must be prayers of faith4 ,it is one thing to utter words in the form of prayer1 and another thing altogether to pray in simple faith1 in the full1 clear1 and settled assurance that we shall have what we are asking for4 ,it is greatly to be feared that many of our so-called prayers never go beyond the ceiling of the room4 ,in order to reach the throne of ,god1 they must be borne on the wings of faith1 and proceed from hearts united and minds agreed1 in holy purpose1 to wait on our ,god for the things which we really require4 ,now1 the question is1 are not our prayers and prayer-meetings sadly deficient on this point8 ,is not the deficiency manifest from the fact that we see so little result from our prayers8 ,ought we not to examine ourselves as to how far we really understand these two conditions of prayer1 namely1 unanimity and confidence8 ,if it be true--and it is true1 for ,christ has said it--that two persons agreed to ask in faith can have whatsoever they ask1 why do we not see more abundant answers to our prayers8 ,must not the fault be in us8--are we not deficient in concord and confidence8 ,our ,lord1 in ,matthew xviii4 #ai1 comes down1 as we say1 to the very smallest plurality--the smallest congregation--even to two2 but of course the promise applies to dozens1 scores1 or hundreds4 ,the grand point is1 to be thoroughly agreed and fully persuaded that we shall get what we are asking for4 ,this would give a different tone and character altogether to our reunions for prayer4 ,it would make them very much more real than our ordinary prayer-meeting1 which1 alas6 alas6 is often poor1 cold1 dead1 objectless1 and desultory1 exhibiting any thing but cordial agreement and unwavering faith4 ,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 souls1 to come together and wait upon ,god for a certain thing1 and to persevere in prayer until they receive an answer6 ,how little we see of this6 ,we attend the prayer-meeting from week to week--and very right we should--but 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 throne8 ,the answer to this question links itself on to another of the moral conditions of prayer4 ,let us turn to ,luke xi4 ,and ,he said unto them1 ',which of you shall have a friend1 and shall go unto him at midnight1 and say unto him1 ,friend1 lend me three loaves2 for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me1 and ,i have nothing to set before him8 ,and he from within shall answer and say1 ,trouble me not2 the door is now shut1 and my children are with me in bed2 ,i cannot rise and give thee4 ,i say unto you1 though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend1 yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth4 ,and ,i say unto you1 ,ask1 and it shall be given you2 seek1 and ye shall find2 knock1 and it shall be opened unto you4 ,for every one that asketh receiveth2 and he that seeketh findeth2 and to him that knocketh it shall be opened4' 7,ver4 #e-aj47 ,these words are of the very highest possible importance1 inasmuch as they contain part of our ,lord's reply to the request of ,his disciples1 ,lord1 teach us to pray4 ,let no one imagine for a moment that we would dare to take it upon ourselves to teach people how to pray4 ,god forbid6 ,nothing is further from our thoughts4 ,we are merely seeking to bring the souls of our readers into direct contact with the ,word of ,god--the veritable sayings of our blessed ,lord and ,master--so that1 in the light of those sayings1 they may judge for themselves as to how far our prayers and our prayer-meetings come up to the divine standard4 ,what1 then1 do we learn from ,luke xi8 what are the moral conditions which it sets before us8 ,in the first place1 it teaches us to be definite in our prayers4 ,friend1 lend me three loaves4 ,there is a positive need felt and expressed2 there is the one thing before the mind and on the heart1 and to this one thing he confines himself4 ,it is not a long1 rambling1 desultory statement about all sorts of things3 it is distinct1 direct1 and pointed1--,i want three loaves1 ,i cannot do without them1 ,i must have them1 ,i am shut up1 the case is urgent1 the time of night--all the circumstances give definiteness and earnestness to the appeal4 ,he cannot wander from the one point1 ,friend1 lend me three loaves4 ,no doubt it seems a very untoward time to come--midnight4 ,every thing looks discouraging4 ,the friend has retired for the night1 the door is shut1 his children are with him in bed1 he cannot rise4 ,all this is very depressing2 but still the definite need is pressed3 he must have the three loaves4 ,now1 we cannot but judge that there is a great practical lesson here which may be applied1 with immense profit1 to our prayers and our prayer-meetings4 ,must we not admit that our reunions for prayer suffer sadly from long1 rambling1 desultory prayers8 ,do we not frequently give utterance to a whole host of things of which we do not really feel the need1 and which we have no notion of waiting for at all8 ,should we not sometimes be taken very much aback were the ,lord to appear to us at the close of our prayer-meeting and ask us1 ,what do you really want ,me to give or to do8 ,we feel most thoroughly persuaded that all this demands our serious consideration4 ,we believe it would impart great earnestness1 freshness1 glow1 depth1 reality1 and power to our prayer-meetings were we to attend with something definite on our hearts1 as to which we could invite the fellowship of our brethren4 ,some of us seem to think it necessary to make one long prayer about all sorts of things--many of them very right and very good1 no doubt--but the mind gets bewildered by the multiplicity of subjects4 ,how much better to bring some one object before the throne1 earnestly urge it1 and pause1 so that the ,holy ,spirit may lead out others1 in like manner1 either for the same thing or something else equally definite4 ,long prayers are often wearisome2 indeed1 in many cases1 they are a positive infliction4 ,it will perhaps be said that we must not prescribe any time to the ,holy ,spirit4 ,true indeed2--away from us be the thought6 ,who would venture upon such a piece of daring blasphemy8 ,we are simply comparing what we find in ,scripture 7where their brief pointedness is characteristic--see ,matt4 vi1 ,john xvii41 ,acts iv4 #bd-cj1 ,eph4 i1 iii1 etc47 with what we too often--not always1 thank ,god6--find in our prayer-meetings4 ,let it1 then1 be distinctly borne in mind that long prayers are not the rule in ,scripture4 ,they are referred to in ,mark xii4 #dj1 etc41 in terms of withering disapproval4 ,brief1 fervent1 pointed prayers impart great freshness and interest to the prayer-meeting2 but on the other hand1 as a general rule1 long and desultory prayers exert a most depressing influence upon all4 ,but there is another very important moral condition set forth in our ,lord's teaching in ,luke xi1 and that is1 importunity4 ,he tells us that the man succeeds in gaining his object simply by his importunate earnestness4 ,he is not to be put off2 he must get the three loaves4 ,importunity prevails even where the claims of friendship prove inoperative4 ,the man is bent on his object2 he has no alternative4 ,there is a demand1 and he has nothing to meet it--,i have nothing to set before my traveling friend4 ,in short1 he will not take a refusal4 ,now1 the question is1 how far do we understand this great lesson8 ,it is not1 blessed be ,god1 that ,he will ever answer us from within4 ,he will never say to us1 ,trouble me not--,i cannot rise and give thee4 ,he is ever our true and ready ,friend--a cheerful1 liberal1 and unupbraiding ,giver4 ,all praise to ,his holy name6 ,still1 ,he encourages importunity1 and we need to ponder ,his teaching4 ,there is a sad lack of it in our prayer-meetings4 ,indeed1 it will be found that in proportion to the lack of definiteness is the lack of importunity4 ,the two go very much together4 ,where the thing sought is as definite as the three loaves1 there will generally be the importunate asking for it1 and the firm purpose to get it4 ,the simple fact is1 we are too vague and1 as a consequence1 too indifferent in our prayers and prayer-meetings4 ,we do not seem like people asking for what they want1 and waiting for what they ask4 ,this is what destroys our prayer-meetings1 rendering them pithless1 pointless1 powerless2 turning them into teaching or talking-meetings1 rather than deep-toned1 earnest prayer-meetings4 ,we feel convinced that the whole ,church of ,god needs to be thoroughly aroused in reference to this great question2 and this conviction it is which compels us to offer these hints and suggestions1 with which we are not yet done4 ,,part ,,iv4 ,the more deeply we ponder the subject which has been for some time engaging our attention1 and the more we consider the state of the entire ,church of ,god1 the more convinced we are of the urgent need of a thorough awakening every where in reference to the question of prayer4 ,we cannot--nor do we desire to--shut our eyes to the fact that deadness1 coldness1 and barrenness seem1 as a rule1 to characterize our prayer-meetings4 ,no doubt we may find here and there a pleasing exception1 but speaking generally1 we do not believe that any sober1 spiritual person will call in question the truth of what we state1 namely1 that the tone of our prayer-meetings is fearfully low1 and that it is absolutely imperative upon us to inquire seriously as to the cause4 ,in the papers already put forth on this great1 all-important1 and deeply practical subject1 we have ventured to offer to our readers a few hints and suggestions4 ,we have briefly glanced at our lack of confidence1 our failure in cordial unanimity1 the absence of definiteness and importunity4 ,we have referred in plain terms--and we must speak plainly if we are to speak at all--to many things which are felt by all the truly spiritual amongst us to be not only trying and painful1 but thoroughly subversive of the real power and blessing of our reunions for prayer4 ,we have spoken of the long1 tiresome1 desultory1 preaching prayers which1 in some cases1 have become so perfectly intolerable1 that the ,lord's dear people are scared away from the prayer-meetings altogether4 ,they feel that they are only wearied1 grieved1 and irritated1 instead of being refreshed1 comforted1 and strengthened2 and hence they deem it better to stay away4 ,they judge it to be more profitable1 if they have an hour to spare1 to spend it in the privacy of their closet1 where they can pour out their hearts to ,god in earnest prayer and supplication1 than to attend a so-called prayer-meeting1 where they are absolutely wearied out with incessant1 powerless1 hymn-singing1 or long preaching prayers4 ,now1 we more than question the rightness of such a course4 ,we seriously doubt if this be at all the way to remedy the evils of which we complain4 ,indeed1 we are thoroughly persuaded it is not4 ,if it be right to come together for prayer and supplication--and who will question the rightness8--then surely it is not right for any one to stay away merely because of the feebleness1 failure1 or even the folly of some who may take part in the meeting4 ,if all the really spiritual members were to stay away on such a ground1 what would become of the prayer-meeting8 ,we have very little idea of how much is involved in the elements which compose a meeting4 ,even though we may not take part audibly in the action1 yet if we are there in a right spirit--there really to wait upon ,god1 we marvelously help the tone of a meeting4 ,besides1 we must remember that we have something more to do in attending a meeting than to think of our own comfort1 profit1 and blessing4 ,we must think of the ,lord's glory2 we must seek to do ,his blessed will1 and try to promote the good of others in every possible way2 and neither of these ends1 we may rest assured1 can be attained by our deliberately absenting ourselves from the place where prayer is wont to be made4 ,we repeat1 and with emphasis1 the words1 deliberately absenting ourselves--staying away because we are not profited by what takes place there4 ,many things may crop up to hinder our being present--ill-health1 domestic duties1 lawful claims upon our time if we are in the employment of others1--all these things have to be taken into account2 but we may set it down as a fixed principle that the one who can designedly absent himself from the prayer-meeting is in a bad state of soul4 ,the healthy1 happy1 earnest1 diligent soul will be sure to be found at the prayer-meeting4 ,but all this conducts us1 naturally and simply1 to another of those moral conditions at which we have been glancing in this series of papers4 ,let us turn for a moment to the opening lines of ,luke xviii4 ,and ,he spake a parable unto them to this end1 that men ought always to pray1 and not to faint3 saying1 ',there was in a city a judge1 which feared not ,god1 neither regarded man4 ,and there was a widow in that city1 and she came unto him1 saying1 ,avenge me of mine adversary4 ,and he would not for a while2 but afterward he said within himself1 ,though ,i fear not ,god1 nor regard man1 yet1 because this widow troubleth me1 ,i will avenge her1 lest by her continual coming she weary me4' ,and the ,lord said1 ',hear what the unjust judge saith4 ,and shall not ,god avenge ,his own elect1 which cry day and night unto ,him1 though ,he bear long with them8 ,i tell you that ,he will avenge them speedily4' 7,ver4 ,i-#h47 ,here1 then1 we have pressed upon our attention the important moral condition of perseverance4 ,men ought always to pray1 and not to faint4 ,this is intimately connected with the definiteness and importunity to which we have already referred4 ,we want a certain thing2 we cannot do without it4 ,we importunately1 unitedly1 believingly1 and perseveringly wait on our ,god until ,he graciously send an answer1 as ,he most assuredly will1 if the moral basis and the moral conditions be duly maintained4 ,but we must persevere4 ,we must not faint1 and give up1 though the answer does not come as speedily as we might expect4 ,it may please ,god to exercise our souls by keeping us waiting on ,him for days1 months1 or perhaps years4 ,the exercise is good4 ,it is morally healthful2 it tends to make us real2 it brings us down to the roots of things4 ,look1 for example1 at ,daniel4 ,he was kept for three full weeks waiting on ,god1 in profound exercise of soul4 ,in those days ,i ,daniel was mourning three full weeks4 ,i ate no pleasant bread1 neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth1 neither did ,i anoint myself at all1 till three full weeks were fulfilled4 ,all this was good for ,daniel4 ,there was deep blessing in the spiritual exercises through which this beloved and honored servant of ,god was called to pass during those three weeks4 ,and what is specially worthy of note is1 that the answer to ,daniel's cry had been despatched from the throne of ,god at the very beginning of his exercise1 as we read at verse #ab1 ,then said he unto me1 ',fear not ,daniel2 for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand1 and to chasten thyself before thy ,god1 thy words were heard1 and ,i am come for thy words4 ,but--how marvelous and mysterious is this6--the prince of the kingdom of ,persia withstood me one and twenty days2 but1 lo1 ,michael1 one of the chief princes1 came to help me2 and ,i remained there with the kings of ,persia4 ,now ,i am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days4 ,all this is full of interest4 ,here was the beloved servant of ,god mourning1 chastening himself1 and waiting upon ,god4 ,the angelic messenger was on his way with the answer4 ,the enemy was permitted to hinder2 but ,daniel continued to wait3 he prayed1 and fainted not2 and in due time the answer came4 ,is there no lesson here for us8 ,most assuredly there is4 ,we1 too1 may have to wait long in the holy attitude of expectancy1 and in the spirit of prayer2 but we shall find the time of waiting most profitable for our souls4 ,very often our ,god1 in ,his wise and faithful dealing with us1 sees fit to withhold the answer1 simply to prove us as to the reality of our prayers4 ,the grand point for us is1 to have an object laid upon our hearts by the ,holy ,ghost--an object as to which we can lay the finger of faith upon some distinct promise in the ,word1 and to persevere in prayer until we get what we want4 ,praying always with all prayer and supplication in the ,spirit1 and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints4 7,eph4 vi4 #ah47 ,all this demands our serious consideration4 ,we are as sadly deficient in perseverance as we are in definiteness and importunity4 ,hence the feebleness of our prayers and the coldness of our prayer-meetings4 ,we do not come together with a definite object1 and hence we are not importunate1 and we do not persevere4 ,in short1 our prayer-meetings are often nothing but a dull routine--a cold1 mechanical service--something to be gone through--a wearisome alternation of hymn and prayer1 hymn and prayer1 causing the spirit to groan beneath the heavy burden of mere profitless bodily exercise4 ,we speak plainly and strongly3 we speak as we feel4 ,we must be permitted to speak without reserve4 ,we call upon the whole ,church of ,god1 far and wide1 to look this great question straight in the face--to look to ,god about it--to judge themselves about it4 ,do we not feel the lack of power in all our public reunions8 ,why those barren seasons at the ,lord's table8 ,why the dullness and feebleness in the celebration of that precious feast which ought to stir the very deepest depths of our renewed being8 ,why the lack of unction1 power1 and edification in our public readings--the foolish speculations and the silly questions which have been advanced and answered for the last forty years8 ,why those varied evils on which we have been dwelling1 and which are being mourned over almost every where by the truly spiritual8 ,why the barrenness of our gospel services8 ,why are souls not smitten down under the ,word8 ,why is there so little gathering-power8 ,brethren1 beloved in the ,lord1 let us rouse ourselves to the solemn consideration of these weighty matters4 ,let us not be satisfied to go on with the present condition of things4 ,we call upon all those who admit the truth of what we have been putting forth in these pages on ,prayer and the ,prayer-,meeting1 to unite in cordial1 earnest1 united prayer and supplication4 ,let us seek to get together according to ,god2 to come as one man and prostrate ourselves before the mercy-seat1 and perseveringly wait upon our ,god for the revival of ,his work1 the progress of ,his gospel1 the ingathering and upbuilding of ,his beloved people4 ,let our prayer-meetings be really prayer-meetings1 and not occasions for giving out our favorite hymns1 and starting our fancy tunes4 ,the prayer-meeting ought to be the place of expressed heed and expected blessing--the place of expressed weakness and expected power--the place where ,god's people assemble with one accord1 to take hold of the very throne of ,god1 to get into the very treasury of heaven1 and draw thence all we want for ourselves1 for our households1 for the ,whole ,church of ,god1 and for the vineyard of ,christ4 ,such is the true idea of a prayer-meeting1 if we are to be taught by ,scripture4 ,may it be more fully realized amongst the ,lord's people every where4 ,may the ,holy ,spirit stir us all up1 and press upon our souls the value1 importance1 and urgent necessity of unanimity1 confidence1 definiteness1 importunity1 and perseverance in all our prayers and prayer-meetings4 ,yes1 there's a power which man can wield1 ,when mortal aid is vain2 ,that eye1 that arm1 that love to reach1 ,that list'ning ear to gain4 ,that power is prayer1 which soars on high1 ,through ,jesus1 to the throne1 ,and moves the hand which moves the world ,to bring deliverance down4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,note4--,it may perhaps be useful to notice that in the foregoing most needful pages1 the beloved author has been speaking of the prayer-meeting1 and the moral basis and conditions of prayer in general1 not of personal1 secret prayer4 ,the importance of it can hardly be overestimated4 ,the lack or neglect of this soon tells in the spiritual life of the ,christian4 ,is not the lack of this the explanation of much leanness of soul1 from which knowledge alone is not able to lift us up8 ,it is1 as it were1 the spiritual gauge of our soul's condition4 ,there1 in the secret of the closet1 the godly soul ever loves to pour out in its ,father's ear its trials1 its fears1 its desires1 its wants1 its thanksgivings1 in all their details4 ,and what comfort1 what joy1 what godly strength and purpose1 the soul carries from thence6 what preparation to go through the daily toil1 and testings of the day6 ,beloved of the ,lord1 let us wait on ,god1 that we may know more of this secret power1 gotten in our closet with ,him4 ,ed4 ,,footnote3 ,,xxx4 ,how interesting to find ,mary the mother of ,jesus named here1 as being at the prayer-meeting6 ,what would she have said if any one had told her that millions of professing ,christians would yet be praying to her8 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,notes3 ,common puctuation errors repaired obvious typos repaired ,page #c-jg-jc an a added ,i shall only prove a hindrance1 a weight1 a cause of weakness4 ,page #c-ja-jab heavy laden changed to heavy-laden ,page #c-ja-jah thradom misspelled thralldom ,page #c-jc-jjd diciples misspelled disciples page #c-ja-jbg true hearted changed to true-hearted page #c-ja-jja well regulated changed to well-regulated ,page #c-jd-jjd ,o death1 where is thy sing changed to ,o death1 where is thy sting4 ,page #c-jf-jdc ,the breaking of break changed to ,the breaking of bread4 ,page #c-je-jjd decalogue should be a proper noun 7,ten ,commandments71 changed to ,decalogue4 ,page #c-je-jab compentency misspelled competency4 ,page #c-jf-jjc eucharist is a proper noun1 changed to ,eucharist4 ,page #c-aj-jaa paraylzed misspelled1 changed to paralyzed4