Gospel Light: Volume 10 (1920)

THE question, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" seems to have been a merely curious or idle question, on the part of the one who asked it; such as unconverted men will sometimes ask about the doctrine of election. But the Lord Jesus, in His usual way, so answered it as to turn it into a serious one. He replied so as to meet, not the question, but the real state of the man's soul. As if the Lord said, Few or many, do you "strive to enter in at the strait gate." That is your personal, all-important matter. “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.

But He shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." Surely this is a solemn and searching reply, and well fitted to turn the curious into an anxious inquirer.

The Lord, in His rich mercy, grant that it may do so in the case of all into whose hands this paper may come. There are many who are still merely curious inquirers, whom we desire to see deeply anxious and earnest ones. Surely the salvation of the soul is of all others the most personal matter possible. The door is still open; the invitation is to all: "Come, for all things are now ready." Enter while there is room. The Master is patiently waiting; oh, delay not! "Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”

The connection and strict interpretation of this passage refer to the Jews. Christ was speaking to Jews, and of their then present privileges and future miseries, because they were rejecting Him. He plainly showed them that although their privileges had been great, such as eating and drinking in His presence, and hearing Him preach the gospel in their streets, still there was no salvation for them, and no entering the kingdom, while they refused to own Himself, to receive Him as the true Messiah, and the only Saviour of sinners. He would at last say, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”

Observe, He does not deny that they enjoyed great privileges; but He repeats this awfully solemn truth, "I know you not whence ye are." They had never made themselves known to Him. They bad never come to Himself, individually, as sinners to a Saviour. They knew their privileges, and boasted in them, but they refused Christ. Hear His lament “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." (Matt. 23:37)

Christ Himself was rejected. Israel would have none of Him. Therefore they were left desolate, like chickens without the sheltering wing, and the fox “in the midst of them. Oh, what a picture of utter helplessness and certain destruction!

But although this portion of Scripture, strictly speaking, refers to the Jews, it has, nevertheless, a most solemn voice to us. And, morally, it strikingly illustrates our own present position, we can only enter in at the strait gate by faith in Him who died and rose again. It is too strait for self in any form.

Let us now look at the subject in its application to our own time.

When Christ had finished the great work of redemption on the cross, He ascended up on high, and sat down at the right hand of God in heaven. His work being finished, He sat down. "When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," (Heb. 1:3.) The sacrifice for sinners was offered and accepted, by which their souls' need was fully met. God was glorified. The rights of His throne were vindicated by the blood of the sacrifice sprinkled on the mercy-seat, All the perfections of His character were displayed in their full glory, and the principles of his moral government maintained.

All that God required being done, perfectly, and forever done, the door of mercy is thrown wide open to the chief of sinners. The way into the holiest of all is made manifest. (Heb. 10:19) And the voice of gracious invitation goes forth into all the world, to every creature, Whosoever will, let him come and drink at the fountain of the water of life freely, gratis. (Rev. 22:17.) God is free to receive to Himself, and pardon with overflowing Jove, all who come to Him by faith in the finished work of His dear Son. Thus we have, glory be to God, at the present moment, A SEATED CHRIST AND AN OPEN DOOR.

And whosoever will may come to Him, in the full confidence of the Father's perfect love to them, and of the Son's finished work for them. The everlasting gates that were thrown wide open for "the King of glory," still stand open for the chief of sinners, and the blood by which He entered is their title to approach and the ground of their acceptance. (Psa. 24:7; 1 Tim. 1:15; Heb. 10:22.)

There need be no doubts, no fears, no trembling. To enter the open door in the faith of Christ, simply trusting to the work which He has accomplished for us, is to enter heaven.—How? In what condition, think you? Oh, wondrous truth! It is to enter heaven in the full credit of Christ Himself. It is to cross the threshold, pass through the pearly gates, walk up the golden street, right to the throne of God; and stand in the pure light of that throne, in all the perfectness and acceptableness of Christ Himself.

To find fault with the believing sinner there, would be to find fault with Him who sits upon the throne. He stands there, not in his own right or title, but in the rights and titles of Christ. "Today," said the dying Jesus to the believing thief, shalt thou be with me in paradise. "Not only, observe, in paradise, but" with me.”

Oh, that precious, "with me"! It defines so sweetly where the departed spirit is, where heaven is, and what heaven is. It is just to be with Christ. Now, we are by faith "in Christ Jesus"; by-and by we shall be personally "with Him." In Our bodies of glory we shall be forever with the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:17.)

But as to the immediate results, the present condition of all who believe in Jesus, the following passage is clear and decided: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18,) This is the gospel of the grape of God. There is no missing link in this gospel. The believer, in virtue of the sufferings and death of Christ, is brought to God in Him. Not only to the cross, but to the throne. Not merely into a place, but unto a Person. He can never get better, he can never get higher, than this. Oh, wondrous truth! Brought to God in the condition of Christ; in the condition of His life, righteousness, peace, preciousness, perfectness, and glory! "Because as He is so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17.)

And is it, my reader may ask, to all this blessedness that the open door leads? Yes, dear reader, to all this wondrous, present blessedness! And while Christ is seated at God's right hand, the door stands wide open night and day. Entering in by the strait gate simply means coming in faith to Jesus; it means conversion, reconciliation to God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh then, enter now! To-morrow may be too late. The Master may be risen up, and the door shut against you forever.

Alas! that any should prefer present things to coming to Jesus! that any should need to be entreated to come to Him! What can be more encouraging, more inviting, than A SEATED CHRIST, AND AN OPEN DOOR? The present position of Christ assures the sinner that the work is finished. There is no ground for perplexity. The work required by God, and needed by the sinner, is done, perfectly done, and accepted by God for the sinner. The divine proof of this is A SEATED CHRIST AND AN OPEN DOOR.

There, the blessed Jesus waits in patient love to receive to Himself all who come by faith. And this glorious word, "Him, that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out," He has sent forth into all the ends of the earth, that every doubt may be dispelled. (John 6:37). Oh! then, tell me, ye trembling, troubled, doubting, unhappy ones, where is there the smallest ground for all your fears as to your acceptance?

Certainly, it is not in the love of God, the work of Christ, the witness of the Holy Ghost, the open door, or, in the patient, waiting One. It can only be in the unbelief of your own hearts. For surely the work of Christ is finished. God is satisfied, and well pleased in Him; sin has been put away, the power of Satan destroyed, death vanquished, the grave spoiled, and Christ, the mighty Victor is seated in triumph on the right hand of heaven's Majesty, waiting for sinners to be gathered to Him, that they may adorn His crown, and reflect His glory, throughout the countless ages of eternity.

We will now glance, very briefly, at the second part of our subject, namely, A RISEN CHRIST AND A SHUT DOOR.

The Lord solemnly assures us that the moment His position is changed, the door is shut; and that there would be no hope for those who were outside, who had refused to enter by "the strait gate." The position of the door depends entirely upon the position of the Master. While He is seated, the door is open; but when He is risen up, the door is shut. "When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are." '

It was those who had enjoyed the greatest privileges, such as eating and drinking in the Lord's presence, and hearing Him teach, that were hopelessly shut out. They might seek to get in at the shut door, but there was no admittance for them. "For many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

The seeking here, and the not being able to enter, do not refer to the strait gate, but entirely to the shut door. So it may have been in the days of Noah. Those who refused to enter the ark through the preaching of Noah, could not get in after the door was shut. 'They might seek, and seek earnestly, pleadingly, and touchingly, as they saw the waters rising on the earth, but it was too late, God had shut the door, and none' could open it, They had despised the day of His long-suffering grace, although He had waited a hundred and twenty years for them. But a day of solemn reckoning came at last, and there was no escaping. They might see the ark of God's salvation rising securely on the swelling deep, but there was no refuge for them. Some might flee from one summit to another, but the raging billows 'pursued after them, until the highest summit was reached, and every mountain swept by the dark waters of judgment.

Surely, dear reader, there is something peculiarly and especially solemn in the truth, here stated by the Lord. Does it not plainly teach us, that the doom of all would be sealed forever, who have refused to come to Him by the open door, were He, at this moment, to change His position? Assuredly it does. “When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door." All depends upon this.

How solemn! Were He to rise to-day, where would you be? on which side of the door? The question is not, "I am young, in good health, and may live many years." Oh, no! but in a moment when we think not, the Master may rise up, shut the door, and what then? If outside the door, amongst those who have deliberately refused to come in, all hope is lost. He is the "Master of the house"; "He openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." (Rev. 3:7.)

And now, in conclusion, let me faithfully and affectionately warn my dear reader not to rest in privileges. Privileges, however great, are not Christ. These can never save the soul. He only can. Have you, oh, have you, come to Him? Have you ever spoken to Him about your condition as a sinner, and His grace and love as the Saviour, in dying for you? Oh! let me again ask you, have you come to Him? Have you had to do with Him in the secret of His own presence?

Your precious opportunities may be near an end. Who can tell how soon the Master may rise up? Is He not now gathering souls in great numbers, and filling His house rapidly? May it not be nearly full I Oh, delay not! While the door is open, enter in, and be at rest. "The Master calleth thee" and every poor blinded sinner. Why refuse? "Come unto me," are His own words of gracious invitation, and His sure promise is, "I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). Do, then, oh! do, come to Jesus. "Strive" to break away from everything that would hinder thee coming. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." Oh, let nothing hinder thee. Come to Jesus. He is worth more to thy soul than the whole world a thousand times over. Only think, then, of the precious Jesus. Oh! how precious He is! come at once to Him. The companionship of Jesus, the fellowship of the holy, the bright glories of heaven, on the one hand, and the unutterable torments of hell on the other, are set before thee. Oh! which is it to be? Canst thou hesitate for a moment? Choose, oh! choose at once, as the portion of thy heart, that blessed One who has waited so long, and so patiently for thee. Rest on His finished work for thee. Let Him have thy whole heart, and thou shalt be eternally happy in His changeless love.

The Ark; or, the Just Shall Live by Faith.

Hebrew 11:7.

THREE times the above quotation from Hab. 2:4 occurs in the New Testament: in Rom. 1:17, and Gal. 3:4. to show that believers are justified by faith, and by faith in contrast with law; in Heb. 10:38, to show that it is by faith believers live from day to clay; as Paul says, in Gal. 2:20, "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20.)

Dear reader, are you aware that you can be justified solely “by faith, without the deeds of the law "? Do you know that if you simply accredit God's testimony, that Jesus was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification, you are accounted righteous before God, and y on have peace with God? (Rom. 4:24; 5:1.)

“Oh!" you say, “does not every one believe that Jesus died for them?”

"Yes," I say, “they do in a general or historical sort of way; but the justified man does more than that. Not merely does he believe that Jesus died, but that Jesus died for him, and was raised again for his justification. Believing this, he know s his peace is made with God. Faith personally applies to ourselves that of which we are historically convinced.

Now let me say a. little about Noah. In Gen. 6:3, I find God's counsels; in verse 13, the revelation of those counsels to Noah. God had said to Himself, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh. Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. ''

Man is ever the same, whatever way you look at him. In the Garden of Eden, under law; with Christ openly manifested to him; with the Holy Ghost likewise present; or, as in this instance, left to himself, man has ever displayed the same characteristics that w, ere found in his seducer, Satan, at the very outset. Corrupt and violent Satan was, since the day iniquity was found in him (Ezek. 28:15-17, John 8:44); and corruption and violence characterize those who are under his sway. In Eve we find corruption; in Cain violence. In Noah's day "the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence (verse 11). Therefore God says," I will destroy man.”

Are you aware, dear reader, that another judgment is coming upon this earth; not the judgment of water, but the judgment of fire? Scripture tells us that "all flesh shall not be cut off any more with the waters of a flood"; but it also tells us that there will be another judgment, and a far more terrible one, that of fire.

See Rev. 20:11, where we read: " I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. "Mark these words: so terrible is the face of Jesus, then sitting as God upon His throne (tor all judgment has been committed to Him, (John 5:22) that actually the very heavens and earth flee from before Him. The cause of their departure we find here; the manner of it in 2 Peter 3:7, where it speaks of" the heavens and the earth, which are now. reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men... for the day of the Lord " (to Him a thousand years are as one day) "will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

Is the reader one of those who are making themselves comfortable in the world, planting, building, marrying, giving in marriage? Let me tell you that your plantations, your houses, your lands, will all be utterly consumed in the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Ask yourself, then, Have I perfect title to take my place in the new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness?

How solemn to think that God's testimony to you may close to-day, and that instead of dying comfortably on your bed, as you expect to do, you may in a moment be taken away for judgment to pass eternity in the lake of burning. The moment for the passing away of the present heavens and earth is the moment for the final condemnation of the wicked. The whole of the old creation will pass away together. First the earth and heavens, the abode of Adam's race; and then that portion of the race that has died without God and without Christ. They receive their sentence, and they are damned. (Rev. 20:12-15.) How solemn to think that every one that does not receive the gospel here, that bows not to Jesus here, must bow to Him there. They despise Him as the Son of Man, the Saviour; they receive His sentence as the living God, their Judge.

Just as God revealed His counsels to Noah of the approaching doom of the earth, so are we not ignorant now of the coming demolition of both heavens and earth. And just as Noah saw that the end of all flesh had come, so do we know now that judgment is the end of Adam's race who die without faith.

Do not imagine, unbelieving reader, that the lake of fire will annihilate you. Oh no! you will pass eternity in the lake that “burneth with fire and brimstone," "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched "; there" the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever,” which is the same expression as in Rev. 10:6, "God, who liveth forever and ever." If the life of God is interminable (which I do not suppose you doubt) your punishment will be of equal duration, if you die an unbeliever.

Man's necessity, however, is God's opportunity. If judgment was revealed to Noah, so was the means of escape from it. It has ever been so.

When the cities of the plain were destroyed, there was still a Zoar for Lot. When judgment hung over Egypt and Jericho, still there was a mode of escape for Israel and Rahab. And so here. The ark was the display of God's love to Noah, at the moment of his greatest need. God's heart had planned it; God's care provided the materials; God's love unfolded it to Noah.

None but God would ever have thought of such an expedient. It was at once the place of Noah's perfect security and perfect delight. When once the Lord's hand had shut him in, not a doubt crossed his mind as to his perfect safety. One hundred and twenty years of careful labor had led him to know that his craft was perfectly weather-tight and sea-worthy. Had it not been so, he never would have entered it; but in perfect confidence he committed himself and all that was necessary for life, and sacrifice, and food, to it; and calmly gazed, through the window above, to the home where his God abode.

Is Christ the ark to y on? Can you say, Christ is to me the One in whom I have perfect confidence and absolute satisfaction; His blood has purged my conscience, and His person occupies m\ heart?

Noah had turned his back upon the world. It was a judged, a doomed, thing to him. He had preached righteousness in it, and behaved in it as one that was manifestly dead to it. He had new hopes, new joys, new, interests. His joys were centered in the ark; with delight his eye ranged around its spacious chambers, and surveyed for life, and sacrifice, occupied them. He had everything he wanted there, there was no necessity to go outside for anything.

Is Christ everything to you? Have you learned the true value of the water He gives (John 4), so as never to thirst; to thirst for nothing; neither for thing temporal nor for things spiritual; so that things temporal have no attractions for you now, because you have a new life that delivers you from them, and now if you have food and raiment you can be content, and things spiritual you do not thirst for, because you have them. If you have Christ you thirst no more; you have got even thing, “all things are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (1 Cor. 3:22, 23.)

The circle of Noah's interests was the ark.

The circle of the believer's is Christ.

It I go outside of Christ for anything, if I indulge my self in anything of the world beyond what the body actually requires, I am denying the fact that I have a life that never thirsts.

Noah entered the ark, and found perfect security and satisfaction. It you believe in Christ, you find rest tor your troubled conscience, and peace tor N our weary heart.

But mark another point.

Noah and the ark were absolutely identified together. Together they passed through the waves of judgment; together they emerged from them; together they rested on Ararat's summit. I grant you that the type tails here; for Noah was unchanged throughout, Noah was the same person throughout. But still I learn from this that, belies ing on Christ, I am entitled to know that my old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed; as Paul says, " I am crucified with Christ." He, blessed be His name, passed under the waves of judgment for me; ls He says (Psa. 42), “Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts; all thy ways and thy billows have gone over me "; or again (Psa. 88), "Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves." What! I say, have all God's waves gone over Him, my blessed Saviour? Then there is no condemnation for me. I see in Christ upon the cross the end of myself, the judicial end of my Adam nature, the end of my “old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." (Eph. 4:22.) I reckon it dead, I believe what God says, that I am “dead." (Col. 3)

But more than this. The ark bore Noah safely till it rested on mount Ararat, and there it sets its burden down. Where has Christ set me down?

God raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies. I was dead in trespasses and sins, but He has quickened me together with Him, raised me up together with Him, and made me sit together in Him in the heavenlies. (Eph. 3)

What perfect rest this gives me. Noah was not sorry, I am sure, to exchange the rolling motion of the mighty ship for the firm standing of the mountain's top. I can bless and praise God that Christ has ascended up on high, and led me, long Satan's captive, His own captive, and given me a life that is hid with Himself in God His Father. I have already by faith my place in heavenly places; for I have my place in Christ, the Head of the new creation, the Head of all principality and power.

And now what is my occupation? Why, like Noah, to build my altar, and to joy in God, by whom I have received the reconciliation while the bow in the cloud tells me there is now no condemnation for me, for Christ has borne it all. (Rom. 8; Rom. 5)

Dear reader, can you say the same?

An Assassin's Retrospect

BOOTH, who shot Mr. Lincoln, the President of the United States, fled into Caroline County, where, at a place called Bowling Green, he was hunted down by a party of cavalry, and brought to bay in a barn.

The place being surrounded by the soldiers, he was called upon to surrender; but on his refusing to do so, the barn was set on fire, and Booth was seen, rifle in hand, prepared to resist to death.

A soldier fired, and he fell mortally wounded.

Shortly before he breathed his last, he, said to those around him, “Tell mother I died for my country. I THOUGHT I did for the best.”

Then, as the fever of political excitement died away before the dread calm of death, and the last great act of a. misspent life rose before him in its true aspect, the poor young man saw that he had destroyed a valued life, together with his own, to no purpose, or any good result whatever. Murder committed; life-long sorrow entailed on the victim's survivors; his own mother's heartbroken; hope, reputation life itself, all sacrificed; and all for what?

As the terrible conviction flashed across his mind, although still impenitent towards God, he threw up his hands, and cried with his last breath, “Useless; useless!” then sank red-handed into eternity!

Dear reader, these two little words speak volumes. They form a dying man's comment, even from his own point of view, on a life full of opportunity and consequent responsibility, but whose aims and associations, restricted to "the world and the things in the world," ended at last in the sacrifice of body, soul, and spirit, and all for worse than NOTHING!

How forcibly these dying words, coming from the burning barn in the Far West, remind us of the Lord's solemn warning to all who make this world and its short-lived advantages their sole object and aim: " What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? '' (Mark 8:36.)

What indeed! "Useless"? Ay, how unspeakably worse than "useless," even were there no judgment after death-, no lake of fire by-and-by. Does not that remorseful cry tell how the soul pronounces judgment on itself, when the world is slipping from the grasp of the dying hand, and the heart's shattered idol turns to utter bitterness? For the heart had its idol once; and now, broken, cast out, and "useless; useless"! What must fill its place? Undying, intolerable remorse!

"Useless; useless!" the deliberate verdict of a dying man's own unaided reason on a wasted life; a verdict never to be reversed throughout eternity!

I say, then, that even were there no judgment after death, no, lake of fire, “What shall it profit a man 'if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

But the Word of God declares a scene yet future which may well make the sinner tremble:” saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.''

Brought face to face with Him who was not in all their thoughts, whose grace they had contemned, whose precious Son they had utterly scorned, while admitting, as a matter of historical fact, that He died for them!

“And the books were opened,... and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” (Rev. 20:12.)

Reader, your "works." may not be so bad as his whose tragic end I have narrated, but even you would not like to see ALL your "works" of hand and foot, thought, heart, and tongue, written legibly on fair white paper, and posted up in public, with your own signature attached. And if you would and do shrink from the judgment of man, how will you bear the judgment of God?

Yet to that it must come, unless you take refuge in Him who has borne that judgment already for all who can truthfully say, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” (1 Pet. 1:24.)

Can you say it by faith in Him? I do not ask whether you have been taught it as a matter of "Christian education"; but do you believe it, because GOD says it? If not, be persuaded, before it is too late. “As though God did beseech by us, we pray in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Con 5:20.) "I am the door," said the Lord Jesus Christ;" by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved."(John 10:9.) Flee to that refuge from an accusing conscience, from eternal remorse, from" the wrath to come." (Matt. 3:7; 1 Thess. 1:10.)

Think of poor Booth dying a deserved death of violence; his last thought of a mother he could never hope to see again; his last word the deliberate judgment of his own conscience on a life worse than wasted; worse, it may be, morally, than your own, vet in worldliness of character the same. "Useless; useless"! J. L. K.

The Bad Half-Crown

A few months ago, while waiting for my ticket in a country railway office, I observed a half-crown nailed to the counter. The young man who was giving out the tickets, also attracted my attention. He seemed a sharp youth, and had an air of importance about him, becoming the responsibilities of his office. With his hand raised to the ticket department, and the finger ready to pounce upon the right one, he shouted, "First or second, sir?”

Being the last one that was then waiting, I thought I should like to have a. few words with our young friend about the half-crown, so I said to him as I was picking up my change, “What is this you have got nailed to the counter, my boy?”

“A half-crown, sir.”

“But why have you it nailed to the counter?”

“Because it is a bad one, sir.”

“So you were determined it should go no further. But now, tell me, does it remind you of anything very serious?”

“I don't know," (looking very straight at me and paying great attention).

“Well, I'll tell you, my boy, what it has brought to my mind: that will be the end of all hypocrites, they will at last be nailed clown under the awful judgment of God. And they will never be able to get away from it. Now, you look at that half-crown. A nail driven through it—fixed to the one spot, and exposed to public condemnation. Everyone sees that it is a detected hypocrite, and exhibited there as a warning to others.

“Now, mark, such will be the end of all who make a profession of religion, but who have not Christ in their hearts. Like that half-crown, they may deceive many for a time, but they cannot deceive God. Can they? Oh no! that half-crown may have passed through a good many hands before it was detected, but at last it fell into the hands of a judge who knew that it was not real, and so condemned it, and would let it go no further. And now, you remember this, God will, at last, ring, as it were, every professor on His counter, His judgment seat; and every one that is counterfeit, not real, will then be detected, condemned, and nailed to the place of judgment forever; so that every time y. on throw down a ticket, and look on this bad half-crown, you are reminded of the awful end of those who are not right in heart with God.”

This last sentence was evidently more than our young friend could comfortably bear, for he immediately exclaimed, with his usual sharpness, "I'LL HAVE IT TAKEN UP." After a few words as to the certainty of coming judgment, we parted.

Finding we had to wait a little for the train, a friend who was with me, and who had listened to the conversation, returned to the office for a platform ticket; and without saying a word to the lad, he merely gave him a playful look, pointing to the half-crown, when the youth again said in a very determined tone, "I’ll have it taken up.”

How like, thought I, to the natural heart. "I'll have it taken up." It had been nailed there for the purpose of warning others against passing bad money, lest they might be detected and brought to judgment. But as soon as it was made to bear as a warning for his own conscience before God, he immediately declared that he would have it removed. Rather than be reminded of the fearful end of those who have not Christ as their righteousness, he would silence the testimony by removing the witness. But ah! what a poor, self-deceiving way this is of getting rid of a present difficulty. The future trouble remains. Yet, alas! how constantly this is done, both by young and old.

The natural mind soon manifests its dislike to the most affectionate warnings of truest friendship. The witness, if not removed, will be unheeded or avoided. How often the lips of wisdom are silent, while the heart burns with the most yearning anxiety to say a faithful word in sweetest, tenderest love, to the object of its deep solicitude. But in vain. Guessing at what is coming, the warning voice is rudely hushed, by a heartless, "I have heard all that before, many a time; what's the good of always coming out with the same thing? I know it quite as well as you can tell me." Under such circumstances the heart must seek relief in pouring out its burning, pent-up love into the bosom of God. The icy indifference of the deceived, perishing sinner, forms a wonderful contrast to the genial sustaining presence of God.

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee." “Let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Psalm 4:22; Phil. 4:6-9.)

Most in our days and perhaps all who read this paper, know, that no man can stand approved before God in his own righteousness.

He may have been, touching the outward letter of the law, blameless, but when tried by God's standard, he will surely be found deficient, disapproved, and rejected. “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant," said David," for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.”

“All our righteousnesses," says Isaiah," are as filthy rags." (Psa. 143:2; Isa. 64:6.)

These truths are absolute. We have not to wait till we reach the judgment-seat to know God's estimate of man's righteousness.

It is something peculiarly offensive to Him.

Not only is it as "rags," compared with a perfect garment, but as "filthy rags," compared with the robe of spotless white. Such a condition of soul is most loathsome to the holiness of God, and must be judged by His righteousness.

Woe, woe, eternal woe, must be the sinner's portion who appears before the judgment-seat in such a state.

Had the scripture said, “All our wickednesses are as filthy rags," there might have been some hope for the righteousnesses, but when it says, “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," all hope is cut off. The best things we have, or can produce, are totally rejected as utterly unfit for God, and for the place of His holiness. Fair appearances there may be, and that which will pass among men as genuine enough for any one.

But God looks on the heart. He has but one standard. He looks for Christ. He tests the heart's estimate of Him. If that dear name be found graven on its tablets as its all in all, it will surely pass as the genuine, current coin of the realm of heaven.

But oh! where Christ is not the stamp of the heart, all is utterly worthless to God. Ii He fills it not it must be empty indeed, whatever else may be in it if there be no Christ in the heart, there can be no pardon, no peace, no salvation, no eternal life. Sin remains, and all its direful and never-ending consequences. What will, what can, God say to a Christless soul at the judgment-seat "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared (not for you, but) for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41.)

This must be the fearful and inevitable doom of all who live and die without a personal interest in Christ, whatever their appearances or professions may have been in this world. Nothing but the blood of Christ can save a soul from the lake of fire. Nothing but the preciousness of Christ can stamp a soul for the rank of heaven. His precious blood alone cleanseth from all sin, and He, is the righteousness of God to every one that believeth. (Eph. 1:7; Rom. 10:1-13.)

I observed that the bad half-crown had a shining face like the good ones, and, outwardly, it had the same stamp upon it. But at heart it was bad, there was no silver there. Only base metal. It was a hypocrite, a mere professor. It pretended to be what it was not. It had a fair outward appearance, but no reality in heart. I observed, further, that the nail of judgment pierced both the head and the heart. Mournful illustration of the seat of the thoughts, the understanding, the will, the desires, the affections and passions, being penetrated with the iron rod of God's sore displeasure. Oh! is such, in very deed, the end of the mere formalist? Unquestionably; and of all Christless, graceless, souls. The righteousness of God must judge evil.

But I also further thought, will the wicked at last he fixed to one place? The doomed half-crown could not move a hair's breadth. How monotonous! how ignominious! Affixed to one spot, a public spectacle. Labeled, "A once shining professor, but now a detected, dishonored, doomed, deceiver." But oh! thought I, shall it be thus at last with all who have no true interest in Christ, professors or not professors? Most assuredly. The word of truth has gone forth from the lips of Him who cannot change: It stands recorded in the statute book of heaven. And thus it runs, and may my reader mark it well. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God 'abideth on him." (John 3:26.)

My mind now turned to a case in point, to one who made a great profession. I mean the man who had not on the wedding garment. (Matt. 22) It does not appear from the parable that any of the guests thought that he was different from themselves, so thoroughly had the reality been Imitated.

'And so it is now. Immense numbers in the present day make a profession of religion, of whom no man on earth could feel quite certain as to whether they were real or merely formal Christians. Their lives are strictly moral, they regularly attend some place of worship, they give of their money for church, mission, and benevolent purposes; they sink psalms and hymns as sweetly as any one.

They read the scriptures, pray and preach, it may be, in public, and yet when the unmistakable signs of divine life in the soul are looked for, the search is in vain. We have to leave such cases, thankful that we are not their judges, until: the Lord come.

Such seems to have been the case in the parable. He may have occupied a high place amongst professors. But there was no cleaving of the heart to Christ; and trusting in Rim alone. Oh, no! for the full promise of God is sure to all who trust in Jesus. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." (Psa. 2:12.). He was a stranger to the love and grace of God in Christ Jesus. He was a rejecter of grace; and man is saved by grace alone, through faith, without works of law.

When the sinner draws near to God now, in the faith of his own worthlessness, and the worthiness of Christ, he is accepted. "Accepted in the beloved." (Eph. 1:6.) And Christ is ready to receive all that come to Him. He casts out none. Oh! then, unpardoned, unsaved sinners, whether you have made a profession or not, at once, with your whole heart, turn to Jesus, in the full assurance of His pardoning love. Be assured that He is waiting, ready to receive you. Oh! doubt Him not, believe Him, trust Him. He is able, He is willing, to save the chief of sinners. Oh! at once, without delay, flee to the arms of Jesus. Flee from your evil habits, and froth the awful doom of outer darkness. As a lost sinner, take refuge in Him who was nailed to the cross for sinners, for you, and yet, as another has said, "Sins they were, not nails, which held Him, Sinner, there He died for thee.”

Brought Out of Darkness.

IT was in 18—, and I, a young man of twenty I, years of age, was wandering up that lonely valley in Cornwall, cast upon this selfish world without a single friend.

My mother was worse than a widow, for the one who should have been her support was carelessly and wildly spending his days in a foreign land.

Onwards I wandered, with a heart full of sorrow; come to my last resource in this world.

God intended it for my blessing. He never intended aught else for His rebellious creature man, though man has hard thoughts of His ways.

I felt my position, and fell down under that railway arch, and not a single eye but God's saw me. Thus was God working to reduce my rebellious heart. But I still resisted, had hard thoughts of God's dealings with men, and relapsed once more into the routine of the "class-meeting." Religious darkness came upon me.

The Lord in mercy supplied my need, till, having married, I resolved to try my luck in a foreign land, and secured enough to defray the voyage in that dark land of Mexico. Arriving there I had "spent all," and again groaned beneath severe want and trial; but God in mercy raised up help.

Being once again delivered from pressing want, I settled down, gave up all thoughts of God; indeed, turned a thorough infidel in things appertaining to God and eternity.

Many sorrows came upon me in Mexico. God took away some dear to me. A dear brother I sent for died, and I could not point him to the Saviour, not knowing. Him myself. The land was infested with banditti, so much so that we (English) "carried our lives in our hands," as people say. The turning-point came as to removing from that dark land. I will relate it.

About four thousand banditti were banded together to rob and plunder the English settlement. The Government of the country sent out fifteen hundred troops to disperse them.

The chiefs of the robbers, finding they had to fight, and to incite their men, promised them that if they won, and beat back the troops, they should sack the place. We knew this meant death to the foreigners, and prepared for flight to the mountains.

The battle raged for four hours, and finally the disciplined troops charged with the steel, and dispersed the banditti, to our salvation. The scene that followed was heart-rending, some in the agonies of death crying Santissima Maria," or "Holy Virgin Mary," and I was not able to direct them to the alone Saviour.

I resolved not to remain in Mexico longer, but to return, if haply I might find what I did not then possess, for God in mercy again troubled my conscience, and gave me to know all was not right by what happened to a young man who had sent home to England for the young person whom he was just about to marry; while standing by my side, a native shot him through the head.

I thought to myself, “Suppose that I were shot, where would my soul be?”

Having remained in Mexico about five years, I left for England. I had many narrow escapes traveling through the country toward the coast, Vera Cruz being the port for taking boat for the old country. The robbers fired into the diligencia, or mail-coach, killing one and wounding two; but I was yet spared to be brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light. Why, was I spared? "Oh!" I exclaim often, as I look back over my short but eventful life, “it was God's pure mercy.”

I arrived in England in October, 18—, got a situation in London, and while residing at T— in the northern suburbs of that great city, my wife and I resolved to seek “a place of worship." She was converted when fifteen years of age, under the godly care, of a pious schoolmistress. I knew she had something I had not.

There was an aching void in my soul that none but Christ could fill.

We wandered to this church and to that chapel, to hear this eloquent preacher and that renowned orator, but all in vain. Finally we heard of a Mr. Hat a very simple preaching-room.

I resolved to go; I went; I listened. His words reached my heart, “Take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17.)

I longed for this "water of life." I had been called upon to pray in class-meetings, had been teaching in schools, reading the prayers and burial service over dear men killed and dying in Mexico; and with all this religiousness, mixed with unbelief, I had never tasted “this water of life." I longed for it, Sunday came round. I was on that bench once more, listening to the same story of grace and love. God was working in my soul, a work that was to have its results in my soul's salvation to His glory and the praise of His grace by Christ Jesus.

There was no rest for my soul. The world seemed dark to me. My sins were heavier than I could bear. I had been priding myself upon my morality and religion. But, oh! if examined in His presence, and by the light of His Word, what was it? All dross.

The next day my wife and I were walking out, when suddenly Mr. H— accosted us, and asked us where we lived. Giving him the address, we parted. It was the preacher who had the "something" I longed for. I hoped to see him again; and while pondering over my sad life, Mr. H— was introduced to me at my house.

His first question was, as if he knew that “repentance unto life "was going on in my soul, “Do you know the Lord?”

This wasp the question.

My wife replied, hesitatingly, "Yes.”

We were accustomed to “Do you meet in class?” “What denomination do you belong to?" or, "Are you a member of a society?”

Never were we asked such a word as “Do you know the Lord?”

“Very personal," says one.

Yes, and I bless God for this faithful question to me. Oh! how Satan tried to keep up a “religious vein," to keep out the person of Christ, the alone wav to God.

I shall never forget that visit of this faithful servant of the Lord. He seemed to know his man and his work, and went straight at it, and God was glorified; for after he left, I went to my room, cast myself down to the floor, and in an agony of soul cried out, " Lord, I deserve hell, but Christ has died "; and in an instant I had heaven; yes, Christ was seen by faith as my Saviour.

Instead of hell, I got Christ, and God's love shed abroad in my heart by His Holy Spirit; and, blessed be God, I have had heaven in my soul ever since; peace, too, amidst many trials and conflicts which have surrounded my pathway here below. It is now a wilderness world to me, though once I had no hope beyond it. (Rom. 5:1-6.)

That night my soul was made glad, and all heaven resounded at the salvation of the lost; and on my pillow I could not help shedding tears, not of sorrow as before, but of joy and gladness and praise to God for His wondrous love to me.

The next morning by "break of day" I got my pen, and wrote a line to the dear servant of God, apprising him of my salvation; for salvation it was, and nothing less, and confession made to His praise and to the magnifying of Him who loved me, and gave Himself for me. (Gal. 2:20.)

Dear reader, are you saved? Are you dwelling in darkness or in the light? It must be in one or the other. Or is Satan telling you, "It is all a myth; there is no eternal woe or joy to come?" This is his old tale to me. Don't you believe all came by chance, and that the world always was and ever will be as it is now. Don't believe the fallacy of the wicked one, who tells men that no God would create a wicked world, groaning and full of sin and death as this is. Not so, my friend; such thoughts are trash. Man sinned, but this now groaning world, this once fair creation of God, will yet bear the stamp of His glory, and righteousness and truth and peace shall cover its surface. (Isa. 11:32)

Where will you be then? I shall, with millions besides, be with God's Christ, viewing His never-to-be-told-out glory, and blessing His name forever. All may look fair for the present moment, but the purifying storm of judgment must very soon pass over this blighted world, for the day will yet be when it shall be fit for God himself to dwell in. (Zeph. 3:8.)

May this humble little narrative of God's ways with me stir up His servants to more earnestness for the salvation of souls, and in His rich mercy may He deign to use it in making others look back over their eventful lives, and see God's mercy in sparing them to be brought out of darkness into His marvelous light, to His eternal praise and their everlasting blessing!

C. M. H.

Can You Refuse?

AT the close of a Sunday evening religious service, some years ago, an invitation was given to those among the congregation who were anxious about their souls to stay behind for private conversation and prayer.

Among them was a young man, between nineteen and twenty years of age, who was evidently in much distress of mind. A Christian brother went up to him, and found him in tears. He spoke to him about his soul, prayed earnestly for the Lord to interfere, and make this young man His own.

That prayer was heard, and the tears of sorrow, on account of many great sins, were turned into tears of joy on account of so' great salvation, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work.

The young man had a sad history to relate, the substance of which was as follows.

He was born in one of the large manufacturing towns of the midland counties, and, while young, was allowed a good deal of liberty by his parents.

When he was fourteen years of age his father thought it was time for him to commence learning a trade, and apprenticed him to a tradesman for seven years.

Up to this time he had been taken occasionally by his friends to' the theater, and one or two music halls, and also had been allowed to go by himself.

His visits toy these places now became much more frequent, and most of his pocket-money was spent in this way. He imbibed a strong liking for the stage, and went as often as he could, not only to be entertained, but to learn the songs and mariners of the performers. He had a pretty good voice, and having a good memory, was not long in learning off some of the songs, which he would sing among his companions.

This soon led to bolder steps, and in a Nery little time he got an engagement to sing in public for a few nights a week. This, however, reached the ears of his master, who at once forbade him continuing his public singing, under the penalty of being sent to prison.

Now came the turning-point. Either he must obey his master or defiantly pursue his own course, and take the consequences.

He chose the latter. But to continue his singing in the same town was quite out of the question. Consequently, he wrote to a music hail manager in Liverpool, for an engagement as comic singer, under the assumed name of Harry Clifford.

He succeeded in obtaining the appointment, and in a few days he was at the place.

What a step he had taken! He had left his home and his employment, and gone into a strange town, to live among strangers. He had entered upon a course of life the temptations and penalties of which only those who have passed through it can know fully. Most suitable would have been the advice of Solomon at this time, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.” (Prov. 4:14, 15.)

He stayed at Liverpool seven or eight months, and in that time he altered much for the worse.

Drinking, smoking, going home in the early hours of the morning, and sleeping in the daytime, had their ill effects upon his constitution.

He then left Liverpool for other places. But we need not follow him from one place to another; suffice it to say, that, as he had entered upon a downward and road, every step he took was a step lower still.

And how long was this to continue? Was he to go on in this way until, with shattered constitution, he fell into an early grave, and worse than all, into a burning hell? Except for the mercy of God he would have done so. But through that great mercy he was stopped in time.

In the autumn of 18— caught a violent cold, which deprived him of the use of his voice. At first it was thought to be but a slight ailment, but it proved otherwise; for not only was his voice gone, but his lungs shared in the effects of the cold.

How altered his position now! Up to this time he had had plenty of money, and consequently plenty of friends; but hid money was soon gone, and with it his friends also. It was quite impossible for him to fulfill his engagement as a comic singer, and he was quite at a loss to know what to do.

He resolved to go to London, and see if he could get employment at his old trade, or anything else that would turn up. When he got there he found it was not so easy a thing as he had imagined. Many 'a long day did he spend in search of employment. As his voice was getting better, he tried to get an engagement at a small music hall.' In this, however, he did not succeed. His voice was not equal to it.

In this his extremity, he heard of a situation at Greenwich, which he thought would suit him. For this he made application, and was successful; but had to tell a great many falsehoods, besides giving his false name, to make his case good.

His master was a Christian, and at the end of the first week gave him a trifle more than he had agreed to do, and asked him if he would like to go on the following Sunday and hear a preacher of the gospel.

He went, to please his master, and because he thought it might be to his interest.

On the following Sunday he went again. He liked the preacher, and thought he was a very good speaker; he enjoyed the singing, and was very pleased with the way in which the people treated him, shaking hands with him, and lending him a Bible and hymn book. But as to what the preacher said, or what was the meaning of the words from the Bible, he was as ignorant and careless as any there. The only impression which the preaching had upon him was that one night he thought he ought to begin to pc air, and for the future he meant to say “The Lord's Prayer " night and morning. By doing so, and going regularly to chapel, he thought he had done all that was necessary.

Sunday after Sunday found him' on the same seat in the chapel. The members began to look upon him as a sincere young man. But they did not know him. I mean, none of them knew him as God did. His eye not ',only saw him in chapel on Sundays, but saw him during the week, saw how he spent his evenings, saw him with wicked companions in the public-house playing at cards, and singing songs for the amusement of the company.

But soon he was to be changed! Soon he was to be stripped of his hypocrisy, and become a worshipper of God, in spirit and in truth! He knew it not, neither did such a thought enter his mind. But the time came at last.

On the Saturday night he had been with one of his companions to a public-house, where he stayed until time for closing; and having had too much to drink, could hardly stagger home.

When he got up on Sunday morning he had a sex ere headache, and had some slight feelings of remorse. As it was very late, he had scarcely time to dress and start off to chapel. However, go he must, or else whatever would the people think of him? But on his way he suddenly bethought himself that he had not said his prayers, either the previous night or that morning. This had such an effect upon him that he felt inclined to go back. What should he do? It seemed as if the only prop he had (namely, his prayers) was suddenly taken from under him.

He went to chapel. The minister preached, but the conscience-stricken sinner sat as though he heard him not. In the afternoon he went, as he usually did, to the Young Men's Christian Association. The friends spoke to him as before, but he only answered them with a "Yes" or "No.”

At night he went to chapel again, and here his unhappiness of mind increased. He wondered if there was anyone there so bad and miserable as he was. His conscience was thoroughly awakened.

What followed has already been related. He made an open confession of his guilt, and how he had been deceiving his master.

The Christian brother who spoke to him offered to go and see his master for him, which he did, Of course, his master was very much surprised; but, at the same time, glad at what had taken place, and sought to help, his now converted servant all he could.

And so this young man was stopped by God, just as he was on the brink of eternal ruin, and made a possessor of eternal life, and an inheritor of eternal joys, through faith, and the gift of God.

What a contrast! Would any of those men, with whom he was spending the previous night, believe that that young man, who could play at almost every low game, was now bending low before God a penitent sinner? No; they would laugh at the idea.

And perhaps the reader may begin to doubt the truth of what has been said, and put it down as merely a made-up, or at least an exaggerated tale.

If so, then let me say, dear reader, that it is quite true, and that young man is now living, a monument of God's mercy, and it is he who is now addressing you; praise be to the Lord!

And he would now address you personally. Are you a believer in Jesus, the sinner's Saviour?

Have you been brought to own your guilt, and fled to Him for pardon and salvation? If not, oh! let me beseech you to come to Him at once.

You may not have gone to the same lengths of wickedness that I did, and may you never do so; but still you are a sinner by nature, and unless saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, you must go to that dreadful place which I so narrowly escaped.

Oh! what infinite, boundless love, to pick up such a worthless sinner as me, and make me a child of God! And now from the word of God I know that Jesus is my Saviour, God is my Father, and heaven is my home.

“Now I have found a Friend,

Jesus is mine.

His love can never end,

Jesus is mine.

Though earthly joys decrease,

Though human friendships cease,

Now I have lasting peace,

Jesus is mine.”

And there is the same Saviour for you, the same love for you, the same pardon, peace, and eternal life for y on, dear reader, whoever you are.

It is more than ten years since I first sketched this little history, and I can say to-day, Jesus is the best friend I ever had, “A Friend that sticketh closer than a brother." I have had some very severe trials to pass through, the hardest to bear being those brought on by my own want of faithfulness, but through them all I have found that “He abideth faithful," and as I look back I can say from my heart,"

I'll praise Him for all that is past,

And trust Him for all that's to come.”

in my unconverted days I was never so happy as when I was singing songs, but now I am never so happy as when I am speaking of the boundless love of Jesus to poor sinners. And oh, I do so wish that you might know Him too. It is with this desire that I send forth this little account of how stopped in time, praying the Lord to bless it to some precious soul.

Again I ask you, dear reader, are you saved?

Oh! do not think I mean someone else. If you are not certain that your sins are forgiven it is you I invite to come to Jesus at once. And more than that, He Himself invites you to come. Can you refuse? He who died on the cross to save sinners invites you to come. Can you refuse? It is because He has died, and God has accepted His blood as an atonement, that you can now at once be saved. Again I ask you, CAN YOU REFUSE?

“Oh! what love of God to send Him from on high,

Oh! what love of Jesus thus to bleed and die,

Oh! what love we owe for pardon brought so nigh,

Through faith in Jesus' blood.”

H. G. B.

Christ Jesus the Saviour Is in Glory

DO YOU KNOW HIM?

BELOVED READER,

God has visited this world, has manifested Himself in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this is a fact, and is of immense importance to you, whether you feel interested in it or not.

He came down from glory, not to get God to love the sinner, but to declare the love that already existed in God's heart toward the sinner. It is written: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1 John 4:9.)

I call your attention to the fact, that the Son of God has been into this world. He laid aside His glory and took upon Himself the form of a man, and was when here the most gracious and the most accessible of men.

He carried with Him that which lost man could get nowhere else, and was the only man that could ever stand upon this earth and say, "Come unto, Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, ands. I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28.) What an, announcement was this to make in such a world,' of sin, sorrow, weariness, and want! But He-had more to give than rest; for in Him was life. Yet the sorrowful testimony that He gave of those around Him was, "Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life." (John 5:40.)

This blessed One was hated without a cause. He was "the light of the world." And this did not suit man; for "men loved darkness rather than because their deeds were evil." Hence they did not rest until they had got rid of this Jesus, so that they might go on undisturbed in their own, paths of iniquity. A robber was preferable to, Jesus, the Son of God! (John 18:40.) Their-cry was, "Away with Him! Crucify Him!”

But God, in His own wondrous grace, made-this crowning act of man's hatred against Himself to be the only way of salvation; for where, man made this blessed One the martyr, there, upon Calvary's cross, God gave Him to be the victim. Thus the death of the Lord Jesus Christ shows me on the one side the fullest expression of man's hatred against God (Acts 3:13-15), while on the other side it shows me God's eternal hatred of sin and His wonderful love toward the sinner (2 Cor. 5:21.)

It was there, upon the cross, "that mercy and truth met together "; and it was there that “righteousness and peace kissed each other.” (Psa. 85:10.)

Thus, when 1 think of the death of Christ I am constrained to say, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (Rom. 5:20.)

It was upon the cross that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring those who believe in Him to God. (1 Peter 3:18.)

It was upon the cross that "He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Heb. 9:26.)

It was upon the cross that the Lord Jesus Christ endured God's wrath against sin, in order that the love which existed in God's heart, might righteously flow out towards those who were “UNGODLY," " SINNERS," and "ENEMIES." “God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8.)

Every barrier that hindered the outflow of the love of God to the world has been removed. The precious blood of Jesus has answered every claim.

And that same Jesus who died upon the cross now sits upon the throne in heavenly glory. God raised'

Him from among the dead, and, having exalted Him, has declared that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:10, 11; Psa. 72; 1 Cor. 15:20-28; Rev. 5:5.)

My desire in now presenting you with this little book is to press home upon your soul the fact that the Saviour is to-day in glory!

My question to you is, Do you know Him? It may, be that you know a great deal about Him.

But this is not what I mean. It is eternal life to know Him. It is written, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." (John 17:3.)

Have to do with the Lord Jesus Christ you must; either now in saving grace, or presently in judgment!

The dying thief had to do with Him when He hung upon the cross.

Saul, His most determined enemy upon earth, had to do with Him when He was in heavenly glory —the same Jesus, but in different circumstances.

The thief turned to the Saviour on the cross, owned his sinful condition, and asked to be remembered in His coming kingdom., The Saviour's answer to his cry was, "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise." (Luke 23:43.)

Saul, on the other hand, on his way to Damascus, endeavoring to wipe out the memory of Jesus from the earth, is met by the same Jesus in brightest glory!

How does the Lord meet this daring enemy, the chief of sinners?

With this simple inquiry:

"Saul, Saul, WHY persecutest thou ME?" (Acts 9)

Could Saul tell Him why? No. But in the light of that glory, which was above the brightness of the sun, he fell to the ground, and exclaimed,

"Who art Thou, Lord?”

The answer was,

“I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

Not one word of reproof tell from the Saviour's lips. What a reception was this for Saul!

His course on earth was changed. No longer the persecutor of the saints of God, but, henceforth to be an ambassador for that Saviour here, and a preacher of Him as glad tidings among the nations. (Gal. 1:16.) He announced what that Saviour was in Himself as glad tidings to those around him.

You see, on the one hand, how a dying male factor was received, and, on the other hand, how the proud, self-righteous enemy of Jesus was received.

Care you then, dear reader, for Him, the living, loving Saviour in glory? Be assured of this: He cares for you and desires your salvation. (2 Peter 3:9, 10.)

Gladly do I thus declare what He has done: for "He gave Himself a ransom for all" (1 Tim. 2):

God has been satisfied and GLORIFIED with the work that He accomplished on the cross; and has crowned Him in heaven with glory and honor. (John 17; Heb. 2)

Let me also ask you, beloved reader, Do you want rest, peace, righteousness, eternal life? All are found in that living Saviour up there in glory! (Eph. 2:14; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 3:3.)

Be assured, He is the only refuge for your immortal soul, and you will spend eternity either with Him in glory, or with the lost in hell!

To turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven, and to refuse present grace is to ensure future judgment; for after death there is judgment. (Heb. 9:27.) And there will be no grace, no mercy, for the sinner when he stands before the "great white throne." (Rev. 20)

When the Saviour was upon earth He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (or judgment), but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24.)

Thus the believer in Christ Jesus is one who will never come into judgment, because the Lord Jesus Christ bore the judgment for him (2 Cor. 5:21); and God is just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. (Rom. 3:2.)

But, beloved reader, remember that "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the

gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."(2 Thess. 1:7-9.)

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but That all should come to repentance. BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:9, 10.) Reader, where will you be in that day?

E. P. C.

The Cleansing of the Leper, Leviticus 14

THE ordinance in Israel of the, cleansing of the leper gives us a touching picture of God's way of cleansing a sinner, and bringing him back into His own blessed presence to worship and serve before Him.

Leprosy was a remarkable type of sin. It entirely unfitted a man for the presence of God. His place was "outside the camp." Whether he had few spots or many, he was pronounced "utterly unclean." All that he could therefore truly say of himself was, "Unclean, un-clean." The disease was most defiling. God alone could make a leper clean, and fit to come into the camp.

The true place of a leper, therefore, was outside the camp of Israel, outside everything of God, His presence, His service, His worship; with rent garments, head uncovered, and upper lip tied up, calling but "Unclean!" lest any coming near should contract defilement.

It is well for any now who take this self-loathing place, as without God, unclean, and undone before Him, unfit for His presence. Surely it is the only true place; for we are told, that "they “that are in the flesh cannot, please God," that all are "guilty" before Him. (Rom. 3:19; Rom. 8:8.)

God, however, could meet the leper' in this foul and hopeless condition, and bring him back into the camp, cleansed, and fit for His presence. And in this ordinance we see GREAT PRINCIPLES shadowed forth, as to the way in which God has met sinners in their sin and guilt, fitted those who believe for His own blessed presence, and made them to find rest and peace before Him in love.

1. THE LEPER WAS. BROUGHT TO THE PRIEST. (Lev 14:2.) Wherever else he went, or to whatever person, it would have been wholly unavailing. Out of all the people in the world, this one, and he only, had power from God to deal with the-leprosy, and pronounce the leper clean. So we know that there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12.) Jesus only is "the Way, and the Truth, and the Life": no man comes to the Father but by Him., (John 14:6.) The sinner must have to do with the Lord Jesus about his sins, or be kept outside God's presence forever. There is salvation in no other Jesus says, "Come!" "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37.) How clear and encouraging this is!

2. HE WAS EXAMINED BY THE PRIEST. “The priest shall look and behold if the plague of leprosy be healed." The leper stood with his leprous spots exposed to the scrutinizing eye of God's priest. Dealing with God, through Christ, about our sift is no light matter. It is a deeply solemn experience, to fall under the searching eye of God in His infinitely holy presence. To feel one's, self a sinner before a sin-hating God, can only be endured by the knowledge of the fact that He is a, sinner-loving God; for all things are naked and: open before Him. There is not a secret thing which is not wholly uncovered before His eye.

(Heb. 4:13.)

3. CLEANSING ONLY BY THE DEATH OF ANOTHER. The leper had to learn at this solemn moment, that he could be cleansed only by a sacrifice being offered. A live bird was therefore taken, and killed over running (or living) water; for the death of Christ is connected with the outflowing, of eternal life. (John 3:14.) And surely God teaches the soul that is exercised about his sins before Him, that it is only by the death of Christ that he can be brought to stand in acceptance with Him; for without shedding of blood there is no remission." (Heb. 9:22.) The leper saw, in the suffering and death of the bird, God's way of meeting him in order to cleanse him from his uncleanness. So it is only by the death of Jesus, the Son of God, that the sinner finds peace with God, and cleansing of sins; “for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18.)

Then he saw the living bird, with cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, dipped into the blood of the dead bird. Thus in a figure the dead bird is identified with the living bird, in order to be a type of Him who was dead and is alive again, and that for evermore. The dignity or majesty, incorruptibility, perfect humility, and other characteristics of Christ, may be typified by the scarlet, and cedar wood, and hyssop, to show us the infinite power and efficacy of His precious blood. (1 John 1:7.)

4. THE SPRINKLING OF BLOOD. There the leper stood looking at God's work for him, and then receiving God's remedy, and hearing God's sentence. He did nothing to merit any good, but received all from the God of Israel. Feeling his utter uncleanness and unfitness for God's presence, his mouth was stopped, while the priest sprinkled the blood upon him seven times, and pronounced him "clean.”

This is most blessed. It touchingly shows us that "salvation is of the Lord." It gave perfect assurance to the leper, and left no room for a question. Whatever he felt, or others suggested, he had the consciousness that he was under the virtue of the blood; and, through that alone, God's priest had pronounced him "clean." And so the believer now, who simply has to do with Christ about his sins, is entitled to perfect peace, entirely, on the ground that Christ died for our sins, died to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself; for God's word declares we are now justified by His blood. (Rom. 5:9.) We are thus pronounced clean.

5. THE LIVING BIRD IS THEN LET LOOSE, to prefigure a risen Saviour. After He had purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1:3.) So that the resurrection and ascension of Christ give perfect assurance that God was fully satisfied with Christ's atoning work, and that He saw in His death upon, the cross an answer to every claim of divine holiness and justice, and the complete blotting out of the sins of His people.

It was not possible that He should be holden of death; His flesh saw no corruption; but He was counted worthy of all glory, because He had so fully glorified the Father on the earth, and finished the work that He gave Him to do.

Until the leper was cleansed, the living bird was detained; but the efficacy of the dead one being fully attested by the leper being pronounced clean, it was "let loose into the open field." What peace and comfort this must have ministered to the poor leper! And what perfect rest of soul the knowledge of Christ risen from the dead and gone into heaven gives us! Surely, we can confidently sing:

"Clean every whit," Thou saidst it, Lord;

Shall one suspicion lurk?

Thine surely is a faithful word,

And Thine a finished, work.”

6. THE LEPER CLEANSED HIMSELF. After he was pronounced clean, he cleansed himself, and came into the camp. He washed his clothes, shaved off all his-hair, and washed himself, and in this way came into the camp. So the believer that has had to do with God" about his sins, and has the enjoyment of present forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of Jesus, has no confidence in the flesh; he sees that he himself in the flesh is thoroughly unclean, that everything connected with him naturally is, unclean also, and that all his natural comeliness all that he formerly gloried in, cannot bear the light of God's presence. But he acknowledges it unclean, and unfit for God's eye, and sees it all cleansed by the word of God, which testifies to the everlasting efficacy of the blood of Jesus. "Now," said Jesus, "ye are clean, through the word which I have spoken unto you." (John 15:3)

Made nigh in Christ Jesus, and through Ells, blood, we can, by the Spirit, enjoy God's presence, worship the Father, and serve Him acceptably. H.H. S.

Compel Them to Come in.

(Read Luke 14:15-24.)

The grace of God may be compared to a stream gushing from the mountain side; which, though frequently meeting with opposition, flows on. The force of the current manifests the fullness of the fountain. It has many obstacles to overcome; but the stream being fed by an exhaustless spring, it acquires strength in its progress; and rushing past or over every hindrance, it runs on, refreshing the region of its course, until it reaches the meeting-place of kindred streams.

But oh! with what opposition, from all quarters, has this grace had to contend! How often, for a moment, has its course been interrupted, and violently forced into another channel! The nature of God's grace is entirely contrary to man's selfishness. He is angry with God, and hates his brother, because the highest favors of heaven are bestowed on the most unworthy of the children of men. Hence Cain was angry, and killed Abel; and the elder brother was angry, and would not go into the house where grace reigned. (Gen. 4; Luke 15) It has ever been so. Naturally, man dislikes it, speaks against it, seeks to turn it aside and get rid of it altogether, like Israel at Sinai, or, failing in this, he seeks to pollute the pure stream of heaven, by mingling with it the fancied worthiness of his own feelings and doings. In all ages of the world, from every human heart, grace has met with determined opposition; but such is the depth, fullness, and energy of the love of God, the native source of all grace, that nothing can effectually stay its course, or even hinder its progress. The fountain can never fail, the channel can never be choked, and grace, free grace, in spite of every obstacle, must flow on through this desert world, until it has visited, refreshed, and blessed its most distant nations.

These thoughts have been suggested in reading Luke 14:15-24. Here; our Lord points out the onward course of the pure grace of God, and the spring from whence it flows. In reply to the one who said, while he sat at meat with Him, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God," the Lord, immediately assured him that the supper was ready, that grace had provided and prepared everything, and that he had a free invitation to come and eat of that heavenly bread. “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many; and sent his servants at suppertime to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready." They had been previously invited, but now they are entreated to come, for it was "supper-time" and all things were ready. But, alas! “they all with one consent began to make excuse." None of them said, in plain terms, "I will not come,” but they were full of excuses. How like the reception that the full, free, and hearty invitations of grace still meet with from many! Few will say plainly, I shall have nothing to do with Christ or His salvation; yet how often are both neglected, nay, despised, for a worldly pleasure, a self-gratification, a shadow, a nothing.

From the beginning God had acted in grace, and saved them that believed His word. But the full expression of His grace was reserved until Christ came. He was “full of grace and truth."(John 1:14, 16, 17.)" God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." (2 Cor. 5:19.) Grace reigned. None, observe, were unfit or unwelcome guests for the feast on account of their sins. God was not imputing their trespasses unto them. He was acting in grace—pure grace—grace without rebuke. So that there was full forgiveness to the chief of sinners, according to the riches of grace. The guest that was cast out, according to the account given by (Matthew. 22.), was condemned by the king, not on account of what he had done, but on account of what he had refused. Grace had provided everything. But he despised the robe that was suited to the feast. He was a rejecter of the free grace of God in Christ Jesus. "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment and he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Here, observe, nothing is said to the man about what we may call his sins in general, but simply that of having come hither without the wedding garment; and having refused the grace of God, which alone could meet his need, all his other sins, of heart and life, remained, and sank with him into the place of cuter darkness. This is deeply solemn. 'Every remembrance of the ground of condemnation must -prove an awful pang in the depths of woe.

Christ alone is the sinner's salvation. He alone meets all our need.

"My strength, my shield, my safe abode,

My robe before the throne of God.”

We have all in Him. "He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life." (1 John 5:10-11.) Until Christ is received, nothing is received. The sinner remains in all his guilt, and under the awful weight of his unpardoned sins. Oh! how marvelous, that any should be found refusing to be saved, refusing to be clothed in the king's raiment, decked with the king's jewels, and made happy forever in the king's royal favor. Oh, then, destitute sinner, come! Christless, graceless, homeless sinner, come! Thy God calleth thee, the Saviour inviteth thee, the Holy Spirit entreateth thee, "for all things are now ready.” A home, a robe, a welcome, a royal feast, all await thee. Why not come? Why not come now? Remember, oh, remember, that ere long, it must either be the king's banqueting house, or the deep, dark pit of eternal despair.

Our blessed Lord, in the parable before us, refers to three classes in connection with the stream of grace.

1. To those who were much engaged with their own earthly interests, and so had little relish for a heavenly feast. A piece of ground, five yoke of oxen, domestic duties, were more to them than the rich provisions of grace.

These things, though right and lawful in themselves, so filled their hearts, as to lead them to slight and neglect heavenly things, and thereby proved their eternal ruin. The king at last most solemnly declares of all such, “that none of those men who were bidden shall taste of my supper." They were not condemned, observe, for having, or for attending to these things, but because they were satisfied with them, cared nothing for the provisions of grace, and so refused fly, invitation to the "great supper." But grace, though disregarded by such, flows on to others.

2. The second class, to whom the Master sent the invitation, were those who were poor and helpless, in the streets and lanes of the city; the right class to value kindness from others.

When brought to see and feel our need, and out utter helplessness, such as are here pictured before us, the kindness that offers to meet all our need will be welcomed and appreciated. And what a picture the Lord here draws of man's spiritual condition! Poor, maimed, halt, blind. In poverty, and without hands to work, or feet to walk, or eyes to see. Oh, what a condition! What but the pure grace of God in the gospel of His Son can meet such a state of things? It is not enough merely to open a place in a locality, and announce that there will be preaching. If grace be at work, it will do much more, knowing the soul's deep necessities. The neighborhood must be visited, the streets and the lanes searched, that the spiritually destitute may be found out, an invitation given with beseeching earnestness, and, if possible,. brought, it may be, in the first place, to where the gospel is preached, but with the one object of their being brought to Christ, that they may, ere long, fill the house of the Lord, and dwell with Him forever. "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city," is the Master's own most urgent command.

3. The third class are found in the extreme outer circles, "the highways and hedges." The nations of the Gentiles, which, when compared with the city of Jerusalem, God's earthly center, are the distant places of the earth. But grace flows on, its energy and power manifestly increasing notwithstanding the world-wide circle of its course, and the opposition it has had to overcome in every inch of its progress. Its source is in the living God.

Two things seem to characterize the scene of gospel labor before the banqueting-house is filled, and the door closed.

1. The Master's long suffering, and patient perseverance in grace. To the first class, he “sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come: for all things are now ready.” To the second class, he says," Go OUT QUICKLY.... AND BRING IN HITHER THE POOR," etc. But to the third, He says," Go OUT.... AND COMPEL THEM TO COME IN.” Evangelists should be like the press-gang of heaven.

2. The energy of the servant, as one who has caught his Master's spirit. He can return from his preaching mission and say, “Lord, it is done as thou halt commanded, and yet there is room." Blessed is that servant who can give in such an account, “Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded," and still be as fresh for work as ever. "Yet there is room;" as if he had said, May I go out again, and' find some more to fill up that room? Oh, what a happy state of things, in any sphere of worthy service, when the servant enters into the Master's spirit, but surely, most of all, in such a sphere as this!

“I think I see the meaning of that text, now, ' Compel them to come in,' “said an earnest preacher to the writer a few days ago, and gave in substance the following explanation. "If I meet a friend in the street that I am anxious to see in my own house, I do not merely say to him, The door is open, come in, we shall be glad to see you. No; I entreat him, I urge him, I take him by the hand, and so cause him to feel the earnestness of my heart, that he is compelled to come in. Well, so should we cause unconverted sinners to feel assured of our love for their precious souls, as to compel them to come to Him who loves them infinitely more than we do. I was so convinced that this is the spirit of that text, that last Lord's day evening I was constrained to adopt a new line of action. I felt great earnestness for the conversion of souls in preaching. At the close of the discourse I stated to the people that I should be happy to remain for prayer and conversation, as the Lord might lead, after the usual service was over. I gave a hearty invitation to all, but especially to those who were anxious. Very few left. And, for the first time in my life, in place of remaining near to my desk until the people had removed, I went straight in amongst them.

Some of the brothers prayed most earnestly. I began to speak to some who were in deep concern; others followed my example; so that in a short time we had quite a scene of deep interest, and rich blessing; indeed, such as we have never had before on any occasion. Several were brought into peace, others were passing through deep exercise of soul. One man was so pressed in spirit that he stood up, and in a few simple words, declared what God had done for his soul. The effect was most blessed. We have had special meetings for prayer, that the work may go on. The brethren are all stirred up.”

Thus the stream of God's rich, full, unwearied, persevering grace flows on, and thus it must flow on, ever deepening, widening, and extending, until it has reached the utmost limits of God's purposes of love, and gathered from the nations of the earth as many precious souls as shall fill the house, which is as large as the heart of God.

May the Lord, the heavenly Master, so teach, guide, and lead all His dear servants now in the gospel-field, fully to carry out the true meaning of the text, in the divine power of the Holy Spirit, so that many around us may be morally compelled to come in, and that His house may soon, be filled.

I want an even, strong desire,

I want a calmly fervent zeal,

To pull poor souls out of the fire,

So snatch them from the verge of hell,

And turn them to a pardoning God,

And quench the brands in Jesu's blood.”

Conflicting Opinions

IN visiting, a short time since, in a town in the north of England, I had occasion to call to see a person in a back street in a district with which I was not familiar.

Not being sure of my way, I addressed a boy whom I saw standing with a basket of clothes, and asked him if he would kindly tell me the way to "James Street.”

“The second turn on your left," said he.

I thanked' him and moved on. But when I came to the second turn on my left, I found it was not James Street at all.

"How strange!" thought I, " that one who seemed to know the locality so well, should ‹et me astray; and yet he spoke with such decision as though he were perfectly sure of the truth of what he was saying.

I paused, and seeing an intelligent looking man coming toward me, I said to myself, "Perhaps he will be able to guide me." "Pray, sir, can you tell me the way to James Street?”

"Oh!" said he, " you are in the wrong direction altogether. You must go back again, and when you have passed three or four streets on your right, you will see James Street up on the corner of the house right before you.”

`This seemed satisfactory, so I at once retraced my steps, looking out eagerly for the promised notice. But alas! there was no such street to be found, and I was again brought to a pause, feeling it not a little tiresome to be thus driven up and down by the conflicting opinions of blind guides. I certainly did long for "competent authority" to direct my wandering footsteps into the right way; 'but I almost despaired of finding it.

At length, not liking to be baffled in my search after the true way, I accosted another quiet, sober, intelligent-looking man, and, I suppose with a certain tone of weariness, said, "Please, sir, can you tell me the way to James Street?”

“Why," said lie, "you are turning your back upon it."

“Oh, dear," said I,” how dreadfully tiresome! You are the third person from whom I have sought guidance. The first told me to go yonder, and turn to the left. The second told me to go right back, and turn to the right; and now you tell me I am all wrong, and must retrace my steps. Whatever is a poor ignorant stranger to do in the face of such conflicting opinions? I cannot, for the life of me, understand how men will undertake, and with such cool confidence, too, to give guidance when it is manifest they are wholly incompetent. If I were asked the way to any place with which I was not thoroughly acquainted, I should, unhesitatingly and frankly, own my ignorance, and tell the inquirer to seek out a competent authority. But for men who are wholly ignorant to undertake to guide their fellows is, in my judgment, not only most silly, but positively unkind." "Well," said my intelligent-looking friend," I am actually going to James Street, and I shall be happy to show you the way.”

"Ah," thought I, “this is something like the thing. It does seem as though I had at last found out a competent authority. Here is a man who is actually in the way himself, and surely he must know it.”

His manner, too, was assuring. There was nothing of the flippancy of self-confidence about him; but the calm, quiet dignity of one who seemed thoroughly and practically acquainted with what he was saving.

Having already been set astray by two blind guides, I confess I felt considerable diffidence in committing myself to this new authority, lest he should prove not a whit more competent than those who had gone before him. Still, as he said that he himself was actually in the way, I thought I might cautiously commit myself to his guidance. I thought of the words in Heb. 13, "Obey those guiding you..., considering the end of their conversation"; and I followed my new guide.

I then observed, with much interest, that the boy to whom I spoke first of all had set me astray not exactly by positive error, but by misplaced truth and defective information. "The second turn to the left" was right enough so far as it went; but he ought to have added, "and then the first to the right.”

“Just so," mused I," there is the way in which people are constantly misled. They get partial views of truth, in place of the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And not only are they misled themselves, but they mislead all who are foolish enough to listen to them. Here am I, tossed about and driven hither and thither by ignorant guides; and I have been thrown just as much out of the true way by partial truth as by palpable error.”

Well, at length my new guide conducted me to the very source from whence he had derived his authority. He conducted me to it, and put me in personal connection with it. He showed me, as it were, the written word, the grand authority for all. No more error now; no more partial truth now, no more human testimony now. I was at the source, I read for myself, I got the truth; and all the blind guides and conflicting opinions in the world could not move me. I now knew for myself where JAMES STREET was, and had no further need to look for human guidance.

The thoughtful reader will be at no loss to see the moral application of the foregoing simple narrative. It is of real importance at the present moment. Never was there more urgent need of keeping close to that one grand and paramount authority, the voice of Holy Scripture. No human language ran possibly set forth in suited terms the value of the full, clear, competent, because divine, authority of the word of God. "It is written" is a sentence which every Christian man, woman, and child should seek to have engraven on the very tablets of the heart. We can move on with a firm step and a peaceful mind when we have that high authority for our position and our practice.

How few, comparatively, cap be found who acknowledge the absolute authority of Scripture in everything. And vet we read that " all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine; for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished to all good works " (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).

And not only so; but the same Scriptures can make a child wise unto salvation. The Written Word meets a little child, and makes him wise unto salvation. It meets a man of God, and furnishes him thoroughly to all good works.

The good Lord be praised for such a provision! What rest for the heart! What stability for the path! What perfect calmness for the spirit! What holy elevation above the thoughts and opinions of men! What full deliverance from human influence, and all the disturbing forces around us! There is nothing like it. A heart that bows down to the authority of Holy Scripture in all things, and that trusts its eternal stability, spite of everything, is a heart happily free from the bewildering effects of "conflicting opinions." May the reader prove this for himself.

C. H. M.

Every broken-hearted sinner that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation is justified before God. "By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses." They, are justified by the blood of Christ. By His death Christ put away their sins, that they might be made the righteousness of God in Him. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." This is the true grace of God wherein we stand.

Do You Know Your Sins Are Forgiven?

BEFORE proceeding to treat of the subject of forgiveness of sins, I should like to ask my reader a very plain, pointed, personal question, namely, Dost thou believe that thou canst have the clear and settled assurance that thy sins area forgiven?

I ask this question at the outset because there are many now-a-days who profess to preach the gospel of Christ, and yet deny that any one can be sure that his sins are forgiven. They maintain that it is presumption for any one to believe in the forgiveness of his sins; and, on the other hand, they look upon it as a proof of humility to be always in doubt as to this most momentous point. In other words, it is presumption to believe what God says, and humility to doubt its This seems strange in the face of such passages as the following: "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46, 47.) “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (Eph. 1:7.)

Here we have remission or forgiveness of sins (the ward is the same in the three passages) preached in the name of Jesus, and possessed by those who believed that preaching. A proclamation was sent to the Ephesians and Colossians, as belonging to the "all nations," telling them of forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. They believed this proclamation, and entered on the possession of the forgiveness of sins. Was this presumption on their part? Or would it have been piety and humility to doubt the forgiveness of sins?

True, they had been great sinners, “dead in trespasses and sins," " children of wrath,” “aliens and foreigners," " enemies by wicked works." Some of them had doubtless bowed the knee to the goddess Diana. They had lived in gross idolatry and all manner of wickedness.

But then "forgiveness of sins" had been preached to them in the name of Jesus. Was this preaching true, or was it not? Was it for them, or was it not? Was it all a dream, a shadow, a mist?

Did it mean nothing? Was there nothing sure, nothing certain, nothing solid about it?

These are plain questions, demanding a plain answer from those who assert that no one can know for certain that his sins are forgiven. If indeed no one can know it now, then how could any one have known it in apostolic times? If it could be known in the first century, then why not in the twentieth?

At all times forgiveness of sins was known with all the certainty which the word of God could give. “David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Rom. 4:6-8). Hezekiah could say, “Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back." (Isa. 38:17.) The Lord Jesus said to one, in His day, " Son, be of good' cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matt. 9:2.)

Thus, when I open my Bible, I find persons who had been guilty of all manner of sins brought to the knowledge of forgiveness; and I therefore argue: that it is possible for the very vilest sinner to know now, with divine certainty, that his sins are forgiven. Was it presumption in Abraham, in David, in Hezekiah, in the palsied man of Luke 5, and in numbers besides, to believe in the forgiveness of sins? Would it have been a sign of humility and true piety in them to doubt?

It will perhaps be argued that these were all special and extraordinary cases. Well, it matters not, so far as our present question is concerned, whether they were ordinary or extraordinary. One thing is plain, they completely disprove the assertion that no one can know that his sins are forgiven. The word of God teaches me that numbers of people subject to like passions, like infirmities, like failures, and like sins as the writer and reader, were brought to know and rejoice in the full forgiveness of sins. Consequently, those who maintain that no one can be sure on this momentous question have no scriptural foundation for their opinion.

But is it true that the cases recorded in the Holy Scriptures are so special and extraordinary as not to afford any precedent for us?

By no means. If any case could be so regarded it is surely that of Abraham; and yet we read of him that "it was not written for his sake alone, that righteousness was imputed to: him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offends, and was raised again for our justification." (Rom. 4:23-25.) "Abraham believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness." (Gen. 15:6.) And the Holy Ghost declares that righteousness shall be imputed to us also, if we believe. "Be it known unto you, therefore; men and brethren, that through this Man [Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38, 39.) "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name 'whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:43.)

Now the question is, What did the apostles Peter and Paul mean, when they so unreservedly preached the forgiveness of sins to those who listened to them? Did they really mean to convey to their hearers the idea that no one could be sure that he possessed this forgiveness of sins? When, in the synagogue of Antioch, Paul said to his audience, "We declare unto you glad tidings,” did he entertain the notion that no one could be sure that his sins were forgiven? How could the gospel ever be called "glad tidings" if its only effect was to leave the soul in doubt and anxiety?

If indeed it is true that no one can enjoy the assurance of pardon, then the whole style of apostolic preaching should be reversed. We might then expect to find Paul saying to his hearers, “Be it known unto von, therefore, men and brethren, that no one can ever know, in this life, whether his sins are forgiven or not.”

Is there aught like this in the entire range of apostolic preaching and teaching? Do not the apostles everywhere set forth, in the fullest and clearest manner, remission of sins as the necessary result of believing in a crucified and risen Saviour?.

Is there the most remote hint of that which is so much insisted upon by some modern teachers, namely, that it is a dangerous presumption to believe in the full forgiveness of all our sins, and that it argues a pious and humble frame of soul to live in perpetual doubt? Is there no possibility of ever enjoying, in this world, the comfortable certainty of our eternal security in Christ? Can Nye not rely upon God's word, or commit our souls to the sacrifice of Christ? Can it be possible that the only effect of God's glad tidings is to leave the soul in hopeless perplexity? Christ has put away my sins; but I cannot know it! God has spoken; but I cannot be sure! The Holy Ghost has come down; but I cannot rely upon His testimony! It is piety and humility to doubt God's word, to dishonor the atonement of Christ, and to refuse the faith of the heart to the 'record of the Holy Ghost!

Alas! alas! if this is the gospel, then adieu to peace and joy in believing. If this is Christianity, then in vain the Dayspring from on high visited us, to give the knowledge of salvation through the remission of our sins. (Luke 1:76-79.) If no one can have this "knowledge of salvation,” then to what end has it been given?

And let my reader bear in mind that the question before us is not whether a person may, not deceive himself and others. This would be at once ceded.

Thousands, alas! have deceived themselves, and thousands more have deceived others. But is that any reason why I cannot possess the absolute certainty that what God has said is true, and that the work of Christ has availed to put away all my sins? Men have deceived themselves, and therefore I am afraid to trust Christ! Men have deceived others, and therefore I am afraid that God's word will deceive me!

This is really what it all amounts to, when put into plain language. And is it not well to have things thus put? Is it not needful at times to strip certain propositions of the dress in which legality and fleshly pietism would clothe them, so that we may see what they really are? Does it not behoove us, when men stand forth as the professed and authorized exponents of a sound and enlightened. Christianity, to test what they say by the unerring standard of Holy Scripture?

Assuredly it does; and if they tell us we can never be sure of salvation; and that it is presumption to think of such a thing; and, further, that the very utmost we can attain to in this life is a faint hope that, through the mercy of God, we may get to heaven when we die; we must utterly reject such teaching as being in direct opposition to the word of God. False theology tells me I can never be sure; God's word tells me I can. Which am I to believe? The former fills me with gloomy doubts and fears; the latter imparts divine certainty. That casts me upon my own efforts; this upon a finished work. To which shall I attend? Is there, throughout the entire volume of God, a shadow of foundation for the notion that no one can be sure of his eternal salvation? I most fearlessly assert there is not.

So far from this, the word of God, in every section of it, sets before us, in the clearest way, the privilege of the believer to enjoy the most unclouded certainty as to his pardon and acceptance in Christ.

And, let me ask, is it not due to God's faithful word, and Christ's finished work, that the soul confiding therein should enjoy the fullest assurance? True, it is by faith that any one can so confide, and this faith is wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost But all this in no wise affects our present question. What I desire is that my reader should rise from the reading of this paper with a full and firm conviction that it is possible for him to possess the present assurance that he is as safe as Christ can make him. If any sinner ever enjoyed this assurance, then why may not my reader now enjoy it? Is Christ's work finished?

Is God's word true? Yes, verily. Then, if I simply trust therein, I am pardoned, justified, and accepted. All my sins were laid on Jesus when He was nailed to the cursed tree. Jehovah made them all meet on Him. He bore them and put them away; and now He is up in heaven without them. This is enough for me. If the One who stood charged with all my guilt is now at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, then clearly there is nothing against me. All that divine justice had against me was laid on the sin-Bearer, and He endured the wrath of a sin-hating God that I might be freely and forever pardoned and accepted in a risen and glorified Saviour.

These are glad tidings. Does my reader believe them? Say, beloved, dust thou heartily believe in a once dead and now risen Christ? Hast thou come to Him as a. lost sinner, and put thy heart's full confidence in Him? Dost thou believe that He died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the. Scriptures? If so, thou art saved, justified, accepted, complete in Christ. True thou art, in thyself, a poor feeble creature, having' an evil nature to contend with every moment; but Christ is thy life, and He is thy wisdom, and thy righteousness, thy sanctification, redemption, thy all (1 Cor. 1:30.) He ever lives for thee up in heaven. He died to make thee clean. He lives to keep thee clean. Thou art made as clean as His death can make thee, and thou art kept as clean as His life can keep thee.

(Rev. 1:5; Heb. 7:25.) He made Himself responsible for thee. God sees thee to be what Christ has made thee to he He sees thee in Christ and as Christ. Wherefore, I pray thee, tread no more those gloomy corridors of legalism, pietism, and false theology, which have resounded for ages with the sighs and groans of poor sin-burdened and misguided souls; but seeing the fullness of thy portion, and the completeness of thy standing in a risen and victorious Christ, rejoice in Him all thy days upon earth, and live in the hope of being with Him forever in His own mansions of heavenly glory. (Col. 2:9, 10; 3:4)

Do You Mean H-a-T-E, Hate

ONE Saturday evening in autumn I was traveling to W—.

When the train stopped at K— all the passengers left the carriage, and a very respectable, intelligent man, of middle age, got in, sat down opposite me, and said, " I wish my journey was over!”

“Have you far to go?" I asked.

“Yes, to Penzance; but this is not the worst of it; I expect to find the only one I love, except two children, dead.”

It was his wife, poor man. His anxiety was intense, he having that afternoon received a telegram about her illness, and could not possibly reach her before two o'clock on Sunday morning.

After a little while I said, “Is she sheltered under the precious blood of Christ?”

“No, sir!”

“Are you?”

“No, sir! I will be honest with you; I believe if I were to die this moment I should go straight to hell!”

I then spoke much to him of God's love to sinners, quoting John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him Should not perish, but have everlasting life," and other passages.

He replied, “You can't tell me anything I don't know about the Bible, but I can't feel it here,” smiting his breast.

“Oh! my friend," I said, " you never would feel it there, if you lived a thousand years!”

With surprise he answered, “God grant I never may, then!”

I showed him that he was looking within for some miraculous change, or certain kind of feelings, instead of resting calmly, in simple faith, on the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that “he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." (John 3:36.)

He told me he was a Wesleyan, a Sunday-school teacher and preacher, but for thirty years this thought had haunted him, that one day he should wake up in hell, adding, “Only last night I dreamed I was in hell, and saw several I knew there!”

Never shall I forget his intense anxiety and eager look -when, with the tears rolling down his face, he said, “Oh! I would give all I possess to enjoy that peace which you seem to have!

“But it is without money and without price," I answered. “Christ hath made peace through the blood of His cross. ' 'The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin.'" (1 John 1:7.)

After a long conversation I felt sure he was a believer, but that the enemy of souls had tormented him in this way. I looked him full in the face, and asked, “Do you hate the Lord Jesus Christ? ''

Hate Him, sir! hate Him, sir! Do you mean h-a-t-e, hate?”

“That's exactly what I do mean," I said.

“Ah! no," with tears filling his eyes, he replied, " why He is everything to me, and has done everything for me!”

“Well, then, my friend," I continued," while you are traveling to Penzance, through the silent hours of to-night, think of Him ' who bore our sins in His own body on the tree,' but who is now at God's right hand in heavenly glory, and think how you have grieved His heart with all your wretched unbelief.”

As the train was nearing W— I took his hand, while he firmly grasped mine, and said, “Good-bye; perhaps I may never meet you again.”

But he answered, with a faltering voice, and tears filling his eyes, "I shall meet you above." I reminded him that a little while ago he had told me that he should be in hell, and I added, “By the grace of God I shall never be there.”

Oh! "he said," I do believe, I do believe"; and, "I shall meet you above.”

So we parted; but I do expect to meet my fellow-traveler one day in my Father's house above.

Dear reader, are you saved? Are you sheltered under the precious blood of Christ? If not, an everlasting hell must be your portion. But should a doubting, trembling heart read this, then let me assure you that "He came to seek and to save that which is lost." Read Luke 15, and see how God delights to bless a lost sinner.

His word, too, must ever be the sure resting-place for the soul. "He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18.) G. W.

God's Salvation and Man's Condition

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:3.) THERE is no subject of such importance to a sinner as that of salvation, the salvation of his own soul. Compared with this, all others dwindle into utter insignificance. Indeed, were any sinner truly alive to his condition as such he could think of no other, feel interested in no other, occupy himself with no other, until he knew that this all-important one was really settled on a solid basis. He would seek first to have this secure, whatever else was left in uncertainty.

The unsaved sinner is like a person on the brink of an awful precipice, up to the very edge of which an enemy has maliciously decoyed him, and then with fiendish subtlety, watches for an opportunity to give him the fatal push, that would plunge him headlong down the fearful abyss.

Now, what should we think of a person, in such a condition who could remain unconcerned if he knew his danger; who, though faithfully warned of his position, and of the enemy who was seeking his destruction, nevertheless gave no heed to the warning, manifested no desire to flee from the danger, or to escape from the hands of his crafty, cruel foe? We should justly conclude that he was an insane person, one who was alike insensible to the dangers of his situation, the kindness of his friend, and the treachery of his enemy.

Well, such, and worse than such, are the condition and the conduct of every unpardoned sinner who neglects God's "great salvation," who despises, or trifles with the faithful warnings and the affectionate invitations of the gospel. He is on the very brink of the slippery precipice of "the lake of fire." (Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:10, 14, 15.) He is every moment exposed to the yawning gulf beneath, Another step, and his doom may be sealed forever; for who can tell what a moment may bring forth? Yet, strange to say, he professes to know his danger, and dares to make light of it. Awful delusion! But he believes the lie of Satan rather than the truth of God, and shuts his eyes to the danger he is in.

Such, indeed, is the awful condition, the imminent danger, of every one who neglects the “great salvation." He may be kind, loving, gentle, moral, amiable. He may not openly despise or avowedly reject salvation, but in heart he neglects it, treats it with carelessness, and the only termination of such a course, if persisted in, is eternal condemnation." How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? "And oh! what immense numbers there are of this class! Many of the most moral and well conducted amongst men are living in the utter" neglect "of God's" great salvation." Oh fearful condition! Oh fatal delusion! And the great enemy of souls and salvation is doing his very utmost to hide from the view of his poor deluded victims the reality of their position until it be too late. Moreover, while the sinner's ear continues shut to the voice of God, and his heart closed to the love of God, he is in the hands of Satan," the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." (Eph. 2:2.) He is led on by him as his prince, and energized by his spirit. He may think he has an independent will of his own, and may boast that he can think and judge for himself, yet all the while he is the merest dupe of Satan, and “taken captive by him at his will." (2 Tim. 2:26.)

Some he leads on very gently, getting them to believe that God's time for their conversion is not yet come, and that they must wait His time, for He only can change the heart; but, in the meantime, they may take their enjoyment, such as the world offers, in a rational way, honestly confessing they are not Christians yet, so that they are quite consistent.

Alas such persons are as surely, though quietly and orderly, on the broad road, as those who are violent opposers of the truth. This is a subtle, but most successful snare of the devil. It well suits those who have a measure of light, but who have at the same time a real love for the world.

Some who have less light, and less conscience, he pushes along more roughly; while others he drives furiously, and their race is soon run. But at whatever speed, and in whatever character they go, his only terminus is the burning lake, where there is weeping, and gnashing, of teeth.

(Matt. 13:42-50.) But, blessed be the God of all grace, so long as the soul is on this side of "the lake of fire" it is in the place of hope. God is above Satan; He is above all. He keeps the door of mercy wide open, night and day, for the chief of sinners.

“And let him that is athirst come: and whoso-ever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

(Rev. 22:17.) The first look of faith to Jesus is immediate deliverance. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." (Isa. 45:22.) Many, when on the very brink of hell, have been rescued by the Saviour-God, and plucked as a brand out of the fire. (Zech. 3:2.) He only can do it, and we must look to Him.

We have many examples recorded in Scripture, and set up as finger-posts, pointing out to us the way of escape, and the way of eternal life. Such are the dying thief on the cross, Saul of Tarsus, and the Philippian jailor. Let us look for a moment at the latter. When, by Satan, driven to the very point of despair, "he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself." (Acts 16:27.) But the voice of love from "the inner prison," that cried aloud, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here," stayed his hand, and rescued him from the snare of the enemy. He was just about to strike the fatal blow, and rush headlong into the gulf of hell. For a moment, he stood quivering on its slippery edge, and Satan eager to push him in; when, lo! the sweet accents of love and mercy from the heart of God, fell upon his ear, arrested his attention, and turned his thoughts to the voice that spoke.

Those kind words, "Do thyself no harm," broke the poor jailor's heart, and he fell a captive not to the malice of Satan, blessed be God, but to the victorious love of Jesus. The prey was taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive was delivered from the terrible one. (Isa. 49:21.)

“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt he saved, and thy house... And he rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." (Acts 16:29-34.)

Oh! that my dear reader may be led to pause, and listen to the voice of love. It is Jesus that speaks, and words of perfect grace fall from His lips. I am come, He says, "to seek and to save that which was lost." Oh! then, turn to Him, before you take another step. As a lost one turn to Him. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." (Psa. 2:12.)

That which may, alas! be treated with neglect, thought little of, and cared little for, is nevertheless God's "great salvation." Hence the solemn warning, appeal, and exhortation in the word before us. "THEREFORE we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; now SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION?”

These truly solemn words were first spoken to the Hebrews, who had made a profession of Christianity, but were in danger of slipping back into Judaism. Still, they are equally true and applicable to us, and to all who, at any time, or on any ground, are found neglecting this salvation.

This subject, this salvation, is one of universal and individual importance, and it cannot be overlooked or disregarded by any without incurring God's sore displeasure. "Salvation is of the Lord." (Jonah 2:9.)

It is of His providing and preparing. "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.'”

(Matt. 22:4.) This salvation is divinely suited to man's condition. It is ready now, ready for acceptance of all who will receive it. It is full and free, free to the most unworthy, "He, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money, and without price." (Isa. 55:1.)

It is emphatically called the "great salvation." And that for several reasons. We will notice some of them.

1. Because of the greatness and authority of Him by whom it was published. "Which at the first began to be spoken by the LORD." “God ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son."(Heb. 1:2.) The law was spoken by angels. The Jews" received the law by the disposition of angels."(Acts 7) But God has spoken to us by His own beloved Son, who is essentially and officially above angels." For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? "What a messenger! Oh! what importance must be attached to the message which He brings!" THEREFORE we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.”

2. Because of the greatness and glory of. Him by whom it was accomplished. When Christ, "by Himself," had "purged our sins," He "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." He who, in perfect grace to us, when working out our salvation, went down to "the lowest parts of the earth," is now in the highest place in heaven. (Eph. 4:9, 10.) The cross has been exchanged for the throne, and the reed of mockery for the Royal Scepter of universal dominion.

3. “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom." Oh I what a Workman! What must His work be Because of the greatness of the guilt and, ruin from which it saves. How few know their real condition in the sight of God, though it is written on every page of Scripture. Vain man's thoughts of himself, and God's true statement of his condition, are widely different. By nature he is a child of wrath; because of unbelief "condemned already," Yet out of all this sad, sad condition, God's "great salvation," effectually and immediately delivers. "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Rev. 3:17; Col. 1:12-14.)

4. Because of the greatness of the blessedness into which it introduces. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18.) We can never get higher or better than this. To be brought to God, is to be brought to the knowledge of God, into fellowship with God, full conformity to God, and the eternal enjoyment of God. This is perfect blessedness. "We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 5:11.) "To Him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Rev. 2:7.) Oh! what a place to be brought into! "The midst of the paradise of God." This is rest, God's own rest; a higher, a holier, a happier, can never be found. And to feed on Christ there, as "the tree of life." No “tree of the knowledge of good and evil" there.

How different from man's paradise! (Gen. 2:9.) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (1 Peter 3:18; Rom. 5:11; Rev. 2:7.)

Well may the grand theme of the gospel testimony be called the "great salvation." Oh! how great; how good; how glorious! It is salvation from the depths of hell to the heights of heaven; from "the wrath to come," to an "eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. 4:17.)

And is this, is this really, what so many are neglecting? Is this what so many are despising and rejecting? Few will say, in plain terms, that they are doing the latter, but many will confess to the former. Many will acknowledge that they are neglecting the "one thing needful." (Luke 10:42).

Well, my dear reader, be assured that the former comes to the same thing as the latter in the end. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Escape from eternal woe is utterly impossible if we persist in neglecting Christ, in whom alone salvation is to be found. "How shall we escape?" is the deeply solemn and unchangeable word of God.

May you, my dear reader, be led to realize its full weight on your heart and conscience now. May you be kept from trifling with a matter of immediate, unspeakable, and eternal importance to your own soul. Can anything compensate for the loss of your precious soul? “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” No amount of pleasure, gain, or gratification, in this world, can ever make up for eternal misery in the world to come. Why, then, oh! why should you be so thoughtless, careless, and negligent about salvation, "which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory"? Oh! receive Him by faith as your Saviour, and then you receive salvation "with eternal glory." Then you possess, as your present and everlasting portion, "the unsearchable riches of Christ." All is open and free to faith. "Only believe." Salvation is by faith alone, faith in Jesus. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.'' (John 3:36.) But oh! believe on Him now. His word can never be truer, His salvation can never be freer, and you can never be more welcome. Why not come now? He is waiting for you. It will be joy to His loving heart to embrace you. It will be joy to all heaven to receive you. Can you delay? Surely not. Flee to the arms of His mercy, flee at once. To-morrow may be too late." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2.) A. M.

He is a path, if any be misled;

He is a robe, if any naked be;

IF any chance to hunger, He is bread;

IF any be a bondman, He is free;

IF any be but weak, how strong is He!

To dead men life is He; to sick men health;

To blind men sight, and to the needy wealth;

A pleasure without loss;

A treasure without stealth.

The Good Samaritan

(LUKE 10:25-37.)

THE lawyer’s question, "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" seems at first sight very similar to that of the Philippian jailor in Acts 16:30 " Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ''

In reality, they are very different. The lawyer's implies his own ability to gain life as a result of what he could do; while the jailor's is the cry of a troubled soul for someone to sale him, thus owning he could not save himself.

The blessed Lord, however, takes occasion of the lawyer's question to bring out the wretched and helpless state of the sinner; while in reply to his second question, “And who is my neighbour? "He gives a full and beautiful picture of Himself as the Saviour.

“A certain Man went down, from Jerusalem to Jericho.'' These words pre-sent to us the downward course of every man. Jerusalem was the city blessed by the presence of God, who had put His name there (Exod. 15:17 and 1 Kings 8:29). Jericho, on the other hand, was the first city to withstand Israel when they entered Canaan to take possession of the land that God promised them; therefore the city was accursed and utterly destroyed; moreover, Joshua pronounced a curse on the man who should rebuild it (Josh. 6:17; Josh. 26-27).

It was not till the days of the wicked King Ahab that a man was found daring enough to defy the curse. and rebuild Jericho; and then, though more than five hundred years had passed since the curse was proclaimed, the words of Joshua were fulfilled; for "he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub" (1 Kings 16:34) The sinner—and let us remember "all have sinned"—has his back to God and all blessing, and his face towards the place of the curse; his feet are treading the downward road that leads to destruction. On his journey "he fell among thieves, which stripped" him, and left him half dead by the road-side. What a picture of misery and helplessness and yet how slow is man to realize that the Lord thus depicts his state. Dear reader, let me ask, "Have you done so?" Well is it, indeed, When he discovers that he has nothing with which to meet the claims of a holy God, for this leaves God free to deal in grace; as with the two debtors the Lord tells us of in Luke 7:41, 42: "When they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both." Again, helplessness is no hindrance to God: "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).

"By chance" (note these words) "there came down a certain priest that way." Ah! we should have thought that was just the one the poor man needed. But, although he secs him, he passes by on the other side. If the poor man had had an offering the priest could have offered it on his behalf, and with its blood made an atonement for his soul. But he was stripped of all, and had nothing, and so the priest was unable to help him.

So is it with the sinner. He has nothing to offer to God as a ransom for his soul, or for that of his brother, and "the redemption of the soul is precious" (Psa. 49:7, 8). God, however, in His abounding grace, "if any say, I have sinned," replies, "I have found a ransom" (Job 33:23-28). The Apostle Peter reminds us of what this is, even "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:19).

“Likewise," that is, by chance, Levite... came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. "Why was the Levite no more able to help the half-dead man than the priest? Because the man was unable to do anything. The Levites of old were appointed to teach the people the law (Deut. 33:8-10), and what they should do to please God. The poor man was, however, beyond teaching what he should, do—he was helpless. Again in this, how he typifies the sinner, who, according to God's Word, is" without strength "! But it is just in that state that God in grace tells us," In due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).

In blessed contrast to the priest and the Levite we find the "certain Samaritan." He came not, like the others, "by chance," but "as he journeyed." It was by no mere chance that the loving Saviour came to save the sinner, but with purpose of heart He journeyed from the glory to the manger, from the manger to the cross, and from the open grave He has gone back into the glory of God—the mighty Victor over Satan, death, and the grave.

That journey was undertaken to do the will of God (Heb. 10:9), and "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). The good Samaritan did not ask the man for anything: he did not tell him to' do anything—not even to come a step towards him, but he "came where he was," his heart was moved with compassion, and he "bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine." The wine speaks to us of the cleansing blood of Jesus, that "cleanseth us from all sin"; the oil, of the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Having thus ministered to him, he "set him on his own beast." The man needed a power outside himself to carry him. The very power of God that sustained and preserved the Lord Jesus through this scene (for as perfect Man He took the place of dependence, saying, " Preserve Me, O God: for in Thee do I put My trust '' (Psa. 16:1) is the power that carries and keeps those whom Christ saves. We are "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:5).

He "brought him to an inn, and took care of him." An inn is not where travelers make their home, but a place of shelter and refreshment on the journey. So with the rescued sinner; he is brought to the company of those traveling to glory—the church of God on its way through this world (Acts 2:47), cared for and ministered to by the Host to whom Christ has committed the charge of His people, even the Holy Spirit or Comforter. He it is who takes of the things of Christ and shows them to us for our comfort, refreshment, and joy, and to glorify Christ, to whom the Father has given all that He Himself has (John 16:13-15).

The Good Samaritan departs on the morrow for a little while only, leaving two pence with the host-an amount to meet the man's needs for the day. Yet there was no lack, for "whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." What a, bright and cheering thought for the poor man, that his deliverer was soon coming for him again! So with us who believe in Jesus. He has said, "Surely I come quickly” (Rev. 22:20). While He tarries the Holy Spirit ministers to us specially in two ways—by the Word of God and prayer-answering, I believe, to the two pence of the parable. This thought gains confirmation from the fact that Luke, who gives us events in their moral order, brings them to our notice just after the parable.

Mary sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word: and in the beginning of chapter 11. Christ teaches His disciples to pray. "We know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us...." (Rom. 8:26).

May He, indeed, so engage our souls through the Word with Christ, and keep us in prayerful dependence, that the longing cry of our hearts, in answer to Christ's parting message to us of His near return, may be, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." W. HUBERT S. FOSBERY.

Gospel Light. God Is Light. God Is Love.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

1 John 1:5. 1 John 4:8. 16. 1 John 4:9.

Gospel Light. God Is Light. God Is Love.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”